1-9. (canceled)
10. A method of facilitating communication between a finder of an article and an owner of the article comprising:
receiving, by a server computer, contact information of the owner;
storing, by the server computer, in a database the contact information of the owner in association with a unique ID;
receiving, by the server computer, the unique ID and a finder communication from the finder;
retrieving, by the server computer, from the database the contact information of the owner associated with the unique ID;
determining, by the server computer, whether a case associated with the unique ID is open or closed;
forwarding, by the server computer, the finder communication to the owner using the contact information of the owner associated with the unique ID if the case associated with the unique ID is open.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein a tag includes the unique ID and a virtual locale enabling navigation to the server computer.
12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
receiving, by the server computer, contact information of the finder;
storing, by the server computer, in the database the contact information of the finder in association with the unique ID;
receiving, by the server computer, an owner communication from the owner; and
forwarding, by the server computer, the owner communication to the finder using the contact information of the finder.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
generating, by the server computer, a unique anonymous email address for the finder; and
providing, by the server computer, the unique anonymous email address for the finder to the finder.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the owner communication is addressed to the unique anonymous email address for the finder and includes contact information of the owner, and the method further comprises:
generating, by the server computer, a unique anonymous email address for the owner; and
replacing, by the server computer, the contact information of the owner with the unique anonymous email address for the owner before the owner communication is forwarded to the finder.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein the contact information of the owner is one or more of an email address, an instant messaging handle, and a cell phone number.
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
generating, by the server computer, a unique anonymous email address for the finder or the owner, the email address including a domain associated with a virtual location enabling navigation to the server computer.
17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
generating, by the server computer, a unique anonymous email address for the owner; and
providing, by the server computer, the unique anonymous email address for the owner to the finder.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the finder communication is addressed to the unique anonymous email address for the owner and includes contact information of the finder, and the method further comprises:
generating, by the server computer, a unique anonymous email address for the finder; and
replacing, by the server computer, the contact information of the finder with the unique anonymous email address for the finder before the finder communication is forwarded to the owner.
19. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
receiving, by the server computer, a plurality of contact information of the owner, wherein each contact information may be one of an email address, an instant messaging handle, and a cell phone number; and
storing, by the server computer, in the database each of the plurality of contact information of the owner in association with a unique ID;
wherein the forwarding the finder communication to the owner using the contact information of the owner associated with the unique ID further comprises forwarding the finder communication to each of the plurality of contact information of the owner.
20. The method of claim 10, wherein the received contact information of the owner is received from the owner, and the method further comprises receiving, by the server computer, the unique ID from the owner.
21. A computer implemented system for facilitating communication between a finder of an article and an owner of the article, the system comprising:
a network accessible database; and
a server computer configured to:
receive contact information of the owner;
store in the database the contact information of the owner in association with a unique ID;
receive the unique ID and a finder communication from the finder;
retrieve from the database the contact information of the owner associated with the unique ID;
determine whether a case associated with the unique ID is open or closed;
forward the finder communication to the owner using the contact information of the owner associated with the unique ID if the case associated with the unique ID is open.
22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a tag includes the unique ID and a virtual locale enabling navigation to the server computer.
23. The system of claim 21, wherein the server computer is further configured to:
receive contact information of the finder;
store in the database the contact information of the finder in association with the unique ID;
receive an owner communication from the owner; and
forward the owner communication to the finder using the contact information of the finder.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein the server computer is further configured to:
generate a unique anonymous email address for the finder; and
provide the unique anonymous email address for the finder to the finder.
25. The system of claim 24, wherein the owner communication is addressed to the unique anonymous email address for the finder and includes contact information of the owner, and the server computer is further configured to:
generate a unique anonymous email address for the owner; and
replace the contact information of the owner with the unique anonymous email address for the owner before the owner communication is forwarded to the finder.
26. The system of claim 21, wherein the contact information of the owner is one or more of an email address, an instant messaging handle, and a cell phone number.
27. The system of claim 21, wherein the server computer is further configured to:
generate a unique anonymous email address for the owner; and
provide the unique anonymous email address for the owner to the finder.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the finder communication is addressed to the unique anonymous email address for the owner and includes contact information of the finder, and the server computer is further configured to:
generate a unique anonymous email address for the finder; and
replace the contact information of the finder with the unique anonymous email address for the finder before the finder communication is forwarded to the owner.
29. The system of claim 21, wherein the server computer is further configured to:
receive a plurality of contact information of the owner, wherein each contact information may be one of an email address, an instant messaging handle, and a cell phone number; and
store in the database each of the plurality of contact information of the owner in association with a unique ID; and
wherein the forwarding the finder communication to the owner using the contact information of the owner associated with the unique ID further comprises forwarding the finder communication to each of the plurality of contact information of the owner.
