Modular jack and wiring instrument including same

Abstract

The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a modular jack capable of improving assembly workability, and a wiring instrument including the same. This modular jack is provided with a cover and a substrate (30) on which a plurality of first contacts (40) are mounted. The plurality of first contacts (40) can be respectively brought into contact with a plurality of second contacts provided in a modular plug in a state in which the modular plug is inserted into a plug insertion port provided in the cover. The plurality of first contacts (40) include a plurality of third contacts (43) and a plurality of fourth contacts (44). A connection position at which the plurality of third contacts (43) are connected to the substrate (30) and a connection position at which the plurality of fourth contacts (44) are connected to the substrate (30) are different from each other in the front-rear direction. The connection position of two fourth contacts (44) positioned at either end out of the plurality of fourth contacts (44) and the connection position of fourth contacts (44) other than the two fourth contacts (44) positioned at either end out of the plurality of fourth contacts (44) are different from each other in the front-rear direction.

Description

Modular jack and wiring device equipped with same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a modular jack and a wiring device including the same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a modular jack to which a multi-core cable having a plurality of core wires is connected, and a wiring device including the same.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a modular jack. The modular jack has a plug connection base with a plug socket opening on the front. Eight contact springs are arranged inside the plug socket, each of which comes into contact with a contact of a modular plug inserted into the plug socket. Patent Document 2 also describes a conventional modular jack.

[0003] When eight contact springs are press-fitted and fixed to a substrate, the eight contact springs are arranged close to each other, and therefore there is a possibility that adjacent contact springs may get in the way of the press-fitting operation.

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-310559 U.S. Patent Publication No. 9,391,405

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a modular jack that can improve assembly workability, and a wiring device including the same.

[0006] A modular jack according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a cover and a board. A plug insertion opening into which a modular plug can be inserted is provided on a front surface of the cover. A plurality of first contacts are mounted on the board. The plurality of first contacts are capable of contacting a plurality of second contacts provided on the modular plug when the modular plug is inserted into the plug insertion opening. The plurality of first contacts include a plurality of third contacts and a plurality of fourth contacts. The connection positions at which the plurality of third contacts are connected to the board are different in the front-rear direction from the connection positions at which the plurality of fourth contacts are connected to the board. Two of the plurality of fourth contacts are located at both ends in the arrangement direction of the plurality of first contacts. The connection positions of the two fourth contacts located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts are different in the front-rear direction from the connection positions of the fourth contacts other than the two fourth contacts located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts.

[0007] A wiring device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the modular jack and an adapter. The adapter holds the modular jack and is attachable to a mounting member for mounting the wiring device to an installation surface.

[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a modular jack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the modular jack with a cap removed. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the modular jack with a cover and a body separated. FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the modular jack with a cap removed. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the modular jack with a cap removed. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a board included in the modular jack. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the board included in the modular jack. FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the board included in the modular jack with a base removed. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the base included in the modular jack. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a first contact mounted on the board included in the modular jack. FIG. 11 is a pattern diagram of printed wiring formed on the bottom surface of the board included in the modular jack, viewed from below. FIG. 12 is a pattern diagram of printed wiring formed on the top surface of the board included in the modular jack, viewed from below. Fig. 13 is a circuit diagram schematically showing a portion of printed wiring formed on a substrate provided with the modular jack of the same. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a wiring device equipped with the same modular jack attached to a mounting frame. Fig. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the wiring device equipped with the same modular jack and the mounting frame as viewed from the front. Fig. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the wiring device equipped with the same modular jack as viewed from the rear. Fig. 17 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method of connecting core wires of a multi-core cable to the same modular jack.

[0009] Hereinafter, a modular jack and a wiring device including the same according to an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the drawings described in the following embodiments are schematic diagrams, and the dimensional ratios of the sizes of the components do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratios. Furthermore, the configurations described in the following embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications are possible depending on the design, etc., as long as the effects of the present disclosure can be achieved.

[0010] (Embodiment) (1) Overview A modular jack 1 according to the present embodiment and a wiring device 300 including the same will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 17. FIG.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the modular jack 1 of this embodiment includes a cover 20 and a substrate 30.

[0012] The cover 20 has a plug insertion opening 23 on the front surface into which a modular plug 400 (see FIG. 14) can be inserted.

[0013] A plurality of first contacts 40 and a plurality of terminals 50 are mounted on the substrate 30 .

[0014] The first contacts 40 are capable of coming into contact with the second contacts 410 of the modular plug 400 when the modular plug 400 is inserted into the plug insertion port 23 .

[0015] The plurality of first contacts 40 includes a plurality of third contacts 43 and a plurality of fourth contacts 44 .

[0016] The connection positions at which the plurality of third contacts 43 are connected to the substrate 30 are different in the front-rear direction from the connection positions at which the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are connected to the substrate 30 .

[0017] Two of the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are located at both ends in the arrangement direction of the plurality of first contacts 40 .

[0018] The connection positions of the two fourth contacts 44 located at both ends of the multiple fourth contacts 44 and the connection positions of the fourth contacts 44 other than the two fourth contacts 44 located at both ends of the multiple fourth contacts 44 are different in the front-to-back direction (see Figure 7).

[0019] Here, the multiple first contacts 40 are arranged side by side in one direction, and two of the multiple fourth contacts 44 are located at both ends of the multiple first contacts 40 in the arrangement direction.

[0020] According to this embodiment, the connection positions of the plurality of fourth contacts 44 differ in the front-to-rear direction from the connection positions of the plurality of third contacts 43, and furthermore, the connection positions of the two fourth contacts 44 located at both ends differ in the front-to-rear direction from the connection positions of the other fourth contacts 44. Therefore, the modular jack 1 of this embodiment has the advantage that it is easier to press-fit the plurality of first contacts 40 (including the plurality of third contacts 43 and the plurality of fourth contacts 44) into the board 30, improving assembly workability, compared to when the connection positions of the plurality of first contacts 40 are the same in the front-to-rear direction.

[0021] (2) Details The modular jack 1 of this embodiment is connected to a multi-core cable CB1 having multiple pairs of wires, each of which is formed by twisting two core wires W1 together. That is, the modular jack 1 includes multiple terminals 50, each of which can be connected to one of the multiple pairs of wires included in the multi-core cable CB1. More specifically, the modular jack 1 of this embodiment is used, for example, to build a computer network and to connect a LAN cable conforming to the CAT6A standard, which has a communication speed of 10 Gbps and a transmission bandwidth of 500 MHz. In this case, the modular jack 1 includes eight first contacts 40 and eight terminals 50, and the eight terminals 50 are connected to four pairs of wires included in the multi-core cable CB1. That is, each of the eight terminals 50 is connected to one core wire W1 of the corresponding pair of wires.

[0022] A wiring device 300 (see FIGS. 14 and 15 ) equipped with this modular jack 1 is a flush-mounted wiring device that is installed with its rear portion embedded in an installation surface 600, such as a wall. The wiring device 300 can be attached to a mounting frame 500 that is used to attach flush-mounted wiring devices to an installation surface. The illustrated mounting frame 500 is a three-unit mounting frame that can mount up to three unit-sized wiring devices. The wiring device 300 of this embodiment is sized to allow up to three wiring devices to be attached to the illustrated mounting frame 500.

[0023] The modular jack 1 and the wiring device 300 including the same according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the X-axis direction in FIG. 1 and other figures is defined as the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction as the front-rear direction (depth direction), and the Z-axis direction as the up-down direction. Furthermore, the positive X-axis direction is defined as the right side, the positive Y-axis direction as the front side, and the positive Z-axis direction as the top side. The surface of the modular jack 1 on which the plug insertion port 23 is provided is defined as the front side. However, these directions are merely examples and are not intended to limit the orientation of the modular jack 1 and the wiring device 300 during use. For example, the modular jack 1 may be used with the bottom defined in this embodiment facing in a direction other than vertically downward (e.g., vertically upward). Furthermore, the arrows indicating the various directions in the drawings are merely for illustrative purposes and do not represent a physical entity.

[0024] (2.1) Configuration (2.1.1) Modular Jack As described above, the modular jack 1 includes the cover 20, the board 30, and the body 10. The modular jack 1 also includes a base 60 and a cap 70.

[0025] The cover 20 is a molded product made of, for example, electrically insulating synthetic resin. A plug insertion port 23 into which the modular plug 400 can be inserted is provided on the front side of the cover 20. The cover 20 includes a plug connection base 21 having the plug insertion port 23 provided on the front surface thereof, and a body holding base 22 protruding rearward from the rear of the plug connection base 21.

[0026] The plug connection base 21 is formed in a box shape with an opening on the rear surface. A flexible piece 24 is provided in the center in the up-down direction on each of the left and right sides of the plug connection base 21. A slit is formed around the periphery of the flexible piece 24, and the rear end of the flexible piece 24 is formed to be flexible in the left-right direction. A locking claw 25 is provided on the outer surface of the flexible piece 24. The surface of the locking claw 25 is inclined in the front-to-rear direction so that the amount of protrusion from the side surface of the plug connection base 21 increases toward the rear.

