The invention relates to a connector housing with a light guide element and to an arrangement consisting of such a connector housing, a printed circuit board and a luminescent element.
Connector housings are known from EP 0740370 A1 in which a light source in the form of a light-emitting diode is accommodated in the rear part of the housing. In addition, a light guide element is provided, for absorbing light output by the light-emitting diode and guiding it to the front of the connector housing. A user of such connector housings is restricted to the light source integrated into the connector housing and cannot combine the connector housing with any desired light source.
EP 0878872 A2, U.S. 5,876,239 and EP 0945933 A2 disclose connector housings with at least one integrated light guide element, in which light-emitting diodes are mounted and soldered as separate components on the same side of a printed circuit board under the connector housing. When using such connector housings, two mounting steps are necessary in order firstly to mount the light-emitting diodes and then the connector housing on the printed circuit board.
The problem therefore arises of providing a connector housing with at least one integrated light guide element, wherein the connector housing may be combined with any desired luminescent elements and is suitable for simple mounting on printed circuit boards.
The invention relates to a connector housing according to independent claim 1 and to an arrangement according to independent claim 12.
A connector housing according to the invention comprises at least one connector for electrical connection with a complementary plug-in element, a base, which is designed for mounting on a printed circuit board, and a light guide arranged in or on the connector housing. In this case, one end face of the light guide terminates flush with the side of the base provided for mounting on the printed circuit board or projects therebeyond.
An arrangement according to the invention comprises a printed circuit board having at least one via, at least one luminescent element for emitting electromagnetic radiation or light radiation and at least one connector housing with at least one light guide for receiving and guiding electromagnetic radiation. In this case, the connector housing is mounted in such a way on a first side of the printed circuit board and the luminescent element is mounted in such a way on a second side of the printed circuit board that the radiation emitted by the luminescent element passes at least in part through the via in the printed circuit board into one end of the light guide.
As a result of arranging according to the invention the connector housing and the luminescent element on two different sides of the printed circuit board, the connector housing may be combined with any desired luminescent elements. An integrated connector housing may thus be provided, which may be combined as desired with any desired luminescent elements. Furthermore, each side of the printed circuit board may be fully populated in a single process step. In particular, surface-mounted (SMT) components may be used and mounted on each side in each case in a single reflow process. Additional wave soldering processes are not needed here.
Because, in a connector housing according to the invention, the light guide terminates flush with the side of the base provided for mounting on the printed circuit board or projects therebeyond, it is ensured that the radiation which is emitted by the luminescent element arranged on the other side of the printed circuit board is coupled reliably and without large losses into the light guide, i.e. absorbed and passed on thereby.
In one embodiment at least one opening is provided in the base of the connector housing and the light guide extends through this opening. In this case, the light guide fits flush into the opening, such that the opening is completely closed and sealed by the light guide. This reliably prevents moisture or dirt particles from penetrating into the inside of the connector housing and impairing the quality of the plug connection.
In one embodiment the base of the connector housing is provided with at least one electrical terminal for electrical contacting with the printed circuit board. In this way, the connector housing may be mounted particularly simply and reliably on the printed circuit board and connected electrically with conductor tracks arranged on the printed circuit board.
In a further embodiment the connector housing takes the form of a surface-mounted (SMT) component. Surface-mounted components may be mounted particularly simply and inexpensively on a printed circuit board.
In one embodiment the at least one connector takes the form of a socket for accommodating a complementary plug connector. In particular, the connector housing takes the form of an RJ11 or RJ45 connector housing. RJ11 and RJ45 connector housings are connector housings which are used frequently in telecommunications and in which it is particularly desirable to incorporate light guide elements for indicator purposes.
In one embodiment the light guide extends to a top of the connector housing located opposite the base. Thus electromagnetic radiation emitted by the luminescent element and passed on by the light guide may be readily observed and perceived from above the connector housing.
In an alternative embodiment the light guide is bent within the connector housing and extends to a side wall of the connector housing. In one embodiment the light guide extends to the side of the connector housing in which a connector is provided for receiving a complementary plug-in element. The radiation emitted by the luminescent element and absorbed and passed on by the light guide may thus be observed from the side of the connector housing and in particular from the side into which a plug-in element may be introduced.
In a further embodiment a plurality of light guides are provided in the connector housing. In such a connector housing the radiation from a plurality of luminescent elements may be transmitted separately and guided to the outside for indicator purposes, such that a plurality of items of information, for example in different colours, may be conveyed simultaneously to an observer.
In a further embodiment a plurality of connectors are provided in the connector housing. With such a connector housing a plurality of connectors may be produced compactly and just one connector housing has to be mounted on the printed circuit board in order to be able to produce a plurality of plug connections.
