GB2191047A

GB2191047A - Coaxial jack socket

Info

Publication number: GB2191047A
Application number: GB08628511A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mitsuyo Iizuka
Original assignee: IIZUKA ELECTRIC IND CO Ltd
Current assignee: IIZUKA ELECTRIC IND CO Ltd
Priority date: 1986-05-24
Filing date: 1986-11-28
Publication date: 1987-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2006-11-28
Also published as: DE3644254A1; GB2191047B; GB8628511D0; JPS62191081U; NL8701104A

Abstract

A jack socket has a main body (1) made of electrically insulating synthetic resin and a plurality of wire contacts (2). The main body (1) has a central hole (3) into which the plug is inserted and a plurality of parallel, wire contact receiving means (4, 5, 6) formed in planes perpendicular to a direction in which the plug is inserted. Each contact receiving means has a first hole or recess (4) in which a first straight portion (2a) of the wire contact (2) is fitted, a second recess (5) for accommodating a second straight portion (2b) of the wire contact (2) and a window portion (6) for receiving a contact portion (2c) of the wire contact (2). The window portion communicates with the central hole (3), so that a part of the contact portion (2c) projects into the central hole (3). Several different configurations of body and contacts are specified. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electric jack The present invention relates to an electric jack for receiving an electric plug to establish an electrical connection between the jack and the plug. Such a jack and plug connection is widely used in various types of electronic apparatus, for example acoustic devices.

Various kinds of jack for use in acoustic apparatus and other electronic apparatus have been proposed. These jacks have different constructions and different numbers of contacts. Since large numbers of contacts may be needed within a jack, this has led to complicated designs requiring large numbers of parts. In some cases, these complicated jacks are unstable. The need for a large number of parts and different kinds of jacks for various uses, results in increased expense.

Japanese Utility Model Aplication No.

129783/84 discloses an electric jack in which recesses are formed by widening parts of a plug receiving hole formed in an electrically insulating main body. Terminal clips formed by bending resilient wires are resiliently inserted in the recesses. In this electric jack, the movement of the inwardly bent clip is not limited, so that the bending of the clip must be accurate, otherwise the clips may be deformed when the plug is inserted. Once the clip is deformed, the jack does not work correctly.

Further, the extent of bending of the clips varies in accordance with the diameter of associated portions of the plug, so that a large number of parts is required.

The present invention proVides an electric jack for receiving a plug in order to make an electrical connection therebetween, comprising a main body made of electrically insulating material and having a central hole extending in a first direction into which a plug may be inserted, and a plurality of parallel, contact receiving means each lying in a plane perpendicular to said first direction and each including a window portion opening into said central hole; and a plurality of electrically conductive, resilient wire contacts having a U-shaped configuration, each wire contact being fitted in a respective contact receiving means such that a part of the wire contact projects into the central hole of the main body through said window portion.

Some electric jacks embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspectiVe view showing a first embodiment of an electric jack according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the rear of the jack shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the jack illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cross section view showing the jack of Fig. 1 with a plug inserted; Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views showing a second embodiment of a jack according to the invention; Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of a jack according to the invention; Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view illustrating the jack shown in Fig. 7; Figs. 9a, 9b and 9c are perspective views showing several embodiments of the wire contacts for the jack;; Figs. 10a and 10b are cross sectional views showing a fourth embodiment of a jack according to the invention; Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a fifth embodiment of a jack according to the invention; Figs. 12 and 13 are cross sectional views of the jack shown in Fig. 11; Figs. 14 and 15 are cross sectional views showing a sixth and seventh embodiment of a jack according to the invention; Fig. 16 is a schematic view for explaining a relation between the diameter of the plug and the degree of projection of the wire contact; Figs. 17 to 20 show several methods of connecting the terminal portions of the jack to a printed circuit board; Fig. 21 is a cross sectional view showing an eighth embodiment of a jack according to the invention which comprises a soldering flux protection wall member; Fig. 22 is a side view of the jack shown in Fig. 21;; Fig. 23 is a perspective view showing a soldering flux protection wall member; Fig. 24 is a side view showing a ninth embodiment of a jack according to the invention which includes a wall member for preventing the wire contacts from being removed; Fig. 25 is a perspective view showing the wall member shown in Fig. 24; and Fig. 26 is a side view showing a tenth embodiment of a jack according to the invention comprising both a soldering flux protection wall member and a removal preventing wall member.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of an electric jack according to the invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the jack comprises a main body 1 made of electrically insulating material such as synthetic resin and a plurality of wire contacts 2 made of resilient wires. The main body 1 has a central hole 3 extending in a first direction for receiving a plug (not shown) and a plurality of contact receiving means lying in a plane perpendicular to said first direction. These means comprise first contact receiving portions or holes 4 extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The successive holes 4 are separated from each other in the first direction, that is axially of the hole 3.Each contact receiving means further includes a recess 5 in an outer surface of the main body 1 which communicates with a respective hole 4, and a window portion 6 which communicates with a respective recess 5. The window portions 6 open into the central hole 3. The recesses 5 may be inclined toward the window portions 6. The main body 1 further comprises projections 7 formed integrally therewith for securing the jack to a printed circuit board. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a rear construction of the main body 1. On the rear surface of the main body 1 there are formed projections 8 for positioning the jack with respect to a printed circuit board.

