WO2010097289A1

WO2010097289A1 - Low-voltage connector intended for use in a communication system

Info

Publication number: WO2010097289A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/051579
Authority: WO
Inventors: François Durand; Sébastien VITRANT
Original assignee: Schneider Electric Industries Sas
Priority date: 2009-02-24
Filing date: 2010-02-09
Publication date: 2010-09-02
Also published as: CN102334243B; FR2942570A1; AU2010217692B2; HK1162769A1; FR2942570B1; SG173433A1; MY154298A; AU2010217692A1; ZA201104703B; CN102334243A; NZ594411A; SA110310152B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a low-voltage connector intended for use in a communication system and comprising: a body (1) suitable for connecting to a matching connector by the front portion (10) thereof; a substrate (100) mounted inside the body (1) and comprising self-stripping contacts (102), each of which is suitable for connecting one of the wires in a cable; and a metal screen part (12) intended for reducing exogenous crosstalk with regard to adjacent connectors and inserted in the body (1) of the connector.

Description

Low voltage connector for use in a communication system

The present invention relates to a low voltage connector for use in a communication system. The invention relates more precisely to an RJ-type connector, more particularly of the RJ45 type.

Document US Pat. No. 7,364,444 discloses a female RJ45 type connector comprising in particular a body, for example made in two parts. The front face of the connector has a housing or cavity intended to receive a complementary male connector. This type of connector further comprises an insulation displacement contact holder, each contact receiving the wire of a cable and a wire-holder support positioned above the support of the insulation-displacement contacts.

It is known that it is necessary to preserve the integrity of the signals transmitted in the communication systems. To maintain the integrity of the signals at a certain level, it is in particular necessary to take into account the crosstalk ("crosstalk") causing a capacitive and inductive coupling between the signals transmitted on different conductors. A signal transmitted over a conductor is thus likely to interfere with and disturb a signal transmitted on a nearby conductor. This phenomenon is all the more accentuated as the drivers are close. Within the same connector, solutions have been implemented to fight against crosstalk between drivers. However, as the signals are transmitted at increasingly higher rates, up to several Gigabits per second, the phenomenon of crosstalk has increased and is no longer limited to conductors located within the same connector. Indeed, the phenomenon of crosstalk now spreads between conductors located in adjacent separate connectors. For example, a signal transmitted at a high rate on a conductor of a connector produces electromagnetic disturbances in the signals carried on an adjacent connector. This phenomenon of disturbances between connectors is called "exogenous crosstalk"("aliencrosstalk" or "exogenous crosstalk" in English). US Pat. No. 7,232,340 notably proposes various solutions for combating the phenomenon of exogenous crosstalk. Some solutions proposed in this patent include locking the insulation displacement contacts inside a metal screen piece that can take different configurations. This screen piece is located outside the support of the contacts and is therefore particularly bulky. In addition, it must include an outer coating of metal and an inner coating made of an insulating material to prevent short-circuit between the excess lengths of the son inside the connector. Furthermore, it is known from the patent application US2005 / 014420, a connector comprising in particular a guide piece for guiding and separating the son upstream of a son of a carrier mounted on the insulation displacement contacts. This guide piece makes it possible in particular to limit the exogenous crosstalk ("alien crosstalk") vis-à-vis external connectors. This connector has the disadvantage that its guide piece, which also limits the exogenous crosstalk, is attached to the outside of the connector body and must be positioned at the son when connecting the connector on the son.

The object of the invention is to provide a connector for overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art.

This object is achieved by a low-voltage connector intended to be used in a communication system and comprising: a body adapted to be connected by its front part to a complementary connector, - a support mounted inside the body and comprising contacts each of which can be connected to one of the wires contained in a cable, said contacts being organized in rows, a metal screen piece intended to limit the exogenous crosstalk with respect to adjacent connectors, the connector body enclosing a wire cable organizer support which has a plurality of locations each for receiving one end of a wire of the cable for insertion into an insulation displacement contact, the organizer support being integral with the body and mounted on the insulation displacement contacts so that least one location corresponds to an insulation displacement contact, the screen piece being positioned between the rows of cont. self-stripping acts and connection between the support of the insulation displacement contacts and the cable wire support. According to the invention the screen piece is therefore not bulky because it comes to occupy the existing space between the rows of contacts, for example between the two rows of contact. The arrangement of the screen piece between the rows of contacts allows the excess lengths of the wires do not come into contact with it. It is therefore not necessary to make a screen part composed of at least two different materials, including an insulating material.

According to a feature of the invention, the screen piece is inserted inside the body of the connector.

According to another feature, the support of the insulation displacement contacts comprises two rows of insulation displacement contacts made in two parallel planes and between which is wedged the screen part. The screen piece is more particularly positioned vis-à-vis the surface separating the two rows of contacts.

