DSX jack LED activation and grounding system

• US 6,729,910 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2001
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amphenol Network Solutions, Inc. (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Telect Incorporated (Amphenol Corporation)
• Inventors: Fuller, Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US09/872,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20020182938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 439/668, 439/76.1, 439/696, 439/946, 439/188, 439/946.2, 439/701, 439/752, 298/76, 298/84, 298/83
• US Class Current: 439/668
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/633 for disengagement only in combination with safety switch H01R13/7132
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7033 making use of elastic extensions of the terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement

Abstract

A DSX jack LED activation system including a resilient dielectric structure secured within the jack body and positioned between the at least one electrical lead of the LED and one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact, an LED contact terminal secured within the jack body between the at least one electrical lead of the LED and the resilient dielectric structure, and such that when the jack plug is inserted into the plug aperture, the jack plug deflects one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact, into the resilient dielectric structure, which deflects the LED contact terminal into the at least one electrical lead of the LED. A DSX grounding system which includes a first ground terminal contact disposed between the first plug aperture and the second plug aperture, the first ground terminal contact with a first end and a second end, the second end being positioned at the rear end of the jack, the first end of the first ground terminal contact being disposed to make electrical contact with, and provide grounding for, the jack plugs inserted into the first plug aperture, and the first end of the first ground terminal contact also being disposed to make electrical contact with, and provide grounding for, the jack plugs inserted into the second plug aperture.

Claims

1. A DSX jack LED activation system, comprising:

a jack body formed of a dielectric material, the jack body including at least one plug aperture sized to receive a jack plug;

the jack including at least one electrically conductive tip spring contact and at least one electrically conductive ring spring contact, each tip spring contact being disposed to make electrical contact with a tip of the jack plug when the jack plug is inserted within the at least one plug aperture, and the ring spring contacts being adapted to make electrical contact with the ring contacts of the plug when the plug is inserted into the at least one plug aperture;

an LED supported within the jack body and having at least one electrical lead;

a resilient dielectric structure within the jack body and positioned between the at least one electrical lead of the LED and one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact;

an LED contact terminal secured within the jack body between the at least one electrical lead of the LED and the resilient dielectric structure, and in electrical contact with the at least one electrical lead of the LED;

an LED switching terminal secured within the jack body between the LED contact terminal and the resilient dielectric structure; and

such that when the jack plug is inserted into the plug aperture, the jack plug deflects one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact, into and deflecting the resilient dielectric structure, which deflects the LED switching terminal into the LED contact terminal, which is electrically connected to the at least one electrical lead of the LED.

2. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 1, and further wherein the plug aperture is an input monitor plug aperture.

3. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 1, and further wherein the plug aperture is an output monitor plug aperture.

4. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 1, and further wherein the resilient dielectric structure abuts the one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact.

5. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 1, and further wherein the resilient dielectric structure abuts the LED switching terminal.

6. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 1, and further wherein the resilient dielectric structure is integral with the jack body.

7. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 1, and further wherein when the LED switching terminal is electrically connected to the LED contact terminal, a tracer lamp of the LED becomes illuminated.

8. A method for activating an LED on a DSX jack, comprising the following steps:

providing a jack body formed of a dielectric material, the jack body including at least one plug aperture sized to receive a jack plug;

providing the jack with at least one electrically conductive tip spring contact and at least one electrically conductive ring spring contact, each tip spring contact being disposed to make electrical contact with a tip of the jack plug when the jack plug is inserted within the at least one plug aperture, and the ring spring contacts being adapted to make electrical contact with the ring contacts of the plug when the plug is inserted into the at least one plug aperture;

providing an LED held within the jack body, the LED having at least one electrical lead;

providing a resilient dielectric structure secured within the jack body and positioned between the at least one electrical lead of the LED and one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact;

providing an LED contact terminal secured within the jack body between the at least one electrical lead of the LED and the resilient dielectric structure, and in electrical contact with the at least one electrical lead of the LED;

providing an LED switching terminal secured within the jack body between the LED contact terminal and the resilient dielectric structure; and

inserting the jack plug into the plug aperture and thereby deflecting one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact, into the resilient dielectric structure, and thereby also deflecting the LED switching terminal into the LED contact terminal, which is electrically connected to the at least one electrical lead of the LED.

9. A method for activating an LED on a DSX jack as recited in claim 8, and further wherein the plug aperture is an input monitor plug aperture.

10. A method for activating an LED on a DSX jack as recited in claim 8, and further wherein the plug aperture is an output monitor plug aperture.

