Abstract:
An RJ-45 receptacle connector ( 3, 6 ) supports an antenna assembly ( 2, 7 ) therein. The antenna assembly comprises a coaxial cable portion ( 19, 90 ), an antenna portion ( 14, 8 ) electrically connected to the cable portion and a carrier ( 12, 70 ) received in the receptacle connector and supporting the antenna portion. The antenna portion is a helical monopole and works in a bandwidth range of 2.357˜2.570 GHz, wherein transmission with a Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) in the range of 1˜2 is achieved.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector incorporating an antenna therein. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, wires are used to connect computers into a Local Area Network (LAN). Each wire is connected to a computer using an RJ-45 plug connector at one end of the wire engaging with an RJ-45 receptacle connector mounted in the computer. Routing of the wires presents a variety of problems. Furthermore, computers nowadays connect with corresponding peripherals by means of wires and cables, which further adds to routing problems. Wireless technology may be a solution for the above-mentioned problems caused by cables and wires. Wireless communication uses antennas in place of wires and cables to communicate between devices. 
     When utilizing wireless LAN technology, existing RJ-45 receptacle connectors now used in computers (many of which may already be integrated with other types of connectors) are rendered useless. Furthermore, adding an antenna to a current-day computer would consume additional space inside the computer. This would run counter to the trend toward compact design at best, and may even be impossible at worst, since the space available in a computer is quite limited. Therefore, a means for efficiently utilizing the space inside an RJ-45 receptacle connector to incorporate an antenna therein is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a compact connector which comprises an antenna therein for use in making wireless connections. 
     The present invention includes a connector and an antenna assembly. The connector is an RJ-45 receptacle connector. The antenna assembly comprises an antenna portion and a cable portion electrically connected with the antenna portion. The antenna assembly is supported by the connector. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector incorporating an antenna assembly therein in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the antenna assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a third embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken from line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4 wherein an antenna carrier is shown in dotted lines; 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but having the antenna carrier disengaged from the connector; and 
     FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing a conventional plug inserted into the connector. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of the present invention includes an electrical connector assembly  1  comprising an RJ-45 receptacle connector  3 , an antenna assembly  2 , a pair of stacking electrical connectors  4  and a shield  5 . The antenna assembly  2  is mounted within a front surface of the RJ-45 receptacle connector  3 . In the embodiment shown, the two stacking electrical connectors  4  are Universal Serial Bus connectors. 
     The antenna assembly  2  comprises a board portion  12 , a helical monopole antenna portion  14  and a coaxial cable portion  19 . The board portion  12  is made from a dielectric substrate and has a first side face  120  and a second side face  122  opposite to the first side face  120 . A conductive metal coating  123  covers the second side face  122 . An outer profile of the board portion  12  is configured corresponding to a profile of an inner receptacle space of the connector  3  and is firmly fitted within the connector  3 . A through hole  18  is defined in substantially a center of the board portion  12  and extends through the first side face  120  and the metal coating  123 . 
     The antenna portion  14  has an end extending into the hole  18 , while the remainder of the antenna portion  14  projects forwardly from the first side face  120  of the board portion  12 . 
     The cable portion  19  has a core conductor  21  extending into the hole  18  and electrically connecting with the end of the antenna portion  14  in the hole  18  by soldering. The cable portion  19  further has a shielding/grounding braid  20  surrounding the core conductor  21 . A layer of dielectric insulation (not labeled) separates the core conductor  21  from the braid  20  along the length of the cable portion  19 . The braid  20  is electrically and mechanically connected to the metal coating  123  by soldering. The antenna portion  14  and the cable portion  19  are thus mechanically supported by the board portion  12 , while simultaneously the metal coating  123  of the board portion  12  connects with the shield  5  to provide grounding/shielding. Thus, the antenna assembly  2  can function to transmit signals to/from an RF signal processing circuit (not shown) connected to an opposite end of the cable portion  19 . The board portion  12  can slide rearwardly into the receptacle space of the RJ-45 receptacle connector  3 . Thus, when the antenna portion is not used, the board portion  12  can be pushed inwardly to hold the antenna portion  14  in a retracted position within the RJ-45 receptacle connector  3 . 
