Shield for modular jack

Abstract: Disclosed is a metallic shield for a modular jack which includes a first member which is superimposed over the top and lateral wall of the jack. A second member surrounds the front plug openings. A first tab on the second member engages an aperture on the first member. A second tab on the second member curves rearwardly and upwardly then rearwardly and downwardly to abut the first member. A third tab on the second member curves rearwardly and upwardly to engage a panel.

Description: Background of the Invention 1. Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to modular jacks. 2. Brief Description of Prior Developments: Modular jacks are well known for telecommunications and computer networking purposes. These jacks usually include a rectangular opening with at least one upper keyway. A plug having a rectangular cross section and lower surface contacts and an upper key lock is inserted into the jack. Upon such insertion, the upper key lock snaps into a locking position with the upper keyway of the jack, and the lower surface contacts on the plug are engaged by contacts in the jack. For various purposes, particularly for high speed data communications, it is necessary that modular jacks be shielded from electromagnetic interference (EMI). A number of shielding arrangements are suggested by the prior art, but a shield which allows for a low inductance path to ground and multiple contacts with a front equipment panel is still needed. Document US 5,496,195 relates to a modular jack assembly comprising a dielectric housing and a one-piece shielding member. Said shielding member is formed from a sheet metal blank adapted to lie contiguous with the wall of said housing. Said shielding member is formed by bending and connecting two adjacent sidewalls via a plurality of cantilevered tabs. A multiple connector socket is disclosed in EP-A-0 430 105 A1. Said connector comprises a square insulating housing and a shield member covering said housing. Said shield member includes a front shield plate which is mechanically and electrically connected to the top plate portion of the shield member via a pair of holding pieces. Based on their configuration, said holding pieces provide a mechanical connection between the different parts of the shield member which can be loosened during a mating and unmating process of said multiple connector socket. It is therefore the problem of the present invention to provide a modular jack assembly having a metallic shield which is reliably connected to said modular jack assembly. It is a further problem of the present invention to provide a suitable electrical connection for effective shielding said modular jack assembly. Summary of the invention The above problems of the present invention are solved by a modular jack assembly according to independent claim 1 and additionally by a metallic shield according to independent claim 15. Brief Description of the Drawings The modular jack of the present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the modular jack of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmented top plan view of the modular jack shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmented front elevational view of the modular jack shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmented bottom plan view of the modular jack shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detailed view from V - V in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detailed view of area VI in Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a schematic cross sectional view through VII - VII in Fig. 2 showing the operation of the shielding used in the modular jack of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figs. 1-4, the modular jack of the present invention includes an insulative housing shown generally at numeral 10. This housing includes a lower horizontal longitudinal wall 12 and an upper horizontal longitudinal wall 14. The housing also includes end lateral walls 16 and 18 as well as a plurality of intermediate lateral walls as at 20. Adjacent lateral walls as at 18 and 20 form plug receiving cavities as at 22. Each of these plug receiving cavities has a front open end 24 and a rear end 26. In each plug receiving cavity there is a medial wall 28 and steps as at 30 to form a key structure. The modular jack also includes mounting pins as at 32 and conductive terminals as at 34 and 36. The modular jack also includes a metallic shield shown generally at numeral 38. The metallic shield includes a first lateral member shown generally at 40 which has a horizontal wall 42 which is superimposed over upper horizontal wall 14 of the insulated housing. The first lateral portion 44 also includes a rear vertical wall 43 superimposed over rear end 26 and a lateral vertical wall 44 which is superimposed over lateral wall 16 of the insulated housing and lateral vertical wall 46 which is superimposed over lateral wall 18 of the insulated housing. The first lateral member of the shield has a front peripheral edge 48, and rearwardly spaced from this edge there is a peripheral step 50. At spaced peripheral intervals there are additional deeper recesses, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62. Each of those recesses has an engagement aperture as at aperture 64 in recess 60. The first lateral member of the shield also includes grounding pins such as pin 66. The shield also includes a second vertical member which is shown generally at numeral 70. This second vertical member of the shield is engaged to the first lateral member of the shield by a system clips which is explained as follows. There are a number of first recess engaging clips shown generally at numeral 72. Referring to Figs. 5-7, each of these recess engaging clips includes a rearward extension 74, a downward oblique section 76 and a pair of rearwardly extending legs 78 and 80 which have, respectively, rearward outwardly extending projections 82 and 84. These legs pass through recess apertures as at aperture 64 and the projections 82 and 84 grasp the edges of the apertures. Outwardly adjacent each of the recess engaging clips there are a pair of generally horizontal tabs as at 86 and 88. Referring particularly to Fig. 7, it will be seen that each of these tabs has an upwardly and rearwardly curved section 90 and then a downwardly and rearwardly curved section 92 which abuts the first lateral section 40 of the shield. Outwardly adjacent the horizontal tabs as at 86 and 88 there is a pair of generally vertical tabs as at 94 and 96. Each of these tabs has a rearwardly extending section 98 and an upwardly extending section 100. The three sets of tabs are used at spaced intervals along the peripheral edge 48 of the first member to effectively seal the modular jack from EMI. The use of multiple tabs also serves to effectively ground the shield and the modular jack. Referring particularly to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the front section 70 of the shield is also engaged to the lower longitudinal wall 12 by means of lower horizontal clips as at clips 102 and 104. Referring again particularly to Fig. 7, it will be seen the modular jack is engaged with a panel 106 that the second horizontal clips as at 86 will be flexed by the lower edge 108 of the panel from the relaxed position at 86'. It will also be seen that the generally vertical tabs as at 94 will engage the rear side 110 of the panel to firmly engage the panel and allow for effective shielding of the modular jack. It will be appreciated that a means for effectively sealing a modular jack from EMI is provided. It will also be appreciated that a low inductance path to ground through multiple contacts is provided. While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended claims.

