Telephone adaptor

• US 6,290,543 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence L. Plummer Jr, Paul R. Stepanoff
• Original Assignee: Lawrence L. Plummer Jr, Paul R. Stepanoff
• Inventors: Stepanoff, Paul R., Plummer, Lawrence L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUONGCHI T
• Application Number:
  US09/331,552
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 439/639, 439/640, 439/535, 439/638, 439/626, 439/625, 439/502, 439/506, 439/214, 439/676
• US Class Current: 439/639
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/02 Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92

Abstract

A computer to telephone line interface includes a housing (2) having a base, a lid (22), a plurality of braces (26) formed integrally with the base and positioned between the base and the lid, and a plurality of sides (28) positioned between the base and the lid and between adjacent braces. A socket (12), preferably an RJ-11 jack, is disposed in a first one of the plurality of sides. A plug (10) is disposed in a second one of the plurality of sides. A pair of electrical conductors disposed inside the housing connect together a pair of contacts of the socket and a pair of contacts of the plug. The base and lid are separable to permit the plurality of sides to be selectively positioned between adjacent braces. The interface can include a connector having a pair of contacts connected to the pair of electrical conductors. In one embodiment, flexible conductive wires flexibly connected the connector and the housing. In another embodiment, the connector (16) is separate from the housing and receivable in the socket and a pair of clips (14) are connected to a pair of contacts of the connector via a pair of flexible conductive wires. In another embodiment, the connector is fixedly disposed in one of the plurality of sides.

Claims

1. A telephone adaptor comprising:

a housing;

a first connector utilized in connection with a first national telephone system, the first connector being one of a first plug or a first socket which is configured to mate with a first mating connector which is detached from the housing and which is the other of the first plug or the first socket;

a second connector utilized in connection with a second national telephone system, the second connector being one of a second plug or a second socket which is configured to mate with a second mating connector which is detached from the housing and which is the other of the second plug or the second socket;

a third connector utilized in connection with a third national telephone system, the third connector being one of a third plug or a third socket which is configured to mate with a third mating connector which is detached from the housing and which is the other of the third plug or the third socket; and

a plurality of electrical conductors electrically connecting in parallel a plurality of contacts of the first connector, a plurality of contacts of the second connector and a plurality of contacts of the third connector, wherein;

the housing secures the first connector, the second connector and the third connector relative to each other;

the first connector is not configured to mate with the second connector, the second mating connector, the third connector and the third mating connector;

the second connector is not configured to mate with the first connector, the first mating connector, the third connector and the third mating connector;

the third connector is not configured to mate with the first connector, the first mating connector, the second connector and the second mating connector;

the plurality of electrical conductors include flexible conductive wires disposed through a side of the housing; and

at least one of the first connector, the second connector and the third connector includes a connector body which is spaced from the housing and flexibly connected thereto by the flexible conductive wires.

2. A telephone adaptor comprising:

a housing;

a first connector utilized in connection with a first national telephone system, the first connector being one of a first plug or a first socket which is configured to mate with a first mating connector which is detached from the housing and which is the other of the first plug or the first socket;

a second connector utilized in connection with a second national telephone system, the second connector being one of a second plug or a second socket which is configured to mate with a second mating connector which is detached from the housing and which is the other of the second plug or the second socket;

a third connector utilized in connection with a third national telephone system, the third connector being one of a third plug or a third socket which is configured to mate with a third mating connector which is detached from the housing and which is the other of the third plug or the third socket; and

a plurality of electrical conductors electrically connecting in parallel a plurality of contacts of the first connector, a plurality of contacts of the second connector and a plurality of contacts of the third connector, wherein;

the housing which secures the first connector, the second connector and the third connector relative to each other;

the first connector is not configured to mate with the second connector, the second mating connector, the third connector and the third mating connector;

the second connector is not configured to mate with the first connector, the first mating connector, the third connector and the third mating connector;

the third connector is not configured to mate with the first connector, the first mating connector, the second connector and the second mating connector; and

at least one of the first connector, the second connector and the third connector is (i) integral with a side of the housing or is (ii) spaced from the housing and flexibly connected thereto by flexible conductive wires disposed through a side of the housing.

3. A telephone adaptor comprising:

a housing;

a first connector utilized in connection with a first national telephone system, the first connector being one of a first plug or a first socket which is configured to mate with a first mating connector which is detached from the housing and which is the other of the first plug or the first socket;

a second connector utilized in connection with a second national telephone system, the second connector being one of a second plug or a second socket which is configured to mate with a second mating connector which is detached from the housing and which is the other of the second plug or the second socket;

a third connector utilized in connection with a third national telephone system, the third connector being one of a third plug or a third socket which is configured to mate with a third mating connector which is detached from the housing and which is the other of the third plug or the third socket; and

a plurality of electrical conductors electrically connecting in parallel a plurality of contacts of the first connector, a plurality of contacts of the second connector and a plurality of contacts of the third connector, wherein;

the housing secures the first connector, the second connector and the third connector relative to each other;

the first connector is not configured to mate with the second connector, the second mating connector, the third connector and the third mating connector;

the second connector is not configured to mate with the first connector, the first mating connector, the third connector and the third mating connector;

the third connector is not configured to mate with the first connector, the first mating connector, the second connector and the second mating connector;

the housing has a plurality of sides;

the first connector, the second connector and the third connector are disposed in at least two different sides of the housing;

the housing includes a base and a lid positioned in opposition by a plurality of braces;

the plurality of braces disposed between a periphery of the base and a periphery of the lid;

each side is positionable between a pair of adjacent braces; and

the order of the plurality of sides around the housing is selectable.

