Connector assembly with light source sub-assemblies and method of manufacturing

A connector assembly comprising:

• at least one sub-assembly having at least one a light source and at least one carrier element, said carrier element being adapted to receive at least a portion of said at least one light source;
• and
• a connector housing having a front face and at least one recess formed substantially within said front face, said at least one recess being adapted to receive at least a portion of said at least one sub-assembly;
• whereby when said at least one sub-assembly is inserted in said recess, said at least one light source is positioned so as to be electrically coupled to an external device, and viewable from said front face of said housing.

An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

• a housing having a front face, said housing further comprising;
• a plurality of modular jack ports formed at least partly within said front face, said ports each being adapted to receive a modular jack having a plurality of terminals;
• first recesses disposed on both ends of said housing at least partly in said front face and proximate to respective ones of said ports, said first recesses adapted to each receive a light source therein;
• and
• a plurality of second recesses disposed at least partly in said front face and substantially between adjacent ones of said plurality of ports, said second recesses adapted to receive a plurality of light sources therein;
• first light sources with electrodes adapted for receipt within corresponding ones of said first recesses, said electrodes being adapted for mating with an external device;
• and
• a plurality of sets of second light sources with electrodes, said sets each being received with respective ones of said plurality of second recesses, said electrodes being adapted for mating with said external device.

A method of manufacturing a connector assembly, comprising:

• forming a connector housing having a front face, said housing further having at least one modular jack port and a first and second recess each formed at least partly in said front face;
• providing first and second light sources having a viewing surface and a plurality of electrodes associated therewith;
• deforming said electrodes of said first light source into a first configuration such that said light source may be received within said first recess with said viewing surface being viewable from said front face of said housing;
• deforming said electrodes of said second light source into a second configuration such that said light source may be received within said second recess with said viewing surfaces being viewable from said front face of said housing;
• inserting said first light source into said first recess, said electrodes of said first light source being positioned to mate with an external device;
• and
• inserting said second light source into said second recess, said electrodes of said second light source being positioned to mate with said external device.

A method of manufacturing a connector assembly, comprising:

• forming a connector housing having a front face, said housing further having a plurality of modular jack ports, at least one first recess, and at least one second recesses each formed at least partly in said front face;
• providing at least one first light source and a plurality of second light sources, each of said light sources having a viewing surface and a plurality of electrodes associated therewith;
• deforming said electrodes of said at least one first light source into a first configuration such that said at least one first light source may be received within said at least one first recess with said viewing surface being viewable from said front face of said housing;
• deforming said electrodes of said plurality of second light sources into a second configuration such that said second light sources may be received within said at least one second recess with said viewing surfaces being viewable from said front face of said housing;
• inserting said first light source into said first recess, said electrodes of said first light source being positioned to mate with an external device;
• and
• inserting said second light sources into said second recess, said electrodes of said second light sources being positioned to mate with said external device.

A connector assembly comprising:

• at least one sub-assembly having:
• at least one means for generating light having at least one electrode means;
• and
• at least one carrier means, said carrier means being adapted to receive at least a portion of said at least one electrode means;
• and
• a connector housing having:
• first recess means adapted for receiving at least a portion of a modular plug, said modular plug having a plurality of terminals disposed thereon;
• at least one second recess means adapted for receiving at least a portion of said at least one sub-assembly;
• a plurality of conductor means, said plurality of conductor means being at least partly disposed within said first recess means, said conductor means being configured to form electrical pathways between respective ones of said terminals of said modular plug and said external device when said modular plug is received within said first recess means and said connector assembly is mated to said external device;
• whereby when said at least one sub-assembly is inserted in said at least one second recess means, said at least one electrode means is positioned to be electrically mated with said external device.

