Patent ID: 6612856
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
A connector assembly for connecting a cable to an electronic circuit having a ground potential, said assembly comprising:a jack connector comprising: a body having a cavity with an opening; a wall, with a plurality of guide slots, mounted in said body forming a chamber communicating with said cavity via said guide slots; a plurality of jack conductors mounted on said body, each said jack conductor having a contact end that protrudes from said cavity into said chamber via a corresponding one of said guide slots, a rigid end that protrudes from said body to form a first set of PCB (printed circuit board) lead connectors exterior of said body, and a resilient intermediate section that resides within said cavity; and a plurality of spaced, parallel, linear grounding posts rigidly mounted on said body, a first end of each said linear grounding post located in said chamber adjacent a corresponding one of said contact ends of said jack conductors, and a second end of each said linear grounding post protruding from said body adjacent said first set of PCB lead connectors to form a second set of spaced PCB lead connectors exterior of said body; a plug connector having a plurality of plug contacts, and means for mating said plug connector with said jack connector via said opening such that each of said plug contacts connects to a corresponding one of said jack conductors; a grounded conductor connecting said second set of PCB lead connectors directly to said ground potential; and grounding means for connecting said jack conductors to said ground potential via said linear grounding posts when said jack and plug connectors are unmated, for briefly connecting said plug contacts to said ground potential via said jack conductors and said linear grounding posts when said jack and plug connectors are partially mated, and for disconnecting said plug contacts and said jack conductors from said ground potential when said jack and plug connectors are mated.