Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-18
2004-01-13
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S669000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06676451
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connective jack that provides secure electrical connection between a plug and a circuit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a connective jack equipped with a sleeve terminal that forms an elastic electrical connection with a sleeve electrode on a plug.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 7 and 8
, a sleeve terminal
102
is formed by bending an elastic metal sheet to form a “C-shaped” cross section. Sleeve terminal
102
includes a spring piece
104
cantilevered integrally from one edge of a horizontal plate
102
a.
A contact piece
107
extends from sleeve terminal
102
and spring piece
104
.
A conventional jack
100
includes a jack housing
101
, plug insertion hole
103
, a window hole
105
, and a cylindrical sleeve
101
a.
Conventional jack
100
is formed to receive a plug (not shown) containing a sleeve electrode
201
.
During assembly, sleeve terminal
102
is inserted into window hole
105
of jack housing
101
and attached to jack housing
101
. In this attached state, a free end of spring piece
104
projects into plug insertion hole
103
and forms elastic electrical contact with a flat side of sleeve electrode
201
.
It is to be understood, that contact with sleeve electrode
201
is achieved by having spring piece
104
extend into plug insertion hole
103
, as shown.
It is to be further understood, that sleeve electrode
201
of the plug (not shown) serves as a ground electrode for the plug. By having sleeve electrode
201
insulated from and formed co-axially around a chip electrode
202
and a ring electrode
203
, impedance matching with a cable (not shown) can be provided and transmission properties for high-frequency signals flowing through chip electrode
202
and ring electrode
203
can be improved.
It is to be understood as desirable to provide impedance matching for conventional jack
100
, and that to achieve this it is desirable to have sleeve terminal
102
connecting to sleeve electrode
201
formed as a cylindrical ground terminal surrounding the plug.
Since cylindrical metal sleeve piece
106
is produced separately through cutting or stamping and is attached in cylindrical sleeve
101
a
of jack housing
101
, impedance matching can be difficult, and costs and assembly time increased.
Sleeve piece
106
is attached in cylindrical sleeve
101
a
and forms an electrical contact with sleeve terminal
102
by pressing against contact piece
107
formed integrally with sleeve terminal
102
. When the plug (not shown) is inserted into jack
100
, metal sleeve piece
106
acts as a ground terminal surrounding sleeve electrode
201
.
In conventional jack
100
, described above, metal sleeve piece
106
must be produced separately from the sleeve terminal
102
. This separate production increases the total number of parts, requires a more complex structure to connect to sleeve terminal
102
, there by raising production costs for jack
100
and increases the risks for impedance mismatching.
It is possible to extend a leg from metal sleeve piece
106
and connect to a ground pattern (not shown), making metal sleeve piece
106
itself serve as sleeve terminal
102
. However, it is to be understood, that since sleeve piece
106
is cylindrical, it cannot provide an elastic contact with sleeve electrode
201
. This inelasticity may lead to a bad contact between sleeve terminal
102
and the plug (not shown) and is an undesirable quality.
Elastic contact with sleeve electrode
201
is achievable using spring piece
104
of sleeve terminal
102
in jack
100
. However, it is to be understood that since there is only one elastic contact position, the reliability of the electrical contact is inadequate for consumer needs.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a jack that improves reliably and contact security while reducing the number of parts, costs, and assembly time.
It is another object of the present invention to provide bounding elastic contact with a sleeve electrode of a plug.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connective jack that minimizes the negative connective effects of dust and dirt in a connector by employing repetitive three-point elastic connection with a plug.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connective jack with easy snap-in assembly for a sleeve terminal, a chip terminal, and a ring terminal, thereby shortening assembly time and reducing costs.
It is another object of the present invention to overcome the problems described above and to provide a jack wherein a sleeve electrode is securely and electrically covered without requiring a separate cylindrical metal sleeve piece
Briefly stated, the present invention relates to a connective jack including a sleeve terminal having elastic spring pieces cantilevered inside a housing about a plug insertion hole. The sleeve terminal elastically urges an electrode, on a plug inserted in the plug insertion hole, into stable electrical connection with a circuit. A plate portion of the sleeve terminal includes a first contact projection. A second and third contact projection are on each spring piece. During insertion, the spring pieces elastically urge the electrode into contact with each contact projection, eliminating a separate sleeve piece, and provide stable elastic electrical connection to the plug.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, comprising: means for receiving a plug in a plug insertion hole, means for connecting the plug to a circuit when the plug is inserted, the means for connecting includes means for permitting a three-point electrical connection to an outer surface of an electrode on the external plug, the means for permitting having a shape which elastically urges the outer surface into the three-point electrical connection, and at least one of the means for receiving and the means for permitting having a shape which urges the means for permitting into an elastic snap-fit engagement with the means for receiving and enables the means for permitting to resist movement relative to the means for receiving when the plug is inserted, whereby stable electrical connection between the electrode and the circuit is assured.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a first and a second spring member on the means for permitting, the means for receiving being a housing, the spring members cantilevered inside the housing during the elastic snap-fit engagement, and the spring members extending substantially adjacent the outer surface and coaxial the plug insertion hole for the urging of the outer surface into the three-point electrical connection.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a horizontal plate on the means for permitting, the means for permitting being a sleeve terminal, a position groove on the housing, and the position groove engaging opposite sides of the horizontal plate after the snap-fit engagement and laterally supporting the sleeve terminal relative the plug insertion hole whereby the stable electrical connection is maintained during operation.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a first contact projection on the horizontal plate, a second contact projection on the first spring member, a third contact projection on the second spring member, and the first, the second, and the third contact projections projecting substantially radially inward to the plug insertion hole and permitting the three-point electrical connection to the outer surface of the electrode.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a first and a second engagement projection on the housing, the first and the seco
Nozaki Fumio
Suzuki Hiroshi
Darby & Darby
SMK Corporation
LandOfFree
Connective jack does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Connective jack, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Connective jack will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3195309