Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.

Stewart Connector Systems, Inc.

Len Espenshade

Richard D Marowsky

Ronald P Locati

John Matthew Hess

Derek Imschweiler

An electrical connector assembly adapted to be mounted on a substrate having a ground region including a jack defining a plug-receiving receptacle, at least one contact having a contact portion situated in the receptacle, a shield surrounding at least a portion of the jack and a shorting bar arranged in electrical connection with the contact(s) for discharging static charge from a plug upon its insertion into the receptacle and contact between the plug and the contact(s). The shorting bar is arranged in a channel in an outer housing part of the jack and in engagement with end portions of contacts received in slots in a comb portion of the outer housing part. The shield is adapted to be connected to the ground region of the substrate whereby the shorting bar is electrically connected to the shield. In use, prior to insertion of a mating plug into the receptacle, the end portions of the contacts engage the shorting bar and as the plug is inserted into the receptacle, static charge built up on the cable to which the plug is connected is transmitted through contacts to the shorting bar, from the shorting bar to the shield and from the shield to the ground on the printed circuit board on which the connector assembly is mounted.

Modular electrical connector assembly providing electrostatic discharge upon insertion of a mating connector

A modular jack ( ) comprises a housing ( ), a terminal module ( ), and an LED assembly ( ). The housing comprises a top wall ( ), a bottom wall ( ), and a pair of sidewalls ( ) neighboring to the top and bottom walls. The walls define a receiving channel (25) for receiving a complementary connector. The top wall comprises a pair of slots ( ) and a pair of hooks ( ) extending upwardly into the slots. The terminal module is placed in the receiving channel, and comprises a mounting base ( ) and a plurality of terminals ( ) mounted on the mounting base. The LED assembly comprises a base ( ) and a pair of LEDs ( ) retained on the base. The LEDs are received in the slots of the housing. The base comprises a pair of mating faces ( ) for engaging with the hooks to retain the LEDs in the slots.

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Harrisburg, PA, United States of America

Len Espenshade