Separable Circuit Contacts Reduce Crosstalk in Connectors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electrical connectors, such as modular jacks, suffer from near-end crosstalk (NEXT) and return loss due to mismatched surface areas between mating plug contacts and connector contacts, as well as interface issues between mating contacts and printed circuits.

Innovation Solution

A contact sub-assembly with a printed circuit and discrete circuit contacts that are separably engaged with mating contacts, providing a secondary path for electrical signals and reducing crosstalk through enhanced electrical connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If mating contacts are directly connected to printed circuit, then device complexity is reduced, but near-end crosstalk and return loss increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact sub-assembly structureVSAvoidnear-end crosstalk and return loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The contact sub-assembly is segmented into distinct functional zones: mating contacts for signal reception, circuit contacts for printed circuit connection, and transition contacts that bridge between them. This segmentation allows optimization of each zone independently to reduce crosstalk while maintaining structural organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Transition contacts serve as intermediary elements between mating contacts and circuit contacts. These intermediate contacts provide a gradual transition in electrical connection characteristics, reducing impedance discontinuities and minimizing near-end crosstalk and return loss at the interface between mating contacts and printed circuit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If surface area of mating contacts is increased, then electrical connectivity is improved, but near-end crosstalk increases when mismatched with mating plug

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connectivityVSAvoidnear-end crosstalk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different contacts are designed with locally optimized surface areas and geometries according to their specific functional requirements. Mating contacts have surface areas optimized for reliable signal reception, while transition contacts have intermediate dimensions that provide gradual transition, and circuit contacts are optimized for printed circuit connection. This local quality optimization ensures good electrical connectivity while minimizing crosstalk through proper impedance matching at each interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8287316B2Electrical connector with separable contacts

Publication Date: 2012.10.16 BISON PATENT LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A contact sub-assembly is provided for an electrical connector. The contact sub-assembly includes a printed circuit and an array of mating contacts. Each mating contact includes a terminating end portion and a mating interface. The contact sub-assembly also includes an array of circuit contacts that is discrete from the array of mating contacts. Each circuit contact is engaged with and electrically connected to the printed circuit. Each circuit contact is separably engaged with and electrically connected to the terminating end portion of a corresponding one of the mating contacts such that the array of circuit contacts electrically connects the array of mating contacts to the printed circuit.