Selectable compatibility electrical connector plug

• US 6,139,343 A
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Arnett, Jaime Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hyeon, Hae Moon
• Application Number:
  US09/236,754
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 439/188, 439/955, 439/676, 439/170, 200/51.03, 200/51.05, 200/51.06, 200/51.09
• US Class Current: 439/188
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6466 on substrates, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/955 including electronic identifier or coding means

Abstract

A selectable compatibility plug has a substantially hollow housing member and a plurality of contact members extending from a cable connection end to a connector end. A movable circuit member is contained in the housing for translational movement, the circuit members having circuit components on a surface thereof that is in contact with the contact members. Actuator means for moving the circuit member from a first position to a second position is mounted to the circuit member and adapted to be actuated when the plug is inserted in a low performance jack to cause the contact members to contact certain ones of the circuit elements.

Claims

1. A selectable compatibility electrical connector plug for compatibility with high and low performance connector jacks, said plug comprising:

a housing member, at least a portion thereof being hollow and having a connector end and a cable connection end;

a plurality of contact members extending from said cable connection end to said connector end;

a movable circuit member having a first surface disposed within said housing and having circuit components on said first surface, said movable circuit member being movable in translation between a first position within said housing member and a second position therein; and

an actuator for moving said movable circuit member from said first position to said second position.

2. The connector plug as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a channel within said housing for guiding and supporting said movable circuit member.

3. The connector plug as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some of said contact members are disposed to be in contact with circuit components on said first surface when the movable circuit member is in the second position.

4. The connector plug as claimed in claim 1 wherein said movable circuit member is a printed wiring board having circuit components on at least one surface or layer.

5. The connector plug as claimed in claim 4 wherein said circuit components are capacitance pads.

6. The connector plug as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least some of said contact members are disposed to be in contact with said capacitance pads when said printed wiring board is in the second position.

7. The connector plug as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator is affixed to said movable circuit member.

8. The connector plug as claimed in claim 7 wherein said housing member has a top portion having slots therein forming a clearance passage for said actuator.

9. The connector plug as claimed in claim 8 wherein said actuator projects above said top portion.

10. The connector plug as claimed in claim 1 and further including a restoring force member which bears against one end of said movable circuit member for moving said circuit member in translation from said second position to said first position.

11. The connector plug as claimed in claim 10 wherein said restoring force member is a spring.

12. The connector plug as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contact members are elongated blades, at least one of said blades having a first surface contacting bend.

13. The connector plug as claimed in claim 12 wherein each of said elongated blades is U-shaped, one arm of the U-shape having a distal end, said first surface contacting bend being at said distal end.

14. The connector plug as claimed in claim 13 wherein the other arm of said U-shape has a distal end having insulation piercing teeth for establishing electrical contact with a wire from a cable which said plug terminates.

15. The connector plug as claimed in claim 12 wherein said at least one of said blades has a projecting arm thereon intermediate the ends thereof, said contacting bend being at the distal end of said arm.

16. The connector plug as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing member has a top portion and first and second sides depending from said top portion, and a bottom portion extending between said sides and forming lower corners therewith;

and

each of said lower corners having a recess therein.

17. The connector plug as claimed in claim 16 wherein each of said recesses extends from said connector end toward said cable connection end.

18. A selectable compatibility electrical connector plug for compatibility with high and low performance connector jacks said plug comprising.

a housing member, at least a portion thereof being hollow and having a connector end and a cable connection end;

a plurality of elongated electrically conductive contact members extending from said cable connection end to said connector end;

a movable circuit member disposed within said housing and having circuit components thereon movable with said member;

at least some of said contact members including means for contacting said movable circuit members; and

means for moving said movable circuit member from a first position within said housing member to a second position therein.