Claims
- 1. A jack connector for receiving a plug connector including a tubular member, the jack connector comprising:
a body having a cavity; a first plurality of electrical contacts disposed within the cavity and being configured to be engageable with the tubular member; and a second plurality of electrical contacts disposed within the cavity and also being configured to be engageable with the tubular member.
- 2. The jack connector of claim 1 wherein the tubular member has a circumferential groove and the first plurality of electrical contacts is configured to be engageable with the groove of the tubular member.
- 3. The jack connector of claim 1 wherein the tubular member includes a spring extending longitudinally there along and wherein the body includes a collar which is engageable with the spring.
- 4. The jack connector of claim 2 wherein the groove of the plug connector has a curvature along the cross section thereof and the first plurality of electrical contacts comprises:
a hub; and three wiper contacts equiangularly spaced about the hub and each wiper contact having a generally flat shape in cross section and a bent outer end defining a curvature which generally corresponds to and is engageable with the groove; wherein when the plug connector is inserted between the wiper contacts, the wiper contacts will snap lock within the groove.
- 5. The jack connector of claim 4 wherein the second plurality of electrical contacts comprises:
a hub; and three wiper contacts equiangularly spaced about the hub, each wiper contact having a generally flat shape in cross section and a bent outer end.
- 6. The jack connector of claim 1 wherein the second plurality of electrical contacts comprises:
a hub; and three wiper contacts equiangularly spaced about the hub, each wiper contact having a generally flat shape in cross section and a bent outer end.
- 7. The jack connector of claim 5 wherein:
the wiper contacts of the first plurality of electrical contacts each have a constant width; and the wiper contacts of the second plurality of electrical contacts each have a width which narrows from an end which is fixed to a free end thereof.
- 8. The jack connector of claim 3 further comprising a third plurality of electrical contacts.
- 9. The jack connector of claim 8 wherein the third plurality of electrical contacts is oriented in a direction which is generally opposite to that of the first and second plurality of electrical contacts.
- 10. The jack connector of claim 4 wherein the hub of the first plurality of contacts has a central aperture and the first plurality of contacts further comprises:
three mounting plates equiangularly spaced about and extending generally perpendicularly from the hub, one of the mounting plates being connected to the hub via a connector arm having an aperture and at least one of the mounting plates including an angled brace.
- 11. The jack connector of claim 5 wherein the hub of the second plurality of contacts has a central aperture and the second plurality of contacts further comprises:
three mounting plates interposed between the hub and the wiper contacts and extending generally perpendicularly from the hub and at least one of the mounting plates including an angled brace; and an electrical wire connector extending from the hub and having an aperture.
- 12. The jack connector of claim 9 wherein the third plurality of electrical contacts comprises:
a hub; and three wiper contacts equiangularly spaced about the hub, each wiper contact having a generally flat shape in cross section and a bent outer end.
- 13. The jack connector of claim 12 wherein the hub of the third plurality of contacts has a central aperture and the third plurality of contacts further comprises:
three mounting plates interposed between the hub and the wiper contacts and extending generally perpendicularly from the hub and at least one of the mounting plates including an angled brace; and an electrical wire connector extending from the hub and having an aperture.
- 14. The jack connector of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a thermoplastic material.
- 15. The jack connector of claim 3 wherein the collar comprises a thermoplastic material.
- 16. The jack connector of claim 1 wherein the first and second plurality of contacts are tempered and each comprise a material selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel plated with gold and beryllium copper.
- 17. The jack connector of claim 12 wherein the third plurality of contacts are tempered comprise a material selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel plated with gold and beryllium copper.
- 18. A plug connector cooperatively mounted in a jack connector, comprising:
the plug connector comprising:
a base; a tubular member extending from the base, the tubular member comprising:
a contact portion; a terminal end distal to the base, the terminal end comprising a conductive material and being insulated from the contact area; and a spring; and the jack connector comprising:
a body having a cavity and a collar for engaging the spring of the plug connector; and a first plurality of electrical contacts disposed within the cavity and being configured to be engageable with the tubular member.
- 19. The plug and jack connectors of claim 18 further comprising at least one second electrical contact disposed within the cavity and configured to be engageable with the tubular member.
- 20. The plug and jack connectors of claim 19 wherein:
the tubular member includes a circumferential groove; and the at least one second electrical contact includes a plurality of electrical contacts.
- 21. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 wherein the groove of the plug connector has a curvature along the cross section thereof and the first plurality of electrical contacts comprises:
a hub; and three wiper contacts equiangularly spaced about the hub and each wiper contact having a generally flat shape in cross section and a bent outer end defining a curvature which generally corresponds to and is engageable with the groove; wherein when the plug connector is inserted between the wiper contacts, the wiper contacts will snap lock with the groove.
