Patent Publication Number: US-2023132895-A1

Title: High-speed network connector with integrated magnetics

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The disclosure relates generally to a network connector and more particularly to a high-speed network connector with magnetics integrated into the connector. 
     In certain applications, Ethernet data travels via a transmission medium (e.g., an Ethernet UTP cable), through an Ethernet/network connector, and is then transferred via a media dependent interface (MDI) to a physical layer (PHY) or printed circuit board of a connected device (e.g. a computer or server). A transformer is usually positioned between the transmission medium and the connected device, to regulate (i.e., isolate) electrical energy transferred from the transmission medium to the connected device. The transformers are typically separate from the network connectors and thus take up valuable space on the printed circuit board. IEEE 802 is a set of local area network (LAN) technical standards that specify the media access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) protocols for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) computer communication. The IEEE 802 standards also establish a Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) Power via Media Dependent Interface (MDI), which is the international standard that defines the transmission of power over an Ethernet infrastructure. 
     One type of Ethernet connector is the IX INDUSTRIAL connector, which is a high-speed network connector that features a small robust design for use in industrial environments and industrial equipment. The IX INDUSTRIAL connector is a multi-purpose, small-sized I/O connector for industrial machinery. The IX INDUSTRIAL connector conforms to IEC Standard (IEC 61076-3-124), supports high speed data transmission, and has high EMC resistance. One such IX INDUSTRIAL connector, for example, is offered by Amphenol IC. 
     Ethernet standards (set by the IEEE) state that the physical layer must be galvanically isolated from the transmission medium. That is, Ethernet standards require electrical isolation transformers to be positioned between connected devices and the PHY chip which drives the signals to the connected devices. There are two fundamental reasons for this isolation requirement. The first is due to the possible ground offset between devices that are located far away from each other. The second is to protect all devices from line failures, such as a short to a high-voltage rail, a surge-spike, or an electro-static discharge ESD strike. However, because ethernet connectors, such as the IX INDUSTRIAL connector, have no transformers as part of the connector for isolating electronic signals, a separate transformer is positioned between the connector and the transmission medium. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of this disclosure is a network connector that comprises a core body that has a front end, a rear end, and a longitudinal middle portion extending between the front end and the rear end. The middle portion has at least one side support surface. A first set of contacts are supported by the core body. Each of the of contacts of the first set of contacts has an exposed portion extending outside of the core body. A second set of contacts supported by the core body. Each of the of contacts of the second set of contacts has an exposed portion extending outside of the core body. A plurality of wires, wherein each of the wires can be coupled to the first and second sets of contacts. An internal printed circuit board supported on the core body. The internal printed circuit board can be coupled to the exposed portions of the first set of contacts. A magnetic isolation component can be supported on the core body configured to filter electrical signals of the plurality of wires. The exposed portions of the second set of contacts are configured to engage an external printed circuit board. 
     In certain examples, the magnetic isolation component includes magnetic cores and each magnetic core is wrapped by at least one of the plurality of wires, and the magnetic cores are mounted to at least one side support surface of the middle portion of the core body. In some examples, the magnetic cores are mounted to a second side support surface of the middle portion of the core body, wherein the second side support surface is opposite to the at least one side support surface of the core body. In other examples, the magnetic cores include at least one isolation transformer and at least one a common mode choke. In some examples, the side support surface is substantially flat. In certain examples, a length of the middle portion is at least twice a width of the front and rear ends. In some examples, the side support surface of the core body has a cavity and the magnetic cores are sized to fit within each cavity. In other examples, the magnetic cores include a first isolation transformer and a first common mode choke paired together and include a second isolation transformer and a second common mode choke paired together. In some examples at least one of the magnetic cores has an outer diameter in the range of 4.40 mm to 4.80 mm and a thickness in the range of 1.55 mm to 1.95 mm. The magnetic isolation component may be secured to the at least one side support surface of the core by a resin or an epoxy. 
     In other examples, the connector further comprises a shield that at least partially surrounds the housing shell; the shield includes at least a top wall and opposite side walls, the top wall is configured to cover a top of the housing shell and the side walls are configured to cover opposite sides of the housing shell; the connector further comprises a mating interface piece coupled to the front end of the core body, wherein mating contacts of the mating interface piece are coupleable to the internal printed circuit board; the front end of the core body includes an engagement feature for engaging a corresponding engagement feature of the mating interface piece; the plurality of contacts extend in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the core body; the plurality of contacts are coupled to the core body by an interference fit; and/or the connector further comprises at least one power wire and at least one grounding wire connected between the first and second sets of contacts for providing a power line and a grounding path, respectively. 
