Telecommunications Jack With Switchable Circuit Configurations

A telecommunications jack adapted to receive a plug, the telecommunications jack comprising:

• a housing defining a port;
• first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth consecutively arranged contact springs adapted to make electrical contact with an RJ-45 plug when the RJ-45 plug is inserted into the port of the housing along a direction defined by a first axis;
• ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth contact springs positioned apart from the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth consecutively arranged contact springs and adapted to make electrical contact with a IEC 60603-7-7-compliant plug when the IEC 60603-7-7-compliant plug is inserted into the port;
• first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth wire termination contacts for terminating wires to the device;
• a circuit board arrangement including first and second circuits, the circuit board arrangement including a circuit board moveable in a direction non-parallel from the first axis and between first and second positions,
• wherein in the first position the circuit board electrically connects at least the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth contact springs to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth wire termination contacts via a first circuit;
• and
• wherein in the second position the circuit board electrically connects the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth contact springs to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth wire termination contacts via a second circuit on the circuit board different from the first circuit.

A method of using a telecommunications jack comprising:

• inserting a plug into a port of a housing of the jack to engage first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth consecutively arranged contact springs, thereby engaging a circuit board arrangement including a circuit board moveable in a direction non-parallel with a first axis defining a direction of insertion of the plug between first and second positions, the jack including first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth wire termination contacts for terminating wires to the jack;
• wherein in the first position the circuit board electrically connects the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth contact springs to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth wire termination contacts via the first circuit;
• and
• wherein in the second position the circuit board electrically connects the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth contact springs to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth wire termination contacts via the second circuit different from the first circuit.

A method of using a telecommunications jack comprising:

• inserting a plug into a port of a housing of the jack to engage first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth consecutively arranged contact springs, thereby engaging a circuit board arrangement including a circuit board moveable along a direction non-parallel with a first axis defined as a direction of insertion of the plug between first and second positions, the jack including first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth wire termination contacts for terminating wires to the jack;
• wherein in the first position the circuit board electrically connects at least the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth contact springs to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth wire termination contacts via a first circuit;
• and
• wherein in the second position the circuit board electrically connects ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth contact springs to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth wire termination contacts via a second circuit on the circuit board different from the first circuit.

A telecommunications jack adapted to receive a plug, the telecommunications jack comprising:

• a housing defining a port for receiving the plug;
• first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth consecutively arranged contact springs adapted to make electrical contact with the plug when the plug is inserted into the port of the housing along a first axis;
• first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth wire termination contacts for terminating wires to the jack;
• a circuit board having a plurality of contact pads, the plurality of contact pads in electrical contact with corresponding first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth consecutively arranged contact springs;
• an insulating layer movable between first and second positions, wherein in a first position, the insulating layer is disposed between one or more of the contact springs and corresponding contact pads, and
• wherein in a second position, the insulating layer is removed from between the one or more contact springs and the corresponding contact pads.

A telecommunications jack adapted to receive a plug, the telecommunications jack comprising:

• a housing defining a port sized to receive plugs having at least first and second shapes, the first shape corresponding to an RJ-45 plug and the second shape corresponding to a modified plug, the modified plug having a shape different from a shape of the RJ-45 plug;
• first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth consecutively arranged contact springs adapted to make electrical contact with the RJ-45 plug when the RJ-45 plug is inserted into the port of the housing along a first axis;
• first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth wire termination contacts for terminating wires to the jack;
• a circuit board having a plurality of contact pads, the plurality of contact pads in electrical contact with corresponding first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth consecutively arranged contact springs;
• an engagement arrangement including an engagement surface positioned to be displaced by a plug having a first shape when inserted into the port, but remain in place when the plug having the second shape is inserted into the port;
• wherein the engagement arrangement includes a mechanical linkage between a first engagement component including the engagement surface and a second engagement component attached to a circuit component movable between first and second positions, the circuit component biased toward the first position and moved to the second position upon insertion of the modified plug.