Patent Publication Number: US-6220950-B1

Title: Tool and method for improving electrical conducting of jack connectors

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the transmission of electrical signals. In one of its aspects it relates to jack connectors for transmission of electrical signals. In another of its aspects, it relates to improving transmission of electrical signals when jack connectors are used in the transmission of the signals. In another of its aspects, it relates to mechanically distributing particles on jack connectors. In yet another of its aspects, it relates to a tool for mechanically distributing particles on jack connectors. In more specific aspects of the invention it relates to a tool for distributing electrically conductive particles, abrasive particles and/or lubricant on the operating surface of an electrical jack connector and a method for effecting such distribution using a tool of this invention. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Electrical jack connectors are well known and of general use in the art. It is well known that both the male and the female components of jack connections eventually become coated with airborne grease and grime so that the conducting of electrical signals from the male to the female connector is impaired. Means and methods for cleaning connector components are known. 
     For instance U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,571 to Grande discloses a tool for cleaning a jack nose for sound powered telephone equipment in which an abrasive polishing wheel is mounted in a hollow tool body with the tool body and the polishing wheel having coaxial apertures into which a jack nose can be inserted. The polishing wheel can then be caused to rotate around the jack nose thereby abrasively removing material collected on the jack nose. 
     The Grande patent and the prior art cited therein provide means by which contacting ability of surfaces of both male and female connectors can be improved by cleaning of contact surfaces using, in general, abrasive surfaces or brush surfaces in communication with the surfaces to be cleaned. 
     Until the present invention the improvement of electrical contact between jack connectors seems to have depended entirely on tools and methods for cleaning their contact surfaces employing abrasive materials in the cleaning process or, more specifically, using abrasive materials as the surface of the cleaning tools. 
     3. Objects of the Invention. 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a tool for improving the electrical contact between the contact surface of a jack connector and the connector surface with which it makes contact. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a tool for applying electrically conducting particles to the contact surface of a jack connector. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide a tool for simultaneously applying electrically conducting particles and abrasive particles to the contact surface of a jack connector. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide a tool for applying lubricant along with electrically conducting particles and, optionally, abrasive particles to the contact surface of a jack connector. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a method for improving the electrical contact between the contact surface of a jack connector and the connector surface with which it makes contact. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description and drawing and the appended claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to this invention a tool is provided for distributing electrically conductive particles on the contact surface of an electrical jack connector. 
     Also according to this invention a tool is provided for simultaneously distributing electrically conductive particles and abrasive particles on the contact surface of an electrical jack connector. 
     Further, according to this invention a tool is provided for applying lubricant along with electrically conducting particles and, optionally, abrasive particles to the contact surface of a jack connector. 
     Further, according to this invention a method is provided for improving the electrical contact between the contact surface of a jack connector and the connector surface with which it makes contact. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric projection of a first tool for cleaning a male, electrical jack connector with one quarter of the first tool removed to disclose the interior of the first tool. 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric projection of a second tool for cleaning a female, electrical jack connector with one quarter of the second tool removed to disclose the interior of the second tool. 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric projection of a removable covering structure for protecting the contact surface of a first tool for cleaning a male, electrical jack connector. 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric projection of a removable covering structure for protecting the contact surface of a second tool for cleaning a female, electrical jack connector also showing the interior of the structure. 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric projection of a closed first tool of FIG. 1 and a second tool of FIG. 2 fitted together so that each serves as the removable covering structure for the other. 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric projection of a variation of a first tool having one quarter of the first tool removed to disclose the interior of the first tool and having a means for forcefully ejecting liquid associated therewith. 
     FIG. 7 is an isometric projection of a variation of a second tool which fits with the first tool of FIG.  6  and which has one quarter of the second tool removed to disclose the interior of the second tool. 
