PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8616915-B2
Application Number: US-201113249261-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Wire-free, unibody jumper

Abstract:
Wire-free, unibody jumpers that may be used with crimp terminals. These jumpers may connect two or more adjacent or nearby crimp terminal openings in a plug housing. One example may provide a jumper that is formed from a single piece of metal or other conductive material. In this example, a form may be stamped from a sheet of metal or other conductive material. A jumper may be made by folding or bending the stamped form. The jumper may then be inserted into two or more adjacent or nearby crimp terminal openings in a crimp terminal plug housing. In various examples, the folding or bending of the stamped form may be done in various ways.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A jumper comprising:
 a single piece of conductive material having a first portion and a second portion, 
 wherein the first portion is folded to form a first crimp insert to be inserted in a first opening in a crimp terminal plug; 
 the second portion is folded to form a second crimp insert to be inserted in a second opening in a crimp terminal plug, the second opening adjacent to the first opening; and 
 the single piece of conductive material is folded to bring the first portion into proximity with the second portion to form a joining portion joining the first crimp insert and the second crimp insert. 
 
     
     
       2. The jumper of  claim 1  further comprising a cap, the cap having a first tab placed in the first crimp insert. 
     
     
       3. The jumper of  claim 2  wherein the cap further has a second tab placed in the second crimp insert. 
     
     
       4. The jumper of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the joining portion is plated. 
     
     
       5. The jumper of  claim 4  wherein the plated portion is plated to match a color of the crimp terminal plug. 
     
     
       6. The jumper of  claim 1  wherein the at least a portion of the joining portion is covered by a label. 
     
     
       7. The jumper of  claim 1  wherein the crimp terminal plug is arranged to fit in a crimp terminal receptacle. 
     
     
       8. The jumper of  claim 7  wherein the first crimp insert comprises a pair of contacting terminals. 
     
     
       9. The jumper of  claim 8  wherein the pair of contacting terminals are arranged to mate with a blade contact in a crimp terminal receptacle. 
     
     
       10. A crimp terminal plug comprising:
 a plurality of openings separated by housing dividers; and 
 a jumper comprising a single piece of conductive material and comprising:
 a first crimp insert inserted in a first opening in the crimp terminal plug, the first crimp insert having a first part, a second part, and a third part, the first and third parts parallel to each other and orthogonal to the second part; 
 a second crimp insert inserted in a second opening in the crimp terminal plug, second crimp insert having a first part, a second part, and a third part, the first and third parts parallel to each other and orthogonal to the second part; and 
 a joining portion joining the first crimp insert and the second crimp insert, 
 
 wherein the first opening and the second opening are adjacent openings in the crimp terminal plug. 
 
     
     
       11. The crimp terminal plug of  claim 10  further comprising a cap, the cap having a first tab inserted in the first crimp insert. 
     
     
       12. The crimp terminal plug of  claim 10  wherein the cap further has a second tab inserted in the second crimp insert. 
     
     
       13. The crimp terminal plug of  claim 10  wherein a housing divider between the first opening and the second opening in the crimp terminal plug is similar to housing dividers between other openings in the crimp terminal plug. 
     
     
       14. The crimp terminal plug of  claim 10  wherein a housing divider between the first opening and the second opening in the crimp terminal plug is different than housing dividers between other openings in the crimp terminal plug. 
     
     
       15. A jumper comprising a single piece of conductive material and comprising:
 a first crimp insert having a first part, a second part, and a third part, the first and third parts parallel to each other and orthogonal to the second part; 
 a second crimp insert having a first part, a second part, and a third part, the first and third parts parallel to each other and orthogonal to the second part; and 
 a joining portion joining the first crimp insert and the second crimp insert. 
 
     
     
       16. The jumper of  claim 15  wherein the first crimp insert is arranged to inserted in a first opening in a crimp terminal plug and the second crimp insert is arranged to inserted in a second opening in the crimp terminal plug. 
     
     
       17. The jumper of  claim 15  wherein the first crimp insert is formed by folding a first portion of the single piece of conductive material and the second crimp insert is formed by folding a second portion of the single piece of conductive material. 
     
     
       18. The jumper of  claim 17  wherein the joining portion is formed by folding the single piece of conductive material to bring the first crimp insert into proximity of the second crimp insert. 
     
