High speed plug

Abstract

A communication plug including a substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface, opposing side surfaces and opposing end surfaces, a grounding plane in the substrate, a grounding strip on a side surface of the substrate in electrical communication with the grounding plane, where the grounding strip is electrically connected to the ground plane in the substrate.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A connector assembly comprising:
 a jack including
 an opening, 
 a grounding portion on the interior surface of the opening; 
   a plug including;
 a substrate having a top layer and a bottom layer; 
 a grounding plane disposed in the substrate between the top and bottom layers; and 
 a grounding strip disposed on a side surface of the substrate in electrical communication with the grounding plane and positioned such that the grounding strip engages the grounding portion when the plug is engages the opening of the jack, 
   wherein the side surface is oriented normal to the top and bottom layers, wherein the grounding strip is electrically connected to the ground plane.   
     
     
         2 . The connector assembly of  claim 1  including a plurality of openings defined in the side surface of the substrate, wherein a slot from each opening extends into the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The connector assembly of  claim 1  including a plurality of pin vias defined in the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The connector assembly of  claim 1  including a plurality of wire vias defined in the substrate, wherein each wire via is disposed adjacent to an inner extent of a slot that extends from an opening defined in the side surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a connection pad is disposed on one of the top and bottom layers adjacent each of a plurality of wire vias defined in the substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The connector assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the connection pad includes a circular portion extending around the periphery of each of the wire vias and a triangular portion extending from each circular portion toward a slot that extends from an opening defined in the side surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The connector assembly of  claim 5  including a trace on the top layer, wherein the trace extends from a pin via defined in the substrate to the connection pad. 
     
     
         8 . The connector assembly of  claim 5  including a trace on the bottom layer, wherein the trace extends from a pin via defined in the substrate to the connection pad. 
     
     
         9 . The connector assembly of  claim 5  including a securing unit having a portion inserted into the wire via and a portion covering the connection pad. 
     
     
         10 . The connector assembly of  claim 1  including a second grounding adjacent to the grounding plane in the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . A method of grounding a connector assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a grounding portion on the interior surface of an opening in a jack;   forming a grounding plane disposed in the substrate between the top and bottom layers in a plug where a grounding strip disposed on a side surface of the substrate is in electrical communication with the grounding plane;   positioning the grounding strip such that the grounding strip engages the grounding portion when the plug is engages the opening of the jack,   wherein the side surface is oriented normal to the top and bottom layers, wherein the grounding strip is electrically connected to the ground plane.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  including forming a plurality of openings defined in the side surface of the substrate, wherein a slot from each opening extends into the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  including forming a plurality of pin vias defined in the substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The connector assembly of  claim 11  including a plurality of wire vias defined in the substrate, wherein each wire via is disposed adjacent to an inner extent of a slot that extends from an opening defined in the side surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a connection pad is disposed on one of the top and bottom layers adjacent each of a plurality of wire vias defined in the substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the connection pad includes a circular portion extending around the periphery of each of the wire vias and a triangular portion extending from each circular portion toward a slot that extends from an opening defined in the side surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  including forming a trace on the top layer that extends from a pin via defined in the substrate to the connection pad. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  including forming a trace on the bottom layer that extends from a pin via defined in the substrate to the connection pad. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  including forming a securing unit having a portion inserted into the wire via and a portion covering the connection pad. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  including forming a second grounding adjacent to the grounding plane in the substrate.