Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a two-part modular telephone jack,
and particularly to a snap-action assembly of the two parts.
Modular jacks conventionally are formed from two parts, top
and bottom. The two parts cooperate to define an aperture. The bottom
part usually defines the bottom and sides of the aperture, the top part
forming the top of the aperture. The lower part of the aperture is
profiled to locate a plug and to ensure correct orientation of the plug
when inserted into the jack. The top part carries spring contacts which
make contact with contacts in the plug, conductors being connected to the
contacts.
One way of making jacks is to sonic weld the two parts
together. This is not particularly satisfactory in that it is not
possible to determine the quality of the join, which can vary from
assembly to assembly. In fact, the only way to be 100 percent certain of
the quality of the joins is to submit each jack to a specified tensile
weld test. However this approach is of course useless as every jack is
then destroyed or substantially weakened. The situation is therefore
somewhat unsatisfactory.
Another way of assembling two parts of a jack is to form the
bottom part with a shroud which extends over the top part to capture and
locate the top part, the top part being slid horizontally over the bottom
part into the shroud. Deformable detents engage into recesses to provide
a snap assembly which holds the two parts in alignment once assembled. If
the direction of insertion of a plug into the jack is considered as axial
or lateral direction, then the sliding of the top part relative to the
bottom part is in this axial or lateral direction. Relative vertical
movement between the two parts is prevented by the shroud.
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The present invention avoids the need for a shroud and
provides assembly by relative vertical movement between top and bottom
parts. This provides a jack with the minimum vertical profile, that is a
lower overall height. The current trend in telephone set design is
towards miniaturization and consequently the available space in either the
handset or the set base has been severely reduced. The ability to provide
a jack in which the two parts are positively assembled without a shroud or
relyiny on sonic welding is a very distinct advantage.
The present invention provides a modular jack having top and
bottom parts, the parts assembled by relative vertical movement,
vertically extending flexible snap members on one member deflecting over
and snapping in behind ramps on the other member. Guide surfaces on the
member having the ramps provide lateral location and guidance during
assembly.
The invention will be readily understood by the following
description of an embodiment, by way of example, in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a front view of a top part of a jack;
Figure 2 is a side view in the direction of the arrow A in
Figure l;
Figure 3 is a bottom view in the direction of the arrow B inFigure 1;
Figure 4 is a front view of a bottom part of a jack;
Figure 5 is a side view in the direction of the arrow C in
Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a top view in the direction of the arrow D in
Figure 4;
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Figures 7 and 8 are front and side views of an assembled
jack.
Considering Figures l, 2 and 3 the top 10 comprises a main
body portion 11. A plurality of bores 12 extend longitudinally through
the body portion, the bores connecting with grooves 13 extending down the
front face. At either side of the main body por~ion are downwardly
extending flexible snap members 14, having inwardly extending ribs 15.
The ribs 15 each have a downwardly and outwardly extending lower surface
16, and a horizontal upper surface 17. In the example, the snap members
14 are centrally placed on the body member, and of slightly reduced length
longitudinally compared to the body member, as can be seen in Figure 2.
The bottom surface 18 of the body member has a wide central
web 19 extending downward a short distance between the members 14, the
central web 19 having a flat bottom surface. Short inclined grooves 20
extend from the grooves 13 at the front face.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the bottom part 25, The
bottom part 25 is generally of a U-shaped configuration having a base web
26 and side webs 27, side webs 27 being spaced apart laterally and
parallel. Extending between the side webs 27 at one end, a back end, of
the bottom part is a comb member 28, in the form of a web 29 having a
plurality of parallel slots 30 extending down from a top edge 31.
The top edges of the side webs 27 have inwardly projecting
ribs 32, the distance between the opposing faces 33 of the ribs being such
that the central web 17 of the top part is a sliding fit between the faces
33.
On the outside of the side webs 27 are formed guide members
34. The guide members are formed one at the rear end of one side member
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27 and the other at the front end of the other side member. The guide
members 34 each have a guide surface 35, the guide surfaces facing towards
the transverse center line or axis of the bottom member.
Also formed on the outside of the side webs 27 are outwardly
extending ribs 36, a rib on each side member. Each rib 36 has an
outwardly and downwardly inclined top surface 37 and a bottom surface 38
which is normal to the web 27.
The base web 26 of the bottom part has a configuration or
profile at 39, to match the external profile of a plug.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an assembled jack. The top
member is pushed down on to the bottom member 25. The guide surfaces 35
on the bottom member locate this top member longitudinally. The side webs
14 of the top member pass down outside the side webs 27 of the bottom
part, the ribs 15 finally riding over the ribs 36 and snapping in under
the ribs, surfaces 17 and 38 in contact. The central web 18 slides
between the inner faces 33 of the ribs 32 on the bottom part, the surface
17 of the top part contacting the top surface of the bottom part.
Prior to assembly of the top part to the bottom part, spring
contact members 45 are inserted into the top member. The spring contact
members are attached to conductors 46 and are originally straight. The
contact members are inserted through the bores 12 from the back face, the
contact members then bent down to lie in the grooves 13, and then the free
ends 47 bent rearwards. In assembly of the top portion to the bottom
portion, the free ends 47 are positioned in the slots 30 of the comb
member 29.
By assembling the two parts with a relative vertical
movement, a jack of considerably reduced height is obtained as compared to
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a two part snap assembled jack in which the parts are assembled by
relative longitudinal nnovennent. No shroud around the top part is
required. This reduced height is of particular relevance when used in
telephones having a low profile. Low profiles are becoming very prevalent
in present day telephones, with the reduction in size of components. This
is particularly evident for electronic telephones when the telephone set
base can be very low, creating problems in providing sufficient height for
a jack. The invention provides a low height jack and also avoids the
problems of parts being sonic welded.
The two parts define the conventional aperture 48 for
receiving the conventional modular plug. The terrns top part, bottom part,
longitudinal, lateral and vertical have been used in relation to the
illustration of the jack in the drawings. In actual use the orientation
of the jack may vary.
