Universal-blindmate sleeve and blindmate connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10754103-B2
Application number	US-201816154645-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2018
Priority date	Oct 8, 2018
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for universal-blindmate sleeve comprising mounting mechanisms for mounting the universal sleeve to a midplane. The universal-blindmate sleeve comprising a sleeve housing, having a first opening for receiving a first blindmate connector. The first opening is arranged at an end of the sleeve housing and facing a first side of the midplane. The sleeve housing further having a second opening for receiving a second blindmate connector, wherein the second opening is arranged at an opposing end of the sleeve housing and facing an opposing side of the midplane. A body of the sleeve housing is configured for blindmating the first blindmate connector to the second blindmate connector through the midplane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A universal-blindmate sleeve, comprising:
mounting mechanisms for mounting the universal-blindmate sleeve to a midplane, wherein the midplane comprises electrical connectors; and
a sleeve housing, wherein the sleeve housing comprises:
a first opening for receiving a first blindmate connector, wherein the first opening is arranged at a first end of the sleeve housing and facing a first side of the midplane;
a second opening for receiving a second blindmate connector, wherein the second opening is arranged at an opposing end of the sleeve housing and facing an opposing side of the midplane; and
a body of the sleeve housing configured for blindmating the first blindmate connector to the second blindmate connector therein, wherein the body of the sleeve housing forms an enclosed space separating the first opening and the second opening for blindmating the first blindmate connector to the second blindmate connector through the midplane;
wherein the universal-blindmate sleeve is configured to accept a plurality of different blindmate connectors.

2. The universal-blindmate sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the body of the sleeve housing is configured for blindmating at least one of: optical blindmate connectors, electrical signal blindmate connectors, electrical power blindmate connectors, and cooling conduit blindmate connectors.

3. The universal-blindmate sleeve of claim 2 , wherein the electrical blindmate connectors are board-mounted or cable-terminated and having a mechanical tolerance.

4. The universal-blindmate sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the first blindmate connector and the second blindmate connector are ganged cooling conduit blindmate connectors.

5. The universal-blindmate sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the first blindmate connector is coupled to a compute module, the second blindmate connector is coupled to a fabric aggregation module, and blindmating the first blindmate connector to the second blindmate connector couples the compute module to the fabric aggregation module through the midplane.

6. The universal-blindmate sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the first blindmate connector is coupled to a power module, the second blindmate connector is coupled to a fabric aggregation module, and blindmating the first blindmate connector to the second blindmate connector couples the power delivery module to the fabric aggregation module through the midplane.

7. The universal-blindmate sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the first blindmate connector is coupled to a cooling module, the second blindmate connector is coupled to a fabric aggregation module, and blindmating the first blindmate connector to the second blindmate connector couples the cooling delivery module to the fabric aggregation module through the midplane.

8. The universal-blindmate sleeve of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first shutter mounted to the sleeve housing and proximate to the first opening, wherein the first shutter is configured for pivoting from a closed position to an open position exposing the first opening for receiving the first blindmate connector; and
a second shutter mounted to the sleeve housing and proximate to the second opening, wherein the second shutter is configured for pivoting from a closed position to an open position exposing the second opening for receiving the second blindmate connector.

9. A universal-blindmate sleeve array apparatus, comprising:
mounting mechanisms for mounting the universal sleeve apparatus to a midplane, wherein the midplane comprises electrical connectors;
a body for blindmating a plurality of blindmate connectors to a plurality of complimentary blindmate connectors through the midplane, wherein the body forms a configurable array from a plurality of individual sleeve housings;
one or more dividing mechanisms for delineating between each individual sleeve housing of the plurality of sleeve housings within the array, and wherein each individual sleeve housing comprises:
a first opening for receiving a first blindmate connector from the plurality of blindmate connectors, wherein the first opening is arranged at a first end of the individual sleeve housing and facing a first side of a midplane;
a second opening for receiving a second blindmate connector from the plurality of complimentary blindmate connectors, wherein the second opening is arranged at an opposing end of the individual sleeve housing and facing an opposing side of the midplane; and
an individual sleeve housing body configured for blindmating the first blindmate connector to the second blindmate connector therein, wherein the individual sleeve housing body forms an enclosed space separating the first opening and the second opening for blindmating the first blindmate connector to the second blindmate connector through the midplane;
wherein the individual sleeve housing body is configured to accept a plurality of different blindmate connectors.

10. The universal-blindmate sleeve array apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more dividing mechanisms comprise divider walls.

11. The universal-blindmate sleeve array apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a first shutter mounted to the individual sleeve housing body and proximate to the first opening, wherein the first shutter is configured for pivoting from a closed position to an open position exposing the first opening for receiving the first blindmate connector; and
a second shutter mounted to the individual sleeve housing body and proximate to the second opening, wherein the second shutter is configured for pivoting from a closed position to an open position exposing the second opening for receiving the second blindmate connector.

12. The universal-blindmate sleeve array apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more dividing mechanisms comprise divider rails.

13. The universal-blindmate sleeve array apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the configurable array comprises a first number of a plurality of individual sleeve housings arranged in a row orientation, and a second number of a plurality of sleeve housings arranged in a column.

14. The universal-blindmate sleeve array apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the individual sleeve housing body is configured for blindmating at least one of: optical blindmate connectors, electrical signal blindmate connectors, electrical power blindmate connectors, and cooling conduit blindmate connectors.

15. The universal-blindmate sleeve array apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the body is configured to receive two or more ganged blindmate connectors.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Leigh Kevin B
• Norton John
• Allen Joseph

Classifications

• G02B6/3849

  using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes (G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44) · CPC title

• H01R13/4538

  Covers sliding or withdrawing in the direction of engagement · CPC title

• H01R13/5213

  Covers · CPC title

• H01R13/453

  Shutter or cover plate opened by engagement of counterpart · CPC title

• G02B6/3825

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title