Patent Application
20190103707
The subject matter herein relates generally to a dual connector system.
Dual connector systems include first and second electrical connectors mounted to a host circuit board that are electrically connected to a dual connector module. The dual connector module includes a module circuit board having connector interfaces for interfacing with the first and second electrical connectors. Typically communication components are mounted to the module circuit board. For example, electrical and/or optical components may be mounted to the module circuit board. In various applications an on-board optics module may be mounted to the module circuit board. Heat dissipation of the communication components may be provided, such as in the form of a heat sink thermally coupled to the communication components and supported by the module circuit board.
Mating of the dual connector module to the first and second electrical connectors typically involves loading the dual connector module into a first position in a vertical direction and then sliding the dual connector module to a second position in a horizontal direction to mate with the first and second electrical connectors. However, proper mating of the module circuit board to both electrical connectors simultaneously may be difficult. Additionally, securing the dual connector module to the first and second electrical connectors may be problematic. For example, holding the rear end of the dual connector module downward on the second electrical connector to ensure adequate electrical connection between the dual connector module and the second electrical connector may be problematic. Conventional dual connector systems utilize J-shaped hooks on the outer sides of the second electrical connector to make physical contact with the upper surface of the module circuit board of the dual connector module to hold the module circuit board downward against the contacts of the second electrical connector. Notches are formed in the module circuit board to receive the J-shaped hooks. However, such notches take away potential component area of the module circuit board and narrow the paths for routing electrical traces through the module circuit board.
A need remains for a dual connector system that secures the dual connector module with the first and second electrical connectors on the host circuit board for proper mating.
In one embodiment, a dual connector system is provided including a host circuit board having a front mounting area with a first electrical connector at the front mounting area having a housing having a card slot holding first contacts at the card slot being terminated to the host circuit board and a rear mounting area with a second electrical connector at the rear mounting area having a housing having an upper mating surface, a first side and an opposite second side and holding second contacts at the upper mating surface between the first and second sides and with connector latching features at the first and second sides of the housing. The dual connector system includes a dual connector module mated to the first and second electrical connectors having a module circuit board including an upper surface and a lower surface facing the host circuit board having at least one communication component on the upper surface and front contact pads proximate to the front edge for electrically connecting to the first electrical connector and rear contact pads remote from the front edge for electrically connecting to the second electrical connector. The dual connector system includes a securing strap secured to the dual connector module having a first strap latching feature at a first end of the securing strap being latchably coupled to the first connector latching feature to secure the dual connector module to the second electrical connector.
In another embodiment, a dual connector system is provided including a host circuit board having a front mounting area with a first electrical connector at the front mounting area having a housing having a card slot holding first contacts at the card slot being terminated to the host circuit board and a rear mounting area with a second electrical connector at the rear mounting area having a housing having an upper mating surface, a first side and an opposite second side and holding second contacts at the upper mating surface between the first and second sides and with connector latching features at the first and second sides of the housing. The dual connector system includes a dual connector module mated to the first and second electrical connectors having a module circuit board including an upper surface and a lower surface facing the host circuit board having at least one communication component on the upper surface and front contact pads proximate to the front edge for electrically connecting to the first electrical connector and rear contact pads remote from the front edge for electrically connecting to the second electrical connector. The dual connector system includes a first securing strap secured to the dual connector module having a first strap latching feature at a distal end of the first securing strap being latchably coupled to the first connector latching feature to secure the dual connector module to the second electrical connector and a second securing strap secured to the dual connector module having a second strap latching feature at a distal end of the second securing strap being latchably coupled to the second connector latching feature to secure the dual connector module to the second electrical connector.
