Electrical connectors – With indicating or identifying provision – Connection indicating provision
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-14
2003-04-29
Nasri, Javaid (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With indicating or identifying provision
Connection indicating provision
C439S676000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06554638
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to modular electrical connector assemblies including light emitting means for indicating electrical coupling with the connector assembly and more specifically, to modular jacks receivable of mating plugs and having associated visual indicators for indicating coupling of a mating plug to the jack.
The present invention also relates to modular electrical connector assemblies including magnetic components for filtering common mode and differential mode interference and for eliminating high frequency noise.
The present invention also relates to modular electrical connector assemblies including both light emitting means and magnetic filtering components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modular jack connectors or connector assemblies are well known in the telecommunications industry and have been adapted for mounting to printed circuit boards. These connector assemblies are typically used for electrical connection between two electrical communication devices. In order to ensure that a proper connection has been made and therefore a link is created between the electrical communication devices, indicators are often incorporated into circuits on the printed circuit board. These indicators are typically light emitting diodes (LEDs) which are turned on when a circuit is completed between the mating connector assemblies and the communication devices. Additionally, LEDs can be mounted on the printed circuit board to indicate a number of other conditions including the passage of communications signals between the two communication devices, indication of power, or indication that an error in transmitting the signals has occurred. Thus, LEDs provide an easy visual reference for enabling the tester of a circuit card to test the operation of circuits on the card as well as providing a status indicator during normal operation of the card.
In an effort to miniaturize printed circuit boards and increase the available space on the printed circuit board, visual indicators have been integrated into these connector assemblies. An example of such a connector assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,317 to Pocrass which describes a connector assembly for receiving a plug having a visual indicator positioned within the front wall of the electrical connector housing. Incorporation of the indicator into the electrical connector eliminates the need for a separate location on the printed circuit board for mounting of such an indicator. The LED indicator is inserted into a recess of the housing of the electrical connector such that its electrical leads pass through a wall of the housing and connect to the printed circuit board. The indicator is then cemented into the recess or attached to the housing using an appropriate adhesive. The LEDs may also be molded into the electrical connector during the molding process of the housing.
A problem arises with these connector assemblies in that because the anode and cathode leads of the LED are side by side confusion and misconnection can result prior to board mounting. It is also desirable to eliminate the need for securing the LEDs in the housing by cementing or attaching with an adhesive.
Another problem arises in that in the LEDs are situated at the front of the connector assembly, in the narrow space between the mating connector opening and the top or bottom and sides of the connector assembly. Since the connector assemblies, typically telephone jack or “RJ”-type connector assemblies, are generally limited to predetermined dimensions, and because these connector assemblies were not initially designed to accommodate lights or other components at the front of the connector assembly, the available space is very small, and thus the LEDs are also limited in size and power. In addition, the placement of the LEDs at the front of the connector assembly presents the problem that the lead wires for the LEDs must be run through the connector assembly and bent at a ninety degree angle in order to reach the circuit board to which they are to be connected, making installation of the lights in the connector assembly difficult.
Another example of a connector assembly including an indicator light is U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,451 to Driones et al. Driones et al. shows a connector assembly having LEDs situated in openings within the stepped portion of a modular jack interior profile (FIGS.
5
and
6
). Shoulders are provided to hold the LEDs in place, i.e., they are constructed to enable insertion of the LEDs through the front face of the housing while preventing removal of the LEDs through the bottom surface of the connector assembly.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,873 to Bell, Jr. shows a modular jack having a recess in a front face for receiving a light-emitting portion of an LED whereby conductor wires of the LED are passed through passageways in the jack housing to the rear of the housing and then bent downward for connection to a printed circuit board (FIGS.
1
-
4
). In additional embodiments shown in
FIGS. 5-12
, the LEDs are situated at a rear of the housing and the housing is made of transparent or translucent plastic resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,737 to Morin et al. shows a modular jack which has LEDs in exteriorly facing recesses in a bottom wall of the housing. The LEDs have guide recesses which cooperate with guide projections situated at the sides of the recesses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,157 to Chung shows a modular jack with LEDs mounted in a recess in the front face whereby each LED is connected via a terminal to a printed circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,802 to Loudermilk shows a modular jack having a two-part housing having a shell and a rear insert and includes three LEDs, each positioned in a chamber at the front of the shell and having conductor leads connected thereto which extend through a lead chamber to the rear of the shell. The conductor leads engage leads of conductors of a lead frame which are situated in the rear insert.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,152 to Boutros shows a modular jack having a light guide for conveying light from an LED situated at a rear of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,946 to Briones shows a multi-port connector assembly having LEDs spaced from the printed circuit board to which the connector assembly is mounted and arranged in rearwardly facing cavities in the front wall of the connector assembly (see
FIGS. 6
and
8
). Leads from the LEDs extend rearwardly and downwardly through recesses for connection to the printed circuit board (See FIG.
6
).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,767 to Schell shows three embodiments of a modular jack with an indicator light. In a first embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
, the jack includes a front shield or face plate adapted to be removably or detachably received against a front wall of the jack. The face plate includes brackets having bores through which LEDs are inserted. The brackets correspond in location to cutout areas of the housing of the jack. Leads extend from the LEDs rearwardly and downwardly for connection to a printed circuit board. In a second embodiment shown in
FIG. 2
, the face plate includes brackets corresponding in location to the cutout areas of the housing of the jack and having one or more notches for providing a seat for LEDs. To this end, the body of the LEDs includes a groove receivable of the notch. Leads extend from the LEDs rearwardly and downwardly for connection to a printed circuit board. In a third embodiment shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
, the face plate includes LEDs mounted to the upper portion thereof. The LEDs are electrically coupled to an end of a flexible conductor strip. The conductor strip is contiguous with the top wall of the housing and is electrically coupled to terminal pins that are in turn electrically coupled to circuits on the printed circuit board to which the connector assembly is mounted. A lens overlies the LEDs and softens the LED light effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,041 to Lee shows a modular jack having an opening situated in a bottom wall defining the plug-receiving cavity and which is positioned above an LED mounted on the
Fleming Jeffrey Wallace
Givens David
Hess John
Hulbert Patrick
Imschweiler Derek
Nasri Javaid
Steinberg & Baskin, P.C.
Stewart Connector Systems, Inc.
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