     Another aspect of this disclosure is an electrical connector that comprises a housing shell that has an interior receiving area and an open bottom, a core body that is received in the interior receiving area of the housing shell, and first and second sets of contacts supported by the core body. Each of the contacts of the first set of contacts has an exposed portion that extends outside of the core body. Each of the contacts of the second set of contacts has an exposed portion that extends outside of the core body and extends through the open bottom of the housing shell. An internal printed circuit board can be supported on the core body. The internal printed circuit board can be coupled to the first set of contacts. An isolator can be mounted on the core body between the first set of contacts and the second set of contacts. A shield at least partially surrounds the housing shell. 
     In some examples, the core body includes a front end, a rear end, and a longitudinal middle portion extending between the front and rear ends, and the isolator is mounted on at least one support side surface of the middle portion; a length of the middle portion is at least twice a width of the front and rear ends, and the at least one side support surface is substantially flat; the at least one side support surface has a cavity and the isolator is configured to fit within the cavity; and/or the shield includes at least a top wall and opposite side walls, the top wall is configured to cover a top of the housing shell and the side walls are configured to cover opposite sides of the housing shell. 
     Yet another aspect of this disclosure is a method of manufacturing a network connector, that comprises the steps of loading a plurality of contacts onto a core body of the network connector; wrapping one or more wires around a magnetic isolation component, the one or more wires being coupled to the plurality of contacts; mounting the magnetic isolation component on the core body; coupling an internal printed circuit board to the plurality of contacts of the core body; and assembling a shield over the subassembly of the core body, the plurality of contacts, the magnetic isolation component, and the internal printed circuit board, such that the shield at least partially surrounds the subassembly 
     In certain examples, the method further comprises the step of inserting the subassembly into a housing shell prior to the step of assembling the shield over the subassembly of the core body, the plurality of contacts, the magnetic isolation component, and the internal printed circuit board. The method may further comprise the step of coupling a mating interface piece with a front end of the core body and coupling the internal printed circuit board to mating contacts of the mating interface piece. In some examples, the step of assembling the shield includes the shield covering a top of the housing shell and covering opposite sides of the housing shell. The method may further comprise the step of coupling at least one power wire to the plurality of contacts to provide at least one power line. In some examples, the method further comprises the step of coupling at least one grounding wire to the plurality of contacts to provide at least one grounding path. 
     This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understand the nature and character of the disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. It is to be understood that the drawings illustrate only some examples of the disclosure and other examples or combinations of various examples that are not specifically illustrated in the figures may still fall within the scope of this disclosure. Examples will now be described with additional detail through the use of the drawings, in which: 
         FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  are top and bottom perspective views, respectively, of an exemplary network connector according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is an exploded perspective view of the connector illustrated in  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B ; 
         FIGS.  3 A and  3 B  are elevational and cross-sectional views, respectively, of an exemplary magnetic core; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a pair of exemplary magnetic cores; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a subassembly of the connector illustrated in  FIGS.  1 A,  1 B , and  2 ; 
         FIG.  6    is an image of internal components of the connector illustrated in  FIGS.  1 A,  1 B, and  2   , showing a magnetic isolation component and wiring of the connector; 
         FIG.  7 A  is a top plan view of a core body of the connector illustrated in  FIGS.  1 A,  1 B, and  2   ; 
         FIG.  7 B  is a left side elevational view of the core body illustrated in  FIG.  7 A , showing contacts supported by the core body; 
         FIG.  7 C  is a right side elevational view of the core body illustrated in  FIGS.  7 A and  7 B , showing contacts supported by the core body; 
         FIG.  7 D  is a rear end elevational view of the core body illustrated in  FIGS.  7 A- 7 C , showing contacts supported by the core body; 
         FIGS.  8 A and  8 B  are left and right side views, respectively, of the core body, showing the contacts supported by the core body and an exemplary pin number designation for each contact; 
         FIG.  9    is a schematic diagram of the circuitry of an exemplary connector, showing the circuitry pathways corresponding to the exemplary pin number designations of the contacts illustrated in  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B ; and 
         FIG.  10    is a front elevational view of multiple connectors of the present disclosure mounted on a printed circuit board, showing the pitch between the connectors. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure relates to a high-speed network connector that includes integrated magnetics. In an example of the present disclosure, the connector may be any network connector, such as a ruggedized industrial connector, like the IX INDUSTRIAL connector. The connector can be A-coded or B-coded connectors to meet the needs of a particular data or signal application. The connector can have a compact design that allows the connector to be used on smaller devices and/or to create multiple connection points in a limited space or area. The design of the connector can also be robust for a secure connection to a mating connector, such as via a metal locking tab that is less likely to break if bumped or pulled. And, in an example, the connector also has shielding capability to block interference, such as from nearby connectors or equipment. 
