Device for testing connectivity of a connector including spring contact pins

• US 7,397,251 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: King, Joseph D., Fet, Bernard H., Vowell, Aaron, Hammer, Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): Gushi; Ross N
• Application Number:
  US11/853,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20070296420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 439/344, 439/941, 439/676, 324/538, 324/761, 379/21
• US Class Current: 324/538
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes

Abstract

A device for testing connectivity is provided. The device includes a first connector including a contact pin and a spacer for biasing the contact pin away from a spring contact pin of a second connector, when the first connector is inserted into the second connector. The device also includes an indicator, coupled to the contact pin of the first connector, for indicating whether the contact pin of the first connector is in contact with the spring contact pin of the second connector.

Claims

1. A device for testing electrical connectivity of an electrical connector, the device comprising:

a non-conductive body defined by a top surface and an opposite bottom surface, a front surface and an opposite rear surface, and opposing side surfaces;

first and second electrically conductive contact pins extending into the body and having an exposed portion proximate the bottom surface, wherein the exposed portion is operable to contact and electrically couple with electrically conductive spring contact pins of a mating electrical connector when the body is at least partially inserted into the mating electrical connector;

a first electrical conductor having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first conductor electrically coupled with the first contact pin within the body;

an electrical resistor having a first end and a second end, the first end of the resistor electrically coupled with the second end of the first conductor;

an electrical battery having a first electrical polarity and a second electrical polarity, the first electrical polarity electrically coupled with the second end of the electrical resistor;

an indicator having a first end and a second end, the first end of the indicator electrically coupled with the second polarity of the battery;

a second electrical conductor having a first end and a second end, the first end electrically coupled with second end of the indicator and the second end of the second electrical conductor electrically coupled with the second contact pin within the body, wherein inserting the body into the mating electrical connector causes the indicator to indicate a closed circuit when the first and second contact pins contact electrically coupled spring pins in the mating electrical connector; and

a spacer device attached to and extending downward from a portion of the bottom surface to raise the bottom surface of the body above an inner bottom surface of the mating electrical connector when the body is inserted into the mating electrical connector.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical battery is a coin battery.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a lighting device.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the lighting device is a light emitting diode (LED).

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the body is a male RJ45 connector.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

a cutout on the top surface of the body, wherein the cutout is defined by shaving or grinding off a portion of the top surface of the body, therein creating a thickness of the body that is less than the thickness of a RJ45 connector.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical conductors are part of an electrical cable.

8. A system comprising:

means for determining whether heights of spring contact pins of a female connector are equal to or higher than a predetermined height such that spring contact pins that are at least partially exposed and at least partially within a cavity in the female connector are capable of being in contact with a mating male connector'"'"'s contact pins;

an information handling system (IHS) having the female connector, wherein the female connector has a pair of the spring contact pins, the pair of spring contact pins electrically coupled together; and

a testing device further comprising;

a male connector, wherein the male connector has a corresponding pair of contact pins for mating with the pair of spring contact pins when the heights of the spring contact pins of the female connector are equal to or higher than the predetermined height;

an electrical resistor, an electrical battery, and an indicator electrically coupled in series between the pair of contact pins, such that when the male connector is mated with the female connector the indicator indicates a closed circuit when the pair of contact pins contact the pair of spring contact pins; and

a spacer extending from a portion of the male connector to bias the contact pins away from the spring contact pins.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the female connector and the male connector are conventional RJ45 connectors.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

removing a portion of the male connector opposite the contact pins, thereby allowing the spacer to increase the bias.

11. A method of testing an electrical connector, the method comprising:

providing a conventional connector, wherein the connector has a female portion and a corresponding male portion, wherein the female portion and the male portion mate together with the male portion nesting within a cavity in the female portion, the female portion having a pair of spring contact pins within the cavity, the male portion having a pair of fixed contact pins operable to touch the spring contact pins when mated with the female portion;

removing a section from the male portion opposite the contact pins, therein decreasing a thickness of the male portion;

adding a spacer to the male portion proximate the contact pins, therein biasing the contact pins away from the spring contact pins when the male portion is mated with the female portion; and

determining whether the spring contact pins extend into the cavity enough to touch the contact pins when the male portion is mated with the female portion.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

illuminating an indicator when the spring contact pins touch the contact pins.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining whether the spring contact pins extend into the cavity enough to touch the contact pins when the male portion is mated with the female portion is accomplished by electrically coupling a power source and an indicator to the contact pins so that the indicator indicates a closed circuit when the contact pins touch the spring contact pins.