US 5,669,779 AGranted

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

AssigneeIndustrial Technology, Inc.

InventorsGeorge G. Galloway, John N. Moss

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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.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method of connecting to a circuit in a jack, the jack having a port adjacent to the circuit, the circuit comprising first and second switch contacts that are normally closed together so as to provide continuity of the circuit, the first switch contact being displaceable to first and second displacements relative to the second switch contact, with the circuit being closed when the first switch contact is displaced to the first displacement due to the first switch contact being in contact with the second switch contact, and with the circuit being opened when the first switch contact is displaced to the second displacement due to the first switch contact being out of contact with the second switch contact, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a conductor with at least one surface that, when the one surface contacts the first switch contact, limits the displacement of the first switch contact to the first displacement so as to maintain circuit continuity through the first and second switch contacts;
b) inserting the conductor partially into the port of the jack;
c) rotating the conductor about a longitudinal axis so as to align the one conductor surface with the first switch contact;
d) continuing to insert the conductor fully into the port of the jack and limiting the displacement of the first switch contact to the first displacement during contact with the conductor so as to maintain circuit continuity through the first and second switch contacts.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.