Abstract:
An electrical connector assembly including a housing having front, rear, top, bottom and side parts which define first and second cavities, the first cavity structured and arranged to form part of a modular RJ-45 jack, the second cavity structured and arranged to receive a USB jack, the housing further including downward extending terminal pins electrically coupled to the modular jack, a rear cover attachable to the housing&#39;s rear part, a shield substantially surrounding the sides and top and rear parts of the housing and the rear cover, the rear cover and the housing having respective terminal pin engaging elements, the rear cover being movable to engage the housing, whereby the terminal pin engaging elements of the rear cover and of the housing move toward each other, capturing between them the terminal pins and maintaining these pins separate from each other.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to modular electrical connector components mounted to printed circuit boards and more specifically to RJ-45 and USB modular jack connectors, integrated magnetics, LEDs and light pipes and efforts to structurally combine these components.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Personal computer manufacturers, such as Compaq, Dell, IBM, Sony and others utilize in their desktop, laptop and related computer products, RJ-45 and USB connectors in various combinations with integrated magnetics, LEDs and light pipes, all as individual devices which must be selected, incorporated into overall designs, purchased, maintained in inventory and handled in assembly. Not only does this traditional practice entail added material cost and time of handling and processing these separate components, but each component has its own housing and structural requirements which when assembled together consume precious real estate on the printed circuit (PC) board. Continued developments in computer design are demanding more features in less space, in addition to reduced cost if possible, which is a continuing problem in the design and manufacturing process.  
           [0003]    As this field developed each new electronic device with its own housing was added as a separate element, with space and cost not the predominant concern. In due course certain efforts were made to combine LEDs with light pipes and to combine connectors with LEDs with or without their light pipes, and to further combine integrated magnetics. However, connector jacks, USBs, integrated magnetics, shielding and LEDs have such unique, characteristics and structures and sometimes conflicting functions, that efforts to combine them have been less than satisfactory. Some of the resulting devices have excessive and complex elements and high cost, examples being found in various prior art devices of manufacturers such as Amp, Full Rise Electronics, Foxlink and Foxxcon. The present invention has achieved an integration of USB and RJ-45 connectors with LEDs, light pipes and integrated magnetics into a single device whose central structure is a new single, simple, inexpensive and reliable housing.  
         OBJECTIVES AND SUMMARY OF THE NEW INVENTION  
         [0004]    A first objective of the new invention is to provide a unitary connector device which integrates all or subcombinations of the traditionally separate devices, which include RJ-45 and USB connectors, magnetics, LEDs and light pipes.  
           [0005]    A further objective is to provide a novel internal housing in which and/or on which said individual components are mounted. In one preferred embodiment the USB will be positioned below the RJ-45 and integrated magnetics will be behind the USB. In another embodiment the internal housing will serve as the RJ-45 connector and will receive within it a standard USB connector.  
           [0006]    A still further objective is to provide for such housing a rear cover which includes LEDs mounted thereon and light pipes formed within and as part of the body of the rear cover. In a preferred embodiment this rear cover is made of light transmitting plastic, with portions of the cover functioning as light pipes. A still further object is to achieve by such new integrated connector device reduced costs of manufacturing, including (a) reduction of cost of material, production and inventory of the multiplicity of elements; (b) elimination of duplication of housing walls for all the separate components; and (c) reduction of costs of designing clearance dimensions as traditionally required with assembly of multiple elements packaged into the smallest possible space.  
           [0007]    Another object is to provide a housing and a rear cover combination which automatically positions, separates and secures the contact pins extending downward from the RJ-45 and/or the USB connector.  
           [0008]    A still further object is to provide a new method and structure for placement and securing the magnetics component between laterally extending fingers on the housing and rear cover.  