     
       19. The jumper of  claim 18  wherein the single piece of conductive material is a piece of sheet metal. 
     
     
       20. The jumper of  claim 15  further comprising a cap, the cap having a first tab placed in the first crimp insert.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/481,690, filed May 2, 2011, which is incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The number and types of electronic devices that are commercially available have increased tremendously the past few years, and this increase shows no signs of abating. The functionality that each of these devices packs in has increased as well. 
     Much of this increased functionality is generated by components, circuits, and other apparatus that may be located on a main logic board, or motherboard, in the device. Additional functionality may be included by inserting additional device components inside a device&#39;s housing. These additional device components may connect to the components, circuits, and other apparatus on the main logic board. 
     The additional device components may connect to the main logic board using wires. For example, these wires may be connected to an additional device component on one end, and a plug on the second end. Specifically, each of these wires may be crimped using a wire crimp. The wire crimps may then be inserted into a crimp terminal pug. The crimp terminal plug may be inserted into a crimp terminal receptacle. The crimp terminal receptacle may be attached to a main logic board. Contacts in the crimp terminal plug may connect and form electrical pathways from the wire crimps to the main logic board. 
     On occasion, it may be desirable to connect two of the crimp terminal receptacle contacts together. One way of doing this is to use a wire jumper. That is, a wire may be crimped using a crimp on each end. Each end of the wire may then be inserted into a crimp terminal plug, thereby forming the desired connection. 
     But the use of these wires may provide a connection between a main logic board and an additional device component that has an undesirable appearance. For example, the use of such a wire may make it appear that a design error had been committed, and that a wire jumper had been employed to correct the error. This may provide an undesired, and incorrect, impression to users. 
     Thus, what is needed are apparatus that may be able to connect two crimp terminal receptacle contacts in a wire-free manner. It may also be desirable that this apparatus be able to be readily manufactured. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide wire-free, unibody jumpers that may be used with crimp terminals. These jumpers may connect two or more adjacent or nearby crimp terminal openings in a plug housing. 
     An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a jumper that is formed from a single piece of metal or other conductive material. In various embodiments of the present invention, a form may be stamped from a sheet of metal or other conductive material. The conductive material may be a copper alloy, such as Cu—Ni—Si, phosphor bronze, Be—Cu, Ti—Cu, or other conductive material. A jumper may be formed by folding or bending the stamped form. The jumper may then be inserted into two or more adjacent or nearby crimp terminal openings in a crimp terminal plug housing. 
     Once inserted, jumpers according to the present invention may provide an aesthetically pleasing, highly robust and reliable connection between two or more contacts in a crimp terminal receptacle. Specifically, the low-profile provided by embodiments of the present invention may provide an attractive appearance, particularly when compared to a wire jumper. Also, the low profile may provide a connection that may be unlikely to become tangled with wires attaching to a crimp terminal plug, and may be unlikely to become snagged on circuitry and apparatus during assembly. Moreover, these jumpers may be unlikely to be accidently removed or displaced when a device enclosure is opened for maintenance or other reasons. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, the folding or bending of the stamped form may be done in various ways. In some embodiments of the present invention, two crimp inserts on the jumper are formed at opposite ends of the stamped form. To bring the two crimp inserts into proximity to each other, the stamped form is bent such that one of the two crimp inserts is moved 180 degrees relative to the other. This brings the two crimp inserts into alignment such that they may be inserted into two or more adjacent or nearby crimp terminal openings in a crimp terminal plug housing. 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, two crimp inserts on the jumper are formed in parallel in the stamped form. A joining portion between the two crimp inserts is bent 180 degrees such that the two crimp inserts are brought into proximity to each other. This brings the two crimp inserts into a closely-aligned arrangement such that they may be inserted into two or more adjacent or nearby crimp terminal openings in a crimp terminal plug housing. These embodiments may be of particular value when connecting three or more crimp terminal openings. 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, two crimp inserts on the jumper are again formed in parallel in the stamped form. Each of the crimp inserts are folded back towards each other such that the two crimp inserts are brought into proximity. That is, each of the crimp inserts are folded back 180 degrees towards each other. This brings the two crimp inserts into a closely-aligned arrangement such that they may be inserted into two or more adjacent or nearby crimp terminal openings in a crimp terminal plug housing. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, a jumper may connect to receptacle contacts, where the receptacle contacts are at least substantially similar, or the same, as other receptacle contacts in the receptacle. That is, the same or similar receptacle contacts that may connect to a crimp wire may also be used to connect to a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. In other embodiments of the present invention, some modification to one or more of the receptacle contacts may be made to provide a connection to a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, a jumper may be inserted into crimp terminal openings, where the crimp terminal openings are at least substantially similar to, or the same as, other crimp terminal openings in the crimp terminal plug. That is, the same or similar crimp terminal openings that may accept a crimp wire may also be used to accept a crimp insert on a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. In other embodiments of the present invention, some modification or alteration to one or more of the crimp terminal openings may be made to accept a crimp insert on a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, sections of plastic or other non-conductive material may be used to separate crimp wire openings in a plug housing. Some of one or more plastic sections may be altered or modified such that a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention may be inserted. In some embodiments of the present invention, these modifications may be made to improve the appearance of these jumpers. 
     The appearance of these jumpers may be further improved in various ways in various embodiments of the present invention. For example, a cap, formed of plastic or other material, may be used. In other embodiments of the present invention, a jumper may be plated such that it has a desirable color or finish. For example, a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention may be plated with nickel to be black to match a crimp terminal plug. In other embodiments of the present invention, paint, labels, or other layers or films may be used to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. These caps, labels, plating, or other layers may enhance the appearance of a jumper, and the jumper and these caps, labels, plating, or other layers may provide a highly robust and reliable connection between two or more contacts in a crimp terminal receptacle. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, these jumpers may be used to convey one or more bits of information. For example, a jumper may have two crimp inserts, the two crimp inserts arranged to be inserted into two adjacent or nearby crimp wire openings in a crimp terminal plug. The presence or absence of the jumper may convey one bit of information. In another embodiment of the present invention, a jumper may have three crimp inserts, the three crimp inserts arranged to be inserted into three adjacent or nearby crimp wire openings in a crimp terminal plug. The presence or absence of the jumper may convey one bit of information. Also, jumpers having two crimp inserts may be inserted into two of the three crimp terminal openings in one of three ways. In this way, jumpers according to embodiments of the present invention may be used to convey one of five states. In still other embodiments of the present invention, jumpers having four or more crimp inserts may be used. 
     These bits, or states, may be used to convey various types of information in various embodiments of the present invention. For example, these bits may convey device type, manufacturer identification information, revision information, device size or capacity, or other information. The information may concern various device components, such as batteries, speakers, control mechanisms, screens, or other device components. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention may incorporate one or more of these and the other features described herein. A better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be gained by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a crimp terminal connector that may be improved by the incorporation of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a jumper in a crimp terminal plug according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a crimp terminal plug inserted in a crimp terminal receptacle; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6A  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6B  illustrates variations on the jumper of  FIG. 6B  according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a crimp terminal and jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates two examples of jumpers in crimp terminal plugs according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a cap that may be used with jumpers according to embodiments the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a cap inserted into a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates another cap inserted into a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a jumper having a cap inserted into crimp terminal plug; and 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a jumper having a cap inserted into a crimp terminal plug according to embodiments the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a crimp terminal connector that may be improved by the incorporation of an embodiment of the present invention. This figure, as with the other included figures, is shown for illustrative purposes and does not limit either the possible embodiments of the present invention or the claims. 
     This figure illustrates a side view of crimp terminal connector  110 , which may reside on main logic board  105 . Crimp terminal connector  110  may include terminal plug  130  which may be inserted into crimp terminal receptacle  120 . Device components  150  may communicate with electronic circuitry  160  via crimp terminal connector  110 . Specifically, device component  150  may be connected to wires  140 . Wires  140  may have their ends crimped and inserted into openings in crimp terminal plug  130 . The crimped ends of wires  140  may connect to contacts (not shown) in crimp terminal receptacle  120 . Contacts in crimp terminal receptacle  120  may connect to electronic circuitry  160  via traces  165 . 