Patent Publication Number: US-6702610-B2

Title: Multi-port modular jack assembly with detachable insert subassamblies

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is related to a contemporaneously filed U.S. patent application entitled to “ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH INSERT-MOLDING STRUCTURE”, and another application entitled to “ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR”, invented by the same inventor, and assigned to the common assignee. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to a modular jack assembly having a plurality of detachable insert subassemblies. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In a Local Area Network (LAN) such as a small business company, a plurality of computers and servers are interconnected through an infrastructure. In order to provide a convenient access to the server, a router has been introduced in which a plurality of modular jacks, serving input and output ports, has been introduced. As a result, information as well as data can be freely and quickly communicated within the LAN. 
     In order to reduce the cost and space, a modular jack assembly, which integrates a plurality of modular jacks in a single housing, has been widely adopted in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,612 issued to Goodall et al on Jul. 2, 1996 discloses such a modular jack assembly. The Goodall modular jack assembly comprises a plurality of modular jacks assembled to a common integral housing and disposed in back-to-back mirror image symmetry. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,267 issued to Loudermilk on Jun. 17, 1997 also discloses a modular jack assembly. The Loudermilk modular jack assembly comprises an outer case defining a plurality of chambers and a plurality of insert subassemblies received in corresponding chambers. Each chamber forms a pair of hook portions. Each insert subassembly comprises a pair of locking wedges engaging with the hook portions of a corresponding chamber, thereby securely retaining the insert subassembly in the outer case. After the modular jack assembly is fabricated, it must be verified whether every insert subassembly thereof is capable of functioning properly. However, if an insert subassembly is test to be defective, the defective insert subassembly cannot be replaced from the outer case because of the retaining of the locking wedges, resulting in a bad quality of the Loudermilk modular jack assembly. 
     Hence, an improved modular jack assembly is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a modular jack assembly having a plurality of detachable insert subassemblies. 
     A modular jack assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an outer case and a plurality of insert subassemblies. The outer case defines a plurality of chambers. A pair of engaging channels are defined in opposite inner surfaces of each chamber. Each engaging channel has an engaging recess in a distal end thereof. Each insert subassembly is inserted into a corresponding chamber from a rear wall of the outer case and comprises a pair resilient latch arms engaging with the engaging channels of a corresponding chamber of the outer case, thereby retaining the insert subassembly in the outer case. Each latch arm forms an engaging protrusion for engaging with an engaging recess of a corresponding chamber for securely retaining the insert subassembly in the outer case. 
     Pulling rearwardly a defective insert subassembly, the resilient latch arms of the defective insert subassembly are forced to be elastically deform to each other. As a same time, the engaging protrusions of the resilient latch arms disengage from the engaging recesses of the outer case. As a result, the defective insert subassembly is pulled out from the outer case. The modular jack assembly can be renewed by inserting a properly functioning insert subassembly. 
    