[0027] The body holding base 22 protrudes rearward from the rear end of the upper part of the plug connection base 21. The body holding base 22 has a rectangular plate-shaped upper wall 224 and side walls 221 protruding downward from the left and right side edges of the upper wall 224. Rail pieces 26 that can come into contact with the upper surface of the body 10 are provided on the lower surface of the upper wall 224 of the body holding base 22 along the front-rear direction.

[0028] A flexible piece 27 (see FIG. 3) is provided at the top of each of the right and left sides of the plug connection base 21. A slit is formed around the flexible piece 27, and the front end of the flexible piece 27 is formed to be flexible in the left-right direction. A protrusion 28 is provided on the inner surface of the flexible piece 27, which is inclined so that the amount of inward protrusion increases toward the front.

[0029] Furthermore, holding grooves 29 are formed in the rear portions of the left and right side surfaces of the body holding base 22 .

[0030] The substrate 30 (see FIGS. 6 to 8) is, for example, a printed wiring board. The substrate 30 is formed in a flat plate shape from an electrically insulating material such as glass, epoxy, paper, or phenolic material. The substrate 30 is provided with a plurality of holes A1 to A8 (see FIGS. 11 and 12) into which the press-fit portions 41 of the plurality of first contacts 40 are press-fitted, and a plurality of holes B1 to B8 into which the plurality of terminals 50 are press-fitted, respectively.

[0031] A plurality of first contacts 40 are mounted on the substrate 30. When the modular plug 400 is inserted into the plug insertion port 23, the plurality of first contacts 40 are capable of contacting a plurality of second contacts 410 (see FIG. 14 ) provided on the modular plug 400, respectively. A plurality of terminals 50 are mounted on the substrate 30 and electrically connected to the plurality of first contacts 40, respectively. A plurality of core wires W1 of a multi-core cable CB1 (see FIG. 17 ) can be connected to the plurality of terminals 50, respectively. More specifically, a plurality of (e.g., eight) first contacts 40 are mounted on the front underside of the substrate 30, aligned in the left-right direction. The modular plug 400 is provided with a plurality of second contacts 410 that correspond one-to-one to the plurality of first contacts 40 provided on the modular jack 1. A plurality of (e.g., eight) terminals 50 are mounted on the rear underside of the substrate 30, separated into two rows. The plurality of terminals 50 correspond one-to-one to the plurality of first contacts 40. A plurality of printed wirings E1 to E8 (see FIGS. 11 and 12) are formed on the surface of the substrate 30, electrically connecting between the plurality of terminals 50 and the plurality of first contacts 40. The printed wirings E1 to E8 are wirings made of a conductor layer formed on the surface of the substrate 30 using printing technology.

[0032] In this embodiment, there are eight first contacts 40, and the eight first contacts 40 are assigned pin numbers 1 to 8, starting from the left. In FIG. 8 , the parenthesized numbers attached to each of the first contacts 40 indicate the pin numbers assigned to the first contacts 40. The printed wiring E1 to E8 are formed to electrically connect the holes A1 to A8 into which the first contacts 40 numbered 1 to 8 are press-fitted, respectively, and the holes B1 to B8 into which the eight terminals 50 corresponding to the first contacts 40 numbered 1 to 8 are press-fitted, respectively. The inner surfaces of the holes A1 to A8 and the holes B1 to B8 are through-hole plated. Therefore, the first contacts 40 press-fitted into the holes A1 to A8, respectively, and the terminals 50 press-fitted into the holes B1 to B8, respectively, are electrically connected via the printed wiring E1 to E8.

[0033] In this embodiment, four pairs of wires are electrically connected to the pair of first contacts 40 No. 1 and No. 2, the pair of first contacts 40 No. 3 and No. 6, the pair of first contacts 40 No. 4 and No. 5, and the pair of first contacts 40 No. 7 and No. 8. Therefore, four pairs of wires are electrically connected to the pair of printed wirings E1 and E2, the pair of printed wirings E3 and E6, the pair of printed wirings E4 and E5, and the pair of printed wirings E7 and E8.

[0034] To improve the balance of the two printed wirings connected to one pair of wires, it is preferable to make the wiring lengths of the two printed wirings equal. However, because the substrate 30 is formed with multiple printed wirings E1 to E8 that connect multiple first contacts 40 and multiple terminals 50, it may not be possible to make the two printed wirings connected to one pair of wires the same length. For example, in the case of the two printed wirings E7 and E8 connected to the pair of first contacts 40 numbered 7 and 8, the distance between hole A8 and hole B8 is shorter than the distance between hole A7 and hole B7. Therefore, if the printed wiring E7 connects hole A7 and hole B7 over the shortest distance, and the printed wiring E8 connects hole A8 and hole B8 over the shortest distance, the length of the printed wiring E8 will be shorter than that of the printed wiring E7, which may reduce the balance.

[0035] Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to improve the balance of the printed wiring E7 and E8, the printed wiring E8 is configured with two branch wirings E81 and E82 (see FIGS. 11, 12, and 13) whose ends are electrically connected. The branch wiring E81 formed on the underside of the substrate 30 does not connect the hole A8 and the hole B8 over the shortest distance, but is a detoured printed wiring that forms a U-shape to provide a balanced line section E811 that extends parallel to the printed wiring E7 at a constant distance L10. As a result, the first wiring (printed wiring E7) and the second wiring (printed wiring E8) have balanced line sections E711 and E811 that extend parallel to each other at a constant distance L10, which allows the capacitance and inductance components between the first wiring and the second wiring to be adjusted, thereby achieving the transmission performance required by, for example, the CAT6A standard. In FIG. 11, balanced line portions E711 and E811 provided on the printed wirings E7 and E8, respectively, are indicated by dots.

[0036] Also, as shown in Figure 12, in order to extend the wiring length of the branch wiring E82 formed on the upper surface of the substrate 30, the branch wiring E82 is composed of wiring E821 connecting between hole A8 and through hole H1 provided to the right of hole A8, and wiring E822 connecting between hole B8 and through hole H1.

[0037] In this way, by configuring the printed wiring E8 with multiple branch wirings E81 and E82 and adjusting the lengths and arrangements of the multiple branch wirings E81 and E82, the resistance, capacitance, and inductance components of the printed wirings E7 and E8 are equalized, thereby improving the balance of the printed wirings E7 and E8. This reduces the reflection loss of signals passing through the printed wirings E7 and E8 and also reduces the possibility of signal crosstalk between other paired wires, thereby achieving the transmission performance required by, for example, the CAT6A standard. In other words, when the multiple printed wirings E1 to E8 include first and second wirings connected to two core wires W1 included in the paired wires, it is preferable that at least one of the first and second wirings includes multiple branch wirings with both ends electrically connected, thereby adjusting the balance of the first and second wirings. Note that in this embodiment, when the printed wiring E7 is the first wiring and the printed wiring E8 is the second wiring, the second wiring, that is, the printed wiring E8, includes two branch wirings, but it may also include three or more branch wirings. Furthermore, the printed wiring E7, which is the first wiring, may include a plurality of branch wirings, or both the printed wiring E7, which is the first wiring, and the printed wiring E8, which is the second wiring, may include a plurality of branch wirings. Furthermore, two printed wirings connected to two core wires included in another pair of wires may include a plurality of branch wirings, and this can be changed as appropriate depending on the layout of the printed wirings.

[0038] Preferably, first comb-shaped wiring and second comb-shaped wiring are provided on the substrate 30. The first comb-shaped wiring is electrically connected to a first printed wiring among the plurality of printed wirings E1 to E8. The second comb-shaped wiring is electrically connected to a second printed wiring that is connected to a different pair of wires from the pair of wires to which the first printed wiring is electrically connected, and is capacitively coupled to the first comb-shaped wiring.

[0039] 12 shows an example of comb-shaped wirings F1 to F81 formed on a substrate 30. In the illustrated example, the comb-shaped wiring F1 electrically connected to the printed wiring E1 is capacitively coupled to the comb-shaped wiring F31 electrically connected to the printed wiring E3. The comb-shaped wiring F2 electrically connected to the printed wiring E2 is capacitively coupled to the comb-shaped wiring F51 electrically connected to the printed wiring E5. The comb-shaped wiring F32 electrically connected to the printed wiring E3 is capacitively coupled to the comb-shaped wiring F52 electrically connected to the printed wiring E5, and the comb-shaped wiring F33 electrically connected to the printed wiring E3 is capacitively coupled to the comb-shaped wiring F43 electrically connected to the printed wiring E4. The comb-shaped wiring F41 electrically connected to the printed wiring E4 is capacitively coupled to the comb-shaped wiring F61 electrically connected to the printed wiring E6, and the comb-shaped wiring F42 electrically connected to the printed wiring E4 is capacitively coupled to the comb-shaped wiring F71 electrically connected to the printed wiring E7. Furthermore, the comb-shaped wiring F53 electrically connected to the printed wiring E5 is capacitively coupled to the comb-shaped wiring F62 electrically connected to the printed wiring E6, and the comb-shaped wiring F63 electrically connected to the printed wiring E6 is capacitively coupled to the comb-shaped wiring F81 electrically connected to the printed wiring E8.

