US5376019A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gel filled modular electrical connecting block
Assignee: Tyco International Ltd Bermuda
•
Filing: 1993-01-22
•
Granted: 1994-12-27
•
Expires: 2013-01-22
Abstract
Abstract An environmentally protected electrical socket and plug assembly (10) retains environmental security throughout repeated connections and disconnections. The socket and plug assembly includes a socket 100 containing an electrical conductor 85 and adapted to insertably receive a plug 90, an environmental sealant 140 at least partially filling the socket so that the sealant is at least partially displaced from the socket when the plug is inserted into the socket, and an elastomeric containment means 40 having an inset dimple 50 for being outwardly deflected to contain displaced sealant when the plug is inserted into the socket and to urge the sealant back into the socket when the plug is removed.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald L. Shimirak
- 👤 Jackie Thomas
- 👤 Miguel Morales
- 👤 Yogendra S. Dhanik
- 👤 Darcey Messner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:40
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/44; H01R13/443; H01R13/46; H01R13/52; H01R13/5216; H02; H02G; H02G15/00; H02G15/08; H02G15/10; H02G15/117; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/24; H04M3/00; H04M3/22; H04M3/24; H04M3/244; H04M3/245; H04M3/26; H04M3/28; H04M3/30; H04M3/302; H04M3/303; H04Q; H04Q1/00; H04Q1/02; H04Q1/028; H04Q1/11; H01R13/02; H01R13/26; H01R2201/00; H01R2201/16; H01R24/00; H01R24/60; H01R24/62; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13003; H04Q2213/13034; H04Q2213/13096; H04Q2213/1316; H04Q2213/13162; H04Q2213/13179; H04Q2213/1319; H04Q2213/13194; H04Q2213/13199; H04Q2213/13335; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/933; Y10S439/936
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
An RJ type telephone connector spring block for forming an environmentally sealed RJ type telephone socket, said spring block comprising: a spring block body; a plurality of RJ type telephone socket contacts mounted to said spring block body; a plurality of wires electrically coupled to said RJ type telephone socket contacts; and a quantity of gel encapsulating said spring block body, at least a major portion of said RJ type telephone contacts adjacent said spring block body, wherein said encapsulated spring block is operably insertable into an RJ type telephone socket housing so as to form an environmentally sealed RJ type telephone socket.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
An RJ type telephone connector spring block for forming an environmentally sealed RJ type telephone socket, said spring block comprising: a spring block body; a plurality of RJ type telephone socket contacts mounted to said spring block body; a plurality of wires electrically coupled to said RJ type telephone socket contacts; and a quantity of gel encapsulating said spring block body, at least a major portion of said RJ type telephone contacts adjacent said spring block body, wherein said encapsulated spring block is operably insertable into an RJ type telephone socket housing so as to form an environmentally sealed RJ type telephone socket.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of manufacturing an RJ type telephone connector spring block for automatically forming an environmentally sealed RJ type socket upon insertion of said spring block into an RJ type socket housing, said method comprising the steps of: providing an RJ type telephone connector spring block having a plurality of contacts; inserting said RJ type telephone connector spring block into a gel mold; filling said gel mold with uncured gel so as to surround said RJ type telephone connector spring block; curing said gel; and removing said RJ type telephone connector spring block and said cured gel from said gel mold so that said RJ type telephone connector spring block is encapsulated by cured gel.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of manufacturing an RJ type telephone connector spring block for automatically forming an environmentally sealed RJ type socket upon insertion of said spring block into an RJ type socket housing, said method comprising the steps of: providing an RJ type telephone connector spring block having a plurality of contacts; inserting said RJ type telephone connector spring block into a gel mold; filling said gel mold with uncured gel so as to surround said RJ type telephone connector spring block; curing said gel; and removing said RJ type telephone connector spring block and said cured gel from said gel mold so that said RJ type telephone connector spring block is encapsulated by cured gel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
74 words
A sealed plug comprising: a plug substantially encapsulated in and by a sufficient quantity of shaped gel prior to insertion into a mating socket, said gel having an elongation of at least about 100% and a Voland gram hardness of about 15-50 grams such that said gel surrounds the plug and is capable of sealing at least a second plug upon the connection of the two plugs through the use of a mating socket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
A sealed plug comprising: a plug substantially encapsulated in and by a sufficient quantity of shaped gel prior to insertion into a mating socket, said gel having an elongation of at least about 100% and a Voland gram hardness of about 15-50 grams such that said gel surrounds the plug and is capable of sealing at least a second plug upon the connection of the two plugs through the use of a mating socket.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A sealed plug according to claim 3, wherein the volume of the shaped gel plus said plug is at least about 10% greater than the volume of said plug.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The sealed plug according to claim 3, wherein said shaped gel has a substantially cylindrical shape.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The sealed plug according to claim 3, wherein said shaped gel is substantially block-shaped and further comprises a top-front sloping surface extending from the front to the rear, a lower-front sloping surface extending form the front to a midpoint towards the rear, and a flat front portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3020260A
Cited
US3522576A
Cited
US4186986A
Cited
US4425017A
Cited
US5140746A
Cited
US4600261A
Cited
US4634207A
Cited
US4864725A
Cited
US4865905A
Cited
US4643924A
Cited
US4777063A
Cited
US4680233A
Cited
US4595635A
Cited
US4662692A
Cited
US4718678A
Cited
EP0213874A2
Cited
US5085597A
Cited
US4741709A
Cited
US4716183A
Cited
US4942270A
Cited
EP0319306A2
Cited
US4824390A
Cited
US4846721A
Cited
US4927386A
Cited
US4998894A
Cited
US4917617A
Cited
WO1991015038A2
Cited
US5111497A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-12-26 | 1998-06-27 | 1998-12-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-12-26 | 2002-06-27 | 2002-12-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-12-26 | 2006-06-27 | 2006-12-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |