Patent ID: 8371873

Claim:
An illuminated electrical connector comprising: an internal housing that supports electronic components, the internal housing having light-passing characteristics adequate to permit light to pass therethrough; an external housing within which the internal housing is positioned, the external housing having transparent characteristics adequate to permit light emanating from the internal housing to pass therethrough; a light source positioned internal of a wall of the internal housing such that light eminates external of the internal housing; and an electrical circuit for illuminating the light source; whereby illumination from the light source is visible through at least 50% of the outer surface of the external housing; and a circuit component on the electrical circuit, the circuit component being at least partially within the internal housing, and wherein illumination from the light source results in the circuit component being visible from outside of the illuminated electrical connector; wherein the circuit component includes one or more of a printed circuit board and other electronics; wherein multiple printed circuit boards are positioned at least partially within the internal housing and are supported by a common printed circuit board header; wherein one of the multiple printed circuit boards is a horizontal printed circuit board and another of the multiple printed circuit boards is a vertical printed circuit board, and the horizontal and vertical printed circuit boards are generally perpendicular to each other.