     Alternative configurations of stacked connectors may also be created. Only one embodiment, which includes two USB connectors, has been described above. For example, the RJ-45 receptacle connector  3  and multiple stacking connectors  4  can be stacked one above the other. 
     In a second embodiment of the present invention (see FIG.  3 ), the RJ-45 receptacle connector  3  is arranged side by side with only one stacking connector  4 , and a shield  5 ′ covers both the connector  3  and the stacking connector  4 . In this embodiment, the antenna assembly  2  has a construction similar to that of the first embodiment; thus, a detailed description thereof is omitted herefrom. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, a third embodiment of the present invention comprises an RJ-45 receptacle connector  6  and an antenna assembly  7 . The antenna assembly comprises a dielectric carrier  70  having a configuration substantially similar to that of a dielectric housing of an RJ-45 plug connector. The carrier  70  may be optionally shielded by a metallic shield, if desired. A conductor  71  extends through the carrier  70  to connect with a contact  72  at a rear, lower portion of the carrier  70 . A helical antenna portion  8  protrudes from a front side of the carrier. The antenna portion  8  has a rear end  76  soldered to a front end of the conductor  71 . The carrier  70  comprises an abutting protrusion  700  protruding rearwardly from the rear end of the carrier  70 . A coaxial cable portion  90  is at a rear of the receptacle connector  6 , as described below. 
     The connector  6  comprises an insulative housing  60 , a first switching contact  61 , a second switching contact  63  and a plurality of electrical contacts  62 . The insulative housing  60  defines a receiving cavity  64  therein, into which the first and second switching contacts  61 ,  63  and the electrical contacts  62  extend. The connector  6  is mounted to a circuit board  100 , and a space (not labeled) is defined between a rear of the connector  6  and the circuit board  100  to let the cable portion  90  extend therthough. 
     The cable portion  90  comprises a core conductor  91  electrically connected to one of the electrical contacts  62  of the connector  6 , and a shielding/grounding braid  92  connected to a grounding circuit of the circuit board  100 . A layer of dielectric insulation (not shown) separates the core conductor  91  from the braid  92  along the length of the cable portion  90 . 
     When the carrier  70  with the antenna portion  8  is inserted into the receptacle connector  6 , the abutting protrusion  700  abuts against the second switching contact  63  and urges the second switching contact  63  to engage with the first switching contact  61 , thereby switching on a wireless processing circuit (not shown). Alternatively, the first and second switching contacts  61 ,  63  may be arranged to disengage from each other when the second switching contact  63  is pressed by the abutting protrusion  700  in different designs. The contact  72  of the carrier  70  connected with the antenna portion  8  is engaged with a corresponding electrical contact  62  to transmit information between the antenna portion  8  and the conductor  91  of the cable portion  90 . 
     A prototype of the antenna assembly  2  shown in FIGS.  1 — 3  was tested and found to function in a bandwidth range of 2.327˜2.570 GHz with a Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) in the range of 1˜2, which is at a bandwidth range in the license-free Industry, Science and Medical bandwidth. 
     As can be seen from FIG. 7, the receptacle connector  6  can also be used as a conventional RJ-45 receptacle connector, receiving a conventional RJ-45 plug connector  9  when wireless capability is not required. 
     The plug connector  9  is similar in external configuration to the antenna assembly  7 , but the contacts (not shown) inside the plug connector  9  connect to conductors (not shown) of a wire  96  disposed at a front end of the plug connector  9 . Also, an abutting protrusion  900  formed on a top surface of the plug connector  9  protrudes rearwardly a shorter distance from a rear of the connector  9  than the abutting protrusion  700  protrudes rearwardly from the carrier  70 . 
     When the plug connector  9  is inserted into the receiving cavity  64  of the receptacle connector  6 , the abutting protrusion  900  does not abut the second switch contact  63  and the wireless processing circuit (not shown) is not switched on. The contacts (not shown) inside the plug connector  9  respectively engage with the electrical contacts  62 , thereby transmitting information carried by conductors (not shown) of the wire  96  to the printed circuit board (not shown) in conventional manner. 
     The antenna assemblies  2 ,  7  combined with the electrical connectors  3 ,  6 , thus achieve a wireless function without requiring a separate additional space for an antenna portion  14 ,  8 . This saves space, simplifies assembly, and reduces costs. Additionally, an otherwise surplus connector can be put to use. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.