According to another feature, for each row of contacts, the screen piece comprises two symmetrical amounts interconnected by a cross member.

According to another feature, at each end of the cross, the amount is folded at right angles to the cross.

According to another feature, for each row of contacts, the crossbar runs along the row of contacts and the uprights stand at the ends of the row and each extend in a plane crossing the plane of the row and on a sufficient surface to hide the contacts in the plane of the row.

According to another feature, in the middle of each crosspiece, the screen piece comprises a central upright standing parallel to the two end uprights. According to another feature, for each row of contacts, the central upright extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the row of contacts. It makes it possible to balance the geometry of the screen piece around each pair of contacts and thus to improve its electromagnetic symmetry.

According to another feature, the two crosspieces are connected by at least one strip extending between the two rows of contacts.

According to another particularity, each row of contacts is formed on a part made of insulating material on which the self-cutting contacts stand. According to another feature, for each row of contacts, the crosspiece of the screen piece extends along the insulating material part of the row. In this way, the insulation displacement contacts are not in contact with the screen piece.

According to another feature, the screen piece is symmetrical with respect to the equidistant plane of the two sleepers.

According to another feature, the screen piece is taken along the axis of insertion of the complementary connector between the support of the insulation displacement contacts and the cable of the son of the organizer support.

Other features and advantages will appear in the detailed description which follows with reference to an embodiment given by way of example and represented by the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents a first exploded view of the connector of the FIG. 2 represents a second exploded view of the connector of the invention in which the screen piece is assembled on the connector, FIG. 3 represents the front part of the connector of the invention, on which the piece is assembled. screen, Figure 4 shows the screen part used in the invention.

The invention relates to a low voltage connector for use in a communication system. More specifically, the connector 1 of the invention is RJ type ("Registered Jack"), more particularly RJ45 type. In known manner, an RJ45 connector is intended to receive four communication lines and has two contacts per line. The cable connected to the connector therefore comprises eight separate wires.

According to the invention, the connector is of the female type. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the connector comprises a body 1 having a front portion 10 and a rear portion 1 1. The front portion of the body has on its front face a housing or imprint (not visible in the figures) for receiving along an axis (X), a complementary connector of the male type. Flexible contacts, eight in an RJ45 connector, are provided in the housing. These soft contacts are able to deform elastically when inserting the complementary male connector to make electrical contact with contacts formed on the complementary male connector.

The body 1 also contains a self-insulation contact carrier (also called "insulating displacement contacts" or IDC) and a printed circuit, both mounted on its front portion 10. The support 100 is made of insulating material, for example made of plastic material. On their support 100, the insulation displacement contacts 102 are organized in two rows R1, R2 of four contacts 102 made in two parallel planes. In known manner, each insulation displacement contact 102 is formed of a pin having a slot adapted to receive a wire of a power cable and strip it to establish the electrical contact. In the figures, the insulation displacement contacts 102 rise towards the rear of the connector. The printed circuit has electrical tracks connected on the one hand to the insulation displacement contacts 102 and on the other hand to the flexible contacts located in the housing of the connector. Some connectors do not have a printed circuit 101, the electrical contact between the flexible contacts of the housing and the insulation displacement contacts 102 then being made directly.

The rear part 1 1 of the body 1 comprises a support 1 10 organizing the son of the cable consisting of a molded plastic part forming a plurality of pads 1 1 1 defining between them several slots each constituting a location for receiving a cable wire. The support 1 10 has two rows of locations, with a location for each insulation displacement contact 102. Prior to their connection with the insulation displacement contacts 102, the wires of the cable are distributed on the support 1 10 organizer, each locked in a slot of the one -this. At each of its locations, the support has an orifice to be traversed by an insulation displacement contact 102. The carrier 1 10 organizing the son of the cable is mounted directly on the insulation displacement contacts 102 so that each insulation displacement contact 102 passes through an orifice of a location of the support 1 10 wire organizer. The rear part 1 1 of the body 1 comprises a part 1 12 coming to relate to the back of the connector on the support 1 10 son of organizer and having an opening 1 13. On the support 1 10 son organizer, the son are separated and each positioned in a manner determined by their function at a location of the support 1 10. Once positioned, the wire must be pressed into its contact insulation 102 to establish the electrical contact. The part 1 12 is mounted on the support 1 10 once the son connected to lock the position. The cable (not shown) is then optionally rectified to pass through the opening 113 in case of axial exit.

According to the invention, inside the body 1 of the connector, between the rear part 1 1 and the front part 10, the connector comprises a metal screen piece 12 intended to limit the phenomenon of exogenous crosstalk with respect to connectors adjacent. In the axis (X) of the connector, this screen piece 12 is taken between the support 100 of insulation displacement contacts 102 and the support 1 10 son organizer and is positioned vis-à-vis the surface 103 of the support separating the two rows of contacts 102 and more particularly in support against elements 104 standing on said surface 103. Along the axis perpendicular to the axis (X) of the connector and perpendicular to the rows R1, R2 of contacts 102, the piece 12 comes to wedge between the two rows of insulation displacement contacts 102 and more particularly between two insulating parts of the support on which are formed the two rows R1, R2 of contacts.