     In the various figures of the drawing, like items are assigned like numbers. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a preferred embodiment of this invention a first tool is provided for distributing electrically conductive particles on the contact surface of a male, electrical jack connector. The components of the first tool are an enclosing structure suitable to be grasped between fingers and thumb with the enclosing structure containing an internal cylindrical opening having (a) a cylindrical contact surface portion geometrically compatible with the radial surface of a male, electrical, jack connector and (b) an end contact portion axially aligned with the cylindrical contact surface portion and geometrically compatible with the end portion of a male, electrical, jack connector. On the first contact surface and the end point contact surface of the first tool are particles that are conductive and at least some of the conductive particles are transferable from a surface of the first tool in contact with a contact surface of a male, electrical, jack connector. 
     According to a further embodiment of this invention there is provided a first tool for simultaneously cleaning a male, electrical, jack connector and distributing electrically conductive particles on the surface of the male connector. This first tool is a first tool as described immediately above in which there are not only electrically conductive particles but also particles that are abrasive on the contact surfaces of the first tool. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the enclosing structure of either the first tool suitable for distributing electrically conductive particles or the first tool suitable to simultaneously cleaning the surface of a connector and distributing electrically conductive particles thereon is provided with an internal chamber for containing lubricant. The chamber is accessible from outside the enclosing structure through a closable opening in the enclosing structure. Passage of lubricant, when present in the chamber, from the chamber to the internal cylindrical opening of the enclosing structure is provided through a porous section of the wall therebetween. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a first tool  1  for distributing electrically conductive particles on the contact surface of a male, electrical jack connector is constructed with an enclosing structure  3  that is molded in a form easily held between the thumb and fingers. The shape is illustrated here as a solid having an elongated oval cross section which is a shape easily grasped between the thumb and index finger or between the thumb and the tips of the fingers. The enclosing structure can, however, have any form that can be grasped, such as a cylinder, a rectangular solid, any solid having a regular geometric cross section, even a portion of a sphere, and the like. 
     Within the enclosing structure is a cylindrical opening  5  which is of sufficient length and diameter to allow insertion of a male, electrical, jack connector with sufficient tolerance to allow rotation of the first tool around the inserted jack connector. The cylindrical opening can be a hole bored in a matrix of plastic containing electrically conductive particles  7  with the matrix having been formed in the shell of the enclosing structure, the enclosing structure and the interior of the structure can be molded as a single solid object or, as illustrated here, the cylindrical opening can be a part of a replaceable insert  9  of a matrix of binder material, such as plastic, containing electrically conductive particles  7  that can be keyed into the enclosing structure. 
     The invention encompasses both having the particles embedded in the wall surface of the cylindrical opening and having the particles mechanically applied to the surface of the wall of the cylindrical opening as by mopping the interior with a solution containing particles or by pouring particles into the opening in which the interior surface has been coated with a material such as a lubricant grease that will retain particles along the surface and then shaking out excess particles that are not retained on the lubricant. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention not only electrically conductive particles but also abrasive particles  11  are embedded in the wall surface of the cylindrical opening or applied thereto as described above. The addition of abrasive particles allows removal of at least some of the electrical contact inhibiting, coating material, such as oxidation products, from the surface of the jack connector thereby providing a better chance of contact between the conducting particles and the surface of the jack. Optimally, the particles removed from the surface of the first tool onto the surface of the jack while rubbing the jack surface inside the cylindrical opening of the first tool are particles that are both abrasive and electrically conductive as in conductive particles of steel, copper, iron, carbon and the like. All of these materials can be pressed with known binder materials to form frangible surfaces for the tools of this invention or can be sprinkled onto the surfaces of the tools, with or without coating the surfaces with a binder, or retained on the surfaces, particularly of the tools for cleaning female jack connectors, by dipping the tool surfaces, with or without coating the surfaces with a binder, into a container of the conductive particles. 
