Abstract: Patch cords are provided that include a communications cable that has at least first through fourth conductors and a plug that is attached to the cable. The plug includes a housing that receives the cable, a printed circuit board, first through fourth plug contacts, and first through fourth conductive paths that connect the first through fourth conductors to the respective first through fourth plug contacts. The first and second conductors, conductive paths, and plug contacts form a first differential transmission line, and the third and fourth conductors, conductive paths, and plug contacts form a second differential transmission line. Each of the first through fourth plug contacts has a first segment that extends longitudinally along a first surface of the printed circuit board, and the signal current injection point into the first segment of at least some of the first through fourth plug contacts is into middle portions of their respective first segments.

Abstract: Coaxial connectors are provided that include a contact post that has a pedestal and a post extending therefrom. These connectors further include a ground plane extension that is separate from the contact post. The ground plane extension includes a first end that is positioned on a first side of the pedestal and a sidewall that extends from the first end of the ground plane extension. This sidewall extends beyond a second side of the pedestal that is opposite the first side.

Abstract: Composite communications cable are provided that include a central conductor, a dielectric spacer that substantially surrounds the central conductor, an outer conductor that substantially surrounds the dielectric spacer, a jacket that surrounds the outer conductor and a non-buffered optical fiber positioned between the central conductor and the dielectric spacer. An outer surface of the non-buffered optical fiber is within 50 microns of the outer surface of the central conductor. The positioning of the optical fiber adjacent an outer surface of the central conductor may protect the optical fiber from damage.

Abstract: Communications jacks include a plurality of contacts that are configured to move between a resting position and a deflected position and at least one biasing member that is separate from the plurality of contacts that biases at least a first of the plurality of contacts towards its resting position. The jacks further include a printed circuit board that includes a first contact structure that is configured to electrically connect to the first of the plurality of contacts when the first of the plurality of contacts is in its deflected position.

Abstract: Communications connectors include a housing and a printed circuit board that is at least partially mounted in the housing that has a plurality of conductive paths that are arranged in pairs to form a plurality of differential transmission lines. These connectors further include a plurality of contacts, each of which is electrically connected to a respective one of the conductive paths of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board further includes at least a first floating image plane that is located between a top surface and a bottom surface thereof, the floating image plane being electrically isolated from the plurality of conductive paths.

Abstract: Patch cords include a communications cable that has a first conductor and a second conductor that form a first differential pair, and a third conductor and a fourth conductor that form a second differential pair and a plug that is attached to the communications cable. The plug includes a housing that receives the communications cable, first through fourth plug contacts that are within the housing, and a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board includes first through fourth conductive paths that connect the respective first through fourth conductors to respective ones of the first through fourth plug contacts. The plug further includes a first conductive shield that extends above a top surface of the printed circuit board that is disposed between the first differential pair and the second differential pair.

Abstract: A device includes a support, a first slide element slidably mounted on the support and shiftable in a first direction from a retracted position to an extended position relative to the support, and a flexible member having first and second ends and a central portion. The first end is attached to the first slide element, the second end is fixedly mounted to the support, and the central portion projects away from the first and second ends in the second direction. The second end remains fixed to the support and the first end moves with the first slide element when the first slide element is shifted from the retracted position to the extended position.

Abstract: An inline communications connector is provided that includes a housing and tip and ring contacts that are mounted in the housing. The tip contact includes an input tip socket, an output tip socket and a tip socket connection section that physically and electrically connects the input and output tip sockets. The ring contact includes an input ring socket, an output ring socket and a ring socket connection section that physically and electrically connects the input and output ring sockets. The input tip socket is not collinear with the output tip socket and the input ring socket is not collinear with the output ring socket.

Abstract: A combination includes: (a) a communications module including: a housing; a printed wiring board mounted within the housing; a plurality of RJ-45 jacks mounted on the printed wiring board and accessible from one side of the housing; and a single module connector mounted to the printed wiring board and electrically connected to the RJ-45 jacks, connector being accessible from a second side of the housing; and (b) a cable-connector assembly including: a cable comprising a plurality of subunits, each of the subunits comprising a jacket and a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors positioned within the jacket; and a single cable connector mounted to the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the conductors of the cable subunits. The module connector is attached to the cable connector.

Abstract: Communications jacks include a housing having a plug aperture, a plurality of input contacts, a plurality of output contacts, and a flexible printed circuit board that includes a plurality of conductive pads and a plurality of conductive paths that each electrically connect a respective one of the input contacts to a respective one of the conductive pads. The conductive paths are arranged as a plurality of differential pairs of conductive paths, and each output contact includes a spring-biased base and an insulation displacement portion.