     The connector of the present disclosure uses transformer isolation via integrated magnetics. In an example, certain magnetic components that are typically located on a PCB are instead integrated into the design of the connector itself. The integrated magnetics may provide electrical isolation between two circuits by transferring energy in magnetic form from one circuit to another and by physically and electrically isolating the two circuits. That is, the integrated magnetics may isolate the electronic circuits to protect against electrical shock from the main lines and at the same time transfer electrical energy from one circuit to the other through magnetic coupling. As contemplated by the present disclosure, transformer isolation via the integrated magnetics may have a number of advantages when used in Ethernet applications, including for example, that: (a) there is no need for a voltage supply on the isolated side because the signal is directly transferred over the transformer; (b) transformers can accommodate fast Ethernet signals (even 10 Mbps) and are cheaper and easier to obtain than other isolation methods, such as use of optoisolators; (c) by their very nature, transformers have a very high Common-Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR), which makes them optimal for differential communications; (d) any common-mode voltage applied to both terminals of the transformer is rejected, and only a differential voltage between terminals is transferred across to the isolated side; (e) any impedance mismatch between the cable pairs and the MDI pairs is overcome, thereby allowing the signal to be transferred without any reflection due to matched impedances; and (f) high isolation voltage protection (the standard requires immunity to 1500 VAC at 50/60 Hz for 60 seconds between pairs or from one pair to chassis ground) is provided, which protects the PHY or printed circuit board (PCB) side from the effects of ESD strikes. 
     Integrating the magnetics into the connector may also have several other advantages, including: reducing the manufacturing cost of the connector and/or the associated PCB due to a lower BOM item count; simplifying the assembly of the connector and associated PCBs in the sense that the connector is ready to use without having to separately mount the magnetics on the associated PCB; and simplifying the layout and design of the connector and PCB to reduce the risk of manufacturing mistakes. For example, for mass-produced commercial network systems, using a connector with integrated magnetics may reduce manufacturing costs and simplify the design process. 
     Turning to the drawings,  FIGS.  1 - 8    show an example of a network connector  100  with a subassembly  101  that includes a core body  102 , a plurality of contacts  104   a ,  104   b , an internal printed circuit board  106 , and a magnetic isolation component  110 . A plurality of wires  116   a  ( FIG.  6   ) are coupled to the contacts  104   a ,  104   b  to provide the signal pathways ( FIG.  9   ) through the connector  100 . The wires  116   a  wrap around the magnetic isolation component  110 , for example, to create a signal filter for the signal pathways to protect associated devices, such as from line failures, a short to a high-voltage rail, a surge-spike, or an electro-static discharge ESD strike. Although the connector  100  is shown as a right-angle type connector, the connector  100  may also be a vertical type connector or other connector orientation. 
     The core body  102  has a front end  120 , a rear end  122 , and a longitudinal middle portion  124  extending between the front end  120  and the rear end  122 . The longitudinal middle portion  124  has a planar top  128 , a planar bottom  130 , and a planar dividing panel  125  having opposing side surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  (also referred to as “side support surfaces”). The top  128  and bottom  130  extend in planes that are substantially parallel to each other, and the dividing panel extends between the top  128  and bottom  130  in a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the planes of the top and bottom  128 ,  130 . The side surfaces  126   a ,  126   b  are configured to support the magnetic isolation component  110 . The opposing side surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  can be substantially identical in one example. In other examples, the opposing side surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  can be different. One or both side support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  can be recessed to form a respective cavity  144   a ,  144   b , as seen in  FIGS.  5 ,  7 B,  7 C . 
     The plurality of contacts  104   a ,  104   b  are supported by the core body  102 . In an example, the plurality of contacts  104   a ,  104   b  are loaded onto the core body  102  and are coupled thereto, such as by an interference fit. The plurality of the contacts  104   a ,  104   b  can comprise a first set of contacts  104   a  for coupling to the internal printed circuit board  106  and a second set of contacts  104   b  for coupling to a main external printed circuit board  10  ( FIGS.  1 A and  10   ). Each of the contacts of the first set of the contacts  104   a  has an exposed portion  132  (also referred to as a “post”) that extends outside of the core body  102 , such as at a top  128  of the core body  102 . Each of the contacts of the second set of contacts  104   b  has an exposed portion  134  (also referred to as a “post”) that extends outside of the core body  102 , such as at a bottom  130  of the middle portion  124  of the core body  102 . 
     As seen in  FIGS.  2  and  5   , the internal printed circuit board  106  is supported on the core body  102 , such as at the top  128  of the core body  102 , and couples to the exposed portions or posts  132  of the first set of contacts  104   a . In other examples, the internal printed circuit board  106  may be positioned at other locations with respect to the core body  102 . For example, the printed circuit board  106  may be located at the bottom  130 . 