[0040] As described above, a plurality of comb-shaped wirings F1 to F82 are provided on the substrate 30. One of the two capacitively coupled comb-shaped wirings F1 to F82 is referred to as a first comb-shaped wiring, and the other of the two capacitively coupled comb-shaped wirings F1 to F82 is referred to as a second comb-shaped wiring. Each of the first comb-shaped wiring and the second comb-shaped wiring has a plurality of linear wiring portions arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval, and capacitance is formed between the first comb-shaped wiring and the second comb-shaped wiring by patterning the first comb-shaped wiring and the second comb-shaped wiring so that the linear wiring portions of the first comb-shaped wiring and the linear wiring portions of the second comb-shaped wiring intermesh.

[0041] In this embodiment, a first comb-shaped wiring is electrically connected to a first printed wiring, and a second comb-shaped wiring is electrically connected to a second printed wiring that is connected to a different pair of wires from the pair of wires to which the first printed wiring is electrically connected. This allows capacitance to be formed between the two, thereby reducing the possibility of signal crosstalk between the two. Therefore, this embodiment provides a modular jack 1 with improved transmission performance, achieving the transmission performance required by the CAT6A standard. Note that, as long as the first comb-shaped wiring has multiple linear wiring portions arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval, the second comb-shaped wiring may have only one linear wiring portion inserted into the multiple linear wiring portions of the first comb-shaped wiring. Also, as long as the second comb-shaped wiring has multiple linear wiring portions arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval, the first comb-shaped wiring may have only one linear wiring portion inserted into the multiple linear wiring portions of the second comb-shaped wiring.

[0042] The first comb-shaped wiring and the second comb-shaped wiring are preferably formed on the surface of the substrate 30 opposite to the mounting surface on which the plurality of first contacts 40 are mounted. Forming the first comb-shaped wiring and the second comb-shaped wiring together on one surface (e.g., the top surface) of the substrate 30 has the advantage of facilitating pattern design.

[0043] The substrate 30 is held in the body 10 with the mounting surfaces of the plurality of first contacts 40 and the plurality of terminals 50 facing downward.

[0044] The plurality of first contacts 40 are formed by, for example, pressing a metal plate.

[0045] Each of the plurality of first contacts 40 has a press-fit portion 41 that is press-fitted and fixed into holes A1 to A8 provided in the substrate 30. The press-fit portions 41 of the first to eighth first contacts 40 are connected to the holes A1 to A8 of the substrate 30, respectively. The press-fit portions 41 are, for example, press-fit terminals with holes in the press-fit portion. When the press-fit portions 41 are press-fitted into the holes A1 to A8 of the substrate 30, the press-fit portions 41 are deformed so that the holes of the press-fit portions 41 are crushed, thereby firmly fixing the first contacts 40 to the substrate 30. In this embodiment, the shapes of the holes A1 to A8 are, for example, oval. Because the holes A1 to A8 are oval in shape, the corners of the press-fit portion 41 come into contact with the inner surface of the oval holes A1 to A8, making it even more difficult for the press-fit portion 41 to rotate and the tip end of the contact spring portion 42 to shift position, compared to when the holes A1 to A8 are perfectly circular. This has the advantage of stabilizing the electrical connection between the multiple first contacts 40 and the multiple second contacts 410. Note that in this embodiment, the holes A1 to A8 are oval in shape with rounded corners, for example, but the holes A1 to A8 may be elliptical in shape as long as they are not perfectly circular, and the shape can be changed as appropriate.

[0046] Each of the plurality of first contacts 40 has a pair of protrusions 411 that protrude in opposite directions from the base of the press-fit portion 41 along a direction intersecting the press-fit direction. With the press-fit portion 41 press-fitted and fixed in the holes A1 to A8, the pair of protrusions 411 can come into contact with the surface of the substrate 30. The pair of protrusions 411 protruding from the base of the press-fit portion 41 come into contact with the surface of the substrate 30, which has the advantage of making it difficult for the press-fit portion 41 to shift in orientation and difficult for the tip side position of the contact spring portion 42 to shift.

[0047] Each of the first contacts 40 has a contact spring portion 42 electrically connected to a second contact 410 of the modular plug 400. An L-shaped bent portion 421 that protrudes downward is provided at the middle portion in the front-to-rear direction of the contact spring portion 42. When the modular plug 400 is inserted into the plug insertion port 23, the second contact 410 of the modular plug 400 and the bent portion 421 of the first contact 40 are electrically connected.

[0048] Here, the plurality of first contacts 40 include a plurality of (e.g., three) third contacts 43 and a plurality of (e.g., five) fourth contacts 44. Each of the plurality of third contacts 43 is connected to the board 30 at a connection position closer to the plug insertion opening 23 than the contact portion (bent portion 421) with the second contact 410. The plurality of fourth contacts 44 are connected to the board 30 at a connection position opposite the plug insertion opening 23 than the contact portion (bent portion 421) with the second contact 410. In other words, each of the plurality of (e.g., three) third contacts 43 is fixed to the board 30 by press-fitting a press-fit portion 41 disposed on the front side relative to the bent portion 421 into the holes A3, A5, and A7 of the board 30. Each of the plurality of (e.g., three) third contacts 43 protrudes rearward from the connection position with the board 30. Furthermore, each of the plurality of (e.g., five) fourth contacts 44 is fixed to the board 30 by press-fitting a press-fit portion 41, which is located rearward of the bent portion 421, into holes A1, A2, A4, A6, and A8 of the board 30. Each of the plurality of (e.g., five) fourth contacts 44 protrudes forward from a connection position with the board 30, protruding in the opposite direction to the plurality of third contacts 43. However, when the plurality of first contacts 40 are connected to the board 30 on the side closer to the plug insertion opening 23 or on the opposite side of the contact portion with the second contact 410 (bent portion 421), if the position at which some of the first contacts 40 are connected to the board 30 differs from the position at which the other first contacts 40 are connected to the board 30, the length of some of the first contacts 40 will differ from the length of the other first contacts 40. In contrast, in this embodiment, the plurality of third contacts 43 are fixed to the substrate 30 at connection positions closer to the plug insertion port 23 than their contact points with the second contacts 410, and the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are connected to the substrate 30 at connection positions on the opposite side of the plug insertion port 23 than their contact points with the second contacts 410, so that the lengths of the plurality of third contacts 43 and the plurality of fourth contacts 44 can be set to be approximately the same. This has the advantage of reducing the capacitance component generated between the plurality of third contacts 43 and the plurality of fourth contacts 44, and reducing signal crosstalk.

[0049] As described above, in this embodiment, the connection positions where the plurality of third contacts 43 are connected to the substrate 30 are different in the front-to-rear direction from the connection positions where the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are connected to the substrate. Furthermore, two of the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are located at both ends in the arrangement direction (e.g., the left-to-right direction) of the plurality of first contacts 40. The connection positions of the two fourth contacts 44 located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are different in the front-to-rear direction from the connection positions of the fourth contacts 44 other than the two fourth contacts 44 located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts 44. Specifically, the connection positions where the plurality of third contacts 43 are connected to the substrate 30 are different in the front-to-rear direction from the connection positions where the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are connected to the substrate 30. Furthermore, the connection positions where the two fourth contacts 44 located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are connected to the substrate 30 are different in the front-to-rear direction from the connection positions where the remaining three fourth contacts 44 are connected to the substrate 30. In this way, by making the connection positions of some of the first contacts 40 and the connection positions of other some of the first contacts 40 different in the front-to-back direction, there is an advantage that the work of pressing the first contacts 40 into the substrate 30 is easier to perform compared to when the connection positions of multiple first contacts 40 are the same in the front-to-back direction.

[0050] In this embodiment, the third contacts 43 and the fourth contacts 44 are alternately arranged in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction. Here, the third contacts 43 connected to the board 30 at connection positions closer to the plug insertion opening 23 than the contact positions with the second contacts 410, and the fourth contacts 44 connected to the board 30 at connection positions on the opposite side of the plug insertion opening 23 than the contact positions with the second contacts 410, are alternately arranged in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction (left-right direction). This has the advantage of making it easier to press-fit the third contacts 43 and the fourth contacts 44 into the board 30, compared to when the connection positions at which the first contacts 40 are connected to the board 30 are the same in the front-rear direction.

[0051] Furthermore, in the arrangement direction of the multiple first contacts 40, the lengths of the two first contacts 40 located at both ends are set to be longer than the lengths of the other first contacts 40. In other words, the lengths of the two fourth contacts 44 located at both ends of the multiple fourth contacts 44 are set to be longer than the lengths of the fourth contacts 44 other than the two fourth contacts 44 located at both ends. In this embodiment, the first contacts 40 located at both ends in the arrangement direction (left-right direction) are fourth contacts 44, and the connection positions of the fourth contacts 44 located at both ends are farther from the contact position with the second contact 410 than the connection positions of the other three fourth contacts 44. Therefore, the length of the fourth contacts 44 located at both ends is longer than the lengths of the other three fourth contacts 44, and in this embodiment, is longer than the length of the three third contacts 43. In this way, the first contacts 40 (fourth contacts 44) located at both ends are longer than the other first contacts 40, so the spring constant of the first contacts 40 (fourth contacts 44) located at both ends can be reduced. When a 6-pole modular plug is mistakenly inserted into the plug insertion port 23, the first contacts 40 (fourth contacts 44) located at both ends are likely to bend more than when an 8-pole modular plug is connected to the plug insertion port 23. In this embodiment, the spring constants of the first contacts 40 (fourth contacts 44) located at both ends are smaller than those of the other first contacts 40. Therefore, even when a 6-pole modular plug is mistakenly inserted, the possibility of plastic deformation of the first contacts 40 (fourth contacts 44) located at both ends can be reduced, and the reliability of the electrical connection with the second contacts 410 can be improved.