     Graphite carbon is particularly useful as the particulate matter in the tools and processes of this invention because fine graphite particles are electrically conductive; can provide a fine, particulate coating that evens out irregularities on the surfaces treated; can, itself, serve as a lubricant on metal surfaces and, while hard enough to displace chemical corrosion products, is of sufficiently low abrasiveness that surfaces of electroplated, precious metals are not destroyed. As an added benefit, if oxidation of graphite deposited on the surface of the jack occurs, the oxidation product is a gas which departs from the surface without corrupting it. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention a pocket or chamber  13  is molded into the material filling the enclosing structure. The purpose of the chamber is to provide a containment for a lubricant liquid to be carried in the first tool. The lubricant can be introduced into the chamber through a port  15  molded in the side of the enclosing and connected to the chamber if necessary by a passageway  17 . The port is closed with a plug  19  that fits snugly into the port and can be removed with a flick of a fingernail or other thin prying device. The lubricant used is chosen to have a viscosity sufficient allow it to pass from the chamber through a porous section  21  of the molded wall onto the cylindrical contact surface of the first tool. 
     When not in use the operating surface of the first tool is protected by a removable structure, i.e. a slip-on cover, which, as illustrated in FIG. 3, can be a cap  23  that snaps onto the end of the first tool or which, among others, can be a simple, geometrically compatible lid having and end section connected to a portion that slides over the end of the first tool for a distance sufficient to maintain the cover in place. 
     In operation, the cap  23  is removed from the first tool. The male, jack connector to be treated is inserted into the handheld first tool  1  and the first tool is rotated with alternate clockwise and counterclockwise motions around the connector which is held stationary. Some of the electrically conductive particles  7  either embedded in or adhered onto the interior surface of the first tool are transferred to the surface of the connector thereby improving the electrical conducting of the connector. If abrasive particles  11  are present, the operative motion transfers some of the abrasive particles onto the surface of the connector and simultaneously with the rubbing together of the two surfaces provides a cleaning action on the surface of the connector. At the end of the rubbing action, on disengagement of the first tool and jack connector, some of the electrically conductive particles as well as &#39;some of the abrasive particles will remain on the surface of the jack connector. On disengagement the cover is reapplied to the first tool. 
     When the first tool is provided with an internal lubricant chamber  13  there is sufficient passage of the lubricant through the porous wall  21  onto the operational surface of the wall of the cylindrical opening to provide adherence of particles introduced from outside of the first tool to the surface of the cylindrical opening. When the lubricant chamber is not present or not used, lubricant can be swabbed onto the surface of the cylindrical opening if desired. 
     When the operative interior of the first tool is sufficiently worn that the desired transfer of particles no longer occurs, the embodiment of the invention illustrated shows that the first tool can be provided with an insert portion that can be replaced as desired. The insert can be held in place during operation by a key and keyway combination with either on the first tool and the matching device on the insert or the insert and the aperture in which it is fitted can have a cross section other than round. 
     According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, referring now to FIG. 2, a second tool  25  is provided for distributing electrically conductive particles on the interior surface of a female, electrical, jack connector. The components of the second tool are (A) an elongated contact portion  27  having (1) an end contact, surface portion  29  geometrically compatible with the interior of a female, electrical, jack connector with this end contact, surface portion  29  attached to (2) a radial contact, surface portion  31  co-axially aligned with the end contact, surface portion; geometrically compatible with the interior surface of the female, electrical, jack connector and attached to (B) a gripping portion  33 . On the end and radial contact surfaces of the second tool are particles that are conductive and at least some of the conductive particles  35  are transferable from a surface of the second tool in contact with a contact surface of a female, electrical, jack connector. 
     According to a further embodiment of this invention there is provided a second tool  25  for simultaneously cleaning a female, electrical, jack connector and distributing electrically conductive particles on the surface of the female connector. This second tool is a second tool as described immediately above in which there are not only electrically conductive particles but also particles that are abrasive  37  on the contact surfaces of the second tool. 