           [0009]    The above-described invention may take the form of a new housing for a connector assembly or a connector assembly including the new combination housing structure. One version of the new housing comprises:  
           [0010]    (a) front, rear, top, bottom and side parts, said housing including at least one cavity structured and arranged to at least partially define an RJ-45 jack receptacle adapted to receive a set of electrical contacts for said at least one cavity and said set of electrical contacts to form an RJ-45 jack,  
           [0011]    (b) downward extending terminal pins electrically connected to said electrical contacts,  
           [0012]    (c) a rear cover attachable to said housing&#39;s rear part,  
           [0013]    (d) a front set of terminal pin engaging elements extending rearwardly from said housing, and  
           [0014]    (e) a rear set of terminal pin-engaging elements extending frontward from said rear cover, said rear cover being movable frontward to engage said housing, whereby said front and rear sets of terminal pin engaging elements move toward each other, capturing between them said downward extending terminal pins.  
           [0015]    One version of new electrical connector comprises a housing assembly having spaced apart side walls, a first transverse wall extending between said side walls near the top thereof, a second traverse wall extending between said side walls situated below and spaced from said first transverse wall, said side walls and first transverse wall defining between them an upper recess, electrical contacts situated in said upper recess which together form an RJ-45 connector, said side walls and second transverse wall defining between them a lower recess into which a USB connector is receivable, said housing having front, rear and top parts, and downward extending terminal pins electrically coupled to said electrical contacts, a rear cover attachable to said housing&#39;s rear part, a front set of terminal pin engaging elements extending rearward from said housing and a rear set of terminal pin engaging elements extending frontward from said rear cover, said rear cover being movable frontward to engage said housing, whereby said front and rear sets of terminal pin engaging elements move towards each other, capturing between them said downward extending terminal pins.  
           [0016]    For all these embodiments it is an object to provide a simple, inexpensive and reliable integrated modular connector. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is an exploded top front perspective view of a first embodiment of a new integrated connecter according to the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a top front perspective view of the housing of the new integrated connector according to the invention of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a top rear perspective view of the housing according to the invention of FIG. 1;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a top rear perspective view of the shield in accordance with the invention of FIG. 1;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a top front perspective view of the rear cover of the invention of FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5A is a fragmentary top plan view of the contact-engaging fingers of the rear cover and the housing shelf respectively;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5B is a fragmentary top plan view showing upper and lower contact-engaging fingers overlapped and engaging contact wires;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5C is a fragmentary perspective view of the engaged fingers of FIG. 5B, drawn with an exaggerated spacing between the upper and lower fingers to enhance clarity;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 is a top rear perspective view of the rear cover of the invention of FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 shown in assembled state with the RJ-45, USB, LED and shield installed in accordance with the invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 7;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 9 is a left side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 7;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the embodiment of Fig.7;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line  11 - 11  in FIG. 10;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of a PC board showing a hole pattern into which the integrated connector of FIGS.  7 - 11  is installed;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 13 is a top rear perspective view of the housing for a second embodiment of an integrated connector assembly in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 14 is a top rear perspective view of the rear cover for the housing of FIG. 13 in accordance with this invention;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 15 is a front perspective view of the rear cover of FIG. 14;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 16 is a top front perspective view of the integrated connector assembly showing the housing and the rear cover of FIGS.  13 - 15  in assembled state in accordance with this invention; and  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 17 is a top rear perspective view of the integrated connector assembly of FIG. 16. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0037]    A first embodiment 10 of the new integrated connector assembly of the present invention is shown in the exploded view of FIG. 1, comprising the components: housing  11 , USB jack  12  insertable into a lower front recess  13  in housing  11 , contact holder  15  and contacts  16  insertable into an upper rear recess  18  in said housing forming an RJ-45 connector, magnetics  20  situated at the rear of and electrically coupled to said contacts  16 , rear cover  22 , and shield  26  generally encasing the above-described assembly. LEDs  24 , also seen in FIG. 6, are mounted to rear cover  22 , and light pipes  28  are formed within said cover as described in further detail below.  
         [0038]    The housing  11  as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 has lower part  30  defining therein recess  13  to receive a standard USB and upper part  31  defining therein recess  18  for receiving and retaining contact holder  15 . This housing  11  is constructed of opposite side walls, namely right side wall  32  (the housing&#39;s own right side as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2), and left side wall  33 , rear wall  34 , front divider bar  35 , bottom rear shelf or extension  36  and roof  37 .  