[0052] Here, the plurality of third contacts 43 and the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are arranged alternately in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction (e.g., the left-right direction). More specifically, the fourth contacts 44 are arranged at both ends in the left-right direction, and three third contacts 43 and five fourth contacts 44 are mounted on the underside of the substrate 30 so that the third contacts 43 and the fourth contacts 44 are arranged alternately in the left-right direction. In this way, because the third contacts 43 and the fourth contacts 44 are arranged alternately in the left-right direction, there is an advantage that the pair of protrusions 411 protruding from the base of the press-fit portion 41 are less likely to interfere with each other, making it easier to press-fit the plurality of first contacts 40.

[0053] The modular jack 1 of this embodiment further includes a base 60 disposed between the plurality of first contacts 40 and the substrate 30 .

[0054] The base 60 is formed in a flat plate shape from an electrically insulating synthetic resin. A pair of protrusions 66 is provided on the upper surface of the base 60. The substrate 30 is provided with a pair of through-holes 34 (see FIG. 8 ), into which the pair of protrusions 66 of the base 60 are respectively inserted. Therefore, by inserting the pair of protrusions 66 of the base 60 into the pair of through-holes 34 of the substrate 30, the base 60 is held in a positioned state relative to the substrate 30. The base 60 is attached to the substrate 30 so as to be interposed between the plurality of first contacts 40 (including the plurality of third contacts 43 and the plurality of fourth contacts 44) and the substrate 30.

[0055] Three grooves 61 into which portions of the three third contacts 43 are respectively inserted are formed at the front end of the underside of the base 60. The base 60 is provided with through-holes 63 that penetrate the base 60 in the up-down direction at locations corresponding to the tip ends of the three third contacts 43, respectively.

[0056] Five grooves 62 are formed in the rear end of the underside of the base 60, into which portions of the five fourth contacts 44 are respectively inserted. Furthermore, the base 60 is provided with through-holes 64 that penetrate the base 60 in the up-down direction at positions corresponding to the tip end of the right-most fourth contact 44 and the tip end of the two left-most fourth contacts 44, among the five fourth contacts 44. The through-holes 64 are formed by cutting out corners of the base 60. Furthermore, the base 60 is provided with through-holes 65 that penetrate the base 60 in the up-down direction at positions corresponding to the tip end of the second and third fourth contacts 44 from the right end, among the five fourth contacts 44.

[0057] As described above, the base 60 is provided with a plurality of grooves 61, 62 that correspond one-to-one to the plurality of first contacts 40. A portion of a corresponding one of the plurality of first contacts 40 is inserted into each of the plurality of grooves 61, 62. The plurality of first contacts 40 (the plurality of third contacts 43 and the plurality of fourth contacts 44) have a portion of the contact spring portion 42 inserted into the groove 61 or 62. More specifically, a portion of a corresponding one of the plurality of first contacts 40 between a contact portion with the second contact 410 and a connection portion with the board 30 is inserted into each of the plurality of grooves 61, 62. In other words, a portion of the contact spring portion 42 of the first contact 40 between the bent portion 421 and the press-fit portion 41 is inserted into the groove 61 or 62. As described above, because a portion of the contact spring portion 42 is inserted into the groove 61 or 62, the positions of the plurality of first contacts 40 are less likely to shift in the left-right direction. Therefore, the bent portions 421 of the plurality of third contacts 43 and the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are less likely to shift in the left-right direction, and the plurality of third contacts 43 and the plurality of fourth contacts 44 can be reliably brought into contact with the plurality of second contacts 410.

[0058] Furthermore, the base 60 is provided with through-holes 63, 64, 65 that penetrate the base 60 at locations where the tip portions of the plurality of first contacts 40 face each other. Therefore, even if the plurality of first contacts 40 (including the plurality of third contacts 43 and the plurality of fourth contacts 44) come into contact with the plurality of second contacts 410 and are thereby deflected toward the base 60, the possibility that the tip portions of the plurality of first contacts 40 will come into contact with the base 60 and be deformed can be reduced.

[0059] In this embodiment, the portion of the base 60 that supports the plurality of third contacts 43 and the portion that supports the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are integrated, so the contact area with the substrate 30 can be increased and misalignment of the base 60 can be suppressed compared to when the portion that supports the plurality of third contacts 43 and the portion that supports the plurality of fourth contacts 44 are provided separately.

[0060] Each of the plurality of terminals 50 comprises a press-fit terminal that is press-fit into holes B1 to B8 of the circuit board 30. Each of the plurality of terminals 50 also has a pressure-contact slit 51 at its bottom. The pressure-contact slit 51 is formed like a fork, cutting upward from the center of the bottom edge of the terminal 50. The inner edge of the fork-shaped pressure-contact slit 51 is formed to become thinner toward the tip. Therefore, when a core wire W1 of the multi-core cable CB1 is placed below the pressure-contact slit 51 of each terminal 50 and a pressing force is applied to the core wire W1 in a direction from the tip toward the base of the pressure-contact slit 51, the insulating coating of the core wire W1 is cut by the inner edge of the pressure-contact slit 51, and the conductor portion of the core wire W1 introduced into the pressure-contact slit 51 is held in the pressure-contact slit 51. In short, with the core wire W1 aligned with the insulation displacement slit 51 of the terminal 50 so as to extend in the thickness direction of the terminal 50, simply by applying a pressing force from the lower end to the upper end of the terminal 50 to the core wire W1, the insulating coating of the core wire W1 can be cut and the conductor portion of the core wire W1 can be connected to the terminal 50. This type of terminal structure is known as an IDC terminal.

[0061] The body 10 is, for example, a molded product made of insulating synthetic resin. The body 10 holds the circuit board 30 and is attached to the cover 20. The circuit board 30 is disposed on the top surface of the body 10. Support protrusions 19B, 19C are provided on the left and right edges of the body 10, which contact the sides of the circuit board 30 to position the circuit board 30 in the left-right and front-to-back directions. Also, hooks 19A are provided on the left and right edges of the body 10, which hook onto the edges of the top surface of the circuit board 30 to position the circuit board 30 in the up-down direction. Therefore, the support protrusions 19B, 19C contact the left and right sides of the circuit board 30 disposed on the top surface of the body 10, and the hooks 19A hook onto the edges of the top surface of the circuit board 30, thereby positioning the circuit board 30 relative to the body 10.

[0062] A flat insertion portion 17 is provided on the front side of the body 10, and is inserted into a recess 211 (see FIG. 3) provided on the upper part of the plug connection base 21. A plurality of slit-shaped through holes 171 are provided on the underside of the insertion portion 17 at positions corresponding to the plurality of first contacts 40, for inserting the plurality of first contacts 40. Therefore, when the substrate 30 is held by the body 10, each of the plurality of first contacts 40 protrudes downward from the corresponding through hole 171 (see FIG. 3). Note that the tip end of the contact spring portion 42 of each of the plurality of first contacts 40 catches on the edge of the through hole 171, thereby restricting the contact spring portion 42 from moving further downward.

[0063] Terminal holders 15A and 15B are provided at the rear of the body 10, protruding downward from both left and right sides. Four terminals 50 are inserted into each of the left and right terminal holders 15A and 15B. Each of the left and right terminal holders 15A and 15B has four insertion grooves 16 that expose the pressure contact slits 51 of the four terminals 50.

[0064] The body 10 has a recess 12 into which the end of the multi-core cable CB1 can be inserted through an opening 11 on a first end side (e.g., lower side) in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction. More specifically, the recess 12 into which the end of the multi-core cable CB1 can be inserted is formed between the left and right terminal holders 15A and 15B in the body 10. The space between the lower ends of the left and right terminal holders 15A and 15B forms the opening 11 of the recess 12. For example, the end of the multi-core cable CB1 can be inserted into the recess 12 of the body 10 through the opening 11. Here, the direction intersecting the front-rear direction is, for example, a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Note that the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is not limited to two directions intersecting at a right angle, and the crossing angle between the two directions may be shifted by a few degrees (e.g., 10 degrees or less) from 90 degrees. When the body 11 is positioned so that the opening 11 faces downward, the direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction is, for example, the up-down direction, and the first end side in the direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction is the lower side, and the second end side opposite the first end side in the direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction is the upper side.

[0065] Furthermore, at the rear of the left and right terminal holders 15A, 15B, a first protrusion 13 and a second protrusion 14 are provided side by side in the front-to-rear direction on each of a first side surface 111 (e.g., the inner surface of the right terminal holder 15A) and a second side surface 112 (e.g., the inner surface of the left terminal holder 15B) located on both sides of the opening 11. In other words, in the body 10, the first protrusion 13 and the second protrusion 14 that come into contact from below with the multi-core cable CB1 inserted into the accommodating space 121 are provided spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction on each of the first side surface 111 and the second side surface 112 located on both the left and right sides of the opening 11.