     The magnetic isolation component  110  is supported on the core body  102 , such as on one or both of the side support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  in their respective cavities  144   a ,  144   b , as seen in  FIGS.  7 B and  7 C . As noted above, the subassembly  101  of the connector  100  includes the contacts  104   a ,  104   b  loaded onto the middle portion  124  of the core body  102 , the magnetic isolation component  110  mounted to the side support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  (only side support surface  126   a  is shown) of the core body  102 , and the internal printed circuit board  106  mounted to the top  128  of the core body  102 , as seen in  FIG.  5   . A housing shell  150  of the connector  100  receives the subassembly  101 . 
     In an example, the core body  102  is generally rectangular in shape and is formed of any dielectric material. In other examples, the core body  102  may be other shapes, such as square, cuboid, and the like. The middle portion  124  of the core body  102  can be elongated (as compared to the length of the conventional IX INDUSTRIAL connector, for example), such that a length L of the middle portion  124  is at least twice a width W of the front and rear ends  120  and  122  of the core body  102 , as seen in  FIG.  7 A . In other examples, the length L may be more or less than twice the width W. 
     As seen in  FIGS.  7 A- 7 D , the top  128  and bottom  130  of the middle portion  124  of the core body  102  each includes a number of respective through-holes  142   a ,  142   b , where each through-hole  142   a ,  142   b  receives one of the contacts of the first and second sets of contacts  104   a ,  104   b , such as in an interference fit. Each contact  104   a ,  104  extends through a respective through-hole  142   a ,  142   b , such that the exposed portions or posts  132  of the first set of contacts  104   a  are exposed at the top  128  of the core body  102  for coupling to the internal printed circuit board  106  ( FIG.  2   ), and the exposed portions or posts  134  of the second set of contacts  104   b  are exposed at the bottom  130  of the core body  102  for coupling to the main external printed circuit board  10  ( FIG.  1 A ). The first and second sets of contacts  104   a ,  104   b  extend in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis   of the core body  102 , as seen in  FIGS.  7 B and  7 C . 
     The cavities  144   a ,  144   b  formed at each of the side support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  of the core body  102  are sized to receive the magnetic isolation component  110 . In an example, each of the support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  can be substantially flat for mounting the magnetic isolation component  110  thereon. Although two cavities  144   a ,  144   b  are illustrated, the core body  102  may have more or less than two cavities  144   a ,  144   b . For example, in some examples the core body  102  has a single cavity that holds the magnetic isolation component  110 . In other examples, the two cavities  144   a ,  144   b  are subdivided by one or more walls (e.g., the walls may be integral with the core body  102  and/or made of the same dielectric material as the core body  102 ) so that each pair of magnetic cores is separated from an adjacent pair of magnetic cores by a wall. Slots  148   a ,  148   b  ( FIGS.  5  and  7 A ) can be provided in the top  128  and bottom  130 , respectively, of the longitudinal middle portion  124  of the core body  102  above and below the cavity  144   a ,  144   b . The slots  148   a ,  148   b  are sized and positioned to respectively receive one of the ends  117  or  119  of the wires  116   a , as seen in  FIG.  6   . 
     In an aspect, the magnetic isolation component  110  can be a plurality of magnetic cores (e.g., a core of ferromagnetic material), such as cores  112 ,  114 , around which the wires  116   a  can be wrapped. The wires  116   a  that are wrapped around the cores  112 ,  114  are coupled to the first and second sets of contacts  104   a ,  104   b  (e.g., both electrically and mechanically) at the ends  117  and  119 , respectively, of the wires  116   a . In an example, the cores  112 ,  114  are paired together, as seen in  FIG.  4   . In some examples, a wire is first wrapped around the core  112  and then wrapped around the core  114 , or vice versa. The core  112  (T1) can be an isolation transformer that allows high speed signals to go through, but rejects DC signals. The core  114  (T2) can be the common mode choke that is an electrical filter that blocks high frequency noise common to two or more data or power lines while allowing the desired DC or low-frequency signal to pass. Thus when paired together, the cores  112 ,  114  complement one another to filter the signals passing through a wire that extends between a pair of contacts  104   a ,  104   b . Thus, a wire may extend from a contact  104   a , wrap around a core  112 , wrap around a core  114 , and then couple with a contact  104   b . Referring to  FIG.  7 B , in an example the magnetic isolation component  110  can include at least first and second pairs of the cores  112 ,  114 . The first pair of cores  112 ,  114  comprises a first isolation transformer (T1) and a first common mode choke (T2) paired together and the second pair of cores  112 ,  114  comprises a second isolation transformer (T1) and a second common mode choke (T2) paired together. Referring to  FIG.  7 C , the magnetic isolation component  110  can also include third and fourth pairs of the cores  112 ,  114  comprising a first isolation transformer (T1) and a first common mode choke (T2) paired together and a second isolation transformer (T1) and a second common mode choke (T2) paired together. 