         [0039]    Inside lower recess  13  on each side wall are pairs of guide grooves or tracks  38 A,  38 B to receive mating ribs  39 A,  39 B on the USB (see FIG. 1) when inserted in this recess. Between intermediate grooves  38 A,  38 B on each side wall is another groove  40  which terminates in end  41 . Groove  40  receives rib  42  on the outside wall of the USB (see FIG. 1), and end  41  serves as a stop against which rib  42  abuts when the USB is properly positioned in recess  13 . The USB has its own standard recesses  43 ,  44  which are accessible in normal use of this device. This USB is typically a one or two high configuration or combination power USB.  
         [0040]    As seen in FIGS. 1, 5 and  6  and as will be described more fully later, the housing  11  receives rear cover  22 , which includes back  45 , female latch tab  46  on the right side (with a similar latch tab on the opposite side), said latch tab including an aperture  47  therein with a latch edge  48 . When the rear cover is placed onto the rear of housing  11 , latch tab  46  of the rear cover slides into groove  43  of the housing, and latch edge  48  (FIG. 6) engages latch  44  (FIGS. 1 and 3) in an aligned and tight but releaseable coupling.  
         [0041]    Rear cover  22  comprises two light pipes, represented by dotted lines  49 ,  50  which extend up the back  45  of cover  22 , then forwardly as legs  49 A and  50 A which legs slide into elongated tracks  51 ,  52  respectively at the top of housing  22  (See FIGS. 1 and 2). Each light pipe is optically coupled to at least one LED, as will be described later, which serves as an indicator of the condition of a selected circuit. Each light pipe has a front light exit end  49 E,  50 E (see Figs,  1 ,  5 ,  6  and  9 ) which is visible and when illuminated provides visual indication of the circuit condition.  
         [0042]    Returning now to the housing  22 , FIG. 1 shows how contact holder  15  is directed into upper recess  18 . FIG. 3 shows recess  18 , and FIG. 11 shows contact holder  15  in recess  18 . This contact holder is guided and positioned by its edges  15 E which slide into grooves  18 E (see FIG. 3). FIG. 11 further illustrates how contacts  16  are situated with their contact surfaces  16 C in recess  18  which is adapted to receive a mating contact plug.  
         [0043]    As seen in FIGS. 1 and 11, each of contacts  16  has a terminal end  16 E electrically coupled to integrated magnetics device  20  and thence to a contact pin such as pin  20 P which extends into a mating contact on the PC board. Where the integrated magnetics device is omitted, terminal end  16  may extend downwardly and serve as the contact pin.  
         [0044]    The rear cover  22  has a recess area  22 R to accommodate the integrated magnetics device  20  and a shelf  53  with deep and shallow slots  54 ,  55  respectively (and best seen in FIG. 5) to receive and maintain separate the contact pins  20 P from the integrated magnetic device  20 . These slots cooperate with matching shallow and deep slots  60 ,  61  respectively in rear shelf  36  of the housing, as explained later.  
         [0045]    As seen in FIGS. 1, 5 and  6  LEDs  24  are situated on the rear of rear cover  22 . Above each LED is a vertical portion  49 V,  50 V respectively of a light pipe  49 ,  50  optically coupled to a forwardly extending horizontal portion  49 A,  50 A at the top of the rear cover  22 .  
         [0046]    As seen in FIGS. 1, 2,  3 , and  5 A- 5 C the housing includes rear shelf  36  with shallow and deep slots  60 ,  61  respectively. When rear cover  22  is assembled onto the rear of the housing  11 , slots  54 ,  55  in this rear cover are aligned with slots  60 ,  61  in housing shelf  36 . Each slot has a neck or end portion  54 N,  55 N,  60 N and  61 N respectively. More specifically, shelf  36  has rearward extending fingers  62  which define between them said shallow slots  60  and deep slots  61 . Rear cover  22  has forward extending fingers  22 F which define between them deep slots  54  and shallow slots  55 . Before the rear cover is installed onto housing  11  the integrated magnetics  20  is mounted adjacent shelf  36  with pins  20 P,  20 Q of device  20  extending downward. Four pins  20 P become situated in the necks  61 N of the deep slots  61 , and four other pins in the necks  60 N of the shallow slots  60 . These pins become locked at these neck areas of these slots, as follows.  
