Modular electrical connector assemblies with magnetic filter and/or visual indicator

• US 6,554,638 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1999
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bel Fuse Limited (Bel Fuse)
• Original Assignee: Stewart Connector Systems, Inc. (Bel Connector Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hess, John, Hulbert, Patrick, Givens, David, Janz, Ronald, Fleming, Jeffrey Wallace, Locati, Ronald, Imschweiler, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): NASRI, JAVAID H
• Application Number:
  US09/417,644
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 439/490, 439/676, 439/607, 439/620
• US Class Current: 439/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/502 composed of different pieces H01R13/514 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/514 composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6633 with inductive component, e.g. transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7172 Conduits for light transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/719 specially adapted for high frequency, e.g. with filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve

Abstract

A connector assembly for mounting on a main printed circuit board, comprising a jack defining a plug-receiving receptacle and including an outer housing part and an inner housing part, circuit coupling means including contact portions arranged in said receptacle and adapted to engage contacts of a mating plug when situated in said receptacle and terminal portions adapted to engage the main printed circuit board and being electrically coupled to said contact portions, a light pipe element arranged in said jack being visible from a front face of said jack, and light generating means for generating light and being arranged such that light generated by said light generating means is transmitted through said at least one light transmitting section to said front face of said jack. The circuit coupling means further comprising an internal printed circuit board arranged in said jack and including filtering components mounted thereon, said internal printed circuit board including a wiring pattern for electrically coupling a first set of contacts, a second set of contacts and filtering components together.

Claims

1. A connector assembly (8) for mounting on a main printed circuit board (126), comprising:

a jack (10, 50) defining a plug-receiving receptacle (16) and including an outer housing part (68) and an inner housing part (70);

circuit coupling means including contact portions (18a ) arranged in said receptacle (16) and adapted to engage contacts of a mating plug when situated in said receptacle and terminal portions (18b) adapted to engage the main printed circuit board (126) and being electrically coupled to said contact portions (18a);

a light pipe element (30) arranged in said jack (10) and comprising at least one light transmitting section (32) arranged such that said at least one light transmitting section (32) is visible from a front face (82) of said jack (10); and

light generating means (164) for generating light, said light generating means (164) being arranged such that light generated by said light generating means (164) is transmitted through said at least one light transmitting section (32) to said front face (82) of said jack (10);

an internal printed circuit board (183) arranged in said jack (10);

a first set of contacts (60) arranged in said jack (10) including said contact portions (18a) arranged in said receptacle (16) and being connected to said internal printed circuit board (183), wherein said outer housing part (68) comprises a top wall (72), opposed side walls (74), a bottom wall (76) and a comb portion (90) defining a plurality of slots for receiving ends of said contacts (60), said top and side walls (72 and 74) having a length greater than a length of said bottom wall (76) to thereby define a cavity (78) at a rear of said outer housing part (68) rearward of said comb portion (90), said inner housing part (70) comprising a front flat portion (98), a vertical wall (100) extending perpendicular to and upwards from said front portion (98) and a rear portion (101) extending rearwardly from a lower portion of said vertical wall (100) and defining a second cavity, said vertical wall (100) and rear portion (101) being situated in said cavity (78); and

a second set of contacts (182) connected to said internal printed circuit board (183) and including said terminal portions (18b) adapted to engage the main printed circuit board (126), said internal printed circuit board (183) including a wiring pattern for electrically coupling said first set of contacts (60) and said second set of contacts (182);

said front portion (98) of said inner housing part (70) including channels (104) at a front edge, channels (108) in a lower surface and slots (106) extending from said lower surface to an upper surface alongside said vertical wall;

said vertical wall (100) of said inner housing part (70) including channels at an upper edge;

whereby said first set of contacts (60) pass through said channels (104) at said front edge of said inner housing part (70), through said channels in said lower surface of said inner housing part (70), through said slots (106) in said front portion and through said channels (110) at said upper edge of said vertical wall (100) and connect to said internal printed circuit (183).

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said top wall (78) of said outer housing part (68) includes a cavity (86) adjacent each of said side walls (74), said at least one light transmitting section (32) comprising two light transmitting sections, each of said light transmitting sections (32) having a greater cross-sectional area at a rear of said jack (10) occupying a respective one of said cavities than adjacent said front face (82) of said jack (10).

3. A connector assembly for mounting on a main printed circuit board, comprising

a jack (10) defining a plug-receiving receptacle (16) and including an outer housing part (68) and an inner housing part (70), said inner housing part (70) comprising a front flat portion (98), a vertical wall (304) extending perpendicular to said front portion (98) and a rear portion (101) extending rearward from said vertical wall (304), said rear portion (101) comprising a pair of opposed projections (306) extending rearwardly from a lower end of said vertical wall (304) forming a cavity, and

circuit coupling means including contact portions (18a) arranged in said receptacle (16) and adapted to engage contacts of a mating plug when situated in said receptacle (16) and terminal portions (18b) adapted to engage the main printed circuit board (126) and being electrically coupled to said contact portions, said circuit coupling means comprising

an internal printed circuit board (183) arranged at least partially between said projections (306) of said rear portion (101) of said inner housing part (70),

a first set of contacts (60) arranged in said jack (10) and including said contact portions (18a) arranged in said receptacle (16),

a second set of contacts (182) connected to said internal printed circuit board (183) and including said terminal portions (18b) adapted to engage the main printed circuit board (126), said internal printed circuit board (183) including a wiring pattern for electrically coupling said first set of contacts (60) and said second set of contacts (182), and

a light pipe element (30) arranged in said jack (10) and comprising at least one light transmitting section (32) arranged such that said at least one light transmitting section (32) is visible from a front face (82) of said jack (10), and

light generating means (164) arranged on said internal printed circuit board (183) for generating light, said light generating means (164) being arranged such that light generated by said light generating means (164) is transmitted through said at least one light transmitting section (32) to said front face (82) of said jack (10).

4. The connector assembly of claim 3, further comprising filtering components (180) arranged on said internal printed circuit board (183), said wiring pattern being arranged to electrically couple said first set of contacts (60), said second set of contacts (182) and said filtering components (180).

5. The connector assembly of claim 3, wherein said front portion (98) of said inner housing part (70) includes channels (104) at a front edge, channels (108) in a lower surface and slots (106) extending from said lower surface to an upper surface alongside said vertical wall, said vertical wall of said inner housing part including channels at an upper edge, said first set of contacts being arranged to pass through said channels at said front edge of said inner housing part (70), through said channels in said lower surface of said inner housing part (70), through said slots (106) in said front portion and through said channels (110) at said upper edge of said vertical wall and connect to said internal printed circuit board (183).

6. The connector assembly of claim 3, further comprising an insert assembly (266) connected to said internal printed circuit board (183), said insert assembly (266) including said second set of contacts (182), said contacts in said second set of contacts (182) including a board portion (256) connected to said internal printed circuit board (183), said terminal portion (270a) of said contacts in said second set of contacts (182) being adapted to be surface-mounted to the main printed circuit board (126).

7. The connector assembly of claim 3, wherein said light generating means comprise at least one LED (164) arranged in alignment with a respective one of said at least one light transmitting section (32) of said light pipe element (30), said wiring pattern in said internal printed circuit board (183) being arranged to electrically couple said at least one LED (164) to at least two of said contacts (270) in said second set of contacts (182).