     In some embodiments of the disclosure, two pairs of the paired together cores  112  and  114  are mounted in the cavity  144   a  at one side support surface  126   a  of the dividing panel  125  of the middle portion  124  of the core body  102 , as seen in  FIG.  7 B , and two other pairs of the paired together cores  112  and  114  are mounted in the cavity  144   b  at the other side support surface  126   b  of the dividing panel  125  of the middle portion  124  of the core body  102 , as seen in  FIG.  7 C . The cores  112  and  114  can be mounted in each cavity  144  in a vertical orientation, aligned with the dividing panel  125 . In other examples, the cores  112  and  114  can be mounted in each cavity  144  in orientations other than a vertical orientation, as long as the cores  112  and  114  fit within the dimensions of the cavity  144 . The cores  112  and  114  can be mounted into each cavity  144  via an epoxy, resin, or the like, for example the cores  112  and  114  can be adhered to the side surfaces  126   a ,  126   b . In another example, the cores  112  and  114  can be mounted on one or both of the side support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  of the core body  102  and encapsulated in resin, for example, which can protect the magnetic isolation component  110  from moving around during the life of the connector and also helps provide dielectric isolation. In another example, only one pair of the cores  112  and  114  can be provided on one or both of the side support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b.    
     Each core  112  can have an increased outer diameter OD and a reduced thickness T (as compared to conventional magnetic cores), as seen in  FIGS.  3 A and  3 B , such that the core  112  fits within the dimensions of the cavity  144  of the core body  102 . In an example, the increased outer diameter OD of each core  112  (i.e. increased from the standard magnetic core outer diameter of 3.68 mm) may be in the range of 3.70 mm to 5.00 mm, or in another example, the range may be 4.00 mm to 4.85 mm, or in still another example, the range may be 4.40 mm to 4.80 mm, such as about 4.60 mm. In an example, the reduced thickness T of each core  112  (i.e. reduced from the standard magnetic core thickness of 2.68 mm) may be in the range of 1 mm to 2.66 mm, or in another example, the range may be 1.25 mm to 2.50 mm, or in still another example, the range may be 1.55 mm to 1.95 mm, such as about 1.75 mm. The foregoing includes example dimensions, and the increased outer diameter OD and the thickness T can be other sizes in other examples. 
     As best shown in  FIG.  2   , the connector  100  can further comprise a shield  108 . The shield  108  can be configured to surround or at least partially surround the subassembly  101  and protect the same from electromagnetic interference. The connector  100  may also include a housing shell  150  that receives the subassembly  101  and is covered or at least partially covered by the shield  108 . The housing shell  150  may include a top  151 , opposite sides  155 , an interior receiving area  152  that is sized to receive the subassembly  101 , a front end with an opening, an open rear end  153 , and an open bottom  154 . The open rear end  153  allows the subassembly  101  to be inserted into the interior receiving area  152  of the housing shell  150  when assembling the connector  100 . The open bottom  154  allows the exposed portions  134  of the second set of contacts  104   b  to extend therethrough to couple to the external printed circuit board  10 . A bottom cover  156  can optionally be provided at the open bottom  154  of the housing shell  150 , and a rear cover can optionally be provided at the open rear end  153 . In an example, the bottom cover  156  and rear cover can be made of any dielectric material. The exposed portions  134  of the second set of contacts  104   b  can also extend through the bottom cover  156 , as seen in  FIG.  1 B . 
     In an example, the shield  108  can be made of a conductive material and can be configured to substantially surround the housing shell  150  and the subassembly  101  of the core body  102 , the contacts  104  (with the exception of the exposed portions or posts  134  which are configured for attachment to an external PCB), the internal printed circuit board  106 , and the magnetic isolation component  110  to provide a generally 360 degree EMI shielding for the connector  100  when the connector  100  is mounted on the external printed circuit board  10 . In another example, the shield  108  can only partially surround the housing shell  150  and the subassembly  101  to provide the partial EMI shielding. The shield  108  may comprise a top wall  170  and opposite longitudinal sidewalls  172  extending between front end  174  (having an opening) and a rear wall  176  of the shield  108 . The top wall  170  of the shield  108  can be sized to generally cover the top  151  of the housing shell  150  and the sidewalls  172  can be sized to generally cover the sides  153  of the housing shell  150 . The rear wall  176  of the shield  108  can be closed onto the open rear end  153  of the housing shell  150  when assembling the shield  108  on the housing shell  150 . In an example, the shield  108  can be formed of any conductive material. In other examples, portions of the shield  108  can be open and/or formed of a dielectric material. For example, one or more of the top wall  170  or the sidewalls  172  of the shield  108  can be removed, have a cut-out, and/or be formed of a dielectric or semi-conductive material instead of a conductive material. The shield  108  also includes one or more tails  178  at the bottom of the shield  108  for insertion into the external printed circuit board  10  for electrical and mechanical connection thereto. The tails  178  connect to the ground circuit through the printed circuit board  10 . 
