Media connector interface for use with a thin-architecture

Abstract

A communications card capable of being mounted in electrical communications with a computer has formed therethrough an aperture so sized and shaped as to be capable of receiving a physical/electrical media connector. The cross-section of the media connector is greater than the thickness of the communication card. The media connector also has a biased retention clip, a contact pin block, and contact pins. The retention clip has several standardized characteristics including a broad fixed end protruding from an outer surface of the contact pin block. The broad fixed end tapers abruptly at a transition notch down to a narrow free end, capable of being manipulated by a user to remove the physical/electrical media connector from the aperture in the communications card. In use, a media connector is inserted directly into the aperture in the communications card, the aperture being in contact with a plurality of contact wires fixed within the communications card. The aperture is formed either within the communications card itself, or within a detachable aperture block which my be attached to the communications card. All embodiments utilize retractable aperture blocks, but the term retractable also includes detachable aperture blocks. Therefore, some embodiments utilize a detachable aperture block to enable connection to a telephone or network cable while other embodiments utilize an aperture block which does not detach.