     Still referring now to FIG. 2, a second tool  25  for distributing electrically conductive particles on the contact surface of a female, electrical jack connector is constructed with a molded, gripping structure  33  that is molded in a form easily held between the thumb and fingers. The shape is illustrated here as a solid having an elongated oval cross section which is a shape easily grasped between the thumb and index finger or between the thumb and the tips of the fingers. The gripping structure can, however, have any form that can be grasped, such as a cylinder, a rectangular solid, any solid having a regular geometric cross section, even a portion of a sphere, and the like. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention the portion of this second tool that contains the end contact portion  29  and the radial contact, portion  31  is a support shaft  23  onto which is molded a matrix of plastic containing electrically conductive particles  35 . The shaft extends from the contact surface portions into the grasping structure for a length that is sufficient to maintain it in operative position. The portion of the shaft that extends into the grasping structure is sized to fit securely into a cylindrical hole in the grasping structure and preferably the shaft and the cylindrical hole  39  in the grasping structure are fitted with a key and keyway combination with either key or keyway on the shaft of the second tool and the matching device in the cylindrical hole in the grasping structure or the shaft and the hole into which it fits can have matching cross sections of any geometrical shape except circular or the hole in the grasping structure can be tapped for receiving the shaft which has a matching screw section cut thereon. Any of these expediencies allows substitution of new shaft for a worn shaft with minimal effort. 
     The invention encompasses both having the particles embedded in the contact surface portions of the shaft and having the particles mechanically applied to the contact surface portions of the shaft as by mopping the surface portions with a solution containing particles or by pouring particles onto the surfaces that have been coated with a material such as a lubricant grease that will retain particles along the surface and then shaking off excess particles that are not retained on the lubricant. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention not only electrically conductive particles  35  but also abrasive particles  37  are embedded in the contact surfaces or are applied thereto as described above. The addition of abrasive particles allows removal of at least some of the electrical contact inhibiting, coating material, such as oxidation products, from the surface of the jack connector thereby providing a better chance of contact between the conducting particles and the surface of the jack. Optimally, the particles removed from the surface of the second tool onto the surface of the jack while rubbing the jack surface inside the cylindrical opening of the second tool are particles that are both abrasive and electrically conductive as in conductive particles of steel, copper, iron, carbon and the like. All of these materials can be applied to the tools of this invention as discussed above with graphite carbon being the preferred, particulate material. 
     When not in use the operating surface of the second tool is protected by a removable structure, i.e. a slip-on cover, which, as illustrated in FIG. 4, can be a lid that snaps onto the end of grasping section of the second tool or which, among others, can be a simple, geometrically compatible cap  41  having and end section  43  connected to a side portion  45  that slides over the end of the grasping section of the second tool for a distance sufficient to maintain the cover in place. 
     In operation, the cap  41  is removed from the second tool. The shaft  27  of the second tool  25  is inserted into the female, jack connector to be treated and the second tool is rotated with alternate clockwise and counterclockwise motions within the connector which is held stationary. Some of the electrically conductive particles  35  either embedded in or adhered onto the contact surfaces of the second tool are transferred to the surface of the connector thereby improving the electrical conducting of the connector. If abrasive particles  37  are present, the operative motion transfers some of the abrasive particles onto the surface of the connector and simultaneously with the rubbing together of the two surfaces provides a cleaning action on the surface of the connector. At the end of the rubbing action, on disengagement of the second tool and jack connector, some of the electrically conductive particles as well as some of the abrasive particles will remain on the surface of the jack connector. On disengagement the cover is reapplied to the second tool. 
     In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a first tool  1  for simultaneously cleaning and distributing electrically conductive particles on the surface of a male, electrical jack connector and a second tool  25  for simultaneously cleaning and distributing electrically conductive particles on the surface of a female, electrical jack connector as shown in FIG. 3 are sized to interfit in a closed position, when not in operation, so that each of the particle distribution devices, as shown in FIG. 5, acts as a removable structure to protect the contacting surface of the other particle distribution tool thereby forming a closed, combination device  47 . 
