Modular jack assembly having light transmission means with a light indicator

• US 6,352,446 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hirose Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hirose Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Kikuta, Shigeru, Arai, Tatsuya, Miwa, Hideo, Ezawa, Katsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prasad, Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US09/725,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 439/490, 439/489, 439/488, 439/344, 439/676, 439/619, 439/717
• US Class Current: 439/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Abstract

A modular jack assembly with an indicator comprises a housing (19) made of an insulative material and consisting of two tiers, each tier having at least one through-hole (15) and at least one opening (18a or 18b) for receiving a mating connector. The modular assembly further comprises at least one light transmission means (11D) for transmitting light, which is provided in the through-hole and has a light receiving member (13) at one end for receiving light from a corresponding light source (6a OR 6b) mounted on a board outside of the modular jack assembly and disposed in a line along a rear wall of the housing and an indicator member at the other end for displaying the light to the outside of the modular jack assembly. The transmission means provided in the through-hole of an upper tier extends upwardly from the light receiving member along the rear wall, bent at right angles into an upper wall of the upper tier and then bent diagonally along the upper wall of the upper tier. The light transmission means provided in the through-hole of a lower tier extends upwardly from the light receiving member along the rear wall and bent at right angles into and through an upper wall of the lower tier.

Claims

1. A modular jack assembly with an indicator, comprising:

a housing made of an insulative material and consisting of two tiers, each tier having at least one through-hole extending from a rear face of said housing to a front face of said housing and at least one opening for receiving a mating connector; and

at least one light transmission means for transmitting light, provided in said through-hole and having a light receiving member at one end for receiving light from a corresponding light source mounted on a board outside said modular jack assembly and an indicator member at the other end for displaying said light to the outside of said modular jack assembly, said light receiving member disposed at one of positions along said rear face of said housing, said light source disposed at a position corresponding to said one of positions of said light receiving member, said transmission means provided in said through-hole of an upper tier extending upwardly from said light receiving member along said rear face and bent diagonally along said rear face and then at right angles into and through an upper wall of said upper tier, and said light transmission means provided in said through-hole of a lower tier extending upwardly from said light receiving member along said rear face and bent at right angles toward said front face of said housing.

2. A modular jack assembly with an indicator, comprising:

a housing made of an insulative material and consisting of two tiers, each tier having at least one through-hole extending from a rear face of said housing to a front face of said housing and at least one opening for receiving a mating connector; and

at least one light transmission means for transmitting light, provided in said through-hole and having a light receiving member at one end for receiving light from a corresponding light source mounted on a board outside said modular jack assembly and an indicator member at the other end for displaying said light to the outside of said modular jack assembly, said light receiving member disposed at one of positions along said rear face of said housing, said light source disposed at a position corresponding to said one of positions of said light receiving member, said transmission means provided in said through-hole of an upper tier extending upwardly from said light receiving member along said rear face and bent diagonally along said rear face and then at right angles into and through an upper wall of said upper tier, and said light transmission means provided in said through-hole of a lower tier extending from said light receiving member straight toward said front face of said housing.

3. A modular jack assembly with an indicator, comprising:

a housing made of an insulative material and consisting of two tiers, each tier having at least one through-hole extending from a rear face of said housing to a front face of said housing and at least one opening for receiving a mating connector; and

at least one light transmission means for transmitting light, provided in said through-hole and having a light receiving member at one end for receiving light from a corresponding light source mounted on a board outside of said modular jack assembly and an indicator member at the other end for displaying said light to the outside said modular jack assembly, said light receiving member disposed at one of positions along said rear face of said housing, said light source disposed at a position corresponding to said one of positions of said light receiving member, said transmission means provided in said through-hole of an upper tier extending upwardly from said light receiving member along said rear face, bent at right angles into an upper wall of said upper tier and then bent diagonally along said upper wall of said upper tier, and said light transmission means provided in said through-hole of a lower tier extending upwardly from said light receiving member along said rear face and bent at right angles toward said front face of said housing.

4. A modular jack assembly with an indicator, comprising:

a housing made of an insulative material and consisting of two tiers, each tier having at least one through-hole extending from a rear face of said housing to a front face of said housing and at least one opening for receiving a mating connector; and

at least one light transmission means for transmitting light, provided in said through-hole and having a light receiving member at one end for receiving light from a corresponding light source mounted on a board outside of said modular jack assembly and an indicator member at the other end for displaying said light to the outside said modular jack assembly, said light receiving member disposed at one of positions along said rear face of said housing, said light source disposed at a position corresponding to said one of positions of said light receiving member, said transmission means provided in said through-hole of an upper tier extending upwardly from said light receiving member along said rear face, bent at right angles into an upper wall of said upper tier and then bent diagonally along said upper wall of said upper tier, and said light transmission means provided in said through-hole of a lower tier extending from said light receiving member straight toward said front face of said housing.