System and method for preventing cable discharge events

• US 6,790,097 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Craig A., Marshall, Robert A., Edwards, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarroli, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US10/338,576
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 439/101, 439/108, 439/218, 439/181, 439/607, 439/610, 439/620
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6485 Electrostatic discharge protection in general H05F1/00, for electric apparatus H05K9/0067
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus includes a housing having a cavity configured to receive a plug. The apparatus includes a plurality of conductive pins each configured to contact a respective one of a plurality of conductive pins on the plug when the plug is inserted into the cavity. The apparatus also includes a discharge conductor system configured to contact at least one of the plurality of the conductive pins on the plug before complete insertion of the plug into the cavity and a discharge circuit coupling the discharge conductor system to ground.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing having;

an active RJ connector operable to mate with an RJ plug and establish an operative electrical connection between the RJ plug and the apparatus; and

a discharge RJ connector physically separate from the active RJ connector and operable to receive the RJ plug and discharge any charge stored on the RJ plug, the discharge connector comprising a plurality of discharge pins each configured to contact a respective one of a plurality of conductive pins on the RJ plug when the RJ plug is inserted into the discharge RJ connector, the discharge RJ connector being inoperable to establish an operative electrical connection between the RJ plug and the apparatus.

2. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive pins consists of four pins.

3. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive pins consists of eight pins.

4. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein the RJ plug is an RJ 45 plug and the RJ connector is an RJ 45 connector.

5. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein the RJ plug is an RJ 11 plug and the RJ connector is an RJ 11 connector.

6. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins has a resistance less than one megaohm.

7. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins has a resistance less than one kilohm.

8. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins is formed from metal.

9. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins is formed from a conductive polymer.

10. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins is formed from a resistive polymer.

11. The RJ connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins is formed from a material other than a non-conductive plastic.

12. The RJ connector of claim 1, and further comprising a discharge circuit electrically coupled to the plurality of discharge pins.

13. The RJ connector of claim 12, wherein the discharge circuit is operable to discharge the charge to ground.

14. The RJ connector of claim 13, wherein the discharge circuit comprises a short to ground.

15. The RJ connector of claim 13, wherein the discharge circuit comprises a resistor coupled to ground.

16. The RJ connector of claim 13, wherein the discharge circuit comprises a diode coupled to ground.

17. The RJ connector of claim 12, wherein the discharge circuit is formed within the connector.

18. The RJ connector of claim 12, wherein the discharge circuit is formed external to the connector.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive pins comprising a number of conductive pins selected from the group consisting of four, six and eight.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RJ connector is a type selected from the group consisting of RJ 45 and RJ 11.

21. A method for discharging charge stored on an RJ plug comprising:

providing an apparatus having a housing having;

an active RJ connector operable to mate with an RJ plug and establish an operative electrical connection between the RJ plug and the apparatus; and

a discharge RJ connector physically separate from the active RJ connector and operable to receive the RJ plug and discharge any charge stored on the RJ plug, the discharge connector comprising a plurality of discharge pins each configured to contact a respective one of a plurality of conductive pins on the RJ plug when the RJ plug is inserted into the discharge RJ connector, the discharge RJ connector being inoperable to establish an operative electrical connection between the RJ plug and the apparatus;

inserting the RJ plug into the discharge RJ connector;

discharging the charge stored on the RJ plug onto the plurality of discharge pins;

removing the RJ plug from the discharge RJ connector; and

inserting the RJ plug into the active RJ connector and establishing an operative electrical connection between the RJ plug and the apparatus.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of conductive pins consists of four pins.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of conductive pins consists of eight pins.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the RJ plug is an RJ 45 plug and the RJ connector is an RJ 45 connector.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the RJ plug is an RJ 11 plug and the RJ connector is an RJ 11 connector.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins has a resistance less than one megaohm.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins has a resistance less than one kilohm.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins is formed from metal.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins is formed from a conductive polymer.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins is formed from a resistive polymer.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of discharge pins is formed from a material other than a non-conductive plastic.

32. The method of claim 21, and further comprising a discharge circuit electrically coupled to the plurality of discharge pins.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the discharge circuit is operable to discharge the charge to ground.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the discharge circuit comprises a short to ground.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the discharge circuit comprises a resistor coupled to ground.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the discharge circuit comprises a diode coupled to ground.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the discharge circuit is formed within the connector.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the discharge circuit is formed external to the connector.