Connector assembly having status indator means

• US 7,247,046 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2006
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wu, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Truc
• Application Number:
  US11/481,267
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 439/490, 439/668
• US Class Current: 439/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6641 with diode with LED H01R13/7175
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence

Abstract

A power connector assembly (100) includes a housing (2) defining a number of passages (23, 24), a circuit board (4) assembled to the housing and including a pair of LEDs (42) capable of being actuated to emit light, a number of contacts respectively received in the passages of the housing, a cable (6) electrically connecting with the circuit board, a rear cover (7) assembled to the housing to enclose the contact, the circuit board and front end of the cable, and status indicator means (81, 82) aligning with the LED of the circuit board and enclosed by the rear cover to spread the light emitted from the LED outwardly for indicating normal status between the power connector assembly and a complementary connector. The contacts include a power contact (31), a ground contact (32) electrically connecting with the circuit board and a detect contact (33) electrically connecting with the LED of the circuit board.

Claims

1. A power connector assembly, comprising:

a housing defining a plurality of passages;

a circuit board assembled to the housing and comprising an LED capable of being actuated to emit light;

a plurality of contacts respectively received in the passages of the housing, the contacts comprising a power contact, a ground contact electrically connecting with the circuit board and a detect contact electrically connecting with the LED of the circuit board;

a cable electrically connecting with the circuit board to form electrical connection with the power contact and the ground contact for power transmission;

a rear cover assembled to the housing to enclose contacts, the circuit board and front end of the cable; and

status indicator means aligning with the LED of the circuit board and enclosed by the rear cover to spread the light emitted from the LED outwardly for indicating normal status between the power connector assembly and a complementary connector;

wherein the status indicator means comprises a first light pipe aligning with the LED along a vertical direction perpendicular to a mating direction of the power connector assembly and a second light pipe stacked with the light pipe and the LED along said vertical direction;

wherein the first light pipe is attached to the housing and the second light pipe is attached to the cover.

2. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first light pipe comprises a first body section aligning with the LED and a first engaging section extending forwardly from the body section and frictionally engaging with the housing.

3. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second light pipe comprises a second body section aligning with the first body section of the first light pipe and a second engaging section frictionally engaging with the cover.

4. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cover defines a receiving hole therethrough, and wherein the second engaging section of the second light pipe is post-shape and received in the receiving hole for spreading the light emitted by the LED outwardly.

5. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a front cover assembled with the housing and made from conductive material and capable of being attacked by a complementary connector.

6. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein each contact comprises a contacting portion exposed beyond a front surface of the housing and received in the front cover, a media portion engagingly received in the housing, and a tail portion for electrically connecting with the circuit board.

7. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contacts are of pogo-type and capable of moving along a mating direction of the power connector assembly.

8. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a pair of conductive elements, and wherein each conductive element comprises a connecting portion electrically connecting with corresponding signal and ground contacts, and a tail portion electrically connecting with the circuit board.

9. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, f wherein each conductive element is of L-shape.

10. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein further comprising a strain relief member electrically connecting with the cable and the circuit board.

11. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cable comprises an inner conductor directly soldered with the circuit board and a metal braiding layer electrically connecting with the strain relief member.

12. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, the strain relief member comprises a jointing portion soldered with the circuit board, and a routing portion, and wherein the metal braiding layer is firstly wrapped to the routing portion and then soldered with the jointing portion.

13. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a supporting member, and wherein the metal braiding layer is shaped into flat sheet and soldered with the supporting member and the strain relief member.

14. A cable connector assembly comprising:

an insulative housing;

a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing;

a printed circuit board located behind the housing and electrically connected to the corresponding contacts;

a cover enclosing said housing and said printed circuit board;

a pair of LEDs mounted upon opposite surfaces of the printed circuit board; and

a pair of light pipes seated upon the corresponding LEDs for light transfer;

wherein

the associated LEDs and light pipes are arranged symmetrically with each other with regard to the printed circuit board, and each of the light pipes essentially extends to said cover of the connector to be visible from an exterior;

wherein the pair of light pipes comprises a first light pipe aligning with the LED along a vertical direction perpendicular to a mating direction of the power connector assembly and a second light pipe stacked with the light pipe and the LED along said vertical direction;

wherein the first light pipe is attached to the housing and the second light pipe is attached to the cover.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said printed circuit board defines a slot, which extends through the printed circuit board in a vertical direction, in a front edge region thereof to receive a tail of one of said contacts.