30. A method of facilitating communication between a finder of an article and an owner of the article comprising:
(a) receiving, by a server computer, contact information of the owner;
(b) storing, by the server computer, in a database the contact information of the owner in association with a unique ID;
(c) receiving, by the server computer, the unique ID from the finder;
(d) retrieving, by the server computer, from the database the contact information of the owner associated with the unique ID;
(e) determining, by the server computer, whether a case associated with the unique ID is open or closed; and
(f) if the case associated with the unique ID is open:
(i) generating, by the server computer, a unique anonymous email address for the owner;
(ii) providing, by the server computer, the unique anonymous email address for the owner to the finder;
(iii) receiving, by the server computer, a finder communication addressed to the unique anonymous email address for the owner;
(iv) forwarding, by the server computer, the finder communication to the owner using the contact information of the owner associated with the unique ID.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A connector apparatus comprising:
a socket, comprising:
a socket housing;
an insulator disposed within said socket housing;
a first contact disposed within said insulator;
a lock ring disposed about a distal end of said housing;
a shroud disposed about said distal end of said socket housing and said lock ring and moveable relative to said socket housing between a first position and a second position, said shroud having an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein, said shroud and said lock ring are configured so that when said shroud moves from said first position to said second position, said inner wall contacts said lock ring and causes said lock ring to flex outwardly; and
a plug comprising:
a generally cylindrical, conductive plug housing that houses an insulator and a contact disposed within the insulator, wherein, on its outer wall, the plug housing has a protuberance having a first sloping surface on one side thereof and a second sloping surface on an opposite side thereof,
wherein, the socket is configured such that when the plug is inserted into the distal end of the socket and locked in place by the lock ring, the lock ring exerts an axial force on the protuberance of the plug housing, but the axial force does not cause the front surface of the plug housing to press against any surface of the socket.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the socket further comprises a ground contact housed within said socket housing, wherein said ground contact is metallic and is configured to electrically connect the socket housing with plug housing when the plug housing is fully inserted into the socket housing.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ground contact is housed within an annular groove located in an inner surface of the socket housing.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the ground contact is arranged so that it is coaxial with the socket housing.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ground contact is annular.
6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ground contact is in the form of a split ring.
7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ground contact includes a first split ring, a second split ring and one or more generally U shaped contacts connecting the first split ring with the second split ring, wherein the split rings are arranged so that they are coaxial.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first split ring and the second split ring have substantially the same inner and outer diameters, but the width of the first split ring is substantially greater then the width of the second split ring.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the generally U shaped contacts curve inwardly towards the central axis of the ground contact.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lock ring comprises a base ring and a finger attached to the base ring, wherein the finger extends in the same general direction as the central axis of the base ring.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the longitudinal axis of the finger is generally parallel but not precisely parallel with the central axis of the base ring such that there is about a two (2) degree angle between the longitudinal axis of the finger and the central axis of the lock ring.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the finger has a proximal end connected to the base ring, an opposite distal end, and a lock tab spaced inwardly from the distal end, wherein the lock tab projects from an inner surface of the finger towards the central axis of the lock ring.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the lock tab has a planar back wall generally facing the proximal end and a planar front wall generally facing distal end, wherein the back wall lies on a plane that forms an angle Y with the central axis of the lock ring, wherein angle Y is about 90 degrees.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the front wall is angled towards the back wall and lies on a plane that forms an angle X with the central axis of the lock ring, wherein angle X is between about 20 and 60 degrees.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein angle X is about 36 degrees.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a rounded bottom wall connects the front wall with the back wall.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the shroud has two major surfaces, an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the inner wall is not parallel with the inner surface of the inner wall so that the two surfaces converge to form an annular ridge.
18. A socket, comprising:
a housing;
an insulator disposed within said housing;
a first contact disposed within said insulator;
an annular ground contact housed within an annular groove located in an inner surface of the housing;
a lock ring disposed about a distal end of said housing;
a shroud disposed about said distal end of said housing and said lock ring and moveable relative to said housing between a first position and a second position, said shroud having an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein, said shroud and said lock ring are configured so that when said shroud moves from said first position to said second position, said inner wall contacts said lock ring and causes said lock ring to flex outwardly.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the ground contact is arranged so that it is coaxial with the socket housing.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the ground contact is in the form of a split ring.
21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the ground contact includes a first split ring, a second split ring and one or more generally U shaped contacts connecting the first split ring with the second split ring, wherein the split rings are arranged so that they are coaxial.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first split ring and the second split ring have substantially the same inner and outer diameters, but the width of the first split ring is substantially greater then the width of the second split ring.
23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the generally U shaped contacts curve inwardly towards the central axis of the ground contact.
24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the lock ring comprises a base ring and a finger attached to the base ring, wherein the finger extends in the same general direction as the central axis of the base ring.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the longitudinal axis of the finger is generally parallel but not precisely parallel with the central axis of the base ring such that there is about a two (2) degree angle between the longitudinal axis of the finger and the central axis of the lock ring.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the finger has a proximal end connected to the base ring, an opposite distal end, and a lock tab spaced inwardly from the distal end, wherein the lock tab projects from an inner surface of the finger towards the central axis of the lock ring.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the lock tab has a planar back wall generally facing the proximal end and a planar front wall generally facing distal end, wherein the back wall lies on a plane that forms an angle Y with the central axis of the lock ring, wherein angle Y is about 90 degrees.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the front wall is angled towards the back wall and lies on a plane that forms an angle X with the central axis of the lock ring, wherein angle X is between about 20 and 60 degrees.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein angle X is about 36 degrees.
30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein a rounded bottom wall connects the front wall with the back wall.
31. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the inner wall of the shroud has two major surfaces, an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the inner wall is not parallel with the inner surface of the inner wall so that the two surfaces converge to form an annular ridge.
32. A ground contact for use in establishing an electrical connection between a socket housing and a plug housing, comprising:
a first split ring;
a second split ring; and
one or more generally U shaped contacts connecting the first split ring with the second split ring, wherein
the split rings are arranged so that they are coaxial.
33. The ground contact of claim 32, wherein the first split ring and the second split ring have substantially the same inner and outer diameters, but the width of the first split ring is substantially greater then the width of the second split ring.
34. The ground contact of claim 33, wherein the generally U shaped contacts curve inwardly towards the central axis of the ground contact.
35. The ground contact of claim 34, wherein the ground contact is housed within an annular groove located in an inner surface of the socket housing.