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, device components  150  may be various types of electronic components. For example, device component  150  may be a battery, speaker, memory module, control device, or other circuit, apparatus, or component. In various embodiments of the present invention, information regarding device component  150  may be conveyed to electronic circuitry, such as electronic circuitry  160 . In embodiments of the present invention, this information may be conveyed by the presence or absence of one or more jumpers, which may be inserted into crimp terminal plug  130 . These jumpers may provide electrical connections between two or more contacts in crimp terminal receptacle  120 . The presence, or absence, of these connections may be used to convey information about device component  150 . For example, information such as device type, manufacturer identification information, revision information, device size or capacity, or other information, may be conveyed by the presence or absence of these jumpers. An example of such a jumper and a crimp terminal plug is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a jumper in a crimp terminal plug according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, jumper  210  may be located in crimp terminal plug  130 . Specifically, jumper  210  may be placed in two openings  230  and  240  in crimp terminal plug  130 . In this example, jumper  210  may be placed in two adjacent openings in crimp terminal plug  130 . Also in this example, carrier or tab  250  may be attached to jumper  210 . After jumper  210  is inserted into crimp terminal plug  130 , carrier or tab  250  may be broken off or otherwise removed. 
     Again, crimp terminal plug  130  may be inserted into crimp terminal receptacle  120 . An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a crimp terminal plug inserted in crimp terminal receptacle. Crimp terminal receptacle  120  may include contacts (not shown), which may connect crimped wires (not shown) and jumper  310  to traces (not shown) on a main logic board. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may provide jumpers that are easily manufactured. Various embodiments the present invention may achieve this by providing jumpers that are manufactured from a single piece of conductive material, such as a copper alloy. Examples are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Jumper  400  may include first crimp insert portion  410 , second crimp insert portion  420 , and joining portion  430 . First crimp insert portion  410  and second crimp insert portion  420  may each include contacting terminals  440 . Contacting terminals  440  may form electrical connections with contacts in crimp terminal receptacle  120 . First crimp insert portion  410  and second crimp insert portion  420  may also include locking tabs  450 . Locking tabs  450  may provide protection from accidental removal of jumper  400 . 
     Again, jumper  400  may be manufactured from a single piece of conductive material. The conductive material may be a copper alloy, such as Cu—Ni—Si, phosphor bronze, Be—Cu, Ti—Cu, or other conductive material. Specifically, first crimp insert  410  and second crimp insert  420  may be formed. At this point, first crimp insert  410  and second crimp insert  420  may oppose each other. Joining portion  430  may be bent or folded 180 degrees such that first crimp insert  410  and second crimp insert  420  are brought parallel and in close proximity to each other. By initially forming first crimp insert  410  and a second crimp insert  420 , then bending joining portion  430 , first crimp insert  410  and second crimp insert  420  may be close enough to fit in adjacent openings in crimp terminal plug  120 . 
     Again, in this embodiments the present invention, jumper  400  may be manufactured by forming first crimp insert  410  and second crimp insert  420  on opposite ends of a piece, then bringing them close together by bending joining portion  430 . Other examples of this general method are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Jumper  500  may include first crimp insert  510 , second crimp insert  520 , and joining portion  530 . In this example, carrier or tab  540  is also included. As before, first crimp insert  510  and second crimp insert  520  may be formed, and then brought into close proximity by bending joining portion  530 . 
       FIG. 6A  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Jumper  600 A may include first crimp insert  610 A, second crimp insert  620 A, and joining portion  630 A. As before, first crimp insert  610 A and second insert  620 A may be formed then brought into close proximity by bending joining portion  630 A. Note that jumper  600 A may be substantially similar to jumper  500 , with the exception that joining portion  630 A is closer to first crimp insert  610 A and second crimp insert  620 A than joining portion  530  is to first crimp insert  510  and second grip insert  520 . (That is, joining portion  630 A may be shorter than joining portion  530 .) 
       FIG. 6B  illustrates variations on the jumper of  FIG. 6B  according to embodiments of the present invention. As before, each jumper  600 B- 600 D may include first crimp insert  610 B-D, second crimp insert  620 B-D, and joining portion  630 B-D. As before, first crimp insert  610 B-D and second insert  620 B-D may be formed then brought into close proximity by bending joining portion  630 B-D. 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, the crimp insert portions may be initially formed in parallel, after which a joining portion is folded to bring the crimp inserts into close proximity. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Jumper  700  may include first crimp insert portion  710 , second crimp insert portion  720 , and joining portion  730 . First crimp insert  710  and second group insert  720  may be formed. Joining portion  730  may be folded approximately 180 degrees to bring first crimp insert  710  and second grip insert  730  into close proximity. Once in close proximity, the jumper  700  may be inserted into two adjacent openings in a crimp terminal plug. 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, the crimp inserts may be folded back towards each other. For example, they may both be folded approximately 180 degrees back towards each other to form a jumper. Examples are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Jumper  310  may include first crimp insert  810 , second crimp insert  820 , and joining portion  830 . Carrier or tab  840  may also be included. Again, first crimp insert  810  and second crimp insert  820  may be folded approximately 180° to be brought into close proximity with each other. Jumper  310  is also shown in crimp terminal plug  130  in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Jumper  900  may include first crimp insert  910 , second crimp insert  920 , and joining portion  930 . Again, first crimp insert  910  and second crimp insert  920  may each be folded approximately 180 degrees to be brought into close proximity with each other. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates another jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Jumper  210  may include first crimp insert  1010 , second crimp insert  1020 , and joining portion  1030 . Again, first crimp insert  1010  and second crimp insert  1020  may be folded approximately 180 degrees to be brought into close proximity with each other. Carrier or tab  1040  is shown for illustrative purposes. Also, in this example, joining portion  1030  is bent or folded 90 degrees to limit its protrusion from crimp terminal plug  130 . Jumper  210  is also shown inserted in crimp terminal plug  130  in  FIG. 2 . 
