Patent ID: 6217371
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
A modular electrical connector comprising:an insulative housing including a front portion, an opposite rear wall, a top portion and an opposite bottom wall, two mating cavities and a corresponding number of arranging openings being respectively defined in the front portion and the top portion for insertion of mating connectors, a first receiving groove being defined at one side of each arranging opening, the rear wall defining a corresponding number of second receiving grooves in communication with the first receiving groves, the bottom wall defining two insert openings, each insert opening communicating with a corresponding mating cavity and defining a plurality of receiving members in both sides thereof;two terminal modules each comprising a spacer and a plurality of conductive contacts injection molded with the spacer, the spacer defining a plurality of retaining members at opposite sides thereof to engage with the receiving members of each insert opening, the terminal modules being inserted into the respective insert openings of the insulative housing;a metal shell enclosing the insulative housing; andindicating devices each being fitted within the first receiving grooves and the second receiving grooves of the insulative housing;wherein the insulative housing defines on an inside surface of the rear wall a plurality of guide grooves communicating with a respective mating cavity;wherein each spacer of the terminal modules forms a plurality of latching pins at a rear end thereof to partially engage with the guide grooves in the insulative housing;wherein a separating wall separates the two mating cavities of the insulative housing from one another;wherein each first receiving groove defines a hole in a bottom surface thereof;wherein the indicating devices each comprise a light emitting diode and a cover, and the cover forms an engaging portion and a protrusion both of which depend from a bottom surface thereof to respectively engage with the second receiving groove and the hole of the first receiving groove of the insulative housing;wherein the plurality of conductive contacts each comprises a retaining portion which is retained in a respective channel defined in a front end of the insert opening of the insulative housing;wherein the plurality of receiving members of the insert opening comprises a pair of cutouts, a pair of stopping grooves and a pair of recesses to respectively engage with a pair of latching lugs, a pair of abutting blocks and a pair of protrusions formed by the retaining members of the spacer;wherein the shell defines in a front side thereof two receiving openings and two apertures for aligning respectively with the mating cavities and the first receiving grooves of the insulative housing;wherein the shell defines in a top side thereof a number of arranging apertures equal in number to the arranging openings in the insulative housing and aligning with the arranging openings in the insulative housing.