         [0047]    When the rear cover is installed on the housing, its rear shelf  53  overlies shelf  36  of the housing (see FIGS. 5B, 5C and  11 ) so that each deep slot  54  of the shelf  53  overlies a shallow slot  60  of the housing, with the necks  54 N and  60 N of these overlying slots opposite and approaching each other, and with a pin extending downward through said slots. Said pin becomes captured between the converging neck areas, also called a pinch point, which thus positions, separates and locks the pin in such position. These pinch points lock all the pins  20 P simultaneously and secure the integrated magnetics device quickly, easily and automatically without further separate assembly steps. Also, this arrangement allows lateral placement of the integrated magnetics instead of moving it vertically downward as traditionally required to feed or thread its contact pins through guide holes. FIGS. 5C and 11, for clarity, show the overlying shelves  53  and  36  vertically spaced; however, in practice they are close together to create the pinch point.  
         [0048]    Mounting of the LED  24  is seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 where rear cover  45  has a recess part  69  which extends through the rear cover wall as a window  70 . Below this window are locking tabs  71 ,  72  for engaging and restraining the downward legs  73  of the LED. Inward of window  70  is a rail  74  whose end  75  serves as a positioning stop when the LED is situated in window  70 .  
         [0049]    Transmission of light from the LEDs  24  to indicator panels  49 E,  50 E of the light pipes (see FIGS. 5 and 6) is achieved by another novel structural feature. These light pipes are not separate plastic or glass elements positioned in or on the rear cover; they are light transmission portions of the cover itself which in this case is made of clear plastic such as polycarbonate. The rear cover is configured to establish two substantially separate internal light paths while the rear cover remains a single contiguous plastic component. These light paths have been indicated by the dotted lines  49  and  50  which extend up two sides of back part  45  of the rear cover  22 . As seen, these dotted lines make a 90° turn and then extend forwardly as legs  49 A and  50 A, both terminating as illuminated viewing surfaces  49 E and  50 E.  
         [0050]    As seen in FIG. 6 light travels from LED  24  vertically upward through the light pipe (shown by dotted line  50 ) situated within the back wall  45  of the rear cover  22 , and thence through the horizontal leg  50 A of the light pipe. As seen this molded-in light pipe is bent 90° at area  82  via a flat or convex panel, and thence into horizontal leg  50 . As seen in FIG. 5 leg  50  tapers in the forward direction indicated by arrow  83  to enhance the intensity of the light seen at viewing surface  50 E.  
         [0051]    As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 there is provision for two LEDS, one on each side of the rear cover, leading to horizontal light pipe legs  49  and  50  respectively. To minimize bleeding or crossover of light from one to the other of this pair of molded-in light pipe legs there are provided windows  90  separated by bridge rails  91  seen in FIG. 6. As an alternative to windows  90  which extend completely through the rear cover thickness, the window area may instead be thinned creating depressions in the rear cover surface to reduce the possibility of light leakage between the spaced light pipe legs  49  and  50 . Thus, light from the two LEDs is inclined to follow two separate light paths. After these light paths make the 90° turn they remain substantially separated because of the separate legs  49 A,  50 A. It should be noted that the integrated connector device disclosed herein could alternatively be designed to omit the LEDs, and instead to straddle a surface mounted LED on a PC board.  
         [0052]    This whole assembly as described herein is encased in shield  26  as seen in FIGS. 1, 4,  7 - 9 , and  11 . This shield has top  26 T, opposite sides  26 S, rear  26 R, and front  26 F with windows  60  and  61  through which the visible end of the light pips are seen, and window  63  for access to the plug recess  18 , and window  64  for access to the USB. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 4 the shield  26  has in its rear wall  26 R cutouts  26 C which overlie the LEDs and satisfy the DWV requirements.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 11 shows downward extending contact pins  12 P,  12 Q from USB  12 , and downward extending pins  20 P,  20 Q from the integrated magnetics  20 . FIG. 8 shows a plan view of these pins, and FIG. 12 shows a hole layout in the PC board to receive these pins. FIG. 8 is inverted from FIG. 12 because FIG. 8 is an upside bottom plan view of the new integrated connector assembly.  
