Patent ID: 9735494
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: H01R

Claim:
1. A pluggable connector comprising: a connector housing having a leading end, a trailing end, and a central axis that extends between the leading and trailing ends, the connector housing having a receiving space that opens to the leading end; a card assembly held by the connector housing and comprising a card-shaped edge interface that is configured to be inserted into a receiving slot of a mating connector, the edge interface positioned within the receiving space and having opposite interface sides and a mating edge that joins the interface sides, the mating edge extending along and parallel to a lateral axis, at least one of the interface sides including a row of electrical contacts that extends transverse to the central axis and parallel to the lateral axis; and a guard assembly movably coupled to the connector housing and comprising a front wall and a spring member that operably engages the front wall, the front wall extending generally transverse to the central axis and having an edge slot, the spring member biasing the front wall to a forward position with respect to the edge interface, wherein the front wall compresses the spring member as the front wall is moved from the forward position to a displaced position, the mating edge moving through the edge slot and clearing the front wall as the front wall moves to the displaced position to expose the row of electrical contacts along the at least one interface side, wherein the connector housing includes first and second body sidewalls having respective wall surfaces that oppose each other and define the receiving space therebetween, each of the wall surfaces opposing one of the interface sides, the front wall being slidable along the central axis between the wall surfaces of the first and second body sidewalls and through the receiving space; wherein the guard assembly includes a protective shroud that has the front wall and first and second shroud sides that are coupled to the front wall, the first and second shroud sides extending along the central axis away from the front wall, the first and second shroud sides opposing each other and being separated by the front wall, wherein the receiving space and the edge interface are disposed between the first and second shroud sides when the protective shroud is in the forward position, wherein the connector housing is disposed between the first and second shroud sides when the protective shroud is in the displaced position and the edge interface is exposed to an exterior of the pluggable connector in either direction along the lateral axis when the protective shroud is in the displaced position.