In a further embodiment the luminescent element takes the form of a surface-mounted (SMT) component. In this way, the luminescent element may be mounted particularly simply and inexpensively on the printed circuit board.
In a further embodiment the luminescent element is a light-emitting diode. Light-emitting diodes are particularly inexpensive, energy-saving, reliable luminescent elements.
In a further embodiment the light-emitting diode takes the form of a reverse light-emitting diode. Such a reverse light-emitting diode outputs electromagnetic radiation in the direction of the component side. The light-emitting diode may therefore be mounted particularly simply on the opposite side of the printed circuit board from the connector housing in such a way that it irradiates one end of the light guide.
In a further embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, the connector housing comprises a plurality of light guides and a plurality of luminescent elements are provided which are arranged such that each luminescent element radiates into a different light guide. Through such an arrangement a plurality of indicator functions may be realised simultaneously.
In a further embodiment the light guide is arranged at least in part within the via formed in the printed circuit board. In this way, particularly reliable, low-loss transmission of the radiation emitted by the luminescent element to the light guide is achieved.
In a further embodiment the luminescent element is arranged at least in part within the via formed in the printed circuit board. In this way, particularly reliable, low-loss transmission of the radiation emitted by the luminescent element to the light guide is achieved.
The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in
The light-emitting diode 20 is connected electrically via light-emitting diode terminals 30 to conductor tracks, not shown, on the underside 8b of the printed circuit board 8.
A connector housing 2 according to the invention is fitted on the top 8a of the printed circuit board 8. The connector housing 2 is connected electrically by way of electrical terminals 22, which are visible at the right-hand bottom end of the connector housing 2, to conductor tracks, not shown, on the top 8a of the printed circuit board 8. A fixing pin 28, which is passed through a via in the printed circuit board 8, assists in correct alignment of the connector housing 2 on the printed circuit board 8.
On the front side 16 of the connector housing 2 shown on the left in
The plug-in element may comprise a locking lug, in order to fix the plug-in element in the socket 4.
The connector housing 2 has a base 6, which rests on the printed circuit board 8. Above the base 6 the connector housing 2 is shown cut open, such that a first light guide 10 is visible, which extends horizontally inside the connector housing 2 from the front side 16 of the connector housing 2 towards the rear. In the rear region of the connector housing 2 the first light guide 10 is bent downwards and passes through an opening 12 in the base 6 of the connector housing 2.
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
In the lower left-hand region of the front side 16 shown at the back in
Due to the different perspective, the spring element 26 provided on the inner side wall of the socket 4 is particularly easily visible in
On the left next to the connector housing 2 further vias 18 are visible in the printed circuit board 8, these being provided for the mounting of further connector housings 2. The vias 18 are designed on the one hand to receive fixing pins 28, on the other hand for feeding through light radiation, which is emitted by further luminescent elements 20, which are mounted, not shown in
In the connector housing 2 shown in
The connector housing 2 is connected to electrical conductor tracks 24, which are formed on the top 8a of the printed circuit board 8, via electrical terminals 22 visible in the bottom right-hand region of the connector housing 2.
The connector housing 2 is cut open at its edge shown front right in
A similar light guide arrangement is formed in the region of the connector housing 2 shown back right in
The socket 4 formed in the top 14 of the connector housing 2 corresponds to the socket 4 described in
Between the two light guides 10 extending to the top 14 of the connector housing 2, a recess 36 is visible on the right-hand side 16 of the connector housing 2, which recess is formed for receiving a guide lug of the plug-in element, not shown. In particular, the guide lug and the recess 36 are configured in such a way that the guide lug snaps into the recess 36 and thereby locks the plug-in element in the socket 4.
In the exemplary embodiments shown, the connector housing is configured as a surface-mounted (SMT) component. Since the terminals 22, 30 of the luminescent element 20 and of the connector housing 2 are in each case arranged on opposing sides of the printed circuit board 8, the arrangement shown in
Since, according to the invention, the luminescent element 20 is not integrated into the connector housing 2, it may be freely selected independently of the connector housing 2. Furthermore, it is easily accessible for inspection, in particular for inspection of solder points after processing, and may be straightforwardly exchanged if necessary.
Since the connector housing 2 and the luminescent element 20 are fitted to different sides of the printed circuit board 8, each side 8a, 8b of the printed circuit board 8 may be produced in each case in a single reflow soldering process. In this way, the printed circuit board 8 may be particularly simply, cheaply and quickly populated.
Unlike in the exemplary embodiments shown in
In the exemplary embodiments shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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DE 102008060430.5 | Dec 2008 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP09/65809 | 11/25/2009 | WO | 00 | 6/3/2011 |