Connector system with thermal management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10153571-B2
Application number	US-201615237780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 18, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A connector system includes a cage with an intermediate section. The cage support a connector and the resulting connector system includes an upper port and a lower port. A heat sink is provided in the intermediate section that is configured to cool a module inserted into the lower port. Apertures can allow air to flow through the connector system so as to allow for improved cooling by more directly cooling the inserted module. The heat sink can be urged into the lower port by a biasing element.

First claim

I claim:

1. A connector system, comprising:
a cage with a front face, a rear face and two opposing sides that extend between the front and rear face, the cage including an intermediate section that includes an upper wall and a lower wall, the upper and lower walls helping to define an upper port and a lower port in the cage, the lower wall including a hole formed therein so that the intermediate section is in communication with the lower port;
a connector positioned in the cage, the connector including a first row of cantilevered contacts in the upper port and a second row of cantilevered contacts in the lower port; and
a biased heat sink disposed in the intermediate section between the upper and lower ports, the biased heat sink extending through the hole into the lower port, wherein the biased heat sink includes a plurality of fins and wherein the cage includes apertures on two sides such that, in operation, air can flow in the apertures on one of the two sides, past the fins and out the apertures on the other of the two sides.

2. The connector system of claim 1 , wherein a mounting bracket is attached to the heat sink.

3. The connector system of claim 2 , wherein the mounting bracket includes a biasing element that urges the heat sink into the lower port.

4. The connector system of claim 1 , wherein the biased heat sink includes a flat surface that is urged into the lower port.

5. The connector system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of fins are arranged in a plurality of pillars.

6. The connector system of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate section includes a front portion with a plurality of apertures of the apertures on two sides provided in the front portion.

7. The connector system of claim 1 , wherein the cage has a front half and a rear half and the connector is positioned in the rear half and does not extend into the front half.

8. The connector system of claim 7 , wherein the apertures of the apertures on two sides are provided on at least one of the sides and rear face of the cage and a majority of the apertures are positioned in the rear half.

9. The connector system of claim 8 , wherein the majority of the plurality of apertures are positioned between the heat sink and the rear face.

10. A connector system, comprising:
a cage with a front face, a rear face and two opposing sides that extend between the front and rear face, the two opposing sides helping to define an upper port and a lower port,
an intermediate section positioned in the cage, the intermediate section including an upper wall and a lower wall that help define an interior space, the lower wall defining a top of the lower port, the lower wall including a hole formed therein so that the interior space is in communication with the lower port;
a connector positioned in the cage, the connector including a first row of cantilevered contacts positioned in the upper port and a second row of cantilevered contacts positioned in the lower port; and
a heat sink positioned in the interior space, the heat sink extending through the hole into the lower port, wherein the heat sink includes a plurality of fins and wherein the cage includes apertures on two sides such that, in operation, air can flow in the apertures on one of the two sides, past the fins and out the apertures on the other of the two sides.

11. The connector system of claim 10 , wherein a biasing element urges the heat sink in the lower port.

12. The connector system of claim 11 , wherein the biasing element is mounted to the heat sink.

13. The connector system of claim 10 , wherein the apertures provided on a front portion of the intermediate section are in communication with the apertures provided on a rear face of the cage.

Assignees

• Molex Llc

Inventors

• Kachlic Jerry D

Classifications

• H05K7/20436

  Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing · CPC title

• H01R12/712 Primary

  co-operating with the surface of the printed circuit or with a coupling device exclusively provided on the surface of the printed circuit (H01R12/72 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/6587

  for mounting on PCBs · CPC title

• H01R24/60

  Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement · CPC title

• H01R13/6594

  the shield being mounted on a PCB and connected to conductive members · CPC title