Electrical jack

Details Electrical jack Electrical jack

2000-09-20

2002-08-20

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With insulation other than conductor sheath

Plural-contact coupling part

C439S206000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06435917

ABSTRACT:

REFERENCE TO PENDING APPLICATIONS
This application is not related to any pending applications.
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electrical jacks and more specifically to an electrical jack assembly comprising a plurality of compressible cylindrical contacts which receive and securely position an electrical plug to facilitate an electrical connection between distinct contact portions of the plug and electrical circuitry in communication with said contacts.
II. Prior Art
The use of an electrical jack to receive an electrical plug in order to establish a connection therebetween through a series of contacts is known in the prior art. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,497 issued to Greasley on Jan. 18, 1966 which discloses a socket for electrical jack plugs and U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,628 issued to Lin et al. on Jan. 11, 1994 which discloses an auditory jack.
After extended use, the contacts lose their elasticity which renders these contacts ineffective in establishing a connection with an electrical plug. The prior art has attempted to resolve this ongoing problem and any advancement in this regard would be considered an improvement thereof.
An illustration of a typical electrical jack/plug combination as found and practiced in the prior art is provided for reference as FIG.
1
.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The following objects and advantages, without limitation, are achieved in the electrical jack of the instant invention which comprises in combination a housing having an electrical plug receiving chamber, a plug tip reservoir purposed to contingently receive broken or otherwise separated portions of a previously inserted plug, an access/egress aperture communicating with the chamber for insertion therethrough of the electrical plug, a plurality of compressible, partially cylindrical contacts each having a circuit contact section and an electrical plug contact section and housed within said chamber, with said pin contacts positioned generally perpendicular to the base of said jack along generally opposite sides of said chamber.
Electrical jack/electrical plug combinations are used in many industries. An illustrative, non-limiting example, the airline industry allows passengers to utilize such combinations in conjunction with headsets to listen to music, as well as audio portions of an in-flight movie, while in personal entertainment systems, such as tranportable radios and cassette players, such jack/electrical plug combinations allow a user the convenience of listening to favorite programs/tapes without disturbing others in close proximity. Jack/plug combinations are also widely used to facilitate electrical communication equipment and musical instrument/amplifier connections.
Repeated use causes contacts within the jack to lose their elasticity which inhibits proper positioning and contact between the jack and the plug. Consequently, in view of the deficiencies of the prior art, it is an objective of the instant invention to provide an improved jack embodying contacts which allow for proper and secure positioning of an inserted plug while not losing their elasticity.
It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide a headphone jack positioning and securing mechanism which avoids the mechanical failures of the prior art.
An additional object of the instant invention is to provide for displacement of a broken plug segment and eliminating the need to remove/replace a jack housing accommodation.
A better understanding of the invention and its objects and its advantages will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the attached figures wherein there is shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications and various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the description should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.


REFERENCES:
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patent: 2504419 (1950-04-01), Howell
patent: 3230497 (1966-01-01), Greasley
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patent: 3383481 (1968-05-01), Bailey et al.
patent: 3855568 (1974-12-01), Cochrane
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patent: 4655535 (1987-04-01), Kysiak
patent: 4695116 (1987-09-01), Bailey et al.
patent: 4705485 (1987-11-01), Hansen
patent: 4846719 (1989-07-01), Iwashita
patent: 4867708 (1989-09-01), Iizuka
patent: 5018044 (1991-05-01), Weiss
patent: 5070605 (1991-12-01), Daglow et al.
patent: 5277628 (1994-01-01), Lin et al.
patent: 5338215 (1994-08-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5823796 (1998-10-01), Bethurum
patent: 5934924 (1999-08-01), Suzuki

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