Telephone adaptor

Details Telephone adaptor Telephone adaptor

1999-06-18

2001-09-18

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With insulation other than conductor sheath

Plural-contact coupling part

Reexamination Certificate

active

06290543

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Adaptors for connecting computer modems, and other electrical equipment having RJ-11 type sockets, to telephone systems that utilize plugs/sockets other than the RJ-11 type are well known in the art cs illustrated in Magellan's Summer/Fall 1997 Catalog, USA; Toshiba 1997 Winter Accessories Catalog, USA; and TeleAdapt Limited UK Catalog. Moreover, electrical connectors for adapting electrical equipment having an RJ-11 type socket to a different type of electrical plug/socket are also known as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,905 to Ismail and U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,172 to Tubbs.
A problem with such adaptors, however, is that they only enable connection between plugs/sockets of two different telephone systems. Hence, a traveler visiting a plurality of different countries with, for example, a computer modem having an RJ-11 plug, would require a suitable plug/socket interface arrangement for each country that utilized a different standard plug/socket for its national telephone equipment. This is a problem because of the cost and inconvenience associated with purchasing a plurality of different pluglsocket interface arrangements, one for each country; the need to identify which plug/socket arrangement is utilized in each country; and
the need to carry a plurality of plug/socket arrangements while traveling. Still another problem arises in having a traveler, who is potentially unfamiliar with telephone wiring, construct a plug/socket interface arrangement between different telephone systems.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above problems and others by providing a telephone adaptor that enables connection between an RJ-11 socket and plugs/socket of a plurality of different telephone systems. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a telephone adaptor that includes protection circuitry to protect electrical equipment connected to the RJ-11 socket from line surges and voltage spikes. Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a telephone adaptor that includes circuitry for detecting non-standard telephone line voltages and for providing an indication thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, I have invented a telephone adaptor that includes a first connector utilized in connection with a first national telephone system, a plug utilized in connection with a second national telephone system and a second connector utilized in connection with a third national telephone system. A plurality of electrical conductors electrically connect in parallel a plurality of contacts of the first connector, a plurality of contacts of the plug and a plurality of contacts of the second connector. A housing secures the first connector, the plug and the second connector relative to each other.
Preferably, the housing includes a base and a lid positioned in opposition by a plurality of braces. The plurality of braces are disposed between a periphery of the base and a periphery of the lid. A plurality of sides are selectively positioned between pairs of adjacent braces. The first connector, the plug and the second connector are disposed in at least two different sides of the housing.
The telephone adapter can include a surge protector connected between a pair of the electrical conductors; a surge protector connected between one of the electrical conductors and an electrical ground reference; an LED connected between a pair of electrical conductors; and/or a fuse disposed in series with one of the plurality of electrical conductors. The plurality of electrical conductors can include flexible conductive wires disposed through a side of the housing and connected to one of the first connector, the plug and/or the second connector.
The telephone adaptor can include a third connector separate from the housing and mateable with the first connector so that a plurality of contacts of the third connector and the plurality of contacts of the first connector are electrically connected in parallel. A plurality of clips can be electrically connected to the plurality of contacts of the third connector via the electrical conductors. The electrical conductors extending between the third connector and the plurality of clips are flexible conductive wires that flexibly secure together the third connector and the plurality of clips.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a single telephone adaptor for connecting electrical equipment having an RJ-11 socket to a plurality of different sockets or plugs associated with different national telephone systems.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the telephone adaptor includes protection circuitry for protecting electrical equipment connected thereto from electrical spikes on the telephone lines.
Still another advantage is that the telephone adaptor includes a non-standard voltage detector for detecting the presence of non-standard telephone line voltages and providing an indication thereof.
Still another advantage is that different types of plugs/sockets can be utilized in the housing of the present invention.
Still other advantages will become apparent upon reading and understanding the following detailed description. dr
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1
a
an
1
b
are perspective views of a telephone adaptor in accordance with the present invention including sockets for one national telephone system and plugs for different national telephone systems;
FIG. 2
is an electrical diagram of the interconnection of the contacts associated with the sockets and plugs of the telephone adaptor of
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b;
FIGS. 3
a
and
3
b
are respective plan and elevational views of the base of the telephone adaptor of
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b;
FIGS. 4
a
and
4
b
are respective plan and elevational views of the lid of the telephone adaptor of
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b;
FIGS. 5
a
-
5
d
are isolated views of the respective front, side, top and bottom of one of the sides of the telephone adaptor of
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b
including RJ-11 telephone sockets utilized in the United States;
FIGS. 6
a
-
6
c
are isolated views of the respective front, top and side of one of the sides of the telephone adaptor in
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b
including plugs for use with telephone systems in the United Kingdom and Germany;
FIG. 7
a
is a partially assembled elevational view of the telephone adaptor of
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b;
FIG. 7
b
is a cross-sectional view of the partially assembled telephone adaptor taken along lines
7
b
-
7
b
in
FIG. 7
a;
FIGS. 8
a
-
8
d
are isolated views of the respective front, side, top and back of one of the sides of the telephone adaptor in
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b
including a telephone plug for use with the telephone system in France; and
FIGS. 9
a
-
9
d
show isolated views of the respective front, side, top and back views of one of the sides of the telephone adaptor in
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b
including a telephone plug for use with telephones system in the Commonwealth of Independent States or Russia.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3668324 (1972-06-01), Firestone
patent: 4290664 (1981-09-01), Davis
patent: 4362905 (1982-12-01), Ismail
patent: 4497526 (1985-02-01), Myers
patent: 4580009 (1986-04-01), Darland
patent: 4740172 (1988-04-01), Tubbs
patent: 4925393 (1990-05-01), Ingalsbe
patent: 5283825 (1994-02-01), Druckman et al.
patent: 5470239 (1995-11-01), Rancourt
patent: 5535274 (1996-07-01), Braitberg et al.
patent: 5706160 (1998-01-01), Latuszkin
patent: 5775946 (1998-07-01), Briones
patent: 5984731 (1999-11-01), Laity
patent: 6058184 (2000-03-01), Frank

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