Claims: A modular jack assembly comprising an insulative housing (10) comprising first (12) and second longitudinal walls (14) positioned such that said second longitudinal wall (14) is superimposed over said first longitudinal wall (12) in spaced parallel relation and at least one pair of lateral walls (16, 18, 20) is interposed between the first (12) and second longitudinal walls (14) to form at least one transverse plug receiving cavity (22) having a front opening (24); and a metallic shield (38) comprising a first shield member (40) having a front edge (48) and being superimposed over said second longitudinal wall (14) and a second shield member (70) surrounding the front opening (24) and being disposed perpendicularly adjacent the front edge (48) of the first shield member (40) said second shield member (70) having a first connecting means (72) and a second connecting means (86, 88) characterized by further comprising a third connecting means (94, 96) for engaging a panel (106) to provide shielding of said modular jack assembly wherein said first connecting means (72) extends rearwardly to engage an aperture (64) of the first shield member (40) and said second connecting means (86, 88) extends rearwardly to laterally abut the first shield member (40). The assembly of claim 1 characterized in that the second connecting means (86, 88) is a tab that curves first upwardly and rearwardly and then curves downwardly and rearwardly. The assembly of claim 2 characterized in that said third connecting means (94, 96) is a tab which curves first rearwardly then upwardly and which is connected to the second shield member (70). The assembly of claim 3 characterized in that said panel (106) having an edge (108) and front and rear sides (110) and the edge (108) of said panel (106) bears against the second connecting means (86, 88) and the rear side (110) bears against the third connecting means (94). The assembly of claim 4 characterized in that the panel (106) flexes the second connecting means (86, 88) to increase pressure exerted by the said second connecting means (86, 88) against the first shield member (40). The assembly of claim 1 characterized in that there is a perpendicular step (50) in the first shield member (40) and said aperture (64) in the first shield member (40) is positioned in said perpendicular step (50). The assembly of claim 6 characterized in that the first connecting means (72) comprises a pair of rearwardly extending legs (78, 80) each having terminal outwardly extending projections (82, 84) which engage the aperture (64) in the first shield member (40). The assembly of claim 7 characterized in that at least one lower horizontal clip (102, 104) which extends from said second shield member (70) rearwardly to engage to the first longitudinal wall (12) of said insulating housing (10). The assembly of claim 1 characterized in that the first (72) and second connecting means (86, 88) interact to effectively seal the assembly from EMI. The assembly of claim 9 characterized in that the first (72) and second connecting means (86, 88) contribute to grounding the assembly. The assembly of claim 3 characterized in that the first (72) second (86, 88) and third connecting means (94, 96) interact to effectively seal the assembly from EMI. The assembly of claim 11 characterized in that the first (72) second (86, 88) and third connecting means (94, 96) contribute to grounding the assembly. The assembly of claim 1 characterized in that there are plurality of interacting arrangements of connecting means essentially similar to the first (72) and second connecting means (86, 88) positioned between the first (40) and second shield members (70) at spaced intervals adjacent the front edge (48) of the first shield member (40). The assembly of claim 3 characterized in that there are plurality of interacting arrangements of connecting means essentially similar to the first (72), second (86, 88) and third connecting means (94, 96) positioned between the first (40) and second shield members (70) at spaced intervals adjacent the front edge (48) of the first shield member (40). A metallic shield (38) for a modular jack having front and rear side and opposed top (14) and bottom walls (12) and lateral walls (16, 18), said shield (38) comprising a first shield member (40) having a front edge (48) and being superimposable over the top wall (14) of the modular jack and a second shield member (70) being superimposable over the front side (24) of the modular jack by surrounding a front opening of said modular jack, said second shield member (70) comprising a first connecting means (72) and a second connecting means (86, 88) characterized by further comprising a third connecting means (94, 96) for engaging a panel (106) to provide shielding of said modular jack assembly wherein said first connecting means (72) extends rearwardly to engage an aperture (64) of the first shield member (40) and said second connecting means (86, 88) extends rearwardly to laterally abut the first shield member (40). The metallic shield (38) of claim 15 characterized in that the second connecting means (86, 88) is a tab which curves first upwardly and rearwardly and then curves downwardly and rearwardly and said third connecting means (94, 96) adjacent said second connecting means first curves rearwardly then upwardly to facilitate mounting the modular jack on a panel (106).

Inventors: BELOPOLSKY YAKOV, CURWEN PETER D, BELOPOLSKY, YAKOV, CURWEN, PETER D.
Applicants: BERG ELECTRONICS MFG, BERG ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING B.V.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: H01R12
IPC codes: H01R13, H01R12