     Again, jumpers according to embodiments of the present invention may be inserted in to two or more openings in a crimp terminal plug. These jumpers may be used to provide an electrical connection between two or more contacts in a crimp terminal receptacle. These jumpers may provide an aesthetic improvement over a conventional wire jumper. These jumpers may also provide a highly robust and reliable connection between two or more contacts in a crimp terminal receptacle. Specifically, the low-profile provided by embodiments of the present invention may provide a connection that may be unlikely to be in the way or, or become tangled with, wires attaching to a crimp terminal plug, and may be unlikely to become snagged on circuitry and apparatus during assembly. Moreover, these jumpers may be unlikely to be accidently removed or displaced when a device enclosure is opened for maintenance or other reasons. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a crimp terminal and jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, jumper  500  may be inserted into two adjacent openings in crimp terminal plug  130 . Crimp terminal plug  130  may be inserted into crimp terminal receptacle  120 . 
     In this example, divider  1110  may be substantially the same or similar to dividers  1112  and  1114 . That is, jumper  500  may be configured such that divider  1110  does not need to be different from dividers  1112  and  1114 . This may also be true in the example shown in  FIG. 2 , which shows jumper  210  in crimp terminal plug  130 , and in  FIG. 3 , which shows jumper  310  in crimp terminal plug  130 . 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, a divider, such as divider  1110  that separates openings in crimp terminal plug  130 , may be modified or altered as compared to dividers  1112  and  1114 . Again, this may enable the use of a lower profile for the jumper (such as jumpers  600  and  900 ), which may aid in improving and appearance of a jumper and crimp terminal plug combination. Also, this lower profile may aid in preventing the jumper from getting in the way of, or becoming snagged in, wires of the crimp terminal plug or on circuits or apparatus during assembly. Examples are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates two examples of jumpers in crimp terminal plugs according to embodiments of the present invention. In these examples, jumpers  900  and  600  and reside in adjacent openings in crimp terminal plugs  130 . In these examples, portions of dividers  1210  and  1220  are not present. This allows jumpers  900  and  600  to aligned flush with rear surfaces of crimp plugs  130 . 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, other steps may be taken to improve the appearance and functionality of jumpers according to embodiments of the present invention. For example, caps, labels, plating, or other films or coatings may be used to improve the appearance of a jumper. In one specific example, some or all of a jumper may be plated to match a color or texture of a crimp terminal plug. These caps, labels, plating, or other layers may enhance the appearance of a jumper, and the jumper and these caps, labels, plating, or other layers may provide a highly robust and reliable connection between two or more contacts in a crimp terminal receptacle. Examples of various caps that may be used to improve the appearance of a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a cap that may be used with jumpers according to embodiments the present invention. Cap  1300  may include first prong  1310  and second prong  1320 . Prongs  1310  and  1320  may be inserted into crimp inserts on a jumper. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a cap inserted into a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Cap  1300  may include locking portion  1320  to provide a secure insertion into jumper  900 . 
       FIG. 15  illustrates another cap inserted into a jumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, cap  1500  is inserted into jumper  800 . The cap and jumper combination may be inserted into a crimp terminal plug. Examples are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates a jumper having a cap inserted into crimp terminal plug. As before, crimp terminal plug  130  is further inserted into crimp terminal receptacle  120 . 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, these tabs may have various shapes. For example, a cap may have a shape that is readily grasped by fingers or a tool. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 17  illustrates a jumper having a cap inserted into a crimp terminal plug according to embodiments the present invention. In this example, cap  1700  is inserted into a jumper, which is further inserted into crimp terminal plug  130 . In this example,  1700  may be shaped such that it is readily grasped by fingers or a tool. 
     The above description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching above. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20110930
Publication Date: 20131231
Grant Date: 20131231
Priority Date: 20110502
Inventors: FUNAMURA JOSHUA
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "Y10T29/49194", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R31/08", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R31/08", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 47090511