In a further embodiment, a dual connector system is provided including a host circuit board having a front mounting area with a first electrical connector at the front mounting area having a housing having a card slot holding first contacts at the card slot being terminated to the host circuit board and a rear mounting area with a second electrical connector at the rear mounting area having a housing having an upper mating surface, a first side and an opposite second side and holding second contacts at the upper mating surface between the first and second sides and with connector latching features at the first and second sides of the housing. The dual connector system includes a dual connector module mated to the first and second electrical connectors having a module circuit board including an upper surface and a lower surface facing the host circuit board having at least one communication component on the upper surface and front contact pads proximate to the front edge for electrically connecting to the first electrical connector and rear contact pads remote from the front edge for electrically connecting to the second electrical connector. The dual connector system includes a securing strap secured to the dual connector module having a first strap latching feature at a first end of the securing strap. The dual connector module is coupled to the host circuit board by lowering the dual connector module in a loading direction generally perpendicular to the host circuit board to a pre-staged position where the first connector interface is adjacent to the first electrical connector and the second connector interface is adjacent to the second electrical connector. The dual connector module is slid forward from the pre-staged position to a mated position in a mating direction generally parallel to the upper surface of the host circuit board to mate the first connector interface to the first electrical connector by loading the front edge of the module circuit board into the card slot of the first electrical connector to mate the first contacts to the first contact pads and to mate the second connector interface to the second electrical connector to mate the second contacts to the second contact pads. The first strap latching feature is aligned with and latchably coupled to the first connector latching feature in the mated position to secure the dual connector module to the second electrical connector.
When the dual connector module 102 is mounted to the host circuit board 110, the dual connector module interfaces with both electrical connectors 112, 116. Optionally, the dual connector module 102 may be simultaneously mated with the first and second electrical connectors 112, 116 during a mating process. In an exemplary embodiment, the first electrical connector 112 is a different type of electrical connector than the second electrical connector 116. For example, the first electrical connector 112 may be a front loaded electrical connector, such as a card edge connector. The second electrical connector 116 may be a top loaded electrical connector, such as a -axis or mezzanine connector. The electrical connectors 112, 116 may be used for different types of signaling. For example, the first electrical connector 112 may be used for high-speed signaling while the second electrical connector 116 may be used for low speed signaling, powering, or for another type of connection.
In an exemplary embodiment, mating of the dual connector module 102 to the host circuit board 110 occurs by loading the dual connector module 102 in a loading direction 124 (for example, Z-axis or downward) to a pre-staged position and then mating the dual connector module 102 in a mating direction 126 (for example, X-axis or forward) to a mated position. The loading direction 124 may be perpendicular to the host circuit board 110, such as in a vertical direction, and the mating direction 126 may be parallel to the host circuit board 110, such as in a horizontal direction.
The dual connector module 102 includes a module circuit board 130 having an upper surface 132 and a lower surface 134. The module circuit board 130 extends between a front edge 136 (shown in phantom) and a rear edge 138. The lower surface 134 faces the host circuit board 110 and may be parallel to and spaced apart from the host circuit board 110 when mated to the electrical connectors 112, 116.
In an exemplary embodiment, the dual connector module 102 includes one or more communication components 140 on the upper surface 132 and/or the lower surface 134. The communication components 140 may be electrical components, optical components, or other types of components. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the communication components 140 may be on-board optical modules. The communication components 140 may include optical/digital converters for converting between optical and electrical signals. Other types of communication components 140 may be provided on the module circuit board 130, such as processors, memory modules, antennas, or other types of components.
In an exemplary embodiment, the dual connector module 102 includes a housing or shell 142 on the upper surface 132. The shell 142 encloses the communication components 140. In an exemplary embodiment, the shell 142 extends generally around the perimeter of the module circuit board 130; however, portions of the module circuit board 130 may be exposed exterior of the shell 142. In an exemplary embodiment, the dual connector module 102 includes a heat sink 144 thermally coupled to one or more of the communication components 140. The heat sink 144 dissipates heat from the communication components 140. The heat sink 144 may be mounted to the shell 142 and/or the module circuit board 130. In an exemplary embodiment, the heat sink 144 extends substantially the entire length of the dual connector module 102. The heat sink 144 may have a plurality of fins having a large surface area for dissipating heat.
In an exemplary embodiment, the dual connector module 102 includes a latch 146 at a front end of the dual connector module 102 for latchably securing the dual connector module 102 to the first electrical connector 112. A tether 148 is coupled to the latch 146 and extends to the rear end of the dual connector module 102 for releasing the latch 146.
