Electrical connector assembly with light transmission means
AssigneeMolex Incorporated
InventorsYan Margulis, James T. Roberts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector assembly includes a housing having a plurality of receptacles, including a top receptacle, for receiving a plurality of mating plugs. A light guide is operatively associated with each receptacle and its respective mating plug to signal a circuit condition thereof. All of the light guides have front ends viewable at the front of the housing above the top receptacle. Each front end has an indicator to visually indicate the receptacle with which the respective light guide is operatively associated.
Claims26
A connector assembly for electrically connecting a plurality of mating plugs to a circuit board, comprising:
- a housing adapted for mounting on the circuit board, the housing having a front face with a plurality of stacked receptacles, including a top receptacle and a bottom receptacle, for receiving said plurality of mating plugs;
- a plurality of terminals each including one end extending into one of said receptacles for making electrical contact with a corresponding terminal on the respective plug inserted into that receptacle and an opposite end adapted to contact the circuit board;
- and
- light guide means on the housing and viewable through the front face thereof, including a light guide operatively associated with each of the top and bottom receptacles and its respective mating plug to signal a circuit condition thereof, all of the light guides having front ends at the front face of the housing above the top receptacle, and each front end having indicating means to visually indicate the top or bottom receptacle with which the respective light guide is operatively associated.
A connector assembly for connection to a plurality of mating plugs, comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of receptacles, including a top receptacle and a bottom receptacle, for receiving said plurality of mating plugs;
- and
- a light means operatively associated with each of the top and bottom receptacles and its respective mating plug to signal a circuit condition thereof, all of the light means being viewable at the front of the housing above the top receptacle and having indicating means to visually indicate the top or bottom receptacle with which the respective light means is operatively associated.
A connector adapted to be mounted on a circuit board and having a front face, said connector comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of stacked receptacles, each of which receptacles including a first receptacle mounted upon a second receptacle;
- a plurality of terminals each including one end extending into one of said first and second receptacles and an opposite end adapted to contact the circuit board;
- and
- a first light guide operatively associated with each of said first receptacles and viewable from said front face thereof to provide an indication of a circuit condition thereof and a second light guide operatively associated with each of said second receptacles and viewable from said front face thereof to provide an indication of a circuit condition thereof, each of said first light guides having a first front end at said front face of the housing at the uppermost portion of said first receptacle, said first front end having a first indicator to visually indicate that said first light guide is operatively associated with said first receptacle and each of said second light guides having a second front end at said front face of said housing at the uppermost portion of said first receptacle, said second front end having a second indicator to visually indicate that said second light guide is operatively associated with said second receptacle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.