High density cabled midplanes and backplanes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9413097-B2
Application number	US-201414578707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A cabled midplane includes a first support plate along a plane between a first connector set and a second connector set that connect to line cards on either side of the cabled midplane. The first connector set and the second connector set include connector slices. A wiring sub-layer includes cable slices to provide a connection between the first connector slice of a connector of the first connector set to the first connector slice of a connector of the second connector set, such that the first wiring sub-layer connects each connector of the first connector set, through one cable slice, to a connector of the second connector set. Additional wiring sub-layers are added, and a second support plate, parallel to the first support plate, is provided to encase and support the wiring sub-layers between the first support plate and the second support plate. Other apparatuses and methods are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cabled midplane comprising:
a first support plate along a plane between a first connector set and a second connector set, the first connector set including a plurality of connectors to connect to respective line cards on a first side of the cabled midplane, the second connector set including a plurality of connectors to connect to respective line cards on a second side of the cabled midplane, connectors of the first connector set and the second connector set including a plurality of connector slices, the plurality of connector slices including at least a first connector slice that is a first distance along a first axis from the first support plate and a second connector slice that is a second distance, further than the first distance, along the first axis from the first support plate;
a first wiring sub-layer including a first plurality of cable slices mounted on the first support plate, each cable slice of the first plurality of cable slices to provide a connection between the first connector slice of a connector of the first connector set to the first connector slice of a connector of the second connector set, such that the first wiring sub-layer connects each connector of the first connector set, through one cable slice, to a connector of the second connector set;
at least a second wiring sub-layer including a second plurality of cable slices, each cable slice of the second plurality of cable slices to provide a connection between the second connector slice of a connector of the first connector set to the second connector slice of a connector of the second connector set, such that the second wiring sub-layer connects each connector of the first connector set, through one cable slice, to a connector of the second connector set; and
a second support plate, parallel to the first support plate, to encase the first wiring sub-layer and the second wiring sub-layer between the second support plate and the first support plate and to form a first wiring layer of the cabled midplane.

2. The cabled midplane of claim 1 , further including a power layer.

3. The cabled midplane of claim 2 , wherein the power layer is not connected to conductors of either the first wiring sub-layer or the second wiring sub-layer.

4. The cabled midplane of claim 1 , wherein a connector of the first connector set is connected to a different connector of the second connector set in the second wiring sub-layer than the respective connector of the first connector set is connected to in the first wiring sub-layer.

5. The cabled midplane of claim 1 , wherein each cable slice includes a plurality of conductors, and wherein, cable slices are mounted such that a conductor crosses over other conductors of the plurality of conductors at no more than one point in the plane between the first connector set and the second connector set.

6. A communication device including:
a cabled midplane including
a first connector set and a second connector set, the first connector set including a plurality of connectors to connect to respective line cards on a first side of the cabled midplane, the second connector set including a plurality of connectors to connect to respective line cards on a second side of the cabled midplane, connectors of the first connector set and the second connector set including a plurality of connector slices;
a first support plate positioned along a plane between the first connector set and the second connector set, wherein the plurality of connector slices include at least a first connector slice that is a first distance along a first axis from the first support plate and a second connector slice that is a second distance, further than the first distance, along the first axis from the first support plate;
a first wiring sub-layer including a first plurality of cable slices mounted on the first support plate, each cable slice of the first plurality of cable slices to provide a connection between the first connector slice of a connector of the first connector set to the first connector slice of a connector of the second connector set, such that the first wiring sub-layer connects each connector of the first connector set, through one cable slice, to a connector of the second connector set;
at least a second wiring sub-layer including a second plurality of cable slices, each cable slice of the second plurality of cable slices to provide a connection between the second connector slice of a connector of the first connector set to the second connector slice of a connector of the second connector set, such that the second wiring sub-layer connects each connector of the first connector set, through one cable slice, to a connector of the second connector set; and
a second support plate, parallel to the first support plate, to encase the first wiring sub-layer and the second wiring sub-layer between the second support plate and the first support plate and to form a first wiring layer of the cabled midplane;
a first line card coupled to a connector on the first side of the cabled midplane; and
a second line card coupled to a connector on the second side of the cabled midplane.

7. The communication device of claim 6 , wherein the communication device includes a switching system with at least one communication port.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Tamarkin Vladimir
• Genetti Wayne
• Mease Keith
• Wessel Mark

Classifications

• H04L49/40 Primary

  Constructional details, e.g. power supply, mechanical construction or backplane · CPC title

• H04Q1/15

  Backplane arrangements · CPC title

• G02B6/4257

  having a supporting carrier or a mounting substrate or a mounting plate (G02B6/3648 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4285 Primary

  Optical modules characterised by a connectorised pigtail · CPC title

• H01R43/20

  for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve · CPC title