Abstract:
An electrical connector ( 100 ) includes an insulative housing ( 40 ) and a terminal module ( 10 ). The terminal module includes a dielectric wafer ( 2 ), a number of terminals ( 1 ) assembled within the dielectric wafer and a coupling foil ( 3 ) disposed on the dielectric wafer and having a plurality of circuit traces ( 31 - 34 ) extending along a first plane. Each terminal is formed with a joint ( 134 - 164 ). The circuit trace includes a body portion ( 312 - 342 ) aligned with a selected terminal of the number of terminals and a connection portion ( 311 - 341 ) fanning out from the body portion toward a specific terminal. The joint of the specific terminal comes to contact with the connection portion along a contact direction orthogonal to the first plane.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This patent application is related to a copending application Ser. No. 12/386,782, filed on Apr. 22, 2009, and entitled “Electrical Connector Configured By Wafer Having Coupling Lead Frame And Method For Making The Same”, which is assigned to the same assignee with this application. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a RJ modular jack, and more particularly, to a RJ modular jack configured by a wafer on which coupling traces are provided so as to create electrical coupling between selected contact terminals disposed within the wafer. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   To comply with a high speed trend of data transmission, electrical devices are required to have better performance. Performance requirements have significantly increased to a level identified by industry standards as Category 5. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) in corporation with the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) has developed a proposed standard for Category 5 components. In such high speed applications, electrical coupling between adjacent terminals would create a great problem. Unless the electrical coupling between the terminals could be controlled effectively within the connector to an accepted level, it is highly unlikely that the connector can be used for long time. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,341 issued to James Hyland on Sep. 10, 2002 (hereinafter referred to as Hyland &#39;341 patent) discloses an RJ modular connector comprises a housing and a terminal insert received in the housing. The terminal insert includes a pair of wafers, a plurality of conductive traces formed on an inner surface of the wafer, and a plurality of terminals sandwiched between the pair of wafers. One conductive trace of the plurality of traces has a body portion aligned with one selected terminal and a connection portion attached to another selected terminals thereby establishing electrical coupling between the two selected terminals by the trace. 
   Providing two wafers would increase the manufacturing cost of the connector and complicate the assembly of the connector. The terminals is attached to the connection portion of the trace for contacting with the trace, thus the electrical coupling among the terminals is unreliable. 
   Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the related art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A primary object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector capable of achieving reliable electrical coupling among selected terminals with reduced cost. 
   To achieve the aforementioned object, an electrical connector includes an insulative housing and a terminal module retained in the insulative housing. The terminal module includes a dielectric wafer, a number of terminals assembled within the dielectric wafer and a coupling foil disposed on a surface of the dielectric wafer and having a plurality of circuit traces extending along a first plane. Each terminal is formed with a joint. The circuit trace includes a body portion aligned with a selected terminal of the number of terminals and a connection portion fanning out from the body portion toward a specific terminal of the number of terminals. The joint of the specific terminal comes into contact with the connection portion along a contact direction orthogonal to the first plane. 
   The electrical connection between the terminals and the circuit traces is reliably ensured due to the joint portion. The electrical coupling among the terminals is thereby reliably ensured. Only one dielectric wafer is needed rather than two wafers as referred in the &#39;341 patent, would realize cost down. 
   Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a plurality of terminals referred in the first embodiment, when a terminal module has not been shaped; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the terminals formed with a plurality of joints, when the terminal module has not been shaped; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a connection between the terminals and a coupling foil referred in the first embodiment; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the terminals insert molded within the dielectric wafer; 
       FIG. 6  is an assembled perspective view showing the terminal module referred in the first embodiment; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 3 , in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 4 , in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 5 , in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 10  is an assembled perspective view showing the terminal module referred in the second embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. An electrical connector  100  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulative housing defining a cavity receiving a terminal module. In another embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , the insulative housing  40  defines a plurality of cavities  41  for receiving a plurality of terminal modules  10 . The electrical connector  100  further has a shielding shell  50  attached to the insulative housing  40 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , each terminal module  10  comprises a dielectric wafer  2 , a plurality of terminals  1  and a coupling foil  3 . The dielectric wafer  2  made in accordance with the present invention is configured by insert-molding the plurality of terminals  1 , typically eight, altogether, i.e., first through eighth terminals  11 - 18 . According to the certain application, electrical couplings are respectively and specially required between first and the third terminals  11  and  13 , the third and fifth terminals  13  and  15 , the fourth and sixth terminals  14  and  16 , the sixth and eighth terminals  16  and  18 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , after the dielectric wafer  2  is molded with the eight terminals  11 - 18 , and is formed with a flat upper surface. In order to create an electrical coupling between the first and third terminals  11  and  13 , a first circuit trace  31  is provided and lying substantially over the first terminal  11  with its first body portion  312 . The first circuit trace  31  includes a first connection portion  311  crossing on the upper surface in an area over the second terminal  12  and finally physically and electrically engaged with the third terminal  13 . According to a preferred embodiment, a third joint  134  of the third terminal  13  penetrates upwardly through the first connection portion  311 . 
   In order to create an electrical coupling between the third and fifth terminals  13  and  15 , a second circuit trace  32  is provided and lying substantially over the third terminal  13  with its second body portion  322 . The second circuit trace  32  includes a second connection portion  321  crossing on the upper surface in an area over the fourth terminal  14  and finally physically and electrically engaged with the fifth terminal  15 . A fifth joint  154  of the fifth terminal  15  penetrates upwardly through the second connection portion  321 . 