11. A method for activating an LED on a DSX jack as recited in claim 8, and further wherein the resilient dielectric structure abuts the one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact.

12. A method for activating an LED on a DSX jack as recited in claim 8, and further wherein the resilient dielectric structure abuts the LED switching terminal.

13. A method for activating an LED on a DSX jack as recited in claim 8, and further wherein the resilient dielectric structure is integral with the jack body.

14. A method for activating an LED on a DSX jack as recited in claim 8, and further wherein when the LED contact terminal is electrically connected to the at least one LED lead, a tracer lamp of the LED becomes illuminated.

15. A DSX jack comprising:

a jack body formed of a dielectric material and having a front end and a rear end, the jack body including a first plug aperture adjacent a second plug aperture and each plug aperture is configured to receive jack plugs having tip and ring contacts;

a first ground terminal contact disposed between the first plug aperture and the second plug aperture, the first ground terminal contact with a first end and a second end, the second end being positioned at the rear end of the jack;

the first end of the first ground terminal contact being disposed to make electrical contact with, and provide grounding for, the jack plugs inserted into the first plug aperture; and

the first end of the first ground terminal contact also being disposed to make electrical contact with, and provide grounding for, the jack plugs inserted into the second plug aperture.

16. A DSX jack as recited in claim 15 and further wherein the jack body includes a third plug aperture adjacent a fourth plug aperture and each plug aperture is configured to receive jack plugs having tip and ring contacts;

a second ground terminal contact disposed between the third plug aperture and the fourth plug aperture, the second ground terminal contact with a first end and a second end, the second end being positioned at the rear end of the jack;

the first end of the second ground terminal contact being disposed to make electrical contact with, and provide grounding for, the jack plugs inserted into the third plug aperture; and

the first end of the second ground terminal contact also being disposed to make electrical contact with, and provide grounding for, the jack plugs inserted into the fourth plug aperture.

17. A DSX jack as recited in claim 15 and further wherein the first plug aperture is an input plug aperture, the second plug aperture is an output plug aperture, the third plug aperture is an input monitor plug aperture and the fourth plug aperture is an output monitor plug aperture.

18. A DSX jack as recited in claim 15 and further wherein the first plug aperture is an input plug aperture and the second plug aperture is an output plug aperture.

19. A DSX jack as recited in claim 15 and further wherein the first plug aperture is an input plug aperture and the second plug aperture is an input monitor plug aperture.

20. A DSX jack as recited in claim 15 and further wherein the first plug aperture is an output plug aperture and the second plug aperture is an output monitor plug aperture.

21. A DSX jack as recited in claim 15 and further wherein the jack includes an electrically conductive tip and ring spring for each plug aperture, the tip springs being adapted to make electrical contact with the tip contacts of the plugs when the plugs are inserted within the plug apertures, and the ring springs being adapted to make electrical contact with the ring contacts of the plugs when the plugs are inserted within the plug apertures.

22. A DSX jack as recited in claim 15, and further comprising an LED activation system, which comprises:

the jack including at least one electrically conductive tip spring contact and at least one electrically conductive ring spring contact, each tip spring contact being disposed to make electrical contact with a tip of the jack plug when the jack plug is inserted within the at least one plug aperture, and the ring spring contacts being adapted to make electrical contact with the ring contacts of the plug when the plug is inserted into the at least one plug aperture;

an LED held within the jack body and having at least one electrical lead;

a resilient dielectric structure secured within the jack body and positioned between the at least one electrical lead of the LED and one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact;

an LED contact terminal secured within the jack body between the at least one electrical lead of the LED and the resilient dielectric structure, and in electrical contact with the at least one electrical lead of the LED;

an LED switching terminal secured within the jack body between the LED contact terminal and the resilient dielectric structure; and

such that when the jack plug is inserted into the plug aperture, the jack plug deflects one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact, into and deflecting the resilient dielectric structure, which deflects the LED switching terminal into the LED contact terminal, which is electrically connected to the at least one electrical lead of the LED.

23. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 22, and further wherein the plug aperture is an input monitor plug aperture.

24. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 22, and further wherein the plug aperture is an output monitor plug aperture.

25. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 22, and further wherein the resilient dielectric structure abuts the one of the at least one ring spring contact and the at least one tip spring contact.

26. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 22, and further wherein the resilient dielectric structure abuts the LED switching terminal.

27. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 22, and further wherein the resilient dielectric structure is integral with the jack body.

28. A DSX jack LED activation system as recited in claim 22, and further wherein when the LED switching terminal is electrically connected to the LED contact terminal, a tracer lamp of the LED becomes illuminated.