Attaching connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9835803-B2
Application number	US-201315021216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2013
Priority date	Oct 2, 2013
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A connector assembly includes a first connector that has an attachment feature. A second connector is removably attachable to the attachment feature of the first connector without establishing communication with the first connector. One of the first and second connectors is an optical connector, and another of the first and second connectors is an electrical connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector assembly comprising:
a first connector including a communication element to communicate with a component, the first connector further including an attachment feature; and
a second connector including a communication element to communicate with another component, the second connector removably attachable to the attachment feature of the first connector without establishing communication with the first connector,
wherein one of the first and second connectors is an optical connector, and another of the first and second connectors is an electrical connector.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first connector further includes a second attachment feature for removable attachment to a third connector.

3. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second connector includes an attachment feature for removable attachment to a third connector.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the attachment feature includes one of a protruding member and a groove, and the second connector has one of a groove and a protruding member to engage with the protruding member or groove of the first connector.

5. The connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a presence detect mechanism to indicate attachment of the second connector to the first connector.

6. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first connector includes a mechanical feature that protrudes from a wall of the first connector, and wherein the second connector has a groove to provide clearance over the mechanical feature as the first and second connectors are attached together or detached from one another, and wherein the groove of the second connector is to engage with the attachment feature of the first connector.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment feature to align the connector assembly with another connector assembly when the connector assemblies are being engaged.

8. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second connector is an optical connector, and the communication element of the second connector is an optical communication element, the second connector further comprising a biasing element to bias a portion of the communication element of the second connector outside a housing of the second connector.

9. The connector assembly of claim 8 , wherein the communication element of the second connector is pushed into the housing against the biasing element as the connector assembly is brought into engagement with another connector assembly.

10. A method comprising:
providing a first connector including a communication element to communicate with a component, the first connector further including an attachment feature; and
removably attaching an attachment feature of a second connector to the attachment feature of the first connector, the second connector including a communication element to communicate with another component, the second connector being removably attachable to the first connector without establishing communication between the first connector and the second connector,
wherein one of the first and second connectors is an optical connector, and another of the first and second connectors is an electrical connector.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein removably attaching an attachment feature of a second connector to the attachment feature of the first connector comprises attaching a protruding member to a groove.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first connector is mounted to a circuit board.

13. A system comprising:
a circuit board;
first connectors mounted to the circuit board, each of the first connectors including a respective attachment feature; and
second connectors removably attachable to the respective first connectors via the respective attachment feature without establishing communication between the first connectors and the respective second connectors,
wherein the first connectors include one of optical connectors and electrical connectors, and the second connectors include another one of optical connectors and electrical connectors.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein each pair of the first and second connectors form a respective connector assembly, and wherein a height of a first of the connector assemblies is different from a height of a second of the connector assemblies.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein each pair of the first and second connectors form a respective connector assembly, further comprising:
additional connector assemblies for engagement with the connector assemblies on the circuit board.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
detecting attachment of the second connector to the first connector via a presence detect mechanism.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first connector further includes a second attachment feature for removable attachment to a third connector without establishing communication between the first connector and the third connector.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein each respective connector assembly includes a presence detect mechanism to indicate attachment of the second connector to the first connector.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein each respective connector assembly includes an alignment feature to align the connector assembly with another connector assembly when the connector assemblies are being engaged.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the respective attachment feature of the first connectors includes one of a protruding member and a groove, and the second connectors have one of a groove and a protruding member to engage with the protruding member or groove of the first connectors.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Leigh Kevin B
• Megason George D
• Tan Chong Sin

Classifications

• G02B6/3885

  Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448) · CPC title

• G02B6/3897

  Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/629

  Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure {electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances (separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26)} · CPC title

• H01R13/514

  composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them · CPC title

• G02B6/3817 Primary

  containing optical and electrical conductors (cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence) · CPC title