     Both the housing shell  150  and the shield  108  can have a generally rectangular shape. In other examples, the housing shell  150  and the shield  108  can have other shapes, such as square, cuboid, and the like. As an option, one or more EMI fingers  179  can be provided on the top wall  170  and/or the side walls  172  of the shield  108  for grounding connection to a mating connector and/or a grounding connection to a neighboring connector  100  to form a common ground. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  2 ,  5   , the connector  100  further includes a mating interface piece  160  that has a plurality of mating contacts  162  for coupling to the internal printed circuit board  106 . The mating interface piece  160  is designed to connect with a mating connector, such as a cable plug (at the mating connector side  12 , as seen in  FIG.  9   ), thereby electrically connecting the mating connector to the main printed circuit board  10  through the connector  100 . The mating interface piece  160  has an interface  163  that supports the mating contacts  162  for connection to corresponding contacts of the mating connector. The mating interface piece  160  is coupled to the front end  120  of the core body  102  in position to mate with the mating connector. The front end  120  of the core body  102  includes an engagement feature  146  for engaging a corresponding engagement feature  164  of the mating interface piece  160 , as seen in  FIGS.  2  and  5   . In an example, the engagement feature  146  of the core body  102  can be a catch and the engagement feature of  164  of the mating interface piece  160  can be a tab or projection that slidably and removably engages the catch  146  of the core body  102 . In other examples, the engagement features  146  and  164  can be any type of known mechanical engagement. An interface shield  166  ( FIG.  2   ) can be provided that surrounds the mating interface piece  160  and electrically and mechanically connects with the shield  108 . 
     An aspect of the present disclosure is a method of manufacturing or assembling a network connector, such as connector  100 . The method may comprise the steps of loading the plurality of contacts  104   a ,  104   b  onto the core body  102  of the connector  100 , mounting the magnetic isolation component  110  on the core body  102 , and coupling the internal printed circuit board  106  to the plurality of contacts  104   a ,  104   b  of the core body  102 . The shield  108  can be assembled over the subassembly  101  of the core body  102 , the plurality of contacts  104   a ,  104   b , the magnetic isolation component  110 , and the internal printed circuit board  106 , such that the shield  108  partially or substantially surrounds the subassembly  101  to provide shielding. 
     The method may also comprise the step of inserting the subassembly  101  into the housing shell  150 , by inserting the subassembly  101  through the rear end  153  of the housing shell  150 , prior to the step of assembling the shield  108  over the subassembly  101 . The method can also comprise the step of coupling the mating interface piece  160  with the front end  120  of the core body  102 , using the corresponding engagement features  146  and  164 , and coupling the internal printed circuit board  106  to mating contacts  162  of the mating interface piece  160 . 
     The individual contacts  104   a ,  140   b , can be loaded into the core body  102  via the holes  142  ( FIG.  7 A ) for an interference fit between the contacts  104   a ,  140   b  and the core body  102 . The magnetic cores  112  and  114  of the magnetic isolation component  110  can be mounted in pairs on one or both of the side support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  of the middle portion  124  of the core body  102 . In an example, four pairs of the paired together cores  112 ,  114  can be mounted on the core body  102 . For example, two pairs of the paired together cores  112 ,  114  can be mounted in each cavity  144   a ,  144   b  of each side support surface  126   a  and  126   b . In other examples, all four pairs of the paired together cores  112 ,  114  can be mounted on just one of the side support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  of the core body  102 . In further examples, any number of cores  112  and  114  or any number of paired together cores  112 ,  114  can be mounted on one or both of the side support surfaces  126   a  and  126   b  of the core body  102 . The paired-together cores  112  and  114  are connected, via wires  116   a , to the first and second sets contact  104   a  and  104   b , as shown in  FIG.  9   , with the magnetic cores  112  and  114  between the first and second sets of contacts  104   a  and  104   b . In an example, the wires  116   a  can be soldered to the contacts  104   a ,  104   b.    
