The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 02, 2001
Filed:
May. 03, 2000
James T. Roberts, Oak Park, IL (US);
Yan Margulis, Buffalo Grove, IL (US);
Molex Incorporated, Lisle, IL (US);
Abstract
A modular jack includes a substantially rectangular dielectric receptacle housing having a front face, a bottom board mounting wall, and a top, rear and a pair of side walls substantially surrounding a plug-receiving cavity. The cavity extends rearwardly from the front face for receiving a mating plug connector. In order to limit insertion of an undersized plug into a full-sized plug-receiving cavity in the receptacle housing, a stop surface is incorporated into a flexible stop member projecting from the housing and extending into the plug-receiving cavity. The stop surface is located within the cavity so as to ensure contact with a leading edge of an undersized plug upon insertion of the undersized plug into the cavity. A sliding surface is also incorporated into the flexible member. The sliding surface is located within the cavity so as to ensure contact with a leading edge of a plug upon insertion into the cavity of a mating plug having a width appropriate for mating with the jack. The sliding surface resides closer to the front face of the receptacle housing than does the stop surface. When an undersized plug is inserted into the cavity, the leading edge of the undersized plug contacts the stop surface, preventing full insertion of the undersized plug into the cavity. When a mating plug is inserted into the cavity, the leading edge of the mating plug contacts the more forwardly-positioned sliding surface before reaching the stop surface. Sliding contact between the sliding surface and the mating plug leading edge causes the sliding surface to move. This movement produces a corresponding movement in the flexible stop member and the stop surface incorporated thereon such that the stop surface is located out of engagement with the leading surface of the mating plug, permitting full insertion of the mating plug into the cavity.