Abstract: A breakout module includes a substantially cylindrical body having a first end face and an opposite, second end face. A multi-fiber port, like an MPO port, is provided within the first end face, or a cord having a multi-fiber connector, like an MPO connector, attached to its distal end exits the first end face. Plural duplex fiber ports are disposed within the second end face. A breakout cable is disposed within the body and connects the plural duplex fiber ports of the second end face to the multi-fiber port or connector associated with the first end face.

Abstract: A housing includes a wall having an aperture and a vented panel, the vented panel including a first wall having a first side and a second side and an opening, a second wall having a first side, a second side facing the first wall first side and an opening, and a panel interior, the housing further including an air filter having an inner side and an outer side relative to the interior mounted against the second wall first side over the second wall opening with the filter inner side facing the housing interior, a water dam mounted along the filter bottom portion at the filter inner side, the water dam being higher than any water barrier mounted along the filter bottom portion outer side, whereby, any water reaching the filter bottom is substantially prevented from draining into the housing interior. Also an air filter usable in the housing.

Abstract: Patch cords include a communications cable that has first through eighth conductors that are arranged as four twisted pairs and a plug attached thereto. The plug includes a housing that receives the cable, first through eighth plug contacts, and a printed circuit board that includes first through eighth conductive paths that connect the first through eighth conductors to the respective first through eighth plug contacts. The plug further includes a first crosstalk injection circuit between the second conductive path and the sixth conductive path and a second crosstalk injection circuit between the first conductive path and the sixth conductive path.

Abstract: Patch cords include a communications cable that has first through eighth conductors that are arranged as four twisted pairs. A TIA 568B type plug may be attached to the cable. This plug includes a housing that receives the cable and first through eighth plug contacts that include plug contact regions that are substantially aligned in a row in numerical order. The plug further includes a printed circuit board that has first through eighth conductive paths that connect the first through eighth conductors to the respective first through eighth plug contacts. A first portion of the first conductive path and a first portion of the second conductive path are routed as a transmission line, and a first portion of the sixth conductive path is routed therebetween.

Abstract: A conductor for a communications cable includes an elongated metal wire and a metal sheet that includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes that at least partially surrounds the elongated metal wire. The metal wire may include copper, and the metal sheet may likewise include copper and may be welded to an outside surface of the metal wire to surround the metal wire. This conductor may be used in a variety of communications cables that carry high frequency signals.

Abstract: A test system for a multi-mode fiber comprises a launching device that is configured to generate optical pulses and has a rest position. A centering system is operable to move the launching device in a circular motion having a center corresponding to the rest position and a diameter corresponding to a core diameter of the multi-mode fiber. The centering system is further operable to adjust a position of the multi-mode fiber relative to the launching device while the launching device is moving in the circle until an optical power coupled from the launching device into the multi-mode fiber is below a threshold. The centering system optically centers the launching device with the multi-mode fiber by fixing the position of the multi-mode fiber responsive to the optical power coupled from the launching device into the multi-mode fiber being below the threshold and returning the launching device to the rest position.

Abstract: A switch pack holds rows and columns of connector plugs and permits collective coupling of the plugs into ports. The switch pack includes a housing having a front face with front openings and a rear face with rear openings. An internal frame forms channels between the front openings and the rear openings, each channel holding a respective connector plug. One or more locking members releasably snap lock to the frame. Each locking member includes at least one blocking edge which extends into a channel and blocks removal of the channel's plug via the rear opening. A release tool for the switch pack includes a first wall with first tabs and a second wall with second tabs, connected to the first wall by a third wall. Each of the first and second tabs protrudes into a channel of the first and second rows of channels to depress a plug latch.

Abstract: A cable includes a spacer surrounding a cable core. The cable core includes four twisted pairs. A separator is disposed amongst the twisted pairs. The separator may be formed with three layers, wherein a middle layer is conductive and outer layers are nonconductive. A jacket surrounds the spacer, and a shielding layer may reside between the jacket and the spacer. The spacer may be formed of plural fibers or a polymer. Preferably, the spacer presents a lower dielectric constant per unit volume than the jacket. The separator may have a tape shape or a plus shape.

Abstract: A cable includes a jacket surrounding a cable core. The cable core includes four twisted pairs. One or more separators may optionally be disposed amongst the twisted pairs. The cable may optionally include a nonconductive core wrap, and/or the cable may optionally include an outer conductive shielding layer wrap. One of more of the twisted pairs, the core wrap, the shielding layer wrap, the separator or the jacket includes an antistatic additive, in the form of a coating or material ingredient.

Abstract: A multi-cable breakout assembly includes: a plurality of cables arranged in a rectangular array of M rows×N columns, wherein M and N are positive whole numbers greater than one; a first sleeve that encircles the plurality of cables; first and second ribbon members, the first ribbon member being threaded through the plurality of cables to separate the cables into M rows; and the second ribbon member being threaded through the plurality of cables to separate the cables into N columns; and a second sleeve that overlies an end of the first sleeve and the first and second ribbon members.