    
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular jack assembly according to the present invention, with some insert subassemblies of the modular jack assembly removed for clarity. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is another perspective view of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a rear view of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an insert subassembly of the modular jack assembly. 
     FIG. 6 is another view of FIG.  5 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a modular jack assembly  1  according to the present invention comprises an insulative outer case  2 , a plurality of insert subassemblies  3  received in the outer case  2 . 
     The outer case  2  defines a plurality of mating openings  211 ,  212  in a front wall  21  arranged in an upper row and a lower row. The upper row of the mating openings  211  is a mirror image of the lower row of the mating openings  212 . The outer case  2  defines a plurality of chambers  23  extending from the front wall  21  to a rear wall  22  of the outer case  2 . Each chamber  23  communicates with outside though the rear wall  22  and communicates with a corresponding pair of upper and lower mating openings  211 ,  212 . 
     A plurality of pairs of upper and lower retaining members  26 ,  27  respectively and uprightly project from a top wall  24  and a bottom wall  28  of the outer case  2  into corresponding chambers  23  and are parallel to the front wall  21 . Each retaining member  26  or  27  uprightly defines a plurality of parallel retaining slits  261  or  271  therethrough. A pair of elongate engaging channels  231  are defined in middle portions of opposite inner surfaces of each chamber  23  for engaging with corresponding insert subassembly  3 . Each engaging channel  231  extends in a front-to-rear direction and comprises a communicating engaging recess  232  on a front end thereof. Two rows of ribs  213  are formed on an inner surface of the front wall  21  between the upper and the lower mating opening  211 ,  212  and project rearwardly into a corresponding chamber  23  for retaining a corresponding insert subassembly  3 . 
     Referring further to FIGS. 2,  5  and  6 , each insert subassembly  3  includes a front receptacle  31 , a rear receptacle  32 , a ground plate  33  (shown in FIG. 4) sandwiched between the front and the rear receptacle  31 ,  32 , a lower contact module  4  exposed to a corresponding mating opening  212 , an upper contact module  5  exposed to a corresponding mating opening  211 , and a top printed circuit board (PCB)  6  carrying filter elements  61  for filtering noises. 
     The front receptacle  31  and the rear receptacle  32  both receive a plurality of magnetic coils (not shown) for transmitting signals and filtering noises. The front receptacle  31  comprises a plurality of first and second contacts  311 ,  312 . The rear receptacle  32  comprises a plurality of first and second contacts  321 ,  322 . The ground plate  33  comprises a ground contact  331 . 
     The lower contact module  4  comprises a first PCB  41 , a first block  42  mounted on an upper surface of the first PCB  41 , and a plurality of juxtaposed first contacts  43  insert molded with the first block  42 . A first receiving groove  411  is defined between a right side of the first block  42  and a margin of the upper surface of the first PCB  41 . The first block  42  is substantially cubic and comprises a first frame  421  upwardly projecting from a left side thereof. A first resilient latch arm  422  substantially parallel to the first frame  421  and depends on a side of a rear end of the first frame  421 . A first engaging protrusion  423  projects outwardly from a free end of the first latch arm  422 . The first block  42  forms a pair of first positioning posts  424  diagonally arranged on an upper surface thereof. A pair of first positioning holes  425  are diagonally defined in the upper surface of the first block  42  and are located symmetrically with the first positioning posts  424 . 
     The first contacts  43  are fabricated from a conductive metal. Each first contact  43  has a solder tail portion  431 , a mating portion  432 , and a stationary portion (not shown) between the solder tail portion  431  and the mating portion  432 . The stationary portions are secured into the first block  42 . The solder tail portions  431  slightly downward inclines from a rear portion of the stationary portion and then extends rearwardly and horizontally for soldering to the upper surface of the first PCB  41 . Each mating portion  432  comprises a bight section  433  extending from a front portion of the stationary portion and an engaging section  434  extending downwardly and rearwardly under a bottom surface of the first PCB  41 . 
     The upper contact module  5  has a construction similar to that of the lower contact module  4  and comprises a second PCB  51 , a second block  52  mounted on a bottom surface of the second PCB  51 , a plurality of juxtaposed second contacts  53  insert molded with the second block  52 . 
     A second receiving groove  511  is defined between a left side of the second block  42  and a margin of the lower surface of the first PCB  41  for engaging with first frame  421  of the lower contact module  4 . The second block  52  forms a second frame  521  on a left side thereof. A second resilient latch arm  522  depends on the second frame  521 . The second latch arm  522  forms an engaging protrusion  523  on a free end thereof. The second block  52  comprises a pair of second positioning holes  524  corresponding to the first positioning posts  424  of the lower contact module  4 , and a pair of second positioning posts  525  corresponding to the first positioning hole  425  of the lower contact module  4 . 
     Each second contact  53  has the same construction to the first contact  43  and comprises a solder tail portion  531  soldered to the bottom surface of the second PCB  51 , a mating portion  532  and a stationary portion (not shown) secured into the second block  52 . The mating portion  532  has a bight section  533  and an engaging section  534  extending upwardly and rearwardly above an upper surface of the second PCB  51 , 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-6, in assembly, the front receptacle  31  and the rear receptacle  32  are mounted together and sandwich the ground plate therebetween. 
     The lower contact module  4  is disposed onto upper surfaces of the front and the rear receptacles  31 ,  32 , the first and the second contacts  311 ,  312  of the front receptacles  31  extend through the first PCB  41  of the lower contact module  4  and are soldered thereon. The contacts  321  and  322  of the rear receptacle  32  and the ground contact  331  of the ground plate  33  respectively extend through the first PCB  41  without soldering. 
     The upper contact module  5  is disposed onto the lower contact module  4  with the second positioning holes  524  and the second positioning posts  525  engaging with corresponding first positioning posts  424  and first positioning holes  425  of the lower contact module  4 . At a result, the second frame  521  of the upper contact module  5  engages with the first receiving groove  411  of the lower contact module  4 . The first frame  421  of the lower contact module  4  simultaneously engages with the second receiving groove  511  of the upper contact module  5 . The second contacts  312  of the front receptacle  31  and the ground contact  331  of the ground plate  33  extend through the second PCB  51  of the upper contact module  5  without soldering. The first and the second contacts  3   21  and  322  of the rear receptacles  32  extend through the second PCB  51  of the upper contact module  5  and are soldered are soldered to the second PCB  51 . 
     The top PCB  6  is disposed onto the upper contact module  5 , the contacts  312 ,  321  of the front and the rear receptacles  32  and the ground contact  331  of the ground plate  33  extend though the top PCB  6  and are soldered to the top PCB  6  and electrically connected with filer elements  61  via circuit traces (not shown). 
     The assembled insert subassemblies  3  are inserted into corresponding chambers  23  from the rear wall  22  of the outer case  2 . The first and the second latch arms  422 ,  522  of each insert subassembly  3  engage with a corresponding pair of engaging channels  231 . When each insert subassembly  3  is fully inserted into the outer case  2 , the first and the second engaging protrusions  423 ,  523  engage with a corresponding pair of engaging recesses  232 , and the ribs  213  of the outer case  2  hold a front portion of the lower and the upper contact modules  4 ,  5 . At the same time, the retaining slits  261 ,  271  of the upper and the lower retaining members  26 ,  27  retain free ends of corresponding engaging sections  434 ,  534  of the first and the second contacts  43 ,  53 . 
     When a defective insert subassembly  3  is needed to be uninstalled, pulling rearwardly, the resilient latch arms  422 ,  522  of the defective insert subassembly  3  are forced to be elastically deformed to each other. As the same time, the engaging protrusions  423 ,  523  of the resilient latch arms  422 ,  522  disengage from the engaging recesses  232  of the outer case  2 . As a result, the defective insert subassembly  3  is rearwardly pulled out from the outer case  2 . The modular jack assembly  1  can be renewed by inserting a new insert subassembly  3  with better performance. 
     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.