[0066] Here, the distance L2 between the pair of second protrusions 14 provided on the first side surface 111 and the pair of second side surfaces 112 is wider than the distance L1 between the pair of first protrusions 13 provided on the first side surface 111 and the second side surface 112, respectively. In this embodiment, the pair of first protrusions 13 and the pair of second protrusions 14 are arranged so that the pair of second protrusions 14, which are spaced apart more widely than the pair of first protrusions 13, are located rearward of the pair of first protrusions 13. In other words, the pair of first protrusions 13 are located forward of the pair of second protrusions 14. Because the pair of second protrusions 14 are located rearward of the pair of first protrusions 13, a multi-core cable CB1 having a large diameter can be temporarily held by the pair of second protrusions 14 located rearward.

[0067] Each of the pair of first protrusions 13 is provided with an inclined surface 13A such that the distance between the ends on the first end side (e.g., the lower side) is wider than the distance between the ends on the second end side (e.g., the upper side) opposite to the first end in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction. Each of the pair of second protrusions 14 is provided with an inclined surface 14A such that the distance between the ends on the first end side (e.g., the lower side) is wider than the distance between the ends on the second end side (e.g., the upper side). In other words, each of the pair of first protrusions 13 is provided with an inclined surface 14A such that the distance between the ends on the opening 11 side of the pair of first protrusions 13 is wider than the distance between the ends on the storage space 121 side of the pair of first protrusions 13. The second protrusions 14 are provided with inclined surfaces 13A such that the distance between the ends of the pair of second protrusions 14 on the opening 11 side is wider than the distance between the ends of the pair of second protrusions 14 on the accommodating space 121 side. Also, each of the pair of second protrusions 14 is provided with inclined surfaces 14A such that the distance between the ends of the pair of second protrusions 14 on the opening 11 side is wider than the distance between the ends of the pair of second protrusions 14 on the accommodating space 121 side. Therefore, when the outer sheath OS1 of the multi-core cable CB1 is pushed from the opening 11 toward the accommodating space 121, the outer sheath OS1 of the multi-core cable CB1 is guided into the accommodating space 121 along the inclined surfaces 13A or 14A, making it easy to push the multi-core cable CB1 into the accommodating space 121.

[0068] Furthermore, a pair of first clamping pieces 181 protruding in an arch shape are provided on the left and right inner walls of the body 10 above the pair of first protrusions 13. A pair of second clamping pieces 182 protruding in an arch shape are provided on the left and right inner walls of the body 10 above the pair of second protrusions 14. That is, the body 10 is provided with a pair of first clamping pieces 181 and a pair of second clamping pieces 182 that clamp the multi-core cable CB1 arranged in the accommodating space 121 from both the left and right sides. That is, the body 10 is provided with a pair of first clamping pieces 181 that clamp the multi-core cable CB1 arranged in the accommodating space 121 from both the left and right sides, and a pair of second clamping pieces 182 that clamp the multi-core cable CB1 arranged in the accommodating space 121 from both the left and right sides. The distance L4 between the pair of second clamping pieces 182 is wider than the distance L3 between the pair of first clamping pieces 181. Here, the pair of first clamping pieces 181 is located further forward than the pair of second clamping pieces 182. Furthermore, the distance L3 between the pair of first clamping pieces 181 is wider than the distance L1 between the pair of first protrusions 13, and the distance between the pair of second clamping pieces 182 is wider than the distance L2 between the pair of second protrusions 14.

[0069] In this way, the body 10 is provided with a pair of first protrusions 13 and a pair of second protrusions 14 on the opening 11 side of the accommodation space 121 that accommodates the end of the multi-core cable CB1. Therefore, when the end of the multi-core cable CB1 is inserted into the accommodation space 121, the pair of first protrusions 13 or the pair of second protrusions 14 come into contact with the end of the multi-core cable CB1, thereby preventing the multi-core cable CB1 from coming out of the accommodation space 121.

[0070] Here, the spacing L1 between the pair of first protrusions 13 is narrower than the spacing L2 between the pair of second protrusions 14, so that multiple types of multi-core cables CB1 with different diameters can be held by the pair of first protrusions 13 or the pair of second protrusions 14. For example, the diameter of a multi-core cable CB1 conforming to the CAT6A standard is larger than that of a multi-core cable CB1 conforming to the CAT5 or CAT6 standard. The spacing L1 between the pair of first protrusions 13 is set to a dimension smaller than the diameter of the multi-core cable CB1 conforming to the CAT5 or CAT6 standard. Furthermore, the spacing L2 between the pair of second protrusions 14 is set to a dimension larger than the diameter of the multi-core cable CB1 conforming to the CAT5 or CAT6 standard but smaller than the diameter of the multi-core cable CB1 conforming to the CAT6A standard. Therefore, when a multi-core cable CB1 conforming to the CAT5 or CAT6 standard is connected to the modular jack 1, the multi-core cable CB1 can be held by the pair of first protrusions 13. Furthermore, when a multi-core cable CB1 conforming to the CAT6A standard is connected to the modular jack 1, the multi-core cable CB1 can be held by the pair of second protrusions 14. This allows the modular jack 1 of this embodiment to hold multiple types of multi-core cables CB1 with different diameters, improving the workability of connecting multi-core cables CB1 with multiple diameters.

[0071] (2.1.2) Wiring Device A wiring device 300 including the modular jack 1 described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 to 16. FIG.

[0072] The wiring device 300 includes a modular jack 1 and an adapter 100 that holds the modular jack 1 and is attachable to a mounting member (e.g., a mounting frame 500) for mounting the wiring device 300 on an installation surface 600. The wiring device 300 also includes a door block 150 for opening and closing the plug insertion port 23.

[0073] The adapter 100 is a molded product made of synthetic resin, which is an electrically insulating material.

[0074] The adapter 100 comprises a rectangular front frame portion 101 into which the plug connection base 21 of the modular jack 1 is inserted, and a cover portion 102 extending rearward from the top surface of the front frame portion 101 .

[0075] The front frame 101 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape penetrating in the front-rear direction. The left and right inner surfaces of the front frame 101 are provided with engagement grooves 103 into which engagement claws 25 provided on the left and right side surfaces of the plug connection base 21 engage. When the plug connection base 21 of the modular jack 1 is inserted into the front frame 101 from the rear and the engagement claws 25 are engaged in the engagement grooves 103, rearward movement of the modular jack 1 is restricted. Furthermore, protrusions 212 provided on the left and right side surfaces of the plug connection base 21 contact stepped portions 104 provided on the left and right inner surfaces of the front frame 101 from the rear, thereby restricting forward movement of the modular jack 1. Furthermore, the top, bottom, left, and right side surfaces of the plug connection base 21 contact the inner surfaces of the front frame 101, thereby positioning the plug connection base 21 in the left-right and up-down directions. As a result, the modular jack 1 is held in the front frame 101 of the adapter 100 with its movement restricted in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-down directions. When the modular jack 1 is held in the front frame 101 of the adapter 100, the upper surface of the rear of the modular jack 1 is in contact with the lower surface of the cover 102.

[0076] Shoulders 105 are provided on the left and right outer surfaces of the front frame 101, protruding outward from positions slightly set back from the front surface of the front frame 101. Each of the left and right shoulders 105 is provided with a pair of mounting claws 106 for mounting to the mounting frame 500.

[0077] A door block 150 having doors 155 and 156 for opening and closing the plug insertion port 23 of the modular jack 1 is attached to the front surface of the front frame portion 101 .

[0078] The door block 150 has a flat, box-shaped main body 151 that is open at the rear. The main body 151 has a rectangular front wall 152 and side walls 153 that protrude rearward from the four sides of the front wall 152.

[0079] A pair of engaging hooks 160 protruding rearward is provided on each of the left and right side walls 153. The door block 150 is attached to the front side of the adapter 100 by fitting the pair of engaging hooks 160 provided on each of the left and right side walls 153 into the pair of fitting holes 107 provided on the left and right sides of the front frame portion 101.

[0080] A plug insertion port 154 into which a modular plug 400 can be inserted is provided in the front wall 152 of the door block 150 at a position overlapping with the plug insertion port 23 of the modular jack 1 in the front-to-rear direction. The door block 150 has two door bodies 155, 156 that open and close the plug insertion port 154. The two door bodies 155, 156 are held by the door block 150 in a state in which they can slide up and down. The lower door body 156 is positioned rearward of the upper door body 155. The lower door body 156 is provided with a protrusion 157 that protrudes forward. A downward pressing force is applied to the lower door body 156 by a coil spring provided in the door block 150.

[0081] When the lower door body 156 slides downward due to the spring force of the coil spring, the upper door body 155 is pulled by the lower door body 156 and also slides downward, and the plug insertion port 154 is closed by the two doors 155, 156. Closing the plug insertion port 154 with the two doors 155, 156 prevents foreign matter, dust, etc. from entering the plug insertion port 23.

[0082] When protrusion 157 of lower door body 156 is pushed upward, lower door body 156 slides upward, and when protrusion 157 abuts upper door body 155, upper door body 155 also slides upward. When doors 155, 156 are slid upward until protrusion 157 abuts the upper edge of plug insertion port 154, plug insertion port 154 is entirely opened, and modular plug 400 can be inserted into plug insertion port 23 of modular jack 1 through plug insertion port 154.

[0083] The cap 70 is provided for connecting the core wires W1 of the multi-core cable CB1 to the insulation displacement slits 51 of the terminals 50, respectively.