Each wire contact 2 is formed by bending an electrically conductive and resilient metal wire, rod or plate into a given shape. The wire contact 2 comprises a first straight portion 2a to be inserted into the hole 4, a second straight portion 2b to be inserted into the recess 5 and a contact portion 2c to be inserted into the window portion 6.

The contact portion 2c is largely bent inwardly so that it projects into the central hole 3. A free end 2d of the first straight portion 2a projects out of the hole 4 so that it can be connected to the printed circuit board by soldering.

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sectional views showing the jack of Fig. 1, in which the jack is secured to the printed circuit board B after the wire contacts 2 have been assembled in the main body 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates the condition in which the plug is not inserted in the jack, while Fig. 4 shows the condition in which the plug is inserted into the jack. The contact portion 2c of the wire contact 2 is resiliently deformed from a position shown by a dotted line S1 to a position depicted by a solid line S2, when the plug B is inserted into the jack.

In this manner, the plug p is resiliently brought into contact with the contact portion 2c of the wire contact 2 and the electrical connection therebetween can be attained sufficiently.

Figs. 5 and 6 show another construction of the main body of the jack. In this embodiment, alternate holes 4 and window portions 6 communicated with the recess 5 are formed on opposite side surfaces of the main body 1.

In such an embodiment, it is possible to increase the space between adjacent holes 4 and the space between adjacent window portions 6. In this way the mechanical strength of the main body 1 is increased.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate another construction of the electric jack. In this embodiment, the holes into which the straight portions 2a of the wire contacts 2 are inserted are replaced by recesses 4'. There are further formed depressions 9 at centres of the recesses 4', into which depressions projections 2e formed in the straight portions 2a of the wire contacts 2 are clamped. In this embodiment, the wire contact 2 can be effectively prevented from being removed out of the main body 1 due to the engagement between the projection 2e and the depression 9.

Figs. 9a to 9c show several constructions for the wire contacts.

As illustrated in Fig. 9a, a projection 2e is formed for engaging with the depression 9 of the main body 1. As depicted in Fig. 9b, a projection 2f is formed for engaging with the printed circuit board B. Fig. 9c illustrates the wire contact 2 for use with the jack shown in Fig. 8. Two projections 2e and 2f are formed in portion 2a for engaging with the depression 9 and the printed circuit board B, respectively.

Figs. 1 0a and 10b show another construction of the electric jack. In this embodiment, the hole 4 has a wider port 4a which extends in the plane perpendicular to the first direction in which the plug is inserted. When the plug P is inserted into the central hole 3 of the main body 1 and the contact portion 2c of the wire contact 2 is deflected or deformed by engagement with the plug P as shown in Fig. 10b, the first straight portion 2a of the wire contact 2 can also be deflected in the widened port 4a. Therefore, the resiliency of the resilient wire contact 2 can be improved and the contact portion 2c can be effectively protected against extreme deformation.

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 illustrate still another construction of the electric jack. In this embodiment, a stopper portion 10 is formed in the main body 1 at the window portion 6.

When the plug p is inserted into the central hole 3 of the main body 1 as shown in Fig.

12, a free end of the contact portion 2c of the wire contact 2 is urged against the stopper portion 10 so that the movement of the contact portion 2c is limited, and therefore the contact portion 2c is brought into contact with the plug P with a larger force. By adjusting a thickness T of the stopper portion 10, it is possible to change the contact pressure of the contact portion 2c with the plug P. For instance, the stopper portion 10 may have different thicknesses T viewed in the first direction in accordance with different diameters of the chip ring sleeves of the plug P. Then, the contact pressures between respective wire contacts 2 and chip ring sleeves can be maintained substantially identical with each other.

As illustrated in Fig. 13, a contact point Q of the contact portion 2c of the wire contact 2 against the plug P is offset with respect to a centre line 0-0 of the central hole 3. Then, the wire contact 2 can be positively prevented from being moved downward in Fig. 13. That is to say, the contact point Q is set at a position which is offset in the inserting direc tion of the wire contact 2 on the side of the centre line away from a base of the U-shaped contact wire.

Figs. 14 and 15 show another construction of the electric jack. In these embodiments, the window portion 6 is formed in the main body 1 not by a recess, but as a flat hole having a relatively large dimension. The flat hole 6 is defined by a side wall 11.

Fig. 16 is a schematic view showing the amounts Al, A-2 and A3 by which the wire contact 2 project into the hole 3 with respect to diameters D1, D2 and D3 of the sleeve, ring and chip of the plug P. The amount of projection Al, A2, A3 determines the force required to insert the plug. By changing the thickness T of the stopper portion 10 in accordance with the diameters D1, D2 and D3, it is possible to make the preforce amounts Al, A2 and A3 identical with each other.

Therefore, even if the diameters of the contact portions of the plug P are different from each other, it is possible to use the same wire contacts 2. This significantly reduces the number of parts required for producing a range of jacks.

