Cable connector assembly

• US 9,935,383 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Li, Zhen-Liang
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad C
• Application Number:
  US15/392,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20170214158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/53 connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7172 Conduits for light transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/023 between cables or wires and terminals

Abstract

An assembly has a connector, a circuit board, a cable, a light pipe, and an outer casing. The connector has an insulating body with conductive terminals fixed therein. The circuit board is behind the connector, is electrically connected with two conductive terminals, and has two light-emitting elements. The cable has a plurality of wires, and the conductive terminal is electrically connected with the wire. An inside of the light pipe is formed with a first receiving cavity that receives the connector and the circuit board therein. The outer casing has first and second insulating casings which are latched to each other and are combined to form a second receiving cavity. The light pipe is received in the second receiving cavity and is partially exposed out of the outer casing. Light from the light-emitting elements emits outwardly via the light pipe. The cable extends rearward out of the outer casing.

Claims

1. A cable connector assembly, comprising:

a connector which has an insulating body and a plurality of conductive terminals fixed in the insulating body;

a circuit board which is provided behind the connector, is electrically connected with at least two of the conductive terminals, and is provided with at least one light-emitting element;

a cable which has a plurality of wires, the conductive terminal being electrically connected with the wire;

a light pipe, the inside of the light pipe being formed with a first receiving cavity, the first receiving cavity receiving the connector and the circuit board therein; and

an outer casing, the outer casing comprising a first insulating casing and a second insulating casing which are latched each other, the first insulating casing and the second insulating casing being combined to form a second receiving cavity,

wherein the light pipe is received in the second receiving cavity and is partially exposed out of the outer casing, and wherein light emitted from the light-emitting element is able to emit outwardly via the light pipe, and wherein the cable extends rearward out of the outer casing.

2. The cable connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light pipe is in a hollow cylindrical shape, a front edge of the light pipe is exposed out of a front end of the outer casing.

3. The cable connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first insulating casing and the second insulating casing face each other in a front-rear direction, two sides of the first insulating casing each are provided with at least one elastic latching arm extending towards the second insulating casing, the second insulating casing is provided with at least two latching holes each corresponding to the elastic latching arm.

4. The cable connector assembly according to claim 3, wherein the light pipe is clamped between the first insulating casing and the second insulating casing in the front-rear direction, the light pipe is provided with a stop portion which protrudes outwardly behind the front edge of the light pipe and is stopped by the first insulating casing.

5. The cable connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein an inner wall of the first receiving cavity of the light pipe is attached to the light-emitting element.

6. The cable connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting element is a LED.

7. The cable connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board is provided with two solder pads, and the conductive terminals of the connector comprise a power terminal and a grounding terminal which are directly soldered on the two solder pads respectively.

8. The cable connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wires of the cable are directly soldered on the conductive terminals of the connector.

9. The cable connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connector further comprises a shielding shell sheathed on an outer periphery of the insulating body, the shielding shell is provided with a grounding soldering leg extending rearward;

one wire of the cable is directly soldered on the grounding soldering leg.

10. The cable connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein a protective case is molded around an outer periphery of the circuit board, the protective case wraps up at least joint of the wires, the conductive terminals and the circuit board therein, and the light-emitting element is exposed out of the protective case.