In an exemplary embodiment, the dual connector module 102 includes one or more securing straps 150 for securing the dual connector module 102 to the second electrical connector 116. The securing strap 150 may be removably coupled to the second electrical connector 116, such as to one or both sides of the second electrical connector 116. In an exemplary embodiment, the securing strap 150 is latchably coupled to the second electrical connector 116. The securing strap 150 extends to the top of the dual connector module 102, such as above the heat sink 144, to hold the dual connector module 102 down on the second electrical connector 116 in a mated position. The securing strap 150 may wrap at least partially around the dual connector module 102, such as around the heat sink 144, to extend along both sides and the top of the dual connector module 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the securing strap 150 is secured to a top 174 of the heat sink 144 to press a bottom 175 of the heat sink 144 downward. In an exemplary embodiment, the securing strap 150 is secured to a first side 176 of the heat sink 144, such as for connecting to a first side of the second electrical connector 116 and the securing strap 150 is secured to a second side 178 of the heat sink 144, such as for connecting to a second side of the second electrical connector 116.
In the illustrated embodiment, both first and second ends 152, 154 of the securing strap 150 are coupled to the second electrical connector 116 and an upper band 156 of the securing strap 150 wraps around the top of the dual connector module 102. The upper band 156 extends the entire width of the dual connector module 102. Optionally, the upper band 156 may be expandable or contractible to accommodate different width dual connector modules 102. The first and second ends 152, 154 extend along the sides of the dual connector module 102 to distal ends, which are configured to be coupled to the second electrical connector 116. Optionally, the first and second ends 152, 154 may be elastically deformable, such as to stretch around a corresponding latching feature on the second electrical connector 116 when the securing strap 150 is coupled to the second electrical connector 116. Such elastic deformation creates an internal bias in the securing strap 150 to pull the dual connector module 102 downward against the second electrical connector 116. Optionally, the first end 152 and/or the second end 154 may be expandable or contractible to accommodate different heights of dual connector modules 102 and/or different mounting locations with second electrical connectors 116 in various embodiments.
The securing strap 150 may pull downward on the dual connector module 102 to force the dual connector module 102 into electrical connection with the second electrical connector 116. The securing strap 150 may resist rearward movement of the dual connector module 102 when coupled to the second electrical connector 116. The securing strap may be coupled to the dual connector module 102 after the dual connector module 102 is slid forward to the mated position and coupled to both the first and second electrical connectors 112, 116. Alternatively, the securing strap 150 may be affixed to the dual connector module 102 and moved with the dual connector module 102 as the dual connector module 102 is slid forward to the mated position. The securing strap 150 is aligned with the second electrical connector 116 when the dual connector module 102 is in the mated position.
In an exemplary embodiment, the dual connector module 102 includes one or more guide features 158 for locating the securing strap 150 relative to the dual connector module 102. For example, the guide features 158 may be protrusions, tabs, flanges and the like extending outward from outer surfaces of the dual connector module 102, such as from the heat sink 144, to position the securing strap 150. Optionally, the guide features 158 may be positioned both forward of and rearward of the securing strap 150 to locate the securing strap 150. The guide features 158 may align the securing strap 150 with the second electrical connector 116. The guide features 158 may be provided along the top of the heat sink 144, as in the illustrated embodiment, and/or along other parts of the dual connector module 102, such as along the sides of the heat sink 144, along the shell 142 and/or along the module circuit board 130. Other types of guide features 158 may be provided in alternative embodiments, such as grooves or channels formed in the dual connector module 102, such as in the heat sink 144.
In alternative embodiments, rather than having a single securing strap 150 extending from one side, across the top and to the other side of the dual connector module 102, the dual connector module 102 may alternatively include two separate straps (for example, the first end 152 defining a first securing strap 150 and the second end 154 defining a second securing strap 150 without the upper band 156). The two securing straps 150 may be individually secured to the dual connector module 102. The securing straps 150 may be secured using fasteners, adhesive, clips, and the like.
In other alternative embodiments, the securing strap 150 may be secured to and extend along the shell 142 and/or the module circuit board 130 rather than extending above the top of the heat sink 144. For example, the securing strap 150 may be assembled prior to mounting the heat sink 144 to the shell 142 and/or the module circuit board 130.
