Connector for multiple cabling arrangements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10877232-B1
Application number	US-201815969708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 2, 2018
Priority date	May 2, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

An electrical connection system can include a cage and/or a corresponding cable. The cage can be formed by walls and define faces on the top, bottom, right, left, front, and rear. A rear portion can house a receiving portion of a connector interface, which can be engaged via insertion of a module through the front face, or alternately by insertion of a plug through the top face. The cable at a terminating end can include the plug, which may include a vertical upright column and a horizontal base that includes an insertion portion of the connector interface. The cable at an originating end can include another instance of the receiving portion of the connector interface. A retainer can be provided to retain the plug in engagement with the receiving portion of the connector in the cage. The retainer can include a cover or other structure on the cable and/or cage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a server chassis assembly having a front wall, a front row of expansion cards behind the front wall and oriented facing the front wall, and a second row of expansion cards behind the front row and oriented facing away from the front wall;
a cage adjacent to a particular expansion card of the second row and defined by walls extending rearwardly and parallel to a receiving portion of a connector interface of the particular expansion card of the second row; and
a cable that terminates in a plug having an L-shaped connector that includes a vertical upright column coupled with a horizontal base, the horizontal base including an insertion portion of the connector interface, the cable extending from the vertical upright column, wherein the plug is received in the cage in a position in which the insertion portion of the connector interface is engaged with the receiving portion of the connector interface and in which the plug is positioned extending through an opening in a top of the cage so that the cable extends over the front row of expansion cards and over the second row of expansion cards so as to provide a connection from the particular expansion card of the second row to a port in the front wall.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plug is configured to be installed through the opening in the top of the cage via an installation process that includes a first vertical insertion of the plug through the opening in the top of the cage and a second horizontal motion of translating the plug within the cage to bring the insertion portion of the connector interface on the plug into engagement with the receiving portion of the connector interface of the particular expansion card of the second row.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the connector interface comprises a QSFP interface or a SFP interface.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cage comprises a first cage defined by first walls;
wherein the cable originates from a second cage having second walls that are replicas of the first walls of the first cage; and
wherein the second cage is positioned behind and adjacent the front wall in alignment with an aperture through the front wall, the aperture forming a portion of the port in the front wall and aligned to permit insertion of a module horizontally into the second cage to provide connection from the module via the cable to the particular expansion card of the second row.

5. A system comprising:
a cage configured to be attached adjacent to an expansion card, the cage formed by walls and defining a top face, a bottom face, a right face, a left face, a front face, and a rear face;
a rear portion adjacent the rear face and sized to house a receiving portion of a connector interface for a pluggable transceiver;
a front opening extending through the front face and sized to permit insertion therethrough of a module for engagement with the receiving portion of the connector interface;
a top opening extending through the top face and sized to permit insertion therethrough of a plug for engagement with the receiving portion of the connector interface into an engaged position reached by the plug being lowered through the top opening and translated forward underneath the top face; and
a retainer configured to retain the plug inserted through the top opening in engagement with the receiving portion of the connector interface in the engaged position reached by the plug being lowered through the top opening and translated forward underneath the top face.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the retainer comprises a displaceable cover configured to block a portion of the top opening.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the cover is hingedly attached to the cage.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the cover is slidingly attached to the cage.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the cover is releasably attached to the cage via engagement of prongs with notches.

10. The system of claim 5 , wherein the retainer comprises an overhang extending over a portion of the top opening.

11. The system of claim 5 , wherein the retainer comprises a surface extending from the cage and configured to latch with a feature on the plug.

12. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a cable having an originating end and a terminating end;
the plug, the plug being coupled with the terminating end of the cable, the plug comprising a vertical upright column coupled with a horizontal base, the horizontal base including a first insertion portion configured to engage the receiving portion of the connector interface, the cable extending from the vertical upright column; and
a second receiving portion configured for engaging the pluggable transceiver or configured for engaging a different pluggable transceiver, the second receiving portion coupled with the originating end of the cable.

13. A system comprising:
a cable having an originating end and a terminating end;
a plug coupled with the terminating end of the cable, the plug comprising a body having a horizontal base and a vertical upright column coupled with the horizontal base, the horizontal base including a horizontal insertion portion of a connector interface for a pluggable transceiver, the cable extending from the vertical upright column, wherein the plug is configured for facilitating top-down insertion of the plug into an engaged position reached by the plug being lowered through a top opening and translated forward underneath a top face through which the top opening is defined, wherein in the engaged position the vertical upright column extends at least partially above the top opening and the horizontal base is situated at least partially below the top opening; and
a receiving portion configured for engaging the pluggable transceiver or a different pluggable transceiver via at least one of end-insertion or top-down insertion, the receiving portion coupled with the originating end of the cable.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a receptacle arranged at the originating end of the cable and about the receiving portion of the connector interface for the pluggable transceiver.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the receptacle comprises a cage formed around the receiving portion of the connector interface for the pluggable transceiver, the cage having an opening disposed opposite the receiving portion and sized to facilitate insertion therethrough of a module for engagement with the receiving portion of the connector interface.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the top face is defined by the cage, wherein the cage comprises the top opening, and wherein the top opening is sized to permit insertion therethrough of the plug for engagement with the receiving portion of the connector interface.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the connector interface comprises a QSFP interface or a SFP interface.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plug includes a rail configured to be received by an overhang so as to prevent vertical displacement of the plug away from an engaged state.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plug includes a resiliently biased hook configured to latch so as to prevent horizontal displacement of the plug away from an engaged state.

20. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a server chassis assembly having a front wall, a front row of expansion cards behind the front wall, and a second row of expansion cards behind the front row; and
a cage defined by walls extending rearwardly and parallel to a receiving p

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bailey Kevin
• Madar Shay
• Lam Priscilla
• Ben-Dror David
• Klein Robert
• Phares Charles Caldwell
• Frink Darin Lee

Classifications

• G06F1/185

  Mounting of expansion boards · CPC title

• G06F1/183

  Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for supporting printed circuit boards · CPC title

• G06F1/189

  Power distribution · CPC title

• G02B6/4284 Primary

  of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors (latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627) · CPC title

• H01R13/506

  assembled by snap action of the parts · CPC title