[0084] Eight pressing pieces 71 are provided on the top surface of cap 70 at locations facing terminal holders 15A and 15B, respectively, which can be inserted into insertion grooves 16, four of which are provided in each of terminal holders 15A and 15B. Each of the eight pressing pieces 71 is provided with a groove 72 into which the tip (lower end) of a terminal 50 is inserted.

[0085] Furthermore, clip levers 73 are provided on the left and right sides of the cap 70, respectively. A locking hole 74 is provided at the top of the clip lever 73, and a knob portion 75 is provided at the bottom of the clip lever 73. The clip levers 73 are supported by the cap 70 via hinges 76 provided at the middle portion in the up-down direction, and the distance between the bottom ends of the left and right clip levers 73 is variable. In other words, when the knob portions 75 of the left and right clip levers 73 are pinched with fingers and an external force is applied to bring the left and right knob portions 75 closer together, the distance between the top ends of the left and right clip levers 73 increases, and when the external force is removed, the elasticity of the hinges 76 returns the distance between the top ends of the left and right clip levers 73 to its original value.

[0086] Protrusions 81 provided on the outer surfaces of terminal holders 15A and 15B of body 10 can be inserted into locking holes 74 provided in clip lever 73. When cap 70 is pressed against terminal holders 15A and 15B with eight pressing pieces 71 provided on cap 70 inserted into insertion grooves 16, four of which are provided on each of terminal holders 15A and 15B, protrusions 81 fit into locking holes 74, and cap 70 is held to body 10. When cap 70 is held to body 10, pressing pieces 71 prevent core wire W1 from lifting up, thereby preventing core wire W1 from coming off.

[0087] To remove the cap 70 attached to the body 10, pinch the knobs 75 of the left and right clip levers 73 with your fingers to reduce the distance between them, which will disengage the locking holes 74 from the protrusions 81, allowing the cap 70 to be removed from the body 10.

[0088] The cap 70 is also formed with a push-in piece 77 that is inserted into the recess 12 at a position that does not interfere with the multi-core cable CB1 when the cap 70 is attached to the body 10. The push-in piece 77 is insertable into the insertion groove 16, has a larger protruding dimension than the pressing piece 71, and has a groove 78 that is deeper than the groove 72 formed in the pressing piece 71. After the core wire W1 of the multi-core cable CB1 is inserted into the insertion groove 16, the push-in piece 77 is used to push the core wire W1 deep into the insertion groove 16, whereby the insulating coating of the core wire W1 is cut by the insulation displacement slit 51 of the terminal 50 and the conductor portion of the core wire W1 is pressed against the insulation displacement slit 51 of the terminal 50.

[0089] (2.1.3) Mounting Frame The mounting frame (mounting member) 500 is a mounting frame for a large rectangular interconnection wiring device standardized, for example, by JIS C 8375. The mounting frame 500 shown in Figures 14 and 15 is a three-unit (single-unit) mounting frame used when mounting a large rectangular interconnection wiring device to an installation surface 600. This mounting frame 500 is made of synthetic resin and is formed into a rectangular frame shape with left and right side edges 502, 503, an upper edge 504 connecting the upper ends of the left and right side edges 502, 503, and a lower edge 505 connecting the lower ends of the left and right side edges 502, 503. The left and right side edges 502, 503 are each provided with three pairs of engaging holes 510 that engage with pairs of mounting claws 106 provided on the left and right shoulder portions 105 of the adapter 100. Also, for example, a flexible piece 506 is formed on the right side 502 so as to bend so as to change the distance between it and the left side 503 .

[0090] The upper edge 504 and the lower edge 505 are provided with elongated holes 511 for passing fixing screws (not shown) that connect the mounting frame 500 to a switch box embedded in the construction surface 600. The upper edge 504 and the lower edge 505 are also provided with screw holes 512 for receiving plate screws (not shown) that connect a decorative plate (not shown) that covers the front surface of the mounting frame 500. When the decorative plate is attached to the mounting frame 500, the front wall 152 of the door block 150 is exposed from the central hole in the decorative plate.

[0091] (2.2) Method of Assembling Modular Jack and Wiring Device The method of assembling the modular jack 1 will be described below.

[0092] The base 60 is attached to the underside of the substrate 30 by inserting the pair of protrusions 66 of the base 60 from below into the pair of through holes 34 of the substrate 30 .

[0093] Then, the plurality of first contacts 40 are press-fitted into the plurality of holes A1 to A8 of the substrate 30, respectively, and the plurality of terminals 50 are press-fitted into the plurality of holes B1 to B8, respectively, thereby fixing the plurality of terminals 50 and the plurality of first contacts 40 to the substrate 30. At this time, of the plurality of first contacts 40, the press-fit portions 41 of three third contacts 43 are press-fitted into three holes A3, A5, and A7 provided on the substrate 30 on the front side of the mounting position of the base 60, and the bases of the three third contacts 43 are inserted into grooves 61 of the base 60. Furthermore, of the plurality of first contacts 40, the press-fit portions 41 of five fourth contacts 44 are press-fitted into five holes A1, A2, A4, A6, and A8 provided on the substrate 30 on the rear side of the mounting position of the base 60, and the bases of the five fourth contacts 44 are inserted into grooves 62 on the rear side of the base 60.

[0094] Next, the board 30 is placed on the top surface of the body 10 with the surface on which the multiple terminals 50 and multiple first contacts 40 are mounted facing downward. At this time, the support protrusions 19B, 19C, two of which are provided on each of the left and right sides of the body 10, come into contact with the stepped portions 32, 33 provided on the left and right side surfaces of the board 30, thereby positioning the board 30 relative to the body 10 in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. In addition, the hanging hooks 19A, provided on both the left and right sides of the body 10, hook onto the upper end portions of the left and right side surfaces of the board 30, thereby positioning the board 30 relative to the body 10 in the up-down direction. In this way, the board 30 is held by the body 10. When the board 30 is held by the body 10, the multiple first contacts 40 protrude downward from the multiple through holes 171 provided in the body 10. Furthermore, when the board 30 is held by the body 10, the four terminals 50 provided on the right side of the board 30 are inserted into the right terminal holder 15A, and the four terminals 50 are arranged at positions corresponding to the four insertion grooves 16. Furthermore, the four terminals 50 provided on the left side of the board 30 are inserted into the left terminal holder 15B, and the four terminals 50 are arranged at positions corresponding to the four insertion grooves 16.

[0095] Next, with the upper surface of the circuit board 30 in contact with rail pieces 26 provided on the underside of the body holding base 22, the body 10 holding the circuit board 30 is moved forward, and the insertion portion 17 of the body 10 is inserted into the recess 211 of the plug connection base 21. When the insertion portion 17 is pushed to a predetermined position within the recess 211, the protrusions 28 of the flexible pieces 27 provided on the left and right sides of the plug connection base 21 climb over the support protrusions 19B of the body 10 and become caught on the support protrusions 19B, thereby restricting rearward movement of the body 10. In addition, step portions 172 are provided on both the left and right sides of the underside of the insertion portion 17, and these step portions 172 come into contact with corners 213 provided on the left and right inner walls of the plug connection base 21, thereby restricting movement of the insertion portion 17 in the up-down and left-right directions. Furthermore, a protrusion 19D that protrudes forward is provided at the upper end of the support protrusion 19C of the body 10, and when the insertion portion 17 is pushed to a predetermined position within the recess 211, the protrusion 19D is inserted into a holding groove 29 provided at the rear of the body holding base 22, thereby restricting movement of the body 10 in the up-down and left-right directions. This results in the body 10 being attached to the cover 20.

[0096] Here, a first fitting portion is formed by the protrusion 19D and the stepped portion 172, etc., and a second fitting portion is formed by the holding groove 29 into which the protrusion 19D is inserted and the corner portion 213 with which the stepped portion 172 comes into contact, etc. In this manner, the body 10 and the cover 20 are joined by fitting the first fitting portion provided on the body 10 with the second fitting portion provided on the cover 20. Note that in this embodiment, the first fitting portion is formed by the protrusion 19D and the stepped portion 172, etc., and the second fitting portion is formed by the holding groove 29 and the corner portion 213, etc., but the configurations of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion can be changed as appropriate.

[0097] Furthermore, when the body 10 and the cover 20 are joined together, the left and right side walls 221 of the body holding base 22 contact the upper surfaces of the terminal holding bases 15A and 15B of the body 10. The left and right side walls 221 serve as abutment portions that contact a portion of the body 10 when the body 10 and the cover 20 are joined together. Furthermore, protrusions 222 having a predetermined width in the left-right direction protrude downward from the left and right side walls 221, and these protrusions 222 contact the front end surfaces of the terminal holding bases 15A and 15B. In other words, when the body 10 and the cover 20 are joined together, the cover 20 is provided with abutment portions (the side walls 221 in this embodiment) that contact a portion of the body 10, and protrusions 222 that protrude from the abutment portions and contact the ends of the body 10. In this way, the cover 20 is provided with protrusions 222 of a predetermined width that protrude from the abutment portions, and these protrusions 222 are in contact with the front ends of the terminal holders 15A, 15B of the body 10, thereby increasing the strength of the cover 20. Therefore, even if an external force is applied to the multi-core cable CB1 connected to the modular jack 1, causing an external force that pushes the rear of the body 10 downward and this external force is applied to the cover 20, the abutment portions and protrusions 222 can withstand the external force applied from the body 10, thereby suppressing deformation of the cover 20. Note that in this embodiment, the abutment portions are formed by the left and right side walls 221 of the body holder 22, etc., and the protrusions 222 are formed by protrusions 222 that protrude downward from the left and right side walls 221, but the configuration of the abutment portions and protrusions 222 can be changed as appropriate.