         [0054]    FIGS.  13 - 17  illustrate a second embodiment  100  of the present invention of an integrated connector assembly which is similar in part to the above-described first embodiment. Major components ofthis second embodiment are the housing  101  including an upper level connector  102  which is shown as an RJ-45 connector and a lower level connector  103  which is not shown but is an USB connector. FIG. 13 shows the housing  101  assembly, FIGS. 14 and 15 show the rear cover  104 , and FIGS. 16 and 17 show the housing and rear cover in assembled state. FIG. 13 shows the further components namely integrated magnetics  105  electrically coupled to the RJ-45 connector  102 , FIGS. 14 and 17 show an LED  106 , and FIGS.  14 - 17  show various portions or views of a light pipe  107 .  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 13 shows another embodiment of this invention where the housing  101  has upper and lower parts for the RJ-45 and USB connectors respectively. At the right side  108  is latch element  109  with its edge  110  for releaseable coupling to latch tab  111  on the rear cover  104 . When the rear cover  104  (seen in FIGS. 14 and 15) is moved forward in the direction of arrow  112  the U-shaped portion  113  of latch tab  109  overlies recess area  114  of rear cover  104  until edge  110  of latch element  109  engages and becomes coupled to latch tab  111 . FIGS. 16 and 17 show the rear cover  104  fully engaged to the housing  101 .  
         [0056]    As seen in FIG. 13, at the rear of housing  101  is mounted integrated magnetics  105  which is electrically connected to the RJ-45 connector by contacts  115 . Extending downward from integrated magnetics  105  are contact pins in two rows, namely rear pins  116 R and front pins  116 F. These pins lie respectively in shallow and deep grooves  117 S and  117 D formed between fingers  118  extending rearwardly from shelf  119  at the bottom of housing  101 . Each of these grooves has an end edge  117 E against which a contact pin is pressed and captured when the rear cover is attached to housing  101 .  
         [0057]    To achieve this capturing of contact pins  116 R,  116 F rear cover  104  has forward extending pin-engaging elements or fingers  118  which enter grooves  117 S,  117 D until the ends  119  of the fingers  118  engage and press the contact pins against the respective end edges  117 E of the deep and shallow grooves. With this arrangement attachment of the rear cover  104  to the housing automatically captures the contact pins and maintains them separate from each other and stabilizes them near the bottom of the housing from which they are extended into the PC board.  
         [0058]    This embodiment also has two light pipes  107  formed by light paths  107 P through the rear cover  104 . Each LED  106  is situated in arecess  120  with a light entry surface  121  adjacent the light emitting surface of the LED. The light, as schematically represented by dashed lines  107 D, then travels upward to the inclined surface  122 , is then reflected forward along light path  107  to light exit surface  123 . The legs  107 L projecting forward from the rear cover are spaced apart which helps maintain the two light paths separate from each other. Beveled edges  107 B help concentrate the light in the light path. Below each LED extend connector wires  124  having terminal ends  125 .  
         [0059]    In housing  101  as seen in FIG. 13 are tracks  126  which receive light pipe projections when the rear cover is moved forward for attachment to the housing. FIGS. 16 and 17 show the housing and rear cover joined into the combination connector assembly.  
         [0060]    The structural feature of this invention of the pin-engaging elements extending from the rear cover and from the housing is applicable to combination connectors which may comprise many different subcombinations. For example, the connector may include an RJ-45 connector or an USB connector or both, and may further include one or more LEDs for the respective connectors, and may further include one or more light pipes, and/or may include integrated magnetics. Also, the pin engaging elements may take a variety of forms, and the light pipes may be portions of the light transmitting rear cover as shown or may be independent elements. Also, as discussed above, the new housing may be constructed to serve as the connector or may receive an existing modular USB other connector jack or both.  
         [0061]    Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the claims appended hereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically disclosed herein.