The module circuit board 130 includes rear contact pads 164 on the lower surface 134 that define a second connector interface 166 configured for electrically connecting to the second electrical connector 116 (shown in
The securing strap 150 extends between the first end 152 and the second end 154. The securing strap 150 may be manufactured from a shape memory material, such as a metal material that is stamped and formed into a predetermined shape corresponding to the shape of the dual connector module 102 to wrap partially around the dual connector module 102. The securing strap 150 may have other shapes in alternative embodiments. The securing strap 150 may be plastically deformed during the forming process to a predetermined shape. The securing strap 150 may be manufactured from other materials in alternative embodiments, such as a plastic material being molded into a predetermined shape corresponding to the shape of the dual connector module 102 to wrap partially around the dual connector module 102.
The securing strap 150 includes first and second strap latching features 180, 182 at distal ends 184, 186 of the first and second ends 152, 154, respectively. The first and second strap latching features 180, 182 are configured to interact with the second electrical connector 116 to secure the securing strap 150 to the second electrical connector 116. The first and second strap latching features 180, 182 are configured to be latchably coupled to the second electrical connector 116. For example, the first and second strap latching features 180, 182 may be snapably coupled around corresponding latching features of the second electrical connector 116. In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second strap latching features 180, 182 include openings 188 that receive portions of the second electrical connector 116 to secure the securing strap 150 thereto. Other types of latching features may be provided in alternative embodiments, such as clips, slots, tabs, springs and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the distal ends 184, 186 are curled or flared outward away from the second electrical connector 116, such as to avoid stubbing during assembly. However, the distal ends 184, 186 may be flat or non-flared in alternative embodiments or may be curled or flared inward with the curled end defining the first and second strap latching features 180, 182 configured to engage the second electrical connector 116.
When assembled, the securing strap 150 secures the dual connector module 102 to the second electrical connector 116. Optionally, the securing strap 150 may be coupled to the second electrical connector 116 such that the securing strap 150 induces a downward biasing force on the dual connector module 102 when the first and second strap latching features 180, 182 are latchably coupled to corresponding latching features of the second electrical connector 116 to force the rear contact pads 164 downward on corresponding contacts of the second electrical connector 116.
With additional reference to
The housing 300 includes locating surfaces 308 at the mating end 304 for locating the module circuit board 130 relative to the card slot 306 during mating. For example, the locating surfaces 308 may be upward facing surfaces configured to support the front edge 136 of the module circuit board 130 in the pre-staged position. The module circuit board 130 may slide along the locating surfaces 308 during mating as the front edge 136 of the module circuit board 130 is loaded into the card slot 306. The locating surfaces 308 may support the module circuit board 130 in the mated position to prevent damage to the first contacts 302 from the weight of the dual connector module 102.
With additional reference to
The housing 350 includes locating surfaces 358 at the mating end 354 for locating the module circuit board 130 during mating. For example, the locating surfaces 358 may be shoulders, flanges, tabs, and the like configured to locate the module circuit board 130 by restricting side-to-side movement of the module circuit board 130. The locating surfaces 358 may define a pocket that receives the module circuit board 130.
The housing 350 includes first and second connector latching features 360, 361 extending from the housing 350 at opposite sides 362, 364 of the housing 350. The first and second connector latching features 360, 361 may be integral with the base of the housing 350. In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second connector latching features 360, 361 include projections, such as latching tabs 365, extending from the housing 350. The first and second connector latching features 360, 361 have downward facing catch surfaces 366 configured to engage the securing strap 150 (shown in
In an exemplary embodiment, mating of the dual connector module 102 to the host circuit board 110 occurs by loading the dual connector module 102 in the loading direction 124 (shown in
During mating, the first connector interface 162 is generally aligned above the first electrical connector 112 and the second connector interface 166 is generally aligned above the second electrical connector 116 and the module circuit board 130 is lowered into position on the first and second electrical connectors 112, 116 to the pre-staged position. The front edge 136 of the module circuit board 130 rests on, and is supported by, the first electrical connector 112 in the pre-staged position (
To complete mating, the dual connector module 102 is moved from the pre-staged position (
In an exemplary embodiment, mating of the dual connector module 102 to the host circuit board 110 occurs by loading the dual connector module 102 in the loading direction 124 to the pre-staged position (
During mating, the first connector interface 162 is generally aligned above the first electrical connector 112 and the second connector interface 166 is generally aligned above the second electrical connector 116 (
As the dual connector module 102 is moved from the pre-staged position (
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