[0098] It is also preferable that the corners between the contact portions and the protrusions of the cover 20 are rounded. That is, it is preferable that the corners between the side wall 221, which is the contact portion, and the protrusions 222, which are the protrusions, of the cover 20 are rounded, which can reduce the possibility of stress concentrating at the corners between the side wall 221 and the protrusions 222.

[0099] In this embodiment, the body 10 and the cover 20 have mating portions on both the front and rear sides of the protrusion 222. For example, the first mating portion includes a first mating structure formed by the protrusion 19D and a second mating structure formed by the stepped portion 172. The second mating portion includes a third mating structure formed by the retaining groove 29 that fits with the protrusion 19D and a fourth mating structure formed by the corner 213 that fits with the stepped portion 172. That is, the first mating portion includes the first mating structure and the second mating structure, and the second mating portion includes a third mating structure that fits with the first mating structure and a fourth mating structure that fits with the second mating structure. When the body 10 and the cover 20 are joined together, the protrusion 222 is located between the first and third mating structures and the second and fourth mating structures. Even if an external force is applied to the multi-core cable CB1 connected to the modular jack 1, and thus an external force is applied from the body 10 to the cover 20, the cover 20 is less likely to deform, which has the advantage that the connection between the body 10 and the cover 20 is less likely to come loose. Note that the first, second, third, and fourth fitting structures are not limited to the above configurations and can be modified as appropriate.

[0100] Then, with the eight pressing pieces 71 of the cap 70 inserted into the four insertion grooves 16 provided on each of the terminal holding bases 15A and 15B, the cap 70 is pressed against the terminal holding bases 15A and 15B, and the protrusions 81 fit into the locking holes 74, and the cap 70 is attached to the body 10.

[0101] Next, a method for assembling the wiring device 300 including the modular jack 1 will be described.

[0102] When the plug connection base 21 of the modular jack 1 is inserted into the front frame 101 of the adapter 100 from the rear side, the top, bottom, left, and right side surfaces of the plug connection base 21 come into contact with the inner walls of the front frame 101, restricting movement of the plug connection base 21 in the up, down, and left, and right directions. Then, when the plug connection base 21 is moved to a predetermined position on the front frame 101, the left and right locking claws 25 of the plug connection base 21 get caught in engagement grooves 103 provided on the left and right inner walls of the front frame 101, restricting rearward movement of the plug connection base 21. This results in the modular jack 1 being held in the adapter 100.

[0103] Then, when door block 150 is brought close to front frame portion 101 of adapter 100 from the front and the four engaging hooks 160 are aligned with the four fitting holes 107, door block 150 is pushed into front frame portion 101, whereby engaging hooks 160 are inserted into fitting holes 107. At this time, engaging hooks 160 are caught on the edges of fitting holes 107, thereby fixing door block 150 to front frame portion 101 and completing the assembly of wiring device 300.

[0104] (2.3) Method of Connecting a Multi-Core Cable to a Modular Jack A method of connecting the core wires W1 of the multi-core cable CB1 to the terminals 50 of the modular jack 1 will be described below.

[0105] When connecting the core wires W1 of the multi-core cable CB1 to the terminals 50 of the modular jack 1, the outer sheath OS1 at the tip of the multi-core cable CB1 is stripped to expose the core wires W1 (e.g., eight core wires), as shown in Fig. 17. The cap 70 is also removed from the body 10 to expose the insertion grooves 16, four of which are provided in each of the terminal holders 15A and 15B.

[0106] When the end of the outer sheath OS1 of the multi-core cable CB1 is pushed into the recess 12 from the opening 11 of the body 10, the outer sheath OS1 passes over the pair of first protrusions 13 or the pair of second protrusions 14 and enters the recess 12. At this time, the pair of first protrusions 13 or the pair of second protrusions 14 come into contact with the outer sheath OS1 of the multi-core cable CB1, thereby temporarily holding the multi-core cable CB1 in the body 10.

[0107] With the multi-core cable CB1 temporarily held in the body 10, four pairs of eight core wires W1 are inserted into the four insertion grooves 16 provided in each of the left and right terminal holders 15A and 15B. Each core wire W1 is inserted into the insertion groove 16 so as to extend along the thickness direction of the terminal 50 placed in the insertion groove 16.

[0108] With one core wire W1 inserted into each of the eight insertion grooves 16, when the pushing pieces 77 of the cap 70 push the core wires W1 one by one from the tip end to the base end of the insulation displacement slit 51, the insulating coating of the core wire W1 is cut by the inner edge of the insulation displacement slit 51, and the conductor portion of the core wire W1 introduced into the insulation displacement slit 51 is held in the insulation displacement slit 51. When the pushing pieces 77 of the cap 70 push all of the core wires W1 from the tip end to the base end of the insulation displacement slit 51, all of the core wires W1 are connected to their corresponding terminals 50. With the core wires W1 connected to each of the plurality of terminals 50, the eight pressing pieces 71 on the cap 70 are inserted into the four insertion grooves 16 provided on each of the terminal holders 15A and 15B, and the cap 70 is pressed against the terminal holders 15A and 15B, whereby the protrusions 81 fit into the locking holes 74, and the cap 70 is held in the body 10. Holding the cap 70 in the body 10 reduces the possibility that the core wires W1 connected to the plurality of terminals 50 will become detached from the corresponding terminals 50.

[0109] (2.4) Method of Mounting Wiring Device on Installation Surface A method of mounting wiring device 300, with multi-core cable CB1 connected to modular jack 1, on an installation surface using mounting frame 500 will be described.

[0110] When attaching the wiring accessory 300 to the mounting frame 500, the pair of mounting claws 106 on the left side of the adapter 100 are inserted into the engaging holes 510 on the left side edge 503 from the rear of the mounting frame 500. When the right side of the adapter 100 is pushed forward with the left mounting claws 106 inserted into the engaging holes 510 on the side edge 503, the pair of mounting claws 106 on the right side of the adapter 100 pushes the flexible piece 506, causing the pair of mounting claws 106 on the right side of the adapter 100 to engage with the engaging holes 510 on the right side edge 502. As a result, the pairs of mounting claws 106 provided on the left and right side surfaces of the adapter 100 engage with the respective pairs of engaging holes 510 on the side edges 502, 503, and the modular jack 1 is attached to the mounting frame 500. In this attached state, the front surface of door block 150 attached to the front side of adapter 100 protrudes forward from opening 501 surrounded by side edges 502 and 503, upper edge 504, and lower edge 505.

[0111] When connecting modular plug 400 to modular jack 1, for example, protrusion 157 of door body 156 is pushed upward with the tip of modular plug 400, moving doors 155 and 156 upward and opening plug insertion port 154. When modular plug 400 is inserted into plug insertion port 23 of modular jack 1 through plug insertion port 154 in the open state, multiple second contacts 410 of modular plug 400 become connected to multiple first contacts 40 of modular jack 1.

[0112] When removing the wiring device 300 from the mounting frame 500, the flexible piece 506 is bent outward using a tool inserted from the front between the flexible piece 506 and the side edge 502. When the flexible piece 506 is bent outward, the mounting claws 106 are released from the engagement holes 510 and come out, allowing the adapter 100 to be removed from the mounting frame 500.

[0113] (3) Modifications The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The above embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved.

[0114] In the above embodiment, three or more pairs of protrusions spaced apart from one another may be provided as protrusions that come into contact with the multi-core cable CB1 arranged in the accommodation space 121 from the opening 11 side.

[0115] In the above embodiment, three or more pairs of clamping pieces spaced apart from one another may be provided as clamping pieces that clamp the multi-core cable CB1 arranged in the accommodating space 121 from both sides.

[0116] In the embodiment, the modular jack 1 is provided with eight first contacts 40, but the number of first contacts 40 may be four or six, and can be changed as appropriate.

[0117] The wiring device of the above embodiment includes the door block 150 for opening and closing the plug insertion port 23, but the door block 150 is not an essential component and can be modified as appropriate.

[0118] In the above embodiment, the modular jack 1 is applied to a wiring device 300 that is attached to a construction surface such as a wall, but the modular jack 1 may also be applied to a communication rack that houses multiple patch panels on which multiple modular jacks 1 are attached in a line.

[0119] (Summary) The above-described embodiments and the like disclose the following aspects.

[0120] A modular jack (1) of a first aspect includes a cover (20) and a substrate (30). The cover (20) has a front surface provided with a plug insertion opening (23) into which a modular plug (400) can be inserted. A plurality of first contacts (40) are mounted on the substrate (30). The plurality of first contacts (40) are capable of contacting a plurality of second contacts (410) of the modular plug (400) when the modular plug (400) is inserted into the plug insertion opening (23). The plurality of first contacts (40) include a plurality of third contacts (43) and a plurality of fourth contacts (44). The connection positions at which the plurality of third contacts (43) are connected to the substrate (30) are different in the front-to-rear direction from the connection positions at which the plurality of fourth contacts (44) are connected to the substrate (30). Two of the plurality of fourth contacts (44) are located at both ends in the arrangement direction of the plurality of first contacts (40). The connection positions of the two fourth contacts (44) located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts (44) and the connection positions of the fourth contacts (44) other than the two fourth contacts (44) located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts (44) are different in the front-to-rear direction.

[0121] According to this embodiment, compared to when the connection positions of the multiple first contacts (40) are the same in the front-to-back direction, the work of pressing the first contacts (40) into the substrate (30) becomes easier, which has the advantage of improving assembly workability.

[0122] In the modular jack (1) of the second aspect, in the first aspect, the length of the two fourth contacts (44) located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts (44) is longer than the length of the fourth contacts (44) other than the two fourth contacts (44) located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts (44).

[0123] According to this aspect, the two fourth contacts (44) located at both ends are longer than the other fourth contacts (44), thereby reducing the spring constant of the two fourth contacts (44) located at both ends. When a modular plug (400) with a small number of poles is mistakenly inserted into the plug insertion port (23), the two fourth contacts (44) located at both ends may bend more significantly than when a regular modular plug (400) is connected to the plug insertion port (23). According to this aspect, the spring constant of the two fourth contacts (44) located at both ends is smaller than that of the other fourth contacts (44), thereby reducing the possibility of plastic deformation of the fourth contacts (44) located at both ends even when a modular plug (400) with a small number of poles is mistakenly inserted. This improves the reliability of the electrical connection with the second contacts (410).

[0124] In the modular jack (1) of the third aspect, in the first or second aspect, each of the plurality of first contacts (40) has a press-fit portion (41) that is press-fitted and fixed into a hole (A1 to A8) provided in the substrate (30).

[0125] According to this aspect, each of the plurality of first contacts (40) can be press-fitted and fixed into the holes (A1 to A8) of the substrate (30).

[0126] The modular jack (1) of the fourth aspect is the same as that of the third aspect, and each of the plurality of first contacts (40) has a pair of protrusions (411) protruding in opposite directions from the base of the press-fit portion (41) along a direction intersecting the press-fit direction. When the press-fit portion (41) is press-fitted and fixed in the holes (A1 to A8), the pair of protrusions (411) can come into contact with the surface of the board (30).

[0127] According to this aspect, by bringing the pair of protrusions (411) into contact with the surface of the substrate (30), the orientation of the press-fit portion (41) is less likely to shift, and the possibility of the tip positions of the multiple first contacts (40) shifting can be reduced.

[0128] In the modular jack (1) of the fifth aspect, in the third or fourth aspect, the holes (A1 to A8) have an oval shape.

[0129] According to this aspect, the orientation of the press-fit portion (41) is less likely to shift, and the possibility of the positions of the tip ends of the multiple first contacts (40) shifting can be reduced.

[0130] In the modular jack (1) of the sixth aspect, in any of the first to fifth aspects, the plurality of third contacts (43) are connected to the board (30) at connection positions closer to the plug insertion opening (23) than the contact areas with the second contacts (410). The plurality of fourth contacts (44) are connected to the board (30) at connection positions on the opposite side of the plug insertion opening (23) than the contact areas with the second contacts (410).

[0131] According to this aspect, the plurality of third contacts (43) are fixed to the substrate (30) at connection positions closer to the plug insertion opening (23) than their contact areas with the second contacts (410), and the plurality of fourth contacts (44) are connected to the substrate (30) at connection positions on the opposite side of the plug insertion opening (23) than their contact areas with the second contacts (410), so that the lengths of the plurality of third contacts (43) and the plurality of fourth contacts (44) can be set to be approximately the same. Therefore, there is an advantage in that the capacitance component generated between the plurality of third contacts (43) and the plurality of fourth contacts (44) can be reduced, thereby reducing signal crosstalk.

[0132] In the modular jack (1) of the seventh aspect, in the sixth aspect, the plurality of third contacts (43) and the plurality of fourth contacts (44) are arranged alternately in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction.

[0133] According to this embodiment, the operation of press-fitting the plurality of third contacts (43) and the plurality of fourth contacts (44) into the substrate (30) becomes easier, which has the advantage of improving the efficiency of assembly work.

[0134] The modular jack (1) of an eighth aspect is any one of the first to seventh aspects, and includes a base (60) disposed between the plurality of first contacts (40) and the substrate (30). The base (60) is provided with a plurality of grooves (61, 62) that correspond one-to-one to the plurality of first contacts (40). A portion of a corresponding one of the plurality of first contacts (40) is inserted into each of the plurality of grooves (61, 62).

[0135] According to this aspect, a portion of the first contact (40) corresponding to each of the plurality of groove portions (61, 62) is inserted, so that the positions of the plurality of first contacts (40) are less likely to shift in the left-right direction, and the plurality of first contacts (40) can be reliably brought into contact with the plurality of second contacts (410).

[0136] In the modular jack (1) of the ninth aspect, in the eighth aspect, each of the plurality of grooves (61, 62) is inserted with a portion of a corresponding one of the plurality of first contacts (40) between the contact portion with the second contact (410) and the connection portion with the substrate (30).

[0137] According to this aspect, the positions of the plurality of first contacts (40) are less likely to shift in the left-right direction, and the plurality of first contacts (40) can be reliably brought into contact with the plurality of second contacts (410).

[0138] In the modular jack (1) of the tenth aspect, in the eighth or ninth aspect, the base (60) is provided with through-portions (63, 64, 65) that penetrate the base (60) at locations where the tip portions of each of the plurality of first contacts (40) face each other.

[0139] According to this aspect, even if the multiple first contacts (40) are bent toward the base (60) by coming into contact with the multiple second contacts (410), the possibility of the tip portions of the multiple first contacts (40) coming into contact with the base (60) and causing plastic deformation can be reduced.

[0140] A wiring device (300) of an eleventh aspect includes the modular jack (1) of any one of the first to tenth aspects and an adapter (100). The adapter (100) holds the modular jack (1) and is attachable to a mounting member (500) for mounting the wiring device (300) to an installation surface (600).

[0141] According to this aspect, a wiring device (300) that can improve assembly workability can be realized.

[0142] The configurations according to the second to tenth aspects are not essential for the modular jack (1) and can be omitted as appropriate.

[0143] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Modular jack 20 Cover 23 Plug insertion port 30 Board 40 First contact 41 Press-fit portion 43 Third contact 44 Fourth contact 60 Base 61, 62 Groove portion 63, 64, 65 Penetration portion 100 Adapter 300 Wiring device 400 Modular plug 410 Second contact 411 Protrusion 500 Mounting frame (mounting member) 600 Installation surface A1 to A8 Hole CB1 Multi-core cable

Claims

1. A modular jack comprising: a cover having a plug insertion port on its front side into which a modular plug can be inserted; and a board on which a plurality of first contacts are mounted, wherein the plurality of first contacts are capable of contacting a plurality of second contacts of the modular plug when the modular plug is inserted into the plug insertion port, the plurality of first contacts include a plurality of third contacts and a plurality of fourth contacts, a connection position at which the plurality of third contacts are connected to the board is different in the front-to-rear direction from a connection position at which the plurality of fourth contacts are connected to the board, two of the plurality of fourth contacts are located at both ends in an arrangement direction of the plurality of first contacts, and the connection positions of the two fourth contacts located at both ends among the plurality of fourth contacts are different in the front-to-rear direction from the connection positions of fourth contacts other than the two fourth contacts located at both ends among the plurality of fourth contacts.

2. The modular jack as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of the two fourth contacts located at both ends of the plurality of fourth contacts is longer than the length of the fourth contacts other than the two fourth contacts located at both ends.

3. The modular jack according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the plurality of first contacts has a press-fit portion that is press-fitted and fixed into a hole provided in the substrate.

4. A modular jack as described in claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of first contacts has a pair of protrusions protruding in opposite directions from a base of the press-fit portion along a direction intersecting the press-fit direction, and the pair of protrusions are capable of contacting the surface of the board when the press-fit portion is press-fitted and fixed into the hole.

5. The modular jack according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the hole has an oval shape.

6. A modular jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of third contacts are connected to the board at the connection positions close to the plug insertion opening relative to their contact points with the second contacts, and the plurality of fourth contacts are connected to the board at the connection positions on the opposite side of the plug insertion opening relative to their contact points with the second contacts.

7. The modular jack according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of third contacts and the plurality of fourth contacts are arranged alternately in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction.

8. A modular jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a base disposed between said plurality of first contacts and said substrate, said base being provided with a plurality of grooves corresponding one-to-one to said plurality of first contacts, and a portion of a corresponding one of said plurality of first contacts being inserted into each of said plurality of grooves.

9. The modular jack according to claim 8, wherein a portion of a corresponding one of the first contacts between a contact portion with the second contact and a connection portion with the board is inserted into each of the plurality of grooves.

10. The modular jack according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the base is provided with a through-portion that passes through the base at a position where the tip portions of each of the plurality of first contacts face each other.

11. A wiring device comprising: a modular jack according to any one of claims 1 to 10; and an adapter that holds the modular jack and is attachable to a mounting member for mounting the wiring device to an installation surface.

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