Selectable compatibility electrical connector jack

Claim 2

A selectable compatibility electrical connector jack for compatibility with high and low performance connector plugs, said jack comprising: a housing member, at least a portion of which is hollow and having a front face and a rear portion; said front face having a connector plug receiving opening therein; a plurality of spring contact members extending from said rear portion toward said opening; a movable circuit member disposed within said housing and having a first surface having circuit components thereon, said movable circuit member being movable in translation between a first position within said housing member and a second position therein; an actuator for moving said movable circuit member from said first position to said second position; and said front face of said jack being shaped to receive the plug therewithin and insure its adaptability to the performance characteristic of the plug.

Claim 3

The connector jack as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a channel within said housing for guiding and supporting said movable circuit member.

Claim 4

The connector jack as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some of said spring contact members are disposed to be in contact with circuit components on said first surface when said movable circuit member is in the second position.

Claim 5

The connector jack as claimed in claim 1 wherein said movable circuit member is a printed wiring board having circuit components on at least one surface or layer.

Claim 6

The connector jack as claimed in claim 4 wherein said circuit components are capacitance pads.

Claim 7

The connector jack as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least some of said contact members are disposed to be in contact with said capacitance pads when said printed wiring board is in the second position.

Claim 8

The connector jack as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator is affixed to said movable circuit member.

Claim 9

The connector jack as claimed in claim 7 wherein said actuator projects into said opening in said front face.

Claim 10

The connector jack as claimed in claim 1 and further including a restoring force member which bears against one end of said movable circuit member for moving said circuit member in translation from said second position to said first position.

Claim 11

The connector jack as claimed in claim 9 wherein said restoring force member is a spring.

Claim 12

The connector jack as claimed in claim 10 wherein said spring is a folded leaf spring.

Claim 13

The connector jack as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said spring contact members has a contacting bend therein in contact with said first surface of said movable circuit member.

Claim 14

The connector jack as claimed in claim 1 wherein said front face has first and second clearance notches therein.

Claim 15

A selectable compatibility connector jack for compatibility with high and low performance connector plugs, said jack comprising: a housing member, at least a portion of which is hollow and which has a front face and a rear portion; said front face having a connector plug receiving opening therein; a plurality of spring contact members extending from said rear portion toward said opening; a movable circuit member disposed within said housing and movable between first and second positions therein, said movable circuit member having circuit components thereon; at least some of said spring contact members having means for electrically contacting circuit components on said movable circuit member when said movable circuit member is in at least one of said first and second positions; means for moving said movable circuit member from said first position within said housing member to said second position therein; means for applying a restoring force to said movable circuit member to move it from said second position to said first position; and said connector plug receiving opening including means for insuring the adaptability of said jack to the performance characteristic of the plug.

Claim 16

A selectable compatibility connector jack for compatibility with high and low performance connector plugs, said jack comprising: a housing member, at least a portion of which is hollow and which has a front face and a rear portion; said front face having a connector plug receiving opening therein; a plurality of spring contact members extending from said rear portion toward said opening; a movable circuit member disposed within said housing and movable between first and second positions therein, said movable circuit member having circuit components thereon; at least some of said spring contact members having means for electrically contacting circuit components on said movable circuit member when said movable circuit member is in at least one of said first and second positions; means for moving said movable circuit member from said first position within said housing member to said second position therein; means for applying a restoring force to said movable circuit member to move it from said second position to said first position; and said connector plug receiving opening including means for insuring the adaptability of said jack to the performance characteristic of the plug.

Claim 17

The connector jack as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means making said jack adaptable to the high performance plug characteristic comprises at least one notch in said opening.

Claim 18

A selectable compatibility electrical connector jack for compatibility with high and low performance connector plugs, said jack comprising: housing member, at least a portion of which is hollow and having a front face and a rear portion; said front face having a connector plug receiving opening therein; a plurality of spring contact members extending from said rear portion toward said opening; a movable circuit member comprising a printed wiring board disposed within said housing and having a first surface having circuit components thereon; an actuator for moving said movable circuit member from a first position within said housing member to a second position therein; and said connector plug receiving opening being shaped to insure adaptability of said jack to the performance characteristic of a plug inserted therein.

Claim 19

A selectable compatibility electrical connector jack for compatibility with high and low performance connector plugs, said jack comprising: housing member, at least a portion of which is hollow and having a front face and a rear portion; said front face having a connector plug receiving opening therein; a plurality of spring contact members extending from said rear portion toward said opening; a movable circuit member comprising a printed wiring board disposed within said housing and having a first surface having circuit components thereon; an actuator for moving said movable circuit member from a first position within said housing member to a second position therein; and said connector plug receiving opening being shaped to insure adaptability of said jack to the performance characteristic of a plug inserted therein.

Claim 20

The connector jack as claimed in claim 16 wherein said circuit components are capacitance pads.

Claim 21

The connector jack as claimed in claim 17 wherein at least some of said contact members are disposed to be in contact with said capacitance pads when said printed wiring board is in the second position.