PC board mounted jack connector assembly

Abstract

Disclosed is a PC board jack assembly that reduces or eliminates signal loss with an audio plug. The jack assembly employs a support housing having a passageway sized to receive the audio plug with connectors to engage the opposite sides of a conventional audio jack. The jack assembly provides secure attachment to a PC board to avoid trace lifting.

Claims

1. A PC board jack assembly for receiving a conventional audio plug comprising: a support housing defined by a first compartment formed from a front end wall and a first side wall, a second compartment formed from said first side wall and a second side wall, and a third compartment formed from said second side wall and an end wall, said support housing having a centrally disposed aperture extending through each said compartment; a threaded barrel attached to said front end wall; a first inner contact and a first outer contact positioned within said first compartment constructed and arranged to contact two side surfaces along a first portion of the audio plug; a second inner contact and a second outer contact positioned within said second compartment constructed and arranged to contact two side surfaces of a second portion of the audio plug; and a third inner contact and a third outer contact positioned within said third compartment constructed and arranged to contact two side surfaces of a tip on the audio plug; said first and second inner contacts having a lower portion conforming to the audio jack with an upper portion of each said first and second inner contacts providing a bridge surface, and said first and second outer contacts having a lower portion conforming to the audio jack with an upper portion of each said first and second outer contacts electrically engaging a bridge surface of an adjoining inner contact.

2. The jack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said support housing is constructed of a non conductive material.

3. The jack assembly according to claim 2 wherein said non conductive material is injection molded plastic.

4. The jack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first and second inner contact is U-shaped and includes an upper raised protrusion for positioning above a chamber spacer wall and a lower raised protrusion for positioning below a chamber spacer wall for locking said inner contact to said support housing.

5. The jack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first and second outer contact is L-shaped and includes an upper raised protrusion for positioning above a chamber spacer wall and a lower raised protrusion for positioning below a chamber spacer wall for locking said outer contact to said support housing.

6. The jack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first and second inner contacts are interchangeable.

7. The jack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said third inner contact is U-shaped having a lower portion with a protrusion conforming to the grooved tip of an audio jack and an upper portion providing a bridge surface, and said third inner contact having a lower portion with a protrusion conforming to the grooved tip of an audio jack and an upper portion electrically coupling to said said third outer contact.

8. The jack assembly according to claim 7 wherein said third outer contact is L-shaped and includes an upper raised protrusion for positioning above a chamber spacer wall and a lower raised protrusion for positioning below a chamber spacer wall for locking said third outer contact to said support housing.

9. The jack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said threaded barrel includes a protrusion for coupling to said front end wall.

10. The jack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said threaded barrel electrically couples to said first inner and outer contact.

11. The jack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said threaded barrel is for receipt of a threaded fastener, wherein said fastener and threaded barrel are used to secure said jack assembly to a fixed frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the PC board jack assembly;

(2) FIG. 2 is an exploded view thereof with an audio jack;

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the support housing;

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the threaded barrel;

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an inner contact for the jack shank;

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the outer contact for the jack shank;

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the outer contact for the jack tip; and

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the inner contact for the jack tip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(9) Detailed embodiments of the instant invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific functional and structural details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representation basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

(10) Now referring to the drawings, set forth is a PC Board jack assembly 10 for receiving a conventional audio plug. The preferred audio plug is a conventional 6.35 mm ( inch) plug that has been an industry standard for over a century. The conventional audio plug 100, includes a groove 102 formed along a tip 104, which operates as a detent and is commonly used for securing the audio plug into a receiving jack assembly. The shank of the audio plug 100 may include a first portion 108 isolated from a second portion 110, allowing the plug to be used in either a mono or stereo embodiment. The base 112 of the plug is typically enlarged to allow an individual to easily grasp the plug for insertion or removal from a jack receptacle.

(11) The PC board jack assembly 10 consists of a support housing 12 defined by a first compartment 14 formed from a front end wall 16 and a first side wall 18. A second compartment 20 is formed from the first side wall 18 and a second side wall 22. A third compartment 24 is formed from the second side wall 22 and an end wall 26. The support housing 12 has a centrally disposed aperture 28 extending through the three compartments. Each compartment 14, 20, 24 is spaced apart from adjoining side walls by a first spacer wall 30 formed on a first side; the first spacer wall 30 having a slot 32 for receipt of a U-shaped terminal connector. The first spacer wall 30 further has a lower edge 34 and an upper edge 36 defining a height for use in capturing protrusions formed on each terminal connector, as will be explained later in this specification. Similarly, a second spacer wall 40 having a slot 42 for receipt of an L-shaped terminal connector has a lower edge 34 and an upper edge 36 defining the height for capturing of protrusions formed on each terminal connector. For simplicity in the drawings, the spacer walls in each compartment are identical, for this reason they will be numbered the same to avoid drawing congestion. The support housing is constructed from non-conductive materials, preferably plastic.