An electrical assembly, comprising:

• a substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive traces;
• a housing having a front face, said housing further comprising;
• a plurality of modular jack ports formed at least partly within said front face, said ports each being adapted to receive a modular jack having a plurality of terminals;
• first recesses disposed on both ends of said housing at least partly in said front face and proximate to respective ones of said ports, said first recesses adapted to each receive a light source therein;
• and
• a plurality of second recesses disposed at least partly in said front face and substantially between adjacent ones of said plurality of ports, said second recesses adapted to receive a plurality of light sources therein;
• first light sources with electrodes adapted for receipt within corresponding ones of said first recesses, said electrodes being adapted for mating with respective ones of said conductive traces of said substrate;
• a plurality of sets of second light sources with electrodes, said sets each being received with respective ones of said plurality of second recesses, said electrodes being adapted for mating with respective ones of said conductive traces.

A light source assembly for use in an electrical connector having a housing, comprising:

• a carrier element, said carrier element having a longitudinal dimension and being adapted to fit at least partly within a complementary recess formed in said connector housing;
• and
• at least one light source having a plurality of electrodes and a front surface, said electrodes being retained at least partly within said carrier element, the plane of said at least one front surface being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal dimension of said carrier element;
• whereby said electrodes are adapted to mate with corresponding conductive elements of an external device when said assembly is received within said recess.

A light source assembly for use in an electrical connector having a housing, comprising:

• at least one carrier element adapted to be received in a corresponding recess of said housing;
• and
• a plurality of light sources each having a viewing face and a plurality of electrodes, said electrodes each being at least partly received within said at least one carrier element;
• whereby said electrodes of said plurality of light sources are formed such that said viewing faces of said light sources are substantially juxtaposed.

A light source assembly for use in an electrical connector having a housing, comprising:

• a plurality of means for generating light each having a viewing face and a plurality of electrode means;
• and
• at least one carrier means adapted for insertion in a corresponding recess of said housing, said electrode means each being at least partly received within said at least one carrier element;
• whereby said electrode means are shaped such that said viewing faces of said means for generating light are substantially juxtaposed.

A method of manufacturing a light source assembly, comprising:

• providing a first light source and a second light source, said first and second light sources each having a viewing surface and a plurality of electrodes associated therewith;
• deforming said electrodes of said first light source into a first configuration;
• deforming said electrodes of said second light source into a second configuration;
• disposing said first and second light sources such that said viewing surfaces of said light sources are juxtaposed;
• and
• forming at least one carrier element around at least a portion of the electrodes of said first and second light sources.

A method of manufacturing a light source assembly for use in a modular connector, comprising:

• providing a first LED and a second LED, said first and second LEDs each having a body with a viewing surface and a plurality of electrodes associated therewith, each of said electrodes having a distal end;
• deforming said electrodes of said first LED into a first configuration, said act of deforming comprising bending each of said electrodes in at least two locations thereon, said distal ends of said electrodes of said first LED being substantially juxtaposed;
• deforming said electrodes of said second LED into a second configuration, said act of deforming comprising bending each of said electrodes in at least two locations thereon, said distal ends of said electrodes of said second LED being substantially juxtaposed;
• disposing said first and second LEDs such that said viewing surfaces of said light sources are juxtaposed, said bodies of said first and second LEDs are in physical communication, said distal ends of said first and second electrodes being substantially juxtaposed;
• and
• forming at least one carrier element around at least a portion of the electrodes of said first and second LEDs, said carrier being adapted to retain said electrodes of said LEDs in a substantially fixed orientation with respect thereto.

A connector assembly comprising:

• at least one sub-assembly having:
• at least two light sources each having at least one electrode;
• and
• at least one carrier element, said carrier element being adapted to receive at least a portion of said at least one electrode of said at least two light sources;
• and
• a connector housing having:
• first and second ports each adapted to receive at least a portion of a respective connector plug, said connector plugs each having a plurality of terminals disposed thereon, said first port being disposed substantially atop said second port;
• and
• at least one recess adapted to receive at least a portion of said at least one sub-assembly;
• whereby when said at least one sub-assembly is inserted in said at least one recess.