Patent Publication Number: US-6217392-B1

Title: Electrical connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to a modular jack electrical connector. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 disclose a plurality of prior terminals  8  for a modular jack electrical connector. Each terminal  8  includes a contacting portion  81  at one end for contacting with a mating connector, a solder tail  82  at an opposite end for soldering to a printed circuit board, and a connecting portion extending between the contacting portion  81  and the solder tail  82 . Each two adjacent solder tails  82  are separated by a second distance N 2  which is larger than a first distance N 1  separating each two adjacent contacting portions  81 , thereby decreasing cross-talk between the two adjacent solder tails  82 . However, in use, the cross-talk between adjacent solder tails  82  of the terminals  8  still exists, especially between a third solder tail  823  and a fourth solder tail  824 , and a fifth solder tail  825  and a sixth solder tail  826 . 
     Hence, an improved terminal for a modular jack electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector wherein terminals assembled in the electrical connector are provided with bended portions having an increased distance therebetween, thereby diminishing cross-talk therebetween. 
     To fulfill the above mentioned objective, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing defining a receiving space therein. Eight terminals labeled from one to eight are assembled in the receiving space. Each terminal includes a contacting portion at one end for engaging with a mating connector, a solder tail at an opposite end for soldering to a printed circuit board, and a curving portion extending between the contacting portion and the solder tail. Each two adjacent solder tails are separated by a second distance N 2  which is larger than a first distance N 1  separating every two adjacent contacting portions. At least one of three adjacent solder tails of the terminals protrudes beyond a plane defined by the other solder tails. 
     In accordance with the above features, a third and a sixth terminals protrude beyond the plane; a first, a second, a seventh, and an eighth terminals extend laterally within the plane; and a fourth and a fifth terminal diverge within the plane to increase a distance between a third and the fourth terminals, the fifth and the sixth terminal. 
     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 an exploded view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the terminals of FIG. 1 wherein the terminals are not fully bended; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 2 wherein the terminals are insert-molded in a spacer; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the terminal assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a top view of prior art terminals before bending; and 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the terminals of FIG. 7 in a bended state. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an electrical connector  100  in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of terminals  2  received within the insulative housing  1 , a shell  3  covering the insulative housing  1 , a grounding plate  4  assembled in the insulative housing  1  for electrically connecting to a printed circuit board (not shown), and a spacer  5  wrapping about the terminals  2  by an insert-molded process. 
     Also referring to FIG. 1, the insulative housing  1  defines a receiving space  12  for receiving the terminals  2  and the spacer  5 , and a pair of slots  14  formed on a lateral side (not labeled) thereof for receiving corresponding grounding plate  4  therein. The shell  3  defines a hollow space  32  for receiving the insulative housing  1 . The shell  3  further includes a tab  34  on each lateral side thereof for electrically contacting the grounding plate  4  for transferring grounding signals to the printed circuit board. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 to  4 , the terminals  2  are labeled from  201  (one) to  208  (eight). Each terminal  2  includes a contacting portion  21  at one end for engaging with a mating connector, a solder tail  24  at an opposite end for soldering to the printed circuit board, and a curving portion  23  extending between the contacting portion  21  and the solder tail  24 . Each terminal  2  further includes an extending portion  22  between the contacting portion  21  and the curving portion  23  to ease the bending operation. Each two adjacent solder tails  24  are separated by a second distance N 2  which is larger than a first distance N 1  separating every two adjacent contacting portions  21  particularly referring to FIG. 4, the curving portions  23  of the third terminal  203  and the sixth terminal  206  are located at a second P 2  while the curving portions  23  of the remaining six terminals  201 ,  202 ,  204 ,  205 ,  207 ,  208  are located at a first plane P 1 , wherein the first plane P 1  is different from the second plane P 2 . 
     Particularly referring to FIG. 3, curving portions  23  of the first, second, third, sixth, seventh and eighth terminals  201 ,  202 ,  203 ,  206 ,  207 , 208  are bent laterally away from a middle line M. Such a design incorporating with the configuration that the curving portions  23  of the fourth and fifth terminals  204 ,  205  are located at a plane from that the curving portions  23  of the remaining terminals  201 ,  202 ,  203 ,  206 ,  207 ,  208  are located. A distance between the curving portions of the third and fourth terminals and between the curving portions of the fifth and sixth terminals is larger than a distance between any neighboring two of the curving portions of the remaining terminals. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  5 , and  6 , in assembly, the grounding plate  4  are secured into corresponding slot  14  of the insulative housing  1 . The curving portions  23  of the terminals  2  are insert-molded within the spacer  5  (FIG.  5 ), and are then bended to form a terminal assembly  7  as shown in FIG.  6 . Referring to FIG. 1, the terminal assembly  7  is received in the receiving space  12  of the insulative housing  1 . The insulative housing  1  is then securely assembled within the hollow space  32  of the shell  3 , with the tab  34  of the shell  3  in electrical contact with the grounding plate  4 . Finally the solder tails  24  and the solder pads  4  are soldered to the printed circuit board. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that the curving portions  23  of the third terminal  203  and the sixth terminal  206  protrude beyond the plane defined by the other curving portions  23 , and the curving portions  23  of the fourth and fifth terminals  204 ,  205  laterally diverge within the plane, thereby increasing the distance between the curving portions  23  of the third and fourth terminals ( 203  and  204 ), and the fifth and sixth terminals ( 205  and  206 ), thereby diminishing cross-talk therebetween. It is also noted that other than the protruding curving portions  23  of the third terminal  203  and of the sixth terminal  206 , the remaining terminals  201 ,  202 ,  204 ,  205 ,  207  and  208  further include protruding compensation sections  29  between the curving portions  23  and the solder tails  24  so that all the solder tails  24  are located in the same plane. 
     It is also seen that the third terminal  203  and the sixth terminal  206  are necessarily first severed from the contact carrier strip  28  when their curving portions  23  are formed to protrude above those of the remaining terminals. Surely, in a later time, the remaining terminals are also separated from the contact carrier strip  28  after their compensation sections  29  are formed between the curving portion  23  and the solder tails  24 . 
     It can be understood that the invention provides a systematic and neat structure for arranging the rear portions of the terminals, and thus it is easy to manufacture the subject connector. 
     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.