Multi-surface contact plug assemblies, systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8992247-B2
Application number	US-201313832147-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Mar 31, 2015
Grant date	Mar 31, 2015

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to electrical plug assemblies that generally include a plug housing that defines an internal cavity. The electrical plug assemblies generally include a printed circuit board disposed within the internal cavity of the plug housing. The printed circuit board defines a front face and a bottom face. The electrical plug assemblies generally include a plurality of conductive contacts. Each of the plurality of conductive contacts is generally secured relative to the printed circuit board and extends from the bottom face to the front face of the printed circuit board. Exemplary embodiments are also directed to methods of fabricating electrical plug assemblies and electrical plug systems.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical plug assembly, comprising:
a plug housing that defines an internal cavity,
a printed circuit board disposed within the internal cavity of the plug housing, the printed circuit board defining a front face and a bottom face, and
a plurality of conductive contacts,
wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts is secured relative to the printed circuit board and extends from the bottom face to the front face of the printed circuit board, and
wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts comprises an electrical via hole and a conductive strip.

2. The electrical plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plug housing is configured to define a registered jack plug.

3. The electrical plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts is secured to exposed conductive portions of the printed circuit board.

4. The electrical plug assembly of claim 3 , further comprising at least one cable, wherein the at least one cable is a twisted pair structure cable.

5. The electrical plug assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of insulation-displacement connectors electrically connecting the exposed conductive portions of the printed circuit board to the at least one cable.

6. The electrical plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plug housing further comprises a plurality of channels.

7. The electrical plug assembly of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of channels are configured and dimensioned to receive contacts of a jack.

8. The electrical plug assembly of claim 7 , wherein the contacts of the jack are configured as bent cantilever contacts or reverse cantilever contacts.

9. The electrical plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductive contacts extending from the bottom face to the front face of the printed circuit board are configured to create an electrical connection between the electrical plug and both a bent cantilever jack and a reverse cantilever jack.

10. The electrical plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts comprises a single-structure conductive strip.

11. A method of fabricating an electrical plug assembly, comprising:
providing a plug housing that defines an internal cavity,
inserting a printed circuit board within the internal cavity of the plug housing, the printed circuit board defining a front face and a bottom face, and
securing each of a plurality of conductive contacts relative to the printed circuit board,
wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts extends from the bottom face to the front face of the printed circuit board, and
wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts comprises an electrical via hole and a conductive strip.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising securing each of the plurality of conductive contacts to exposed conductive portions of the printed circuit board.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising creating an electrical connection between the exposed conductive portions of the printed circuit board and at least one cable with a plurality of insulation-displacement connectors.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising creating an electrical connection between the electrical plug and a jack.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the jack is a bent cantilever jack or a reverse cantilever jack.

16. An electrical plug system, comprising:
an electrical plug assembly that includes (i) a plug housing that defines an internal cavity, (ii) a printed circuit board disposed within the internal cavity of the plug housing, the printed circuit board defining a front face and a bottom face, and (iii) a plurality of conductive contacts, and
a jack configured and dimensioned to receive the electrical plug assembly,
wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts is secured relative to the printed circuit board and extends from the bottom face to the front face of the printed circuit board, and
wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts comprise an electrical via hole and a conductive strip.

17. The electrical plug system of claim 16 , wherein the jack is a bent cantilever jack or a reverse cantilever jack.

18. The electrical plug system of claim 16 , wherein the jack includes a plurality of contacts.

19. The electrical plug system of claim 18 , wherein an electrical connection is created between the plurality of contacts of the jack and the plurality of conductive contacts of the printed circuit board.

20. An electrical plug assembly, comprising:
a plug housing that defines an internal cavity,
a printed circuit board disposed within the internal cavity of the plug housing, the printed circuit board defining a front face and a bottom face, and
a plurality of conductive contacts,
wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts is secured relative to the printed circuit board and extends from the bottom face to the front face of the printed circuit board, a bottom face portion of each of the plurality of conductive contacts extending perpendicularly relative to a front face portion of each of the plurality of conductive contacts.

21. The electrical plug assembly of claim 20 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive contacts comprises an electrical via hole and a conductive strip.

Assignees

• Aekins Robert A
• Ortronics Inc

Inventors

• Aekins Robert A

Classifications

• H01R43/205

  with a panel or printed circuit board · CPC title

• H01R24/64 Primary

  for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45 · CPC title

• Y10T29/49208

  by assembling plural parts · CPC title

• H05K3/403

  Edge contacts; Windows or holes in the substrate having plural connections on the walls thereof (H05K3/4092 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K2201/10386

  Clip leads; Terminals gripping the edge of a substrate · CPC title