- 22. The plug and jack connectors of claim 21 wherein the second plurality of electrical contacts comprises:
a hub; and three wiper contacts equiangularly spaced about the hub, each wiper contact having a generally flat shape in cross section and a bent outer end for engaging the contact area of the tubular member.
- 23. The plug and jack connectors of claim 22 wherein:
the wiper contacts of the first plurality of electrical contacts each have a generally constant width; and the wiper contacts of the second plurality of electrical contacts each have a width which narrows from an end which is fixed to a free end thereof.
- 24. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 further comprising a third plurality of electrical contacts.
- 25. The plug and jack connectors of claim 24 wherein the third plurality of electrical contacts is oriented in a direction which is generally opposite to that of the first and second plurality of electrical contacts.
- 26. The plug and jack connectors of claim 21 wherein the hub of the first plurality of contacts has a central aperture and the first plurality of contacts further comprises:
three mounting plates equiangularly spaced about and extending generally perpendicularly from the hub, one of the mounting plates being connected to the hub via a connector arm having an aperture and at least one of the mounting plates including an angled brace.
- 27. The plug and jack connectors of claim 22 wherein the hub of the second plurality of contacts has a central aperture and the second plurality of contacts further comprises:
three mounting plates interposed between the hub and the wiper contacts and extending generally perpendicularly from the hub and at least one of the mounting plates including an angled brace; and an electrical wire connector extending from the hub and having an aperture.
- 28. The plug and jack connectors of claim 24 wherein the third plurality of electrical contacts comprises:
a hub; and three wiper contacts equiangularly spaced about the hub, each wiper contact having a generally flat shape in cross section and a bent outer end.
- 29. The plug and jack connectors of claim 28 wherein the hub of the third plurality of contacts has a central aperture and the third plurality of contacts further comprises:
three mounting plates interposed between the hub and the wiper contacts and extending generally perpendicularly from the hub and at least one of the mounting plates including an angled brace; and an electrical wire connector extending from the hub and having an aperture.
- 30. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 wherein the body and the collar each comprise a thermoplastic material.
- 31. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 wherein the first and second plurality of contacts are each tempered and comprise a material selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel plated with gold and beryllium copper.
- 32. The plug and jack connectors of claim 24 wherein the third plurality of contacts is tempered and comprise a material selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel plated with gold and beryllium copper.
- 33. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 wherein the tubular member further comprises an intermediate conductive portion disposed between and insulated from the contact area and the terminal end.
- 34. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 further comprising
a core disposed within the tubular member and the core comprising an insulating material disposed about at least one signal conductor.
- 35. The plug and jack connectors of claim 24 further comprising
a core disposed within the tubular member and the core comprising an insulating material disposed about two signal conductors.
- 36. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 wherein the spring comprises at least one strip extending longitudinally along and being bowed radially outward of the central axis of the tubular member.
- 37. The plug and jack connectors of claim 36 wherein the at least one strip comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced strips at least one of which extends beyond that of the others into the base.
- 38. The plug and jack connectors of claim 36 wherein:
the at least one strip comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced strips; and the base includes a tubular shape defined by a plurality of circumferentially spaced members which are configured to fit between the strips of the tubular member.
- 39. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 wherein the base is composed of an insulating material and the contact area is electrically connected with the spring portion and further comprising an insulating ring disposed between the outer end and the spring portion.
- 40. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 wherein the circumferential groove is located on the terminal end.
- 41. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 wherein the conductive material of the terminal end is a material selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel plated with gold and beryllium copper.
- 42. The plug and jack connectors of claim 20 wherein the spring is tempered and is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel plated with gold and beryllium copper.
- 43. A jack connector for receiving a plug connector including a tubular member, the jack connector comprising:
a body having a cavity; a first plurality of electrical contacts disposed within the cavity and being configured to be engageable with the tubular member; and at least one second electrical contact disposed within the cavity and being configured to be engageable with the tubular member wherein the at least one second electrical contact comprises a hub and at least one wiper contact which has a generally flat shape in cross section and extends from the hub.
- 44. The jack connector of claim 43 wherein the at least one wiper contact comprises three wiper contacts equiangularly spaced about the hub, each wiper contact having a generally flat shape in cross section and a bent outer end.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is related to copending U.S. patent application Ser. No.______, entitled “Electrical Plug Connectors”, filed on an even date herewith and assigned to J. D'Addario & Company, Incorporated.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09478866 |
Jan 2000 |
US |
Child |
09941135 |
Aug 2001 |
US |