Granted Patent B2

US 9,293,877 · App. 14/143,319 · Granted Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

Claims (33)

1. A communication interface adapter having:

a top wall, bottom wall, opposing walls defining an adapter opening;

a lip extending from said top wall;

a tab extending from each of said opposing side walls; and

a pair of arms extending from said opposing side walls and adjacent to said top wall;

wherein said opposing side walls convert an opening in a receptacle from a first connector type to a second connector type when inserted into said opening.

2. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein said opposing side walls reduce a size of said opening in said receptacle from a first connector size to a second connector size when inserted into said opening.

3. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein said opposing side walls abut a first portion of contacts within said opening in said receptacle and align a second portion of contacts within said opening in said receptacle with plug contacts of a connector of said second connector type.

4. The adapter of claim 1 wherein said lip is positioned about the middle of the opposing side walls of said receptacle.

5. The adapter of claim 1 wherein said arms resiliently anchor said adapter within a keyway of said receptacle.

6. The adapter of claim 1 wherein said receptacle receives and is electrically coupled with a first registered jack (RJ)-type connector, and receives said adapter and is electrically coupled with a second RJ-type connector within said adapter when said adapter and second RJ-type connector is inserted into said opening in said receptacle.

7. The adapter of claim 6 wherein when said second RJ-type connector is within said adapter, the pin-out specification of said second RJ-type connector correspond to the pin-out specification on the first RJ-type female receptacle with a corresponding signal.

8. The adapter of claim 7 wherein said adapter is dimensioned such that pins of said second RJ-type connector are electrically coupled to corresponding pins of said first RJ-type female receptacle.

9. The adapter of claim 8 wherein said first RJ-type connector and said second RJ-type connector are chosen from one the following RJ-type connectors: RJ2MB, RJ11(C/W), RJ12(C/W), RJ13(C/W), RJ14(C/W) RJ15C, RJ18(C/W) RJ21X, RJ25(C/W), RJ26X, RJ27X, RJ31 X, RJ32X, RJ33X, RJ34X, RJ35X, RJ38X, RJ41S, RJ45S, RJ48C, RJ48S, RJ48X, RJ49C, RJ61X, and RJ71C.

10. The adapter of claim 9 wherein said receptacle receives a RJ45 connector.

11. The adapter of claim 10 wherein said receptacle receives a RJ11 connector when said adapter is inserted into said opening in said receptacle.

12. The adapter of claim 9 wherein said adapter is integrated with said first RJ-type receptacle.

13. An apparatus for use with a first RJ-type female receptacle having a plug receiving end with an internal cavity, said first RJ-type female receptacle designed to receive a corresponding first modular mating RJ-type male plug, said apparatus received in said first RJ-type female receptacle, said apparatus having:

a housing having a front face, a top wall, a bottom wall and side walls defining an opening formed within said front face; and

said apparatus received in said first RJ-type female receptacle converting said first RJ-type female receptacle to a second RJ-type female receptacle, said opening dimensioned to receive a second modular mating RJ-type male plug, wherein said second modular mating RJ-type male plug is dimensioned smaller than said first modular mating RJ-type male plug.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein when said apparatus is inserted into said first RJ-type female receptacle, contact pins on said modular mating second RJ-type male plug are aligned with contact pins on said first RJ-type female receptacle to achieve electrical conductivity.

15. A method of coupling a first RJ-type female receptacle of a first size and a second RJ-type connector of a second size, wherein said first RJ-type female receptacle and second RJ-type connector correspond to different communication interface, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a communication interface adapter received within said first RJ-type female receptacle;

anchoring said communication interface adapter within a keyway of said first RJ-type female receptacle; said communication interface adapter providing a desired mechanical alignment and electrical pin alignment of said second RJ-type connector within said first RJ-type female receptacle.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said communication interface adapter is dimensioned such that pins of said second RJ-type connector are electrically coupled to corresponding pins of said first RJ-type female receptacle.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said communication interface adapter is dimensioned to adapt said first RJ-type female receptacle to a second RJ-type female receptacle to receive said second RJ-type connector.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said communication interface adapter comprises:

a top wall, bottom wall, opposing walls defining an opening;

a lip extending from said top wall;

a tab extending from each of said opposing side walls; and

a pair of arms extending from said opposing side walls and adjacent to said top wall.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said lip and said tabs abut a front face of said first RJ-type receptacle, and said arms anchor said adapter within a keyway of said first RJ-type receptacle.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said first RJ-type connector and said second RJ-type connector are chosen from one the following RJ-type connectors: RJ2MB, RJ11(C/W), RJ12(C/W), RJ13(C/W), RJ14(C/W), RJ15C, RJ18(C/W), RJ21X, RJ25(C/W), RJ26X, RJ27X, RJ31X, RJ32X, RJ33X, RJ34X, RJ35X, RJ38X, RJ41S, RJ45S, RJ48C, RJ48S, RJ48X, RJ49C, RJ61X, AND RJ71C.

Assignments (20)