US 6,554,652 B1Granted

Jack assembly including baluns interface; and methods

AssigneeADC Telecommunications, Inc.

InventorsBruce Musolf, Douglas G. Elliot, Ravindra R. Khosla

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A jack and chassis assembly includes a baluns interface connected directly to the in/out wire wrap pins on the jacks. This helps to convert 75 ohm coaxial signals to 120 ohm twisted pair interface signals for equipment connections. The jack and chassis assembly includes at least one jack, a chassis defining a first frame holding the jack, a circuit board mounted to the first frame and in electrical contact with the jack, and a balun in electrical contact with the jack. Methods for assembling a jack and chassis assembly include mounting a jack onto a frame, providing a second frame holding a balun, and connecting the jack to the balun. A chassis assembly includes a first frame, and a second frame, with the first frame being mounted within the second frame. A method for servicing a jack assembly includes providing jacks mounted in a first frame in a chassis, providing a circuit board secured to the first frame and in electrical connection with each of the jacks, removing the first frame holding the jacks from a second frame supporting a panel of baluns electrically connected to the jacks, and providing a space between the plurality of jacks and the panel of baluns sufficient to permit service access to the jacks.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A jack and chassis assembly comprising:

(a) a jack including:
(i) a body comprising a dielectric material;
said body having a forward wall;
an opposite rear wall;
and defining an interior chamber and a plurality of bores;
(A) said plurality of bores extending through said forward wall in communication with said interior chamber;
(B) each of said bores being sized to receive a plug having a tip contact and a ring contact;
(ii) a plurality of electrically conductive spring contacts oriented within said interior chamber;
(A) each of said spring contacts including tip spring contacts and ring spring contacts;
(B) said tip spring contacts being disposed to make electrical contact with tip contacts of plugs inserted within said bores;
(C) said ring spring contacts being disposed to make electrical contact with ring contacts of plugs inserted within said bores;
(iii) a first plurality of connection locations secured to said body and projecting from said forward wall;
(iv) a second plurality of connection locations secured to said body and projecting from said rear wall;
(v) a plurality of conductive pins secured to said body and projecting from said rear wall;
and
(vi) a first circuit board secured to said body;
said first circuit board including a first and second plurality of circuit paths;
(A) said first plurality of circuit paths disposed on said first circuit board to make electrical contact between said plurality of spring contacts and said first plurality of connection locations;
(B) said second plurality of circuit paths disposed on said first circuit board to make electrical contact between said plurality of spring contacts and said second plurality of connection locations;
(b) a chassis;
said chassis defining a first frame;
(i) said jack being removably mounted to said first frame;
(c) a second circuit board mounted on said first frame of said chassis;
said second circuit board having a socket secured thereto and in electrical contact therewith;
(i) said socket being in receipt of and in electrical contact with said plurality of conductive pins;
(d) a panel supporting a converter arrangement;
(i) said converter arrangement being in electrical contact with said second plurality of connection locations;
and
(e) a second frame holding said first frame;
said panel being secured to said second frame.

27 more elements

A method for assembling a jack and chassis assembly;

the method comprising:
(a) providing a jack including:
(i) a body comprising a dielectric material;
the body having a forward wall;
an opposite rear wall;
and defining an interior chamber and a plurality of bores;
(A) the plurality of bores extending through the forward wall in communication with the interior chamber;
(B) each of the bores being sized to receive a plug having a tip contact and a ring contact;
(ii) a plurality of electrically conductive spring contacts oriented within the interior chamber;
(A) each of the spring contacts including tip spring contacts and ring spring contacts;
(B) the tip spring contacts being disposed to make electrical contact with tip contacts of plugs inserted within the bores;
(C) the ring spring contacts being disposed to make electrical contact with ring contacts of plugs inserted within the bores;
(iii) a first plurality of connection locations secured to the body and projecting from the forward wall;
(iv) a second plurality of connection locations secured to the body and projecting from the rear wall;
(v) a plurality of conductive pins secured to the body and projecting from the rear wall;
and
(vi) a first circuit board secured to the body;
the first circuit board including a first and a second plurality of circuit paths;
(A) the first plurality of circuit paths disposed on the first circuit board to make electrical contact between the plurality of spring contacts and the first plurality of connection locations;
(B) the second plurality of circuit paths disposed on the first circuit board to make electrical contact between the plurality of spring contacts and the second plurality of connection locations;
(b) providing a chassis including a first frame;
the first frame defining an open front face and open back face;
(c) operably mounting the jack onto the first frame through the open front face and such that the second plurality of connection locations projects and is accessible through the open back face;
(d) providing a second frame holding a pair of baluns;
(e) operably mounting the first frame with the jack onto the second frame;
and
(f) connecting the jack to the pair of baluns.

24 more elements

A method for servicing a jack assembly comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of jacks mounted in a first frame in a chassis;
each of the jacks including:
(i) a body comprising a dielectric material;
the body having a forward wall;
an opposite rear wall;
and defining an interior chamber and a plurality of bores;
(A) the plurality of bores extending through the forward wall in communication with the interior chamber;
(B) each of the bores being sized to receive a plug having a tip contact and a ring contact;
(ii) a plurality of electrically conductive spring contacts oriented within the interior chamber;
(A) each of the spring contacts including tip spring contacts and ring spring contacts;
(B) the tip spring contacts being disposed to make electrical contact with tip contacts of plugs inserted within the bores;
(C) the ring spring contacts being disposed to make electrical contact with ring contacts of plugs inserted within the bores;
(iii) a first plurality of connection locations secured to the body and projecting from the forward wall;
(iv) a second plurality of connection locations secured to the body and projecting from the rear wall;
(v) a plurality of conductive pins secured to the body and projecting from the rear wall;
and
(vi) a first circuit board secured to the body;
the first circuit board including a first and second plurality of circuit paths;
(A) the first plurality of circuit paths disposed on the first circuit board to make electrical contact between the plurality of spring contacts and the first plurality of connection locations;
(B) the second plurality of circuit paths disposed on the first circuit board to make electrical contact between the plurality of spring contacts and the second plurality of connection locations;
(b) providing a second circuit board secured to the first frame and in electrical connection with each of the jacks;
(c) removing the first frame holding the plurality of jacks from a second frame supporting a panel of baluns electrically connected to the jacks;
(i) the step of removing including maintaining the connection between the plurality of jacks and the panel of baluns and maintaining the connection between the plurality of jacks and the second circuit board;
and
(d) while maintaining the connection between the plurality of jacks and the panel of baluns and maintaining the connection between the plurality of jacks and the second circuit board, providing a space between the plurality of jacks and the panel of baluns sufficient to permit service access to the second plurality of connection locations of each of the jacks.

22 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/077,575Filed 15 Feb 2002
Granted: 29 Apr 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H01R 24/58
Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure: contacts spaced along longitudinal axis…
H04Q 1/023
Constructional details: using sliding mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
H04Q 1/09
Constructional details: frames or mounting racks not otherwise provided for
H04Q 1/116
Protection against environment: lightning or EMI protection, e.g. shielding or grounding