4. The telephone adaptor as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

each edge of each of the plurality of sides includes a tongue;

each side of each brace includes a groove that extends between the base and the lid;

the grooves of adjacent braces are positioned in opposition; and

tongues on opposite edges of each side are receivable in opposing grooves.

5. The telephone adaptor as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

the base of the housing is rectangular; and

each corner of the base includes a brace.

6. The telephone adaptor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the braces are formed integrally with the base.

7. The telephone adaptor as set forth in claim 3, further including at least one of:

(i) a surge protector connected between a pair of the electrical conductors;

(ii) a surge protector connected between a pair of the plurality of electrical conductors and an electrical ground reference;

(iii) an LED connected between a pair of the electrical conductors; and

(iv) a fuse disposed in series with one of the plurality of electrical conductors.

8. The telephone adaptor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first connector and the second connector are each positionable in different sides of the housing.

9. The telephone adaptor set forth in claim 3, wherein each electrical conductor includes:

a conductive line formed on a printed circuit board disposed inside the housing; and

a conductive wire electrically connected between the conductive line and one of the plurality of contacts of at least one of the first connector, the second connector and the third connector.

10. The telephone adaptor as set forth in claim 9, further including a mounting post fixedly disposed inside the housing, wherein:

the mounting post has a threaded receiving aperture;

the printed circuit board includes a mounting hole formed therein; and

the printed circuit board is positionable inside the housing so that a threaded screw projected through the mounting hole is threadedly received in the threaded receiving aperture for securing the printed circuit board to the mounting post.

11. A telephone line interface comprising:

a housing having a base, a plurality of sides that are selectively positionable around the base, and a lid receivable on the plurality of sides opposite the base;

a plurality of electrical conductors disposed inside the housing;

a socket integral with one of the plurality of sides and having a plurality of contacts connected in parallel with the plurality of electrical conductors; and

one or more plugs, each plug having a plurality of contacts connected in parallel with the plurality of electrical conductors, each plug one of (i) integral with one of the plurality of sides other than the side having the socket and (ii) spaced from the housing and flexibly connected thereto via the plurality of electrical conductors extending through one of the plurality of sides other than the side having the socket wherein

of the one or more plugs and the socket relative to the base can be adjusted by selectively positioning the plurality of sides around the base.

12. The interface as set forth in claim 11, further including at least one of:

(i) a surge protector connected between two of the electrical conductors;

(ii) a surge protector connected between one of the plurality of electrical conductors and an electrical ground reference;

(iii) an LED connected between two of the electrical conductors; and

(iv) a fuse disposed in series with one of the electrical conductors.

13. A telephone line interface comprising:

a housing having a base, a plurality of sides that are selectively positionable around the base, and a lid receivable on the plurality of sides opposite the base;

a first connector integral with a first one of the sides and configured to mate with a first mating connector which is detached from the housing;

a second connector integral with a second one of the sides and configured to mate with a second mating connector which is detached from the housing;

a third connector coupled to one of the plurality of sides and configured to mate with a third mating connector which is detached from the housing; and

a pair of electrical conductors disposed between the base, the plurality of sides and the lid and electrically connecting in parallel a pair of contacts of the first connector, a pair of contacts of the second connector and a pair of contacts of the third connector, wherein;

an order of the first connector and the second connector relative to the base can be adjusted by selectively positioning the plurality of sides around the base;

the pair of electrical conductors include flexible conductive wires disposed through the side of the housing having the third connector coupled thereto; and

the third connector includes a connector body which is spaced from the housing and which is flexibly coupled to the housing by the flexible conductive wires.

14. The interface as set forth in claim 13, wherein the first connector, second connector and third connector are each utilized with a different national telephone system.

15. The interface as set forth in claim 13, further including at least one of;

(i) a surge protector connected between the pair of electrical conductors;

(ii) a surge protector electrically connected between one of the pair of electrical conductors and an electrical ground reference;

(iii) an LED connected between the pair of electrical conductors; and

(iv) a fuse connected in series with one the electrical conductors.

16. The interface as set forth in claim 13, wherein the third mating connector includes a connector body and a pair of clips spaced from the connector body and connected to a pair of contacts disposed in the connector body by a pair of flexible conductive wires.

17. The interface as set forth in claim 13, further including a fourth connector (i) integral with one of the plurality of sides, or (ii) spaced from the housing, the fourth connector having a pair of contacts electrically connected to the pair of electrical conductors, wherein when the fourth connector is spaced from the housing, the pair of electrical conductors electrically connected to the pair of contacts thereof include flexible conductive wires which connect the fourth connector to the housing.