Modular jack with LED retention means

• US 20080032546A1
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Xuan, Wan-Li, Wu, Li-Chun, Wan, Qing
• Granted Patent: US 7,393,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices

Abstract

A modular jack (100) includes a number of visual indicators (40), an insulative housing (10) having a pair of receiving spaces (11, 12), a number of retention sections (101) for engaging with the visual indicators and a terminal module (20). The retention section defines an opening, a rear wall (16), a bottom wall (14), a pair of side walls (17), a cantilevered arm (15) including a top surface (151) and a wedge-shaped bottom surface (152). The top surface has a second ramp (155) extending forwardly and downwardly. The bottom surface has a contacting portion (153) for resisting against the visual indicator and a first ramp (154) rearwardly upwardly extending from the contacting portion.

Claims

1. A modular jack for receiving a mating connector, comprising:

a visual indicator for indicating a condition of an electrical signal;

an insulative housing having a receiving space for receiving the corresponding mating connector and a retention section for engaging with the visual indicator, said retention section defining an opening, a rear wall, a bottom wall, a pair of side walls and a cantilevered arm, the cantilevered arm extending forwardly and obliquely from the rear wall and comprising a wedge-shaped bottom surface and a top surface, the wedge-shaped bottom surface having a contacting portion for resisting against the visual indicator and a first ramp rearwardly upwardly extending from the contacting portion, the top surface having a second ramp extending forwardly and downwardly; and

a terminal module received in the receiving space for electrically connecting with the mating connector.

2. The modular jack as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cavity defined between the rear wall, the bottom wall, the pair of side walls and the cantilevered arm.

3. The modular jack as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first ramp of the bottom surface is formed with an angle “

a”

relative to the bottom wall, said second ramp is formed with an angle “

b”

relative the bottom wall.

4. The modular jack as claimed in claim 3 wherein said angle “

a”

has a degree smaller than that of the angle “

b”

.

5. The modular jack as claimed in claim 3, wherein said angle “

a”

has a degree equal to that of the angle “

b”

.

6. The modular jack as claimed in claim 2, wherein said visual indicator comprises a housing body received in the cavity and fastened by the contacting portion of the cantilevered arm and a pair of connecting terminals extending from the housing body.

7. The modular jack as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom surface of the cantilevered arm has a guiding face forwardly upwardly extending from the contacting portion.

8. The modular jack as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving space comprises a first receiving space for receiving a RJ-plug connector of the plurality of mating connectors and a second receiving space adjacent to the first receiving space for receiving a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug.

9. The modular jack as claimed in claim 8, wherein said terminal module comprises a print circuit board, a plurality of first terminals mounted to the print circuit board and received in the first receiving space for electrically connecting with the RJ-plug connector, and a plurality of second contacts received in the second receiving space for electrically connecting with the USB plug.

10. The modular jack as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a conductive outer shield enclosing the insulative housing.

11. An electrical connector comprising:

an insulative housing defining a receiving cavity;

a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing and extending into the receiving cavity;

a receiving recess extending inward from a front face of the housing and defining a tapered face therein; and

an LED inserted into the receiving recess from the front face;

wherein

a triangular gap is formed between said tapered face and said LED under a condition that said tapered face engages the LED essentially only at a front section of said tapered face rather than wholly.