     Referring to FIG. 6, a variation of the second tool  25  is shown that has the basic structure of an elongated contact portion  27  embedded in a screwdriver-like handle  49 . The coating on the elongated contact portion can be sufficiently frangible that particulate matter is removed from its surface during the treatment of the jack connector or particulate matter can be added to the surface before the treatment is begun. The elongated contact portion can be replaceable as illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     In the second tool  25  of FIG. 6 the elongated contact portion  27  is shown as a metal rod  51  coated with graphite  53  held together and on the rod by a plastic binding material. The graphitic coating is porous and the metal rod is hollow to provide a chamber  55  therein with small openings  57  from this chamber of the metal rod to the rod surface in contact with the porous, carbonaceous coating. This chamber of the elongated contact portion and a larger chamber  59  in the handle  49  serve as a reservoir for liquid, such as a lubricant or cleaning liquid, which can be urged from the chamber through the small openings and the porous coating by a plunger mechanism  61  that fits within the rod. Such a plunger and its operation are well known. It can be as simple as a rod-like plunger operated with a thumb, a common hypodermic arrangement with finger grasps and thumb operation or a more elaborate screw operation, among others. 
     For an arrangement using a hollow elongated contact portion and plunger, a replaceable elongated contact portion must be anchored in the gripping portion so that it will not be pushed out by the action of the plunger. This is most easily accomplished by screwing the elongated contact portion into the gripping portion or by using an elongated contact portion having an enlarged shoulder  63  insertable from the posterior side through the cylindrical hole, that in this embodiment of the invention extends all the way through the gripping portion, with an offset at the posterior of the cylindrical hole sized to retain the shoulder on the elongated contact portion behind the cylindrical hole in the gripping portion. 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, this variation of the first tool  1 , as described in this figure, has all the attributes of the tool of FIG. 1 with the exception of the chamber for containing lubricant which the relatively small diameter of the tool of FIG. 7 does not easily accommodate. In addition, this tool incorporates from the second tool  25 , as shown in FIG. 2, an elongated contact portion  27  having (1) an end contact, surface portion  29  geometrically compatible with the interior of a female, electrical, jack connector with this end contact, surface portion  29  attached to (2) a radial contact, surface portion  31  co-axially aligned with the end contact, surface portion; geometrically compatible with the interior surface of the female, electrical, jack connector and attached to the first tool  1  which serves as a gripping portion. The end contact, surface portion and the radial contact, surface portion can be coated with conductive particles  35  and abrasive particles  37  or the particles can be both conductive and abrasive. 
     This variation of a first tool/second tool combination has an enclosing structure  3  suitable to be grasped between fingers and thumb. The enclosing structure contains an internal cylindrical opening  5  that has (a) a cylindrical, contact surface portion  65  geometrically compatible with the radial surface of a male, electrical, jack connector and (b) an end contact portion  67  axially aligned with the cylindrical contact surface portion and geometrically compatible with the end portion of a male, electrical, jack connector. The cylindrical, contact surfaces and the end point contact surfaces of this combination first tool/second tool comprise particles  7 , 11  that are electrically conductive  7 , 35  and, optionally, abrasive  11 , 37  and in operative contact with a contact surface of an electrical, jack connector at least some of the particles are transferable to that surface. 
     It should be noted that the portion of the portion of the tool shown in FIG. 7 encompassed by the enclosing structure  3  but without the elongated contact portion  27  can serve as an interfitting cover for the device illustrated in FIG.  6 . 
     The tools of this invention can be sized to accommodate electrical jack connectors of any dimensions. It should be apparent that a close fit between the tool and the connector is an aid to operating the invention, but that there must be sufficient tolerance between the operating surfaces of the tool and the connector to allow conductive particles to be transferred from the tool to the connector. 
     The invention thus being described, it will be obvious that the invention can be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.