Dual connector system having a securing strap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10312633-B2
Application number	US-201715723287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2017
Priority date	Oct 3, 2017
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

A dual connector system includes a host circuit board and first and second electrical connectors mounted to the host circuit board. The first electrical connector has a housing having a card slot for a module circuit board and the second electrical connector has a housing having an upper mating surface for the module circuit board. The housing has a first side and an opposite second side with connector latching features and holding second contacts at the upper mating surface between the first and second sides. A dual connector module is mated to the first and second electrical connectors. A securing strap is secured to the dual connector module and has a first strap latching feature being latchably coupled to the corresponding connector latching feature to secure the dual connector module to the second electrical connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dual connector system comprising:
a host circuit board having a front mounting area and a rear mounting area;
a first electrical connector at the front mounting area of the host circuit board, the first electrical connector having a housing having a card slot, the housing holding first contacts at the card slot, the first contacts being terminated to the host circuit board;
a second electrical connector at the rear mounting area of the host circuit board, the second electrical connector having a housing having an upper mating surface, the housing having a first side and an opposite second side, the housing holding second contacts at the upper mating surface between the first and second sides, the second contacts being terminated to the host circuit board, the housing having a first connector latching feature at the first side of the housing;
a dual connector module mated to the first and second electrical connectors, the dual connector module having a module circuit board including an upper surface and a lower surface facing the host circuit board, the module circuit board having at least one communication component on the upper surface, the module circuit board extending between a front edge and a rear edge, the module circuit board having front contact pads proximate to the front edge for electrically connecting to the first electrical connector, the module circuit board having rear contact pads remote from the front edge for electrically connecting to the second electrical connector; and
a securing strap secured to the dual connector module, the securing strap 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.

2. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the securing strap wraps at least partially around the dual connector module.

3. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the securing strap includes a second strap latching feature at a second end of the securing strap, the second strap latching feature being latchably coupled to a second connector latching feature at the second side of the second electrical connector to secure the dual connector module to the second electrical connector.

4. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the securing strap is a first securing strap, the dual connector system further comprising a second securing strap secured to the dual connector module, the second securing strap having a second strap latching feature being latchably coupled to a second connector latching feature at the second side of the second electrical connector to secure the dual connector module to the second electrical connector.

5. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the securing strap holds the dual connector module downward on the upper mounting surface of the second electrical connector.

6. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the securing strap induces a downward biasing force on the dual connector module when the first strap latching feature is coupled to the first connector latching feature to force the rear contact pads downward on the second contacts of the second electrical connector.

7. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the first connector latching feature includes a latching tab, the first strap latching feature includes an opening receiving the latching tab.

8. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the first strap latching feature is deflectable and releasable from the first connector latching feature.

9. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the dual connector module includes a guide feature, the securing strap engaging the guide feature to locate the securing strap with respect to the dual connector module.

10. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the securing strap is positioned proximate to the rear edge of the module circuit board.

11. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the second electrical connector is configured to receive the module circuit board in a vertical loading direction from above the upper mating surface to a loaded position, the second contacts being configured to mate with the module circuit board in a horizontal mating direction as the module circuit board is slid forward from the loaded position to a mated position, the first strap latching feature being aligned with and engaging the first connector latching feature when the module circuit board is slid forward to the mated position.

12. The dual connector system of claim 1 , wherein the dual connector module includes a heat sink mounted to the module circuit board to dissipate heat from the at least one communication component, the heat sink having a top, a bottom, and opposite first and second sides, the bottom facing the module circuit board, the securing strap being secured to the first side of the heat sink.

13. The dual connector system of claim 12 , wherein the securing strap is secured to the top of the heat sink.

14. The dual connector system of claim 13 , wherein the securing strap is secured to the second side of the heat sink, the securing strap including a second strap latching feature being latchably coupled to a second connector latching feature at the second side of the second electrical connector to secure the dual connector module to the second electrical connector.

15. A dual connector system comprising:
a host circuit board having a front mounting area and a rear mounting area;
a first electrical connector at the front mounting area of the host circuit board, the first electrical connector having a housing having a card slot, the housing holding first contacts at the card slot, the first contacts being terminated to the host circuit board;
a second electrical connector at the rear mounting area of the host circuit board, the second electrical connector having a housing having an upper mating surface, the housing having a first side and an opposite second side, the housing holding second contacts at the upper mating surface between the first and second sides, the second contacts being terminated to the host circuit board, the housing having a first connector latching feature at the first side of the housing, the housing having a second connector latching feature at the second side of the housing;
a dual connector module mated to the first and second electrical connectors, the dual connector module having a module circuit board including an upper surface and a lower surface facing the host circuit board, the module circuit board having at least one communication component on the upper surface, the module circuit board extending between a front edge and a rear edge, the module circuit board having front contact pads proximate to the front edge for electrically connecting to the first electrical connector, the module circuit board having rear contact pads remote from the front edge for electrically connecting to the second electrical connector;
a first securing strap secured to the dual connector module, the first securing strap 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, the second securing strap 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.

Assignees

• Te Connectivity Corp
• Te Connectivity

Inventors

• Tryson Michael Joseph
• Tracy Nathan Lincoln
• Herring Michael David
• Harmon Iii Dean Marlin

Classifications

• H01R13/6278 Primary

  comprising a pin snapping into a recess · CPC title

• H01R12/7005

  Guiding, mounting, polarizing or locking means; Extractors (for printed circuit boards H05K) · CPC title

• H01R12/716 Primary

  Coupling device provided on the PCB · CPC title

• H01R12/7058

  characterised by the movement, e.g. pivoting, camming or translating parallel to the PCB · CPC title

• H01R13/6275

  Latching arms not integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence) · CPC title