Modular jack with visual indicator
First Claim
1. A modular jack, comprising:
- a jack body having top, bottom, front, and rear walls;
a plug receiving opening in the front wall;
an LED assembly receiving pocket in the front wall, the pocket comprising an opening in the front wall and an opening in the bottom wall, wherein the openings in the front and bottom walls substantially correspond to the width and length of an LED assembly to be inserted in the pocket such that the LED assembly can be inserted from both the front wall and the bottom wall; and
at least one of;
(i) a lip formed on the bottom wall along an edge of the pocket for retaining the LED assembly within the pocket, the lip deflecting in response to insertion of the LED assembly from the bottom wall;
(ii) a crush rib formed on a first inner wall of the pocket for urging the LED assembly toward an opposing second inner wall of the pocket to form an interference fit between the pocket and the LED assembly so that the LED assembly is suspended in the pocket by way of the interference fit; and
(iii) a metallic shield surrounding the jack body, the shield comprising a front face and a tab portion, wherein the front face has apertures formed therein for exposing LEDs of the LED assembly, and the tab portion covers the opening in the bottom wall and thereby retains the LED assembly in the pocket.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A preferred embodiment of a modular jack includes a visual indicator for indicating a condition of an electrical signal, and a body capable of receiving at least a portion of a connector plug. The body has a first outer surface located in a first plane, and a second outer surface located in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane. The body defines a pocket for receiving at least a portion of the visual indicator. The pocket extends into the body from the first and the second outer surfaces so that the at least a portion of the visual indicator can be inserted into the pocket in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the first plane, and in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the second plane.
30 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A modular jack, comprising:
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a jack body having top, bottom, front, and rear walls;
a plug receiving opening in the front wall;
an LED assembly receiving pocket in the front wall, the pocket comprising an opening in the front wall and an opening in the bottom wall, wherein the openings in the front and bottom walls substantially correspond to the width and length of an LED assembly to be inserted in the pocket such that the LED assembly can be inserted from both the front wall and the bottom wall; and
at least one of;
(i) a lip formed on the bottom wall along an edge of the pocket for retaining the LED assembly within the pocket, the lip deflecting in response to insertion of the LED assembly from the bottom wall;
(ii) a crush rib formed on a first inner wall of the pocket for urging the LED assembly toward an opposing second inner wall of the pocket to form an interference fit between the pocket and the LED assembly so that the LED assembly is suspended in the pocket by way of the interference fit; and
(iii) a metallic shield surrounding the jack body, the shield comprising a front face and a tab portion, wherein the front face has apertures formed therein for exposing LEDs of the LED assembly, and the tab portion covers the opening in the bottom wall and thereby retains the LED assembly in the pocket. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A modular jack, comprising:
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a visual indicator for indicating a condition of an electrical signal;
a body capable of receiving at least a portion of a connector plug, the body having a first outer surface located in a first plane, and a second outer surface located in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane, the body defining a pocket for receiving at least a portion of the visual indicator, the pocket extending into the body from the first and the second outer surfaces so that the at least a portion of the visual indicator can be inserted into the pocket in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the first plane, and in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the second plane; and
at least one of;
(i) a lip defined by the body along an edge of the pocket for retaining the at least a portion of the visual indicator within the pocket, the lip deflecting in response to insertion of the at least a portion of the visual indicator in the pocket;
(ii) a crush rib formed on a first inner wall of the pocket for urging the at least a portion of the visual indicator toward an opposing second inner wall of the pocket to form an interference fit between the pocket and the at least a portion of the visual indicator so that the at least a portion of the visual indicator is suspended in the pocket by way of the interference fit; and
(iii) a metallic shield positioned over the body, the shield comprising a tab portion that retains the at least a portion of the visual indicator in the pocket. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A modular jack, comprising:
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an LED assembly comprising an LED and a terminal electrically coupled to the LED; and
a body having a front and a bottom outer wall, the body having a first pocket formed therein for receiving a connector plug and defined at least in part by the front wall, the body also having a second pocket formed therein for receiving the LED, the second pocket being formed at least in part by the front and the bottom outer walls so that the LED can be inserted into the second pocket from the front and the bottom of the body; and
at least one of;
(i) a lip formed on the body along an edge of the second pocket for retaining the LED in the second pocket, the lip deflecting in response to insertion of the LED in the second pocket;
(ii) a crush rib formed on a first inner wall of the second pocket for urging the LED toward an opposing second inner wall of the second pocket to form an interference fit between the second pocket and the LED so that the LED is suspended in the second pocket by way of the interference fit; and
(iii) a metallic shield surrounding the jack body, the shield comprising a front face and a tab portion, wherein the front face has apertures formed therein, and a tab portion that covers the opening in the bottom wall and thereby retains the LED assembly in the second pocket. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A modular jack, comprising:
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a visual indicator for indicating a condition of an electrical signal; and
a body for mating with a connector plug, the body having a pocket formed therein for receiving at least a portion of the visual indicator, the pocket being accessible to the at least a portion of the visual indicator from a first and a substantially perpendicular second direction; and
at least one of;
a crush rib formed on a first inner surface of the body that defines the pocket so that the crush rib urges the at least a portion of the visual indicator toward an opposing second inner surface of the body and the body securely engages the at least a portion of the visual indicator when the at least a portion of the visual indicator is inserted into the pocket and the visual indicator is suspended in the pocket by way of the interference fit;
a lip formed on the body and extending along an edge of the pocket so that the lip deflects in response to insertion of the visual indicator in the pocket and retains the at least a portion of the visual indicator in the pocket; and
a shield positioned over the body and comprising a tab portion that retains the at least a portion of the visual indicator in the pocket.
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Specification