Cable connector assembly with optical element transmitting LED light

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9484685-B2
Application number	US-201514968823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2015
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

A cable connector assembly includes an electrical connector and a cable electrically connected with the electrical connector. The electrical connector defines a plug portion, a printed circuit board electrically connected to the plug portion, a pair of LED lamps mounted on the printed circuit board, an optical element transmitting the light emitted by the LED lamps and an insulative housing covering the printed circuit board. The optical element defines a pair of transition portions transmitting the light emitted by the LED lamps and a photic zone, the photic zone of the optical element is exposed to the insulative shell and has a closed circumference so that the light emitted by the LED lamps passes through the photic zone to form a continuous aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable connector assembly, comprising:
an electrical connector defining a plug portion, a printed circuit board electrically connected to the plug portion, a pair of LED (Laser Emitting Diode) lamps mounted on the printed circuit board, an optical element transmitting the light emitted by the LED lamps and an insulative housing covering the printed circuit board; and
a cable electrically connected with the electrical connector; wherein the optical element defines a pair of transition portions transmitting the light emitted by the LED lamps and a photic zone, the photic zone of the optical element is exposed to the insulative shell and has a closed circumference so that the light emitted by the LED lamps passes through the photic zone to form a continuous aperture; wherein
the light emitted by the LED lamp is perpendicular to the primed circuit board, the reflecting portion defines a 45° inclined surface recessed from the outer surface thereof so that the light emitted by the LED lamp enters the reflecting portion vertically, then the light exits along a direction parallel to the primed circuit board after the light reflected by the inclined surface.

2. The cable connector assembly as described in claim 1 , wherein the plug portion includes a mating shell, the mating shell defines a first front end for being inserted into the mating connector, a first rear end, and a first transition portion for connecting the first front end and the first rear end, the photic zone of the optical element defines a through hole used for the first front end of the mating shell through, and the through hole is abutting against the first transition portion of the mating shell when the optical element is mounted on the mating shell in the front to rear direction.

3. The cable connector assembly as described in claim 1 , wherein each transition portion defines a reflecting portion disposed opposite to the LED lamp and changing the transmission direction of the light and a pair of transmission channels extending obliquely to both sides thereof from the reflecting portion in the same plane of the reflecting portion, the transmission channel is used for making the reflecting portion connected to the a horizontal plane of the photic zone.

4. The cable connector assembly as described in claim 3 , wherein the printed circuit board defines an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to each other, and the LED lamps are symmetrically arranged on the upper surface and lower surface of the printed circuit board.

5. The cable connector assembly as described in claim 4 , wherein the pair of transition portions are symmetrically arranged and corresponding to the LED lamps.

6. The cable connector assembly as described in claim 3 , wherein the cable connector assembly further defines a metal shell, and the metal shell defines an opening used for the reflecting portion facing to.

7. The cable connector assembly as described in claim 6 , wherein the metal shell defines a receiving cavity, and the height of the receiving cavity is larger than the overall height of the printed circuit board with two LED lamps.

8. A cable connector assembly used for engaging with a mating connector, comprising:
an electrical connector defining a plug portion, a primed circuit board electrically connected to the plug portion, a pair of LED (Laser Emitting Diode) lamps mounted on the printed circuit board, an optical element transmitting the light emitted by the LED lamps and an insulative housing covering the primed circuit board; and a cable electrically connected with the electrical connector; wherein
the optical element defines a pair of transition portions transmitting the light emitted by the LED lamps and a photic zone exposed to the insulative shell,
each transition portion defines an inclined surface recessed ˜on the outer surface thereof so that the light emitted by the LED lamp enters the reflecting portion in a vertical direction, then the light exits along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction after the light reflected by the inclined surface, and the light emitted by the LED lamps passes through the photic zone to form a continuous aperture; wherein
each transition portion defines a reflecting portion disposed opposite to the LED lamp and changing the transmission direction of the light and a pair of transmission channels extending obliquely to both sides thereof ˜om the reflecting portion in the same plane of the reflecting portion, the inclined surface is disposed in the reflecting portion and the transmission channel is used for making the reflecting portion connected to the a horizontal plane of the photic zone.

9. The cable connector assembly as described in claim 8 , wherein the photic zone of optical element has a closed circumference and defines a through hole used for the plug portion through.

10. The cable connector assembly as described in claim 8 , wherein the LED lamps are symmetrically arranged on the upper surface and lower surface of the printed circuit board, and the transition portions are symmetrically arranged corresponding to the LED lamps.

11. A cable connector assembly comprising:
a plug portion including an insulative housing enclosed within a metallic mating shell and enclosing a plurality of contacts, said plug portion forwardly communicating with an exterior in a front-to-back direction;
a printed circuit board located (PCB) behind the plug portion and electrically and mechanically connected to the contacts around a front region of the PCB;
a cable including a plurality of wires mechanically and electrically connected to rear region of PCB;
at least an LED (Laser Emitting Diode) lamp mounted upon the PCB;
an optical element function as a waveguide and including unitarily a front photic zone and a rear transition portion; wherein
the front photic zone is located around a rear region of the plug portion and forwardly and radially exposed to said exterior, and the rear transition portion is intimately positioned around the LED lamp in a vertical direction perpendicular to said front-to-back direction and to said PCB.

12. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the front photic zone forms a frame structure through which the plug portion extends forwardly.

13. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein there are two LED lamps are located upon two opposite surfaces of the PCB, and the rear transition portion has two parts located by two opposite surfaces of the PCB to confront the corresponding LED lamps in the vertical direction.

14. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said rear transition portion includes a reflecting surface to direct light from the LED lamp toward the front photic zone.

15. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 11 , further including a metallic shell enclosing the PCB and forming an opening through which the rear transition portion extends.

16. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 15 , further including an insulative cover enclosing the metallic shell while the front photic zone is located in front of said insulative cover.

17. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said metallic shell grasps the cable for securing.

18. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 17 , wherein said insulative cover shield the rear transition portion in the vertical direction.

Assignees

• Foxconn Interconnect Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Zhou Zhi-Yong
• Fan Xiao
• Chen Jun
• Wu Jerry

Classifications

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• H01R13/7175 Primary

  Light emitting diodes (LEDs) · CPC title

• F21W2111/00

  Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00 · CPC title

• H01R13/7172 Primary

  Conduits for light transmission · CPC title

• F21V7/05

  plane · CPC title