IP Library Granted Patent US 10,777,953
Granted Patent B2
US 10,777,953 · App. 16/326,055 · Granted Sep 15, 2020

Connector assembly with grounding

Inventors: Gordon John White (Gloucester, GB); Shawn Phillip Tobey (Trinity, NC); Brian J. Fitzpatrick (McKinney, TX)
Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
H01R24/64H01R9/037H01R13/5213H01R13/6275H01R13/6592H01R43/18
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,777,953
App. No.
16/326,055
Filed
Feb 15, 2019
Granted
Sep 15, 2020
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2831
USPC
439/676
Abstract

A connector assembly ( 10 ) is disclosed in which a connector part ( 12 ) and a cable manager part ( 20 ) are provided. The cable manager part ( 20 ) can be provided with a rear housing ( 40 ), a lacing fixture part ( 30 ), and a grounding part ( 50 ). In one aspect, the grounding part ( 50 ) provides grounding contact between an inserted cable ( 4 ) and the connector part ( 12 ). In one aspect, the grounding part ( 50 ) secures the connector part ( 12 ) to the rear housing part ( 40 ). In one example, a connector assembly ( 110 ) is provided with a grounding arrangement ( 150 ) including a plurality of deflectable grounding members ( 152 ) and provides grounding contact between the inserted cable ( 4 ) and the connector part ( 112 ). In one aspect, the grounding members ( 152 ) each provide two points of contact against the cable ( 4 ).

Claims (33)

1. A connector assembly comprising:

a. a connector part defining a front housing having a jack cavity;

b. a cable manager part including:

i. a rear housing defining a central aperture through which a cable having an exposed conductive element can extend;

ii. a grounding part being located between the connector part and the rear housing, and securing the rear housing to the front housing, the grounding part providing grounding contact between the cable conductive element and the connector part.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the grounding part defines a central aperture through which the cable can extend.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein the grounding part includes at least one flange member extending across the central aperture.

4. The connector assembly of claim 3 , wherein the grounding part includes four flange members.

5. The connector assembly of claim 3 , wherein the at least one flange member includes a main portion and a tip portion extending at an oblique angle from the main portion.

6. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the grounding part includes a first plurality of tabs that engage with corresponding recesses of the front housing.

7. The connector assembly of claim 6 , wherein the grounding part includes a second plurality of tabs that engage with corresponding recesses of the rear housing.

8. The connector assembly of claim 6 , wherein the grounding part includes flange portions extending orthogonally into recesses of the front housing and into recesses of the rear housing to further secure the front housing to the rear housing.

9. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable manager part further includes a lacing fixture part securing individual wires of the cable that are terminated to the connector part.

10. The connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein the lacing fixture part includes a central aperture coaxially aligned with the rear housing central aperture.

11. The connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lacing fixture part central aperture is defined by a perimeter wall structure.

12. The connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein the grounding part includes at least one flange member extending at least partially into an interior volume defined by the perimeter wall structure.

13. A connector assembly comprising:

a. a connector part defining a front housing having a jack cavity; and

b. a cable manager part including:

i. a rear housing defining a central aperture through which a cable having an exposed conductive element can extend;

ii. a grounding part being located between the connector part and the rear housing, and securing the rear housing to the front housing, the grounding part providing grounding contact between the cable conductive element and the connector part; and

iii. a lacing fixture part securing individual wires of the cable terminated to the connector part, the lacing fixture part being secured between the grounding part and the front housing.

14. The connector assembly of claim 13 , wherein the grounding part defines a central aperture through which the cable can extend.

15. The connector assembly of claim 14 , wherein the grounding part includes at least one flange member extending across the central aperture.

16. The connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the grounding part includes four flange members.

17. The connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the at least one flange member includes a main portion and a tip portion extending at an oblique angle from the main portion.

18. A method for assembling a connector assembly including:

a. providing a connector part defining a front housing having a jack cavity;

b. providing a cable manager part including a rear housing and a grounding part, the grounding part being located between the connector part and the rear housing, and being for providing a grounding connection between a sheath of an inserted cable and the connector part;

c. securing the grounding part to the rear housing; and

d. securing the grounding part to the front housing such that the front housing is secured to the rear housing.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of securing the grounding part to the rear housing includes latching one or more tabs on the grounding part within corresponding recesses in the rear housing.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of securing the grounding part to the front housing includes latching one or more tabs on the grounding part within corresponding recesses in the front housing.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 059350/0743 Recorded Jan 12, 2026
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE NORTH CAROLINA, LLC (F/K/A COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA)
Reel/Frame 074594/0156 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME NO. 59710/0506 Recorded Jan 9, 2026
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE NORTH CAROLINA, LLC (F/K/A COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA)
Reel/Frame 074282/0522 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 059350/0921 Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC (F/K/A ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.); COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 069743/0704 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2024
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE INC., OF NORTH CAROLINA; OUTDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKS LLC; RUCKUS IP HOLDINGS LLC
To: APOLLO ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY LLC
Reel/Frame 069889/0114 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
To: WILMINGTON TRUST
Reel/Frame 059710/0506 →
ABL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 8, 2022
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 059350/0743 →
TERM LOAN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 8, 2022
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 059350/0921 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST
Reel/Frame 060752/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2019
From: WHITE, GORDON JOHN; TOBEY, SHAWN PHILLIP; FITZPATRICK, BRIAN J.
To: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 048348/0077 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62375269 · Aug 15, 2016
Provisional Application 62375260 · Aug 15, 2016
Provisional Application 62521952 · Jun 19, 2017
Related Publication 20190190218A1 · Jun 20, 2019
Cited By (5)
US 1,139,142 US 12,206,205 US 12,355,196 US 12,671,213 US 12,695,216