Electronic signal transmission and switching jack

A method of configuring an electronic signal transmission circuit, comprising:

• providing a switching module for electronic signal transmission comprising:
• a first side with a plurality of connectors including a first group of three connectors and a second group of three connectors;
• a second side with an even number of connectors grouped into pairs, each pair of connectors including a first jack and a second jack, each jack having a spring contact tip conductor, a second tip conductor, a spring contact ring conductor, a second ring conductor and a shield conductor with a normal closed connection between the spring contact and second tip conductors and a normal closed connection between the spring contact and second ring conductors, each jack configured such that insertion of a plug opens the normal closed connections and electronically connects the tip of the plug to the spring contact tip conductor, the ring of the plug to the spring contact ring conductor, and the shield of the plug to the shield conductor;
• a plurality of two position switches having an open position and a closed position;
• and
• a plurality of circuits, each including one of the two position switches, one of the circuits linking the spring contact tip conductor of the first jack with the second tip conductor of the second jack, another of the circuits linking the spring contact ring conductor of the first jack with the second ring conductor of the second jack, another of the circuits linking the second tip conductor of the first jack with the second tip conductor of the second jack, and another of the circuits linking the second ring conductor of the first jack with the second ring conductor of the second jack. placing all the two position switches into an open condition so that each connector on the first side is connected directly with a conductor within a jack on the second side.

An electronic signal transmission system comprising:

• (a) a switching module for signal transmission including:
• (1) a first side with a plurality of connectors including a first group of three connectors and a second group of three;
• (2) a second side with an even number of connectors grouped into pairs, each pair of connectors including a first jack and a second jack, each jack having a spring contact tip conductor, a second tip conductor, a spring contact ring conductor, a second ring conductor and a shield conductor with a normal closed connection between the spring contact and second tip conductors and a normal closed connection between the spring contact and second ring conductors, each jack configured such that insertion of an plug opens the normal closed connections and electronically connects the tip of the plug to the spring contact tip conductor, the ring of the plug to the spring contact ring conductor, and the shield of the plug to the shield conductor;
• (3) a plurality of two position switches having an open position and a closed position;
• and
• (4) a plurality of circuits, each including one of the two position switches, one of the circuits linking the spring contact tip conductor of the first jack with the second tip conductor of the second jack, another of the circuits linking the spring contact ring conductor of the first jack with the second ring conductor of the second jack, another of the circuits linking the second tip conductor of the first jack with the second tip conductor of the second jack, and another of the circuits linking the second ring conductor of the first jack with the second ring conductor of the second jack
• (b) a connecting module including:
• (1) a plurality of first side connectors which electronically link to the first side connectors of the switching module;
• (2) a second side with a plurality of connectors for attaching to a plurality of cables;
• and
• (3) a plurality of circuits electronically linking the first side connectors of the connecting module to the second side connectors of the connector module;
• (c) a chassis holding the switching module and the connecting module adjacent to one another, wherein each first side connector of the switching module is electronically connected to a first side connector of the connecting module.

An electronic signal transmission module comprising:

• a front defining an even number of jacks paired together, each jack including tip ring and shield contact springs;
• a rear with card edge connectors;
• a circuit board with a first plurality of circuits electronically connecting the jack contact springs with the card edge connectors;
• and
• a second plurality of circuits including a plurality of two position switches mounted on the circuit board which are electronically linked to the first plurality of circuits, the second plurality of circuits connecting the tip and ring contact springs of each jack pair.

A designation lens for use with an electronic switching module having a connector, the connector being accessible on or through an outer surface of the connection module and the outer surface having mounting slots located adjacent to the connector, the outer surface of the module having a width, the lens comprising:

• a first side and an opposing, spaced apart second side;
• a first end and an opposing, spaced apart second end;
• a front face and a rear face extending from the first side to the second side and from the first end to the second end;
• a first rear wall and a second rear wall extending rearward from the rear face along the first and second sides, respectively, and defining first and second rear mounting flats, respectively;
• mounting tabs extending rearward from the rear mounting flats;
• the rear face, the first and second rear walls, and outer surface of the module cooperating to define a space for receiving an indicia related to the switching connector;
• the lens being formed of a transparent material to allow the indicia within the space to be seen through the lens;
• the lens being sized so that when mounted to the surface it is approximately the same width as the outer surface.

A switching module comprising:

• a module body having a first side, a second side, and a circuit board extending from adjacent the first side toward the second side;
• first and second connectors located at the first side for connecting to first and second cables;
• first and second connector locations at the second side for connecting to a first signal transmission member and a second signal transmission member, respectively;
• movable two position switches on the circuit board for selectively connecting the first and second connectors of the first side.