Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for connecting to a circuit in a jack without interrupting the circuit

US5669779A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
7References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 26, 1995
Grant dateSep 23, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 26, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49169
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a jack that receives a "make with break" plug or jack, there is provided a "make without break" plug. The jack has a circuit with a set of contacts that are normally closed. The circuit is opened by displacing one of the contacts out of contact with the other contact. With the make without break plug, only a minimal displacement of the jack contacts occurs. The plug minimizes the displacement of the jack contacts by limiting the physical size of the plug. A preferred embodiment utilizes a reduced radius to form a notch in the plug. This notch receives the jack contacts with little or no displacement of these contacts. Another technique used to minimize the displacement of the jack contacts is to limit the amount of force exerted by the plug against the jack contacts. The plug itself is provided with displaceable and pliant contacts. Less force is required to displace the plug contacts than is required to displace the jack contacts.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.