Figs. 17 to 20 show some ways in which the wire contact can be connected to the printed circuit board B. As shown in Figs. 17 and 18 the free ends 2d of the wire contacts 2 protruding from the main body 1 are bent outwardly along the surface of the printed circuit board B and are secured to the printed circuit board B. As illustrated in Figs. 19 and 20, free ends 2d of the odd and even numbered wire contacts 2 are bent outwardly in opposite directions and are secured to the printed circuit board B.

As illustrated in Fig. 21, a side wall portion 11 is formed integrally with the main body 1 such that the contact portion 2c of the wire contact 2 is surrounded by the main body 1 and the wall portion L1. This prevents soldering flux from being introduced into the main body 1 through the free end 2d of the wire contact 2 upon securing the end portion 2d to the printed circuit board B.

As shown in Fig. 22, a soldering flux protection wall member 12 made of electrically insulating material is secured to the side wall of the main body 1 from which the free ends 2d of the wire contacts 2 project. The flux protection wall member 12 has formed therein a plurality of smali holes 13 through which the end portions 2d of the wire contacts 2 are passed as illustrated in Fig. 23. There is further provided a suitable means 14 for securing the flux protection wall member 12 to the main body 1.

Figs. 24 and 25 show another construction of the electric jack. In this embodiment, in order to prevent the wire contacts 2 assembled in the main body from being removed out of the main body 1, a lid-like wall member 15 made of electrically insulating material is secured to the main body 1, on a surface of the main body which is opposite to that from which the free ends 2d of the wire contacts 2 project outwardly.

Fig. 25 shows the lid-like wall member 15 for protecting the wire contacts 2 against removal from the main body 1. The lid-iike wall member 15 comprises a wall portion 15a and side ridges for securing the wall member to the main body 1 of the jack. It should be noted that any suitable fitting means may be provided instead of the side ridges 15b.

Fig. 26 illustrates another construction of the electric jack. In this embodiment, the jack has a soldering flux protection wall member 12 and a removal protection wall member 15 detachably secured to opposite side surfaces of the main body 1.

It will be appreciated that the electric jacks described are advantageous in that use may be made of wire contacts having the same configuration for making jacks for plugs with chip ring sleeves having different diameters.

Only two kinds of parts, i.e. main body and wire contacts are required. Therefore, the manufacture and management of the parts is very easy and simple. Moreover, since the jack is assembled only by inserting the wire contacts into the main body, the assembly can be simply effected and the stability of the manufactured jack can be improved materially.

Further, the number of wire contacts can be changed at will in accordance with the various applications, so that the described jack can be applied to a variety of commercial uses. The cost of the jack has been reduced to a large extent. Furthermore, the described electric jack can be made small in size.

Claims

1. An electric jack for receiving a plug in order to make an electrical connection therebetween, comprising a main body made of electrically insulating material and having a central hole extending in a first direction into which a plug may be inserted, and a plurality of parallel, contact receiving means each lying in a plane perpendicular to said first direction and each including a window portion opening into said central hole; and a plurality of electrically conductive, resilient wire contacts having a U-shaped configuration, each wire contact being fitted in a respective contact receiving means such that a part of the wire contact projects into the central hole of the main body through said window portion.

2. An electric jack according to claim 1, wherein each said wire contact comprises a first straight portion, a second straight portion and a contact portion, and each said contact receiving means of the main body comprises a first contact receiving portion for receiving the first straight portion of the wire contact, a recess for receiving said second straight portion of the wire contact, and the window portion for receiving said contact portion of the wire contact.

3. An electric jack according to claim 2, wherein said first contact receiving portion is defined by a hole through which the first straight portion of the wire contact is inserted.

4. An electric jack according to claim 2, wherein said first contact receiving portion is formed by a recess.

5. An electric jack according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said main body further comprises a stopper portion which is adapted to engage with the wire contacts when the plug is inserted into the central hole.

6. An electric jack according to claim 5, wherein said stopper portion has a thickness adjacent each said contact dependent on the diameter of the corresponding contact of the plug to be inserted.

7. An electric jack according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein said recess for said second straight portion and the window portion of the contact receiving means are communicated with each other via an inclined portion of the main body.

8. An electric jack according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 7, wherein said first contact receiving portions and window portions of the contact receiving means are successively formed on opposite sides of the body.

9. An electric jack according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the part of each wire contact which projects into the central hole is rounded.

10. An electric jack according to claim 9, wherein a top point of the rounded portion of the contact portion of the wire contact is offset toward a free end of the contact portion with respect to a centre line of the central hole, parallel to a base of the U-shaped contacts.

11. An electric jack according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a free end of each said wire contact projects beyond the main body.

12. An electric jack comprising a body having a central plug receiving socket, a plurality of substantially U-shaped wire contacts and a corresponding plurality of parallel, contact receiving means defined in said main body and spaced axially of said socket, each contact receiving means defining a window portion opening into said socket and for retaining a limb of the wire contact so that a part of the limb projects into the socket.

13. An electric jack substantially as herein described with reference to any of the accom panying drawings.