Patent Publication Number: US-7713083-B1

Title: Jumper device for controlling connection of pins of electrical device on mainboard

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Reference is made to a co-pending U.S. patent application entitled “JUMPER DEVICE” filed on Aug. 21, 2007 with application Ser. No. 11/842,164, and assigned to the same assignee as that of the present application. The co-pending application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to jumper devices and, particularly, to a jumper device for conveniently controlling connection of pins of electrical devices on a mainboard. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In electronic devices, particularly, computers, a jumper is a short length conductor used to close a break in or bypass part of an electrical circuit. Jumpers are typically used to set up or adjust printed circuit boards, such as the mainboards of computers. Jumper pins (points to be connected by the jumper) are arranged in groups called jumper blocks, with each group having at least one pair of contact points and often more. In general, each contact in a jumper block terminates in a small metal pin. An appropriately sized conductive sleeve called a jumper, or more technically, a jumper shunt, is slipped over the pins to complete the circuit.  FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration showing a related-art jumper  110 . The jumper  110  is used to slip onto a jumper block  120  of a mainboard. The jumper block  120  has a plurality of pins A, B, and C, which are electrically connected to electrical components (not shown). When the jumper  110  is used on the jumper block  120 , two pins of the jumper block  120  are connected to each other to form a closed circuit (ON state). Therefore, current may flow between the two pins. When the jumper  110  is removed, the two pins are an open in the circuit (OFF state). 
     In general, the jumper  110  is placed in a package for the mainboard when the jumper  110  is not in use. However, once the jumper  110  is removed from the mainboard, the jumper  110  may be lost or misplaced and cannot easily be found because the size of the jumper  110  is very small, which will bring inconvenience to the user. 
     Therefore, what is needed is to provide a jumper device to overcome the above-described shortcomings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a related-art jumper device, together with a jumper block on a mainboard. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, schematic view of an embodiment of a jumper device. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, cutaway view of the jumper device of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled view of the jumper device of  FIG. 2 , together with a jumper block on a mainboard. 
         FIG. 5  is an assembled view of the jumper device applied on the jumper block of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an exemplary embodiment of a jumper device  20  includes a casing  220 , three conductive members  230 , and a switch  210 . In other embodiments, the number of the conductive members  230  can be changed according to need. 
     The casing  220  is approximately L-shaped and made of non-conductive material. Three slots  224  are defined in the casing  220  perpendicular to and through a bottom of the casing  220 . A sliding groove  226  is disposed at and communicates with tops of the slots  224 . A T-shaped opening  222  is defined in a top wall of the casing  220 , in communication with the sliding groove  226 . 
     The conductive members  230  are unconnected to each other and made of conductive material, and for being received in slots  224  of the casing  220  in linear alignment. Each conductive member  230  includes an upright connecting portion  232 . Two sidewalls  234  extend perpendicularly from two opposite sides of a lower portion of the connecting portion  232  in the same direction. Two elastic slices  236  extend up slantwise from the two sidewalls  234 . A top wall  238  is bent horizontally from a top edge of the connecting portion  232 . Gaps are defined between the elastic slices  236  and the connecting portion  232 , and between the elastic slices  236  and the top wall  238 , for providing elastic deformation space. The top wall  238  of each conductive member  230  located at opposite ends of the linear arrangement thereof, extends to form an L-shaped tab  239 . With the initial legs of the L-shapes extending parallel with each other and then extending toward each to complete L-shapes facing each other. The conductive members  230  are firmly fixed in the corresponding slots  224 . When the jumper device  20  is used on a jumper block, the conductive members  230  clamp corresponding pins of the jumper block and assure a proper electrical connection between the pins. 
     The switch  210  includes a sliding block  212 , a conductive sheet  216  attached at a bottom surface of the sliding block  212 , and a grip handle  214  disposed at a top surface of the sliding block  212 . The sliding block  212  is slidably accommodated in the sliding groove  226  with the grip handle  214  exposed from the opening  222  of the casing  220 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in use, the jumper device  20  can remain on a jumper block  30 , and connections of any two pins of pins D, E, F of the jumper block  30  can be switched by moving the sliding block  212  to different positions. For example, when the grip handle  214  is moved to an X position located at a left side, the sliding block  212  connects the left one and the middle one of the conductive members  230 , thereby connecting the pins D, E of the jumper block  30 ; when the grip handle  214  is moved to a Y position located the a right side, the sliding block  212  connects the middle one and the right one of the conductive members  230 , thereby connecting the pins E, F of the jumper block  30 ; when the grip handle  214  is moved to a Z position located at a side of the X and Y positions, the sliding block  212  connects the left one and the right one of the conductive members  230 , thereby connecting the pins D, F of the jumper block  30 ; when the grip handle  214  is moved to a neutral position that is the middle between the X and Y positions, the sliding block  212  only connects with the middle one of the conductive members  230 . 
     In the above embodiments, users can conveniently change connections of pins of the jumper block by driving the grip handle  214  to slide the sliding block  212  to different positions. Therefore, when the jumper is not needed, it can remain in place with the switch  210  at a predetermined neutral position. Thus, the user does not have to worry about the loss of the jumper device. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.