   In order to create an electrical coupling between the fourth and sixth terminals  14  and  16 , a third circuit trace  33  is provided and lying substantially over the sixth terminal  16  with its third body portion  332 . The third circuit trace  33  includes a third connection portion  331  crossing on the upper surface in an area over the fifth terminal  15  and finally physically and electrically engaged with the fourth terminal  14 . A fourth joint  144  of the fourth terminal  14  penetrates upwardly through the third connection portion  331 . 
   In order to create an electrical coupling between the sixth and eighth terminals  16  and  18 , a fourth circuit trace  34  is provided and lying substantially over the seventh terminal  17  with its fourth body portion  342 . The fourth circuit trace  34  includes a fourth connection portion  341  crossing on the upper surface in an area over the seventh terminal  17  and finally physically and electrically engaged with the seventh terminal  17 . A sixth joint  164  of the sixth terminal  16  penetrates upwardly through the fourth connection portion  341 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the plurality of terminals  1  are stamped with electrical coupling capacitive plates. The first through eighth terminals  11 - 18  are substantially parallel with each other and arranged in sequence, wherein the fifth through eighth terminals  15 - 18  are substantially symmetrical to the first through fourth terminals  11 - 14 . Each of the first through eighth terminal  11 - 18  has a first through eighth primary end  111 - 181 , a first through eighth tail end  112 - 182 , and first through eighth intermediate portion  113 - 183  between the primary end  111 - 118  and the tail end  112 - 182 . The first and eighth intermediate portions  113 ,  183  of the first and eighth terminals  11 ,  18  have same configurations. The second and seventh intermediate portions  123 ,  173  have same configurations and are bent toward the first and eighth intermediate portions  113 ,  183 . The third and sixth intermediate portions  133 ,  163  also have same configurations and are respectively formed with a third and a sixth tip  134 ,  164 . The fourth and fifth intermediate portions  143 ,  153  have same configurations and are respectively formed with a fourth and a fifth tip  144 ,  154 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the third through sixth tips  133 - 163  are formed up at a right angle prior to insert-molding to form themselves as third through sixth joints  134 - 164 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , the terminal module  10  comprises a dielectric wafer  2  and a coupling foil  3  stamped and disposed directly onto a top surface of the dielectric wafer  2  after the terminals  1  are insert-molded in the dielectric wafer  2 . The coupling foil  3  is made of thin metallic foil sheet. The coupling foil  3  has discrete pads stamped therein for connecting the coupling foil  3  with the terminals  1 . As the stamping occurs, the soft nature of the dielectric wafer  2  will conform around the profile of the coupling foil  3  as it is pressed below the surface of the dielectric wafer  2 . Thereby, the stamping will not come out of the dielectric wafer  2 . Simultaneously, the pad area of the coupling foil  3  will pierce through the joints  134 - 164  from the coupling foil  3 . Optionally, another method of attaching the coupling foil  3  to the dielectric wafer  2  is applying adhesive layer over the back of the surface of the coupling foil  3 . When the foil  3  is pressed into the dielectric, the adhesive layer would firmly hold the coupling foil in place. 
   The first through fourth circuit traces  31 - 34  are provided in coplanar fashion arranged coplanarly. The first through fourth connection portions  311 - 341  respectively fan out from first through fourth body portions  312 - 342 . The first and fourth body portions  312 ,  342  then extend along an outer side of the coupling foil  3  to define an imaginary region surrounded by the circuit traces  31 - 34 . The first through fourth connection portions  311 - 341  are restricted within the region. The connection portions  311 - 341  would not occupy extra space outside the body portions  312 - 342 . 
   The terminals  1  are insert molded within the dielectric wafer  2 , with the third through sixth joints  134 - 164  protruding through the top surface of the dielectric wafer  2  for directly attaching to the coupling foil  3  ( FIG. 5 ). Optionally, the terminals  1  could be assembled into the dielectric wafer  2  by other methods. It would be easy for assembling of the terminals  1 . It is provided with necessary dielectric between the capacitive plates within the terminals  1 . 
   The joints  134 - 164  could be formed over to provide a clinch connection to corresponding connection portions  311 - 341  of the circuit trace  31 - 34 . Optionally, the joints  134 - 164  could be soldered to corresponding connection portions  311 - 341  of the circuit trace  31 - 34 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , the primary ends  111 - 118  of the first through eighth terminals  11 - 18  tilt upwardly to form as contact portions. The tail ends  112 - 182  are bent downwardly for soldering onto a circuit board (not shown). 
     FIGS. 7-10  show the terminal module  1  referred in a second embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 7 , the third through sixth terminals  13 ′- 16 ′ respectively have the third through sixth joints  134 ′- 164 ′ provided thereon.  FIG. 8  shows the joints  134 ′- 136 ′ formed below the circuit traces  31 ′- 34 ′ and would not protrude through the circuit traces  31 ′- 34 ′. The first through fourth circuit traces  31 ′- 34 ′ are respectively has a first through fourth body portion  312 ′- 342 ′ and a first through fourth connection portion  311 ′- 341 ′. The connection portion  311 ′- 341 ′ extends from corresponding body portion  312 ′- 342 ′ toward a direction different from that of the connection portion  311 - 341  referred in the first embodiment. However, the connection portions  311 ′- 341 ′ are restricted within the region defined by the first and fourth body portions  312 ,  342 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 9 , the dielectric wafer  2 ′ has a plurality of discrete molded holes  21 ′ defined therein for providing access to discrete area of specific contact pads on the terminals  1 ′ required for the coupling scheme. Solder paste may be applied through the discrete molded holes  21 ′. The coupling foil  3 ′ is then stamped into the top surface of the dielectric wafer  2 . Optionally, the dielectric wafer  2  is provided with a plurality of air pockets (not shown) for impedance control. 
   However, the disclosure is illustrative only, changes may be made in detail, especially in matter of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention.