Modular Plug Conductor Organizing Sled for Consistent NEXT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current modular plugs for terminating twisted pair cables suffer from variations in conductor placement, leading to inconsistent NEXT levels due to sagging or elevation of the center pair and poorly controlled crossover points of straddling pairs, resulting in unpredictable crosstalk.
Innovation Solution
A conductor organizing sled with structural features such as a ramp surface, neck-down portions, and crossing arrangements to ensure consistent placement and alignment of twisted pairs, minimizing variations and maintaining consistent crosstalk levels across plugs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a modular plug uses a conventional sled structure for terminating twisted pair conductors, then the plug can be assembled, but the conductor placement varies (center pair sags or elevates, straddling pair crossover point uncontrolled), resulting in high variation in NEXT levels between plugs
Solution Approach 1:
The sled structure is designed with pre-configured geometric features (ramp surface, neck-down portions, crossing arrangements) that automatically guide and position the twisted pair conductors during insertion. This preliminary positioning action ensures consistent conductor placement before the crimping operation, eliminating the need for manual adjustment and reducing placement variation between plugs
Solution Approach 2:
The sled incorporates specific geometric parameters (ramp angle, neck-down dimensions, crossing point locations) that are optimized to control conductor behavior. By carefully selecting these geometric parameters, the design achieves consistent conductor placement and predictable NEXT levels across all plugs while maintaining ease of assembly
2Ease of manufacture
If the center pair is allowed to pass over an open area in the sled, then assembly is simpler, but the center pair sags downward or elevates upward, causing placement variations
Solution Approach 1:
The sled features a localized ramp surface and neck-down portion specifically at the center pair passage area. This local structural modification provides the necessary guidance and positioning for the center pair without complicating the overall sled design or assembly process. The localized features ensure consistent placement while maintaining simplicity elsewhere in the structure
Solution Approach 2:
The ramp surface and neck-down portion act as intermediary structures between the open area and the blade channels. These intermediary features gently guide the center pair through the transition, preventing sagging or elevation while maintaining the simplicity of the overall design. The intermediary structures mediate between the conflicting requirements of simplicity and precision
3Device complexity
If the straddling pair crossover point is not well controlled, then the sled design is simpler, but conductor lengths vary, leading to inconsistent NEXT levels
Solution Approach 1:
The sled includes a predetermined crossing arrangement that automatically positions the straddling pair at the correct crossover point during insertion. This preliminary positioning ensures consistent conductor lengths and crossover geometry without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or increasing overall sled complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The crossing arrangement is designed to create an equipotential condition where the straddling pair naturally settles into a consistent position relative to the center pair. By designing the crossing geometry to be self-aligning, the sled achieves consistent conductor placement without adding complex control features
Data Source
AI summary
A connector plug terminates a communication cable having a plurality of twisted pair conductors therein. The plug includes a conductor organizing sled, which includes structural features to minimize variations in conductor organization, as the conductors pass along the sled. By minimizing the variations as the conductors pass along the sled, technicians may assemble plugs having a relatively consistent level of crosstalk. The structural features of the organizing sled may include combinations of a ramp surface for a center pair, neck-down portions to cause consistent placement of stacked pairs, and crossing of stacked pairs to prevent a lower stacked pair from rising above a floor surface of the sled.