     The mating interface piece  160  is coupled to the front end  120  of the core body  102  by engaging their respective engagement features  146  and  164 . The internal circuit board  106  is positioned at the top  128  of the core body  102  and is coupled to both the exposed ends  132  of the first set of contacts  104   a  and to the mating contacts  162  of the mating interface piece  160 . The subassembly  101  of the core body  102  loaded with the contacts  104   a ,  104   b  and with the mating interface piece  160  at the front end  120  thereof and the internal printed circuit board  106  at the top  128 , is inserted into the housing shell  150  via the open rear end  153  of the housing shell  150 . The mating shield  166  is added to the mating interface piece  160  and the bottom cover  156  is added to the open bottom  154  of the housing shell  150  with the exposed ends  134  of the second set of the contacts  104   b  extending through the bottom cover  156 . Finally, the shield  108  can be assembled over the housing shell  150  to cover or partially cover the housing shell  150  including the open rear end  153  of the housing shell  150 . 
       FIGS.  8 A and  8 B  illustrate left and right side views, respectively, of the core body  102 , showing the first and second sets of contacts  104   a  and  104   b  supported by the core body  102  and showing the pin number designation for the exposed portions  132  and  134  of the contacts  104   a ,  104   b .  FIG.  9    illustrates a schematic diagram of the circuitry through the connector  100  between the main printed circuit board  10  (also referred to as “the printed circuit board side”) and each of the mating connectors  12  (also referred to as the “mating connectors side”). The circuitry pathways illustrated in  FIG.  9    correspond to the pin number designations of the contact posts  132  and  134  shown in  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B . The magnetic cores  112  and  114 , when wrapped by the wires  116   a , provide a signal filter in the signal pathways between the first and second sets of contacts  104   a  and  104   b  to meet the isolation requirements of the current Ethernet standards. For example, four channels CHA, CHB, CHC, and CHD (as is required by 10GBASE-T Ethernet) can be provided for the circuit pathways. A channel is one of the differential signal pairs which carry the signals between the main printed circuit board  10  and the mating connectors side  12 , such as cable plugs. Each channel CHA, CHB, CHC, and CHD includes one pair of the paired together cores  112  and  114  wrapped by the wires  116   a , as seen in  FIG.  9   . In an example, three wires  116   a  may be wrapped around the cores  112  and  114  in each of the channels CHA, CHB, CHC, and CHD. In other examples, more or less than three wires may be used in each channel. In an example, for speeds of 1000BASE-T and above, four differential pairs/channels are used for each connector  100  and the four channels can accommodate typical network cabling for Ethernet (i.e. the mating connectors at the mating connectors side  12 ), which has four twisted/differential pairs ( 8  wires in total). In other examples, more or less than four channels can be used for the signal pathways of the connector  100 . 
     One end  117  (also referred to as “the first end”) of each wire  116   a  is electrically and mechanically coupled to the exposed portions or posts  132  of the first set of contacts  104   a . The other end  119  (also referred to as “the second end”) of each wire  116   a  is electrically and mechanically coupled to the exposed portions or posts  134  of the second set of contacts  104   b . In an example, the first and second ends  117  and  119  of each of the wires  116   a  can be soldered to a respective contact post  132  and  134 . 
     In operation, signals are transmitted between the main printed circuit board  10 , through the connector  100  to a mating connector (at the mating connectors side  12 ) which is coupled to the connector  100  at the mating interface  160  of the connector  100 . Signals from the printed circuit board side  10  are received by the exposed portions  134  of the second set of contacts  104   b  (which are electrically connected to the board  10  and which are loaded on the core body  102 ), and are then connected via wires  116   a  to the exposed portions  132  of the first set of contacts  104   a  to electrically connect with the internal printed circuit board  106 . Between the connection of the wires to the contacts  104   b  and the contacts  104   a , the wires are wound around the magnetic isolation component  110  (e.g. the magnetic isolation cores  112 ,  114 ), which filter the signals as described above. From the internal circuit board  106 , the signals are then received by the mating interface piece  160  via the mating contacts  162  electrically coupled to the internal printed circuit board  106 , which couples (electrically and mechanically) to a mating connector at the mating connectors side  12 , which then receives the signals. Signals can travel through the connector  100  between the main printed circuit board  10  and the mating connectors side  12  along the signal pathways through the channels CHA, CHB, CHC, and CHD. For example, the signals from the printed circuit board side  10  can travel through the channels CHA, CHB, CHC, and CHD via the exposed contact portions or posts  134  and through the second ends  119  of the wires  116   a  (which are coupled to the posts  134 ), through the magnetic isolation component  110 , including the pair of cores  112  and  114  around which the wires  116   a  are wrapped, through the first ends  117  of wires  116   a  to the exposed contact portions or posts  132  (to which the first ends  117  are coupled), and then to the mating connectors side  12 . 