With reference to FIG. 4, the screen piece 12 is made symmetrically with respect to two planes of symmetry perpendicular to each other. For each row R1, R2 of contacts 102, the screen piece 12 comprises two end uprights 120 symmetrical with respect to one of the planes and connected by a cross 121a, 121b. The two crosspieces 121a, 121b are interconnected by at least one strip 122, for example two strips, extending opposite the surface 103 of the support 100 separating the two rows R1, R2 of contacts. The two uprights 120 stand perpendicular to their cross 121a, 121b and are folded outwardly of the workpiece so as to form a right angle with their cross 121a, 121b. In the middle of each cross 121a, 121b, the screen piece 12 comprises a central upright 123 standing parallel to the two end uprights 120 and equidistant from these two uprights 120. Each central upright 123 is made in the same plane as its cross.

When the screen piece 12 is positioned in the body 1 of the connector (FIGS. 2 and 3), each cross-member 121a, 121b runs along a row R1, R2 of contacts 102, facing the insulating part of the support 100 on which is performed the row of contacts 102 and the two end uprights 120 stand at both ends of the row, parallel to the contacts 102, for a length sufficient to reach the same level as the ends of the contacts. For each row R1, R2 of contacts, the two end uprights 120 extend in two parallel planes crossing the plane of the row and on a sufficient surface to hide the contacts in the plane of the row relative to the outside. . In this way, the end uprights 120 screen between the contacts and the outside. The central amount 123 is for its part positioned between the two pairs of contacts of the row to balance the geometry of the screen piece 12 around each pair of contacts 102 and thus improve its electromagnetic symmetry. According to the invention, on each row R1, R2 of contacts 102, the structure formed between each end upright 120 and the central upright 123 makes it possible to create a zero potential between each pair of contacts 102 and thus limits the disturbances formed by each pair of contacts 102 to the outside of the connector.

It is understood that one can, without departing from the scope of the invention, imagine other variants and refinements of detail and even consider the use of equivalent means.

Claims

1. Low-voltage connector intended to be used in a communication system and comprising: - a body (1) adapted to connect by its front part (10) to a complementary connector, a support (100) mounted inside the body (1) and comprising insulation-displacement contacts (102) on which each of the wires contained in a cable can be connected, said contacts being organized in rows, - a metal screen piece (12) intended to limit the exogenous crosstalk adjacent connectors, the body (1) of the connector enclosing a support (1 10) cable wire organizer which has a plurality of locations for each receiving an end of a wire of the cable for insertion into a insulation displacement contact (102), the carrier (110) being integral with the body (1) and mounted on the insulation displacement contacts (102) so that at least one location corresponds to an insulation displacement contact (102), characterized in that: the screen piece (12) is positioned between the rows of insulation displacement contacts and is held between the support of the insulation displacement contacts (102) and the cable holder (110) of the cable.

2. The connector of claim 1, characterized in that the screen part (12) is inserted inside the body of the connector.

3. Connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support (100) of the insulation displacement contacts (102) comprises two rows (R1, R2) of insulation displacement contacts made in two parallel planes and between which is wedged the screen piece (12).

4. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, for each row (R1, R2) of contacts, the screen part (12) comprises two symmetrical amounts (120) interconnected by a cross member (121). a, 121 b).

5. The connector of claim 4, characterized in that, at each end of the cross member (121a, 121b), the amount (120) is bent at right angles to the cross member (121a, 121b).

6. Connector according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, for each row (R1, R2) of contacts, the cross member (121a, 121b) runs along the row of contacts and the uprights (120) are at the ends. of the row and each extend in a plane crossing the plane of the row (R1, R2) and on a sufficient surface to hide the contacts in the plane of the row.

7. Connector according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that, in the middle of each crosspiece (121a, 121b), the screen part (12) comprises a central upright (123) standing parallel to the two uprights. end (120).

8. Connector according to claim 7, characterized in that, for each row of contacts, the central upright (123) extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the row of contacts (102).

9. Connector according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the two crosspieces are connected by at least one strip (122) extending between the two rows (R1, R2) of contacts.

10. Connector according to one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that each row of contacts is formed on a portion made of insulating material on which stand the insulation displacement contacts.

1 1. Connector according to claim 10, characterized in that, for each row (R1, R2) of contacts, the cross member (121 a, 121 b) of the screen piece (12) extends along the portion of insulating material of the row (R1, R2).

12. Connector according to one of claims 4 to 1 1, characterized in that the screen part (12) is symmetrical with respect to the equidistant plane of the two crosspieces.