Patent ID: 6290506
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: H01R,Y10S

Abstract:
A contact array subassembly for use in a modular jack assembly, said subassembly comprising:(a) a circuit board;(b) a plurality of long and short contacts mounted to and extending from said circuit board and being arranged in pairs of said long and short contacts situated in spaced-apart substantially parallel first and second rows in which said long contacts of said first row are aligned with one another and said short contacts of said second row are aligned with one another but are offset relative to said long contacts of said first row, each of said long and short contacts having a substantially straight inner portion extending generally upright from said circuit board, a substantially straight outer portion extending generally forwardly and downwardly at an acute angle relative to said inner portion and said circuit board and a substantially rounded middle portion rigidly interconnecting said straight inner and outer portions, said outer portions of said long contacts of said first row having free ends which protrude beyond adjacent free ends of said outer portions of said short contacts of said second row; and(c) an intermediate contact mounted to said circuit board in said first row and extending therefrom to said second row in a non-parallel orientation relative to said long and short contacts and being disposed at a shallow acute angle relative to said long contacts of said first row and said short contacts of said second row, said intermediate contact having an inner portion mounted on said circuit board in said first row and extending in an upward and forward inclined orientation from said first row of said long contacts to said second row of said short contacts, an outer portion extending generally forwardly and downwardly at an acute angle relative to said inner portion and said circuit board and a substantially rounded middle portion rigidly interconnecting said inner and outer portions, said middle and outer portions of said intermediate contact being disposed in said second row and generally aligned with said middle and outer portions of said short contacts.