     In an aspect, the connector  100  can be configured to deliver power to the printed circuit board side  10  from the mating connectors side  12 . In an example, one or more wires  116   b  for receiving and transmitting power (also referred to as “power wires”), may be included with the subassembly  101 . Each power wire  116   b  can be coupled (electrically and mechanically) between the exposed portions  132  and  134  of the first and second sets of contacts  104   a  and  104   b  on the core body  102 , as seen in  FIGS.  6 ,  8 A and  8 B . The power wires  116   b  are separate from the wires  116   a  and are not associated with the magnetic isolation component  110 . Rather, the power wires  116   b  provide a direct power line between the first and second sets of contacts  104   a  and  104   b . For example, as seen in  FIG.  9   , the power wires  116   b  can directly connect pin numbers  8  and  26 ; can directly connect pin numbers  9  and  27 ; can directly connect pin numbers  17  and  35 ; and can directly connect pin numbers  18  and  36  of the first and second sets of contacts  104   a  and  104   b . In an example, the power wires  116   b  are arranged on the core body  102  near the rear end  122  of the core body  102 . The power wires  116   b  thus provide power lines (separate from the signal pathways) between the main printed circuit board  10  and the mating connectors side  12  to provide power over Ethernet capability. 
     In another aspect, one or more grounding wires  116   c  can be provided on the core body  102  for connection to the grounding plane of the main printed circuit board  10 . Each grounding wire  116   c  is also coupled between the exposed portions  132  and  134  of the first and second sets of contacts  104   a  and  104   b , as seen in  FIGS.  6 ,  8 A and  8 B , and can be positioned near the rear end  122  of the core body  102  separate from the wires  116   a . The grounding wires  116   c  are separate from the wires  116   a  and the power wires  116   b , and are not associated with the magnetic isolation component  110 . Rather, the grounding wires  116   c  provide a direct grounding path between the first and second sets of contacts  104   a  and  104   b . For example, the grounding wires  116   c  can directly connect pin numbers  7  and  25  and can directly connect pin number  16  and  34  of the first and second sets of contacts  104   a  and  104   b , as seen in  FIG.  9   . 
       FIG.  10    illustrates several of the connectors  100  mounted on the main external printed circuit board  10 . The pitch P between the connectors  100  is defined as the distance between the respective centerlines of two adjacent connectors  100 . A benefit of some examples is that the pitch P between the connectors  100  can be minimized where space on the main printed circuit board  10  is limited, while also having the required magnetics integrated into each of the connectors  100  on the board  10 . Another benefit is that more space is made available on the board  10  because the required magnetics are no longer taking up space on the board and are instead integrated into each of the connectors  100 . Yet another benefit is the elimination of the step of having to mount the required magnetics on the board in addition to mounting the connectors  100  because the magnetics are already integrated into each connector  100 . In an example, the pitch P can be maintained in the range of about 9 mm to 14 mm, in the range of about 10 mm to 12 mm, in the range of about 10 mm to 11 mm, or can be maintained at 10 mm or less, or at about 10 mm. 
     In an example, the connector  100  may have a similar form to a conventional IX INDUSTRIAL connector and can be used instead of a conventional IX INDUSTRIAL connector. And, because the conventional IX INDUSTRIAL connectors lack isolating transformers, using the connector  100  instead of a conventional IX INDUSTRIAL connector eliminates the need to provide or mount such transformers on the printed circuit board, 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings that modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Likewise, the various examples described may be used individually or in combination with other examples. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various combinations of examples not specifically described or illustrated herein that are still within the scope of this disclosure. In this respect, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the specific examples set forth and the examples of the disclosure are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. 
     As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Similarly, the adjective “another,” when used to introduce an element, is intended to mean one or more elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having” and similar terms are intended to be inclusive such that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
     Additionally, where a method described above or a method claim below does not explicitly require an order to be followed by its steps or an order is otherwise not required based on the description or claim language, it is not intended that any particular order be inferred. Likewise, where a method claim below does not explicitly recite a step mentioned in the description above, it should not be assumed that the step is required by the claim. 
     It is noted that the description and claims may use geometric or relational terms, such as right, left, above, below, upper, lower, top, bottom, linear, arcuate, elongated, parallel, perpendicular, flat, rectangular, cuboid, etc. These terms are not intended to limit the disclosure and, in general, are used for convenience to facilitate the description based on the examples shown in the figures. In addition, the geometric or relational terms may not be exact. For instance, walls may not be exactly perpendicular or parallel to one another because of, for example, roughness of surfaces, tolerances allowed in manufacturing, etc., but may still be considered to be perpendicular or parallel.