(12) A threaded barrel 50 is attached to the front end wall 16. The threaded barrel has a central aperture 52 sized for receipt of the audio jack shank 106. A barrel lip 54, having a first alignment tab 56, is insertable into receptacle 58 formed in the first end wall 16; and a second alignment tab 60, having a locking protrusion 62, is insertable into receptacle 64 of the first end wall 16. The locking protrusion 62 is pushed through the receptacle 64 to engage the inner surface 66 of first end wall 16, securing the threaded barrel to the support housing 12. The upper end 68 of the second alignment tab 60 is available to contact the first terminals, as explained hereinafter. The threads 69 operate in conjunction with washer 70 and threaded fastener nut 72 for securely fastening the jack assembly 10 to a PC board.

(13) A first inner contact 74 is positioned within the first compartment 14. The first inner contact 74 is defined by a U-shaped inner contact 74 having a lower portion 78 conforming to the shank 106 of an audio jack, and an upper portion 80 providing a bridge surface or contact surface to interface with an L-shaped outer contact 76. The first inner contact 74 has an upper protrusion 82 and a lower protrusion 84 for capturing of the spacer wall 30. The terminal end 86 is insertable into slot 32 of the spacer wall 30, wherein the protrusions 82 and 84 lock the first inner contact 74 to the housing. An electrical connection, not shown, is securable to the terminal end 86.

(14) The first outer L-shaped contact 76 has a lower portion 92 conforming to the side of an audio jack and an upper portion 94 electrically coupling to the bridge surface 80 of the first inner contact 74. An upper protrusion 96 is spaced apart from a lower protrusion 98 for locking the contact to the support housing 12. The terminal end 120 is insertable through the slot 42, wherein protrusions 96 and 98 engage the spacer wall 40 and lock the first outer contact 76 to the support housing 12. An electrical connection, not shown, is securable to the terminal end 120. Securing an electrical connection to both terminal ends 86 and 120 provides redundancy in the electrical connection should a wire or contact be damaged. A second outer contact 76 is positioned within the second compartment 20. The second outer contact 76 is identical to the first outer contact 76. For simplicity, the explanation of the first outer contact 76 applies to the second outer contact 76.

(15) A second inner contact 74 is positioned within the second compartment 20. The second inner contact 74 is identical to the first inner contact 74. For simplicity, the explanation of the first inner contact 74 applies to the second inner contact 74.

(16) A third inner contact 132 is positioned within the third compartment 24. The third inner contact 132 is defined by a U-shaped inner contact 132 having a lower portion 134 conforming to the groove 102 of an audio jack by use of a scallop end 136. An upper portion 138 provides a bridge surface or contact surface to interface with an L-shaped outer contact 150. The third inner contact 132 has an upper protrusion 140 and a lower protrusion 142 for capturing of the spacer wall 30. The terminal end 144 is insertable into slot 32 of the spacer wall 30, wherein the protrusions 140 and 142 lock the third inner contact 132 to the support housing 12. An electrical connection, not shown, is securable to the terminal end 144.

(17) The third outer L-shaped contact 150 has a lower portion 152 conforming to the side of an audio jack by use of a scallop shape 154. An upper portion 156 is electrically coupled to the bridge surface 138 of the inner contact 132. An upper protrusion 160 is spaced apart from a lower protrusion 162 for locking the contact 150 to the support housing 12. The terminal end 166 is insertable through the slot 42, wherein protrusions 160 and 162 engage the spacer wall 40 and lock the third outer contact 150 to the support housing 12. An electrical connection, not shown, is securable to the terminal end 166. Securing an electrical connection to both terminal ends 144 and 166 provides redundancy in the electrical connection should a wire or contact be damaged.

(18) The U-shaped inner contacts 74, 74 and 132 provides constant biasing effect against the shank of the audio plug. The L-shaped outer contacts 76, 76 and 150 provides biasing from another direction, wherein the contacts each apply pressure independent of each other. The U-shaped and L-shaped contacts work together, wherein the cost of manufacturing is reduced by forming the independent contacts as disclosed. The contacts, threaded barrel and fastening nut are preferably constructed from copper alloy, nickel plated. The support housing is preferably constructed from ABS plastic. A mounting screw 151 can be used to secure the support housing to a frame. The jack assembly provides secure attachment to a PC board to avoid trace lifting.

(19) The term coupled is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. All patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figures included herein.

(20) One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended to be exemplary, and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art, which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention, which are obvious to those skilled in the art, are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.