Electrical connectors – Having circuit interrupting provision effected by mating or...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-05
2002-08-13
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Having circuit interrupting provision effected by mating or...
C439S955000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06431892
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to physical/electrical media connectors used in the computer and communications industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to a physical/electrical media connector used for connecting a computer communications device to a communications network such as a computer network or a telephone system. The apparatus of the present invention is a physical/electrical media connector which can accommodate a plurality of physically and electrically distinct connector types and distinguish between these types thereby allowing for internal modification of a host device to adapt to the electrical characteristics of the specific connector.
2. The Relevant Technology
Electronics connectors in the computer and communications industry are available for a wide array of applications from communications and data transfer applications to power connections. Due to the pace of technology in this area and the trend toward smaller, more efficient and more capable hardware, connectors evolve on an almost daily basis. A plethora of standards have evolved for specific connector and hardware applications, however proprietary connectors proliferate throughout the industry. Some standards in the media connector industry have been imposed by government regulation such as the Federal Communications Commission's Title 47, § 68.500, otherwise denoted “Subpart F-Connectors” (Subpart F). Subpart F contains detailed specifications for “miniature” connectors used in the communications industry. Included in this specification are the “Miniature 6-position plug and jack” and the “Miniature 8-position plug and jack.” These connectors, commonly known as the RJ-11 connector and the RJ-45 connector respectively, are ubiquitous throughout the industry.
The miniature 6-position connector or RJ-11 connector, as shown in
FIGS. 1A-1D
, comprises a plug
2
and a jack
4
for receiving the plug
2
. The plug
2
, as shown in
FIGS. 1A & 1B
, comprises a rectangular connector block
6
containing positions for 6 electrical conductors. The plug is usually corded
8
with the cord's conductors
10
terminating in plug block
6
in a manner that allows contact with jack conductors
16
in jack
4
. In many telephone applications, the connector will have only 2 or 4 conductors despite its 6 position capacity. The specified plug block width
12
of the 6-position plug is 0.380″ or 9.6520 mm. while the 6-position plug block's specified height
14
is 0.26″ or 6.604 mm. 6-position plug block
6
also comprises an alignment rib
18
which corresponds with a complementary groove
20
in jack
4
. A locking tang
22
protrudes from alignment rib
18
and selectively engages stops
24
on jack
4
.
The miniature 8-position connector or RJ-45 connector also comprises a plug
32
and a jack
34
for receiving plug
32
. The 8-position plug
32
also comprises an alignment rib
36
, and a locking tang
38
and is very similar to the 6-position plug
2
except for the fact that it's capacity allows for the use of 8 conductors and the width
40
of the 8-position plug block is slightly larger. The 8-position plug block has a width of 0.46″ or 11.684 mm.
The FCC's Subpart F provides specifications for both 6-position and 8-position jacks for receiving their respective plugs, however the 8-position connector jack
34
will accommodate both the 6-position
2
and 8-position plugs
32
. The alignment ribs of both plugs are configured to work with the 8-position jack groove
42
to ensure that conductors align properly even when the plug block is smaller than the jack opening. This feature allows for the use of the 6-position plug in an 8-position jack without misalignment of conductors.
The miniature 6-position connector or RJ-11 has emerged as the industry standard connector for telephone lines. RJ-11 plugs and jacks are used on almost all telephone sets for connection to the phone system and consequently are used for standard modem connections which also use these telephone lines. Although most telephone companies use only 4 or 2 of the available positions on the connector, the 6-position connector is the standard.
The miniature 8-position connector or RJ-45 has emerged as the industry standard connector for computer networks. It is used for interconnectivity between network adapter cards, hubs, routers, switches and other network hardware.
These connectors have been the industry standard for many years and are likely to remain so in the future for telephones, desktop computer modems and network adapters, and other substantially stationary communications equipment. However, hardware technology and the “miniaturization” of components has progressed to the point that the standard, “miniature” RJ connectors are bigger than the thickness of the hardware to which they connect.
An example of these smaller hardware configurations is the PC Card Standard promulgated by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). The PCMCIA PC Card standard identifies three primary card types: Type I, II and III. These types correspond to physical dimension restrictions of 85.6 mm (length)×54.0 mm (width) and thicknesses of 3.3 mm, 5.0 mm and 10.5 mm respectively. These cards are used to expand the functionality of computers and related products by adding circuitry contained on the card to the host device. Host devices, such as laptop computers, contain expansion slots which receive the expansion cards and provide electrical connections thereto.
As a consequence of hardware miniaturization in the face of a nearly worldwide RJ connector standard, hardware manufacturers have developed myriad proprietary hardware connection standards and an assortment of connectors and adapters that allow the RJ plugs to be connected to small profile hardware.
One such adapter is shown in
FIG. 5
where an adapter cable connector or “podule”
6
for a PCMCIA ethernet adapter is shown. The narrow profile connector
4
on the end of the adapter cable that connects to the PC Card is shown. The other end of the adapter cable comprises a larger profile receptacle which receives a standard RJ plug. This type of adapter is also known as a “dongle” after the way it dangles out of the computer card. A typical PC Card socket
110
to which the dongle attaches is shown in FIG.
3
.
Another, more convenient, connector which allows connection of the standard RJ type plug with narrow profile hardware is the XJACK® produced by 3Com Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah. The XJACK®, shown generally in
FIG. 6
, is a narrow profile connector designed to be contained within hardware such as PC Card standard compliant devices. The XJACK® comprises a thin body
60
with an aperture
62
therein for receiving a standard RJ connector plug
64
or some other connector. Jack conductors
66
contact plug conductors
68
just as a conventional RJ jack connects. The XJACK® may be retractable within the device or be detachable therefrom.
As technology increases and electronic devices become more compact, more and more devices are being combined in one device. A single PC Card may now contain multiple devices which may require a plurality of connections to external devices. One example is the now common “combo card” which combines a modem with a network adapter. This card, usually used in a compact computer, allows for direct connection to a computer network as well as connection to a phone line through the modem circuitry. The standard connectors used for these connections are the RJ-45 and the RJ-11 respectively. Dongle type connectors may be used on these combo cards with separate proprietary connectors on the card for connection to telephone or computer networks, however, dongles are often inconvenient and can be easily lost or damaged.
The XJACK® is an ideal connection jack for PC Card format combo cards due to its narrow profile, but the XJACK® uses valuable space on the card for its convenient retractable connector jack. This means that the
Ketcham Carl
Shupe Allen E.
3Com Corporation
Kirton & McConkie
Krieger Michael F.
Sircus Brian
Webb Brian S.
LandOfFree
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