Abstract:
A connection assembly includes a connection member and a switch. The connection member includes a serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) connector electronically connected to the switch. When the switch is electronically connect to the motherboard, the switch transmits signals from the motherboard to a hard disk drive backplane via the SAS connector. When the switch is electronically connect to the hard disk drive backplane, the switch transmits signals from the hard disk drive backplane to the motherboard via the SAS connector.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical field 
     The disclosure generally relates to connection assemblies, and particularly to a connection assembly connecting a motherboard to a hard disk drive backplane of an electronic device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Electronic devices, such as servers, often employ a motherboard, a hard disk drive backplane, and a connection member connecting the motherboard to the hard disk drive backplane. The connection member includes a serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) connector, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) connector, and a cable connected therebetween. However, although the SAS connector is connected to both the motherboard and the backplane, the SAS connector can only receive data from the motherboard or the hard disk drive backplane, but not both. Thus, it is very inconvenient for operators to have to use two different connection members to connect the motherboard to the hard disk drive backplane to achieve communication in both directions when testing communication between the motherboard and the hard disk drive backplane. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of an exemplary connection assembly and electronic device employing same can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a motherboard of an electronic device, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a hard disk drive backplane of the electronic device, the electronic device including a number of switches installed on the hard disk drive backplane, according to the exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a connection member of a connection assembly of the electronic device, according to the exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a circuit view of the electronic device where the switches are installed on the hard disk drive backplane. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the motherboard of  FIG. 1  where the switches are installed on the motherboard, according to the exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a circuit view of the electronic device where the switches are positioned on the motherboard. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 3-4  show a connection assembly  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment. The connection assembly  100  can be used in an electronic device  200 , such as a server, for example. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , the electronic device  200  further includes a motherboard  210  and a hard disk drive backplane  220 . The motherboard  210  includes a SAS connection port  212 , a number of SATA connection ports  214 , and a controller  216 . The hard disk drive backplane  220  includes an SAS connection port  222 , a number of SATA connection ports  224 , and a controller  226 . Both the controllers  216 ,  226  can output first signals and second signals, and communication via the first signals and the second signals between the motherboard  210  and the hard disk drive backplane  220  can be enabled. 
     The connection assembly  100  connects the motherboard  210  to the hard disk drive backplane  220 . The connection assembly  100  includes a connection member  10  and a number of switches  30 . 
     The connection member  10  includes an SAS connector  12 , a number of cables  14 , and a number of SATA connectors  16 . In one exemplary embodiment, both the number of the cables  14  and the SATA connectors  16  are four, and each SATA connector  16  is electronically connected to the SAS connector  12  via a cable  14 . The SAS connector  12  is configured for connecting to the SAS connection port  212  of the motherboard  210  or the SAS connection port  222  of the hard disk drive backplane  220 . The SATA connector  16  is configured for connecting to the SATA connection port  224  of the hard disk drive backplane  220  or the SATA connection port  214  of the motherboard  210 , correspondingly. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the SAS connector  12  includes at least one group of signal receiving/transmission pins. Each group of signal receiving/transmission pins includes a first pin R 1  and a second pin R 2 . Both the first pin R 1  and the second pin R 2  can receive the first signals and the second signals from the controllers  216 ,  226 , so that the SAS connector  12  can send the first signals and the second signals to the SATA connectors  16  via the cables  14 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , in one exemplary embodiment, the number of the switches  30  is four. The four switches  30  can be installed on the hard disk drive backplane  220  or the motherboard  210 , for transmitting the first signals and the second signals from the controller  226  or the controller  216  to the signal receiving/transmission pins of the SAS connector  12 . The switch  30  is a toggle switch, and includes a first terminal S 1 , a second terminal S 2 , a third terminal S 3 , a fourth terminal S 4 , a fifth terminal S 5 , a sixth terminal S 6 , a seventh terminal S 7 , and an eighth terminal S 8 . The switch  30  further includes four switch toggles  32  (or levers, buttons, etc). The first terminal S 1  can be electronically connected to/disconnected from the eighth terminal S 8  by manipulation of one of the four switch toggles  32 . The second terminal S 2  can be electronically connected to/disconnected from the seventh terminal S 7  by manipulation of one the four switch toggles  32 . The third terminal S 3  can be electronically connected to/disconnected from the sixth terminal S 6  by manipulation of one of the four switch toggles  32 . The fourth terminal S 4  can be electronically connected to/disconnected from the fifth terminal S 5  by manipulation of one of the four switch toggles  32 . 
     Both the first terminal S 1  and the second terminal S 2  can be electronically connected to the controller  226  or the controller  216 , to receive the first signals. Both the fourth terminal S 4  and the sixth terminal S 6  can be electronically connected to the controller  226  or the controller  216 , to receive the second signals. The third terminal S 3  and the seventh terminal S 7  can both be electronically connected to the first pin R 1  of the SAS connector  12  via the SAS connection port  212  or the SAS connection port  222 , to transmit the first signals or the second signals to the SAS connector  12 . The fifth terminal S 5  and the eighth terminal S 8  can both be electronically connected to the second pin R 2  of the SAS connector  12  via the SAS connection port  212  or the SAS connection port  222 , to transmit the first signals or the second signals to the SAS connector  12 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , if the switches  30  are installed on the hard disk drive backplane  220 , the SAS connector  12  is electronically connected to the SAS connection port  222  of the hard disk drive backplane  220 , and the SATA connectors  16  are electronically connected to the SATA connection ports  214  of the motherboard  210 . Operators manipulate the switch toggles  32  to allow the first terminal S 1  to be electronically connected to the eighth terminal S 8 , the third terminal S 3  to be electronically connected to the sixth terminal S 6 , the second terminal S 2  to be disconnected from the seventh terminal S 7 , and the fourth terminal S 4  to be disconnected from the fifth terminal S 5 . The first terminal S 1  receives the first signals output from the controller  226 , and the eighth terminal S 8  outputs the first signals to the second pin R 2  of the SAS connector  12  via the SAS connection port  222 . The sixth terminal S 6  receives the second signals output from the controller  226 , and the third terminal S 3  outputs the second signals to the first pin R 1  of the SAS connector  12  via the SAS connection port  222 . Then, the SAS controller  12  outputs the first signals and the second signals to the SATA connection ports  214  of the motherboard  210  via the cables  14  and the SATA connectors  16 . Thus, effective communication between the hard disk drive backplane  220  and the motherboard  210  is enabled. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , if the switches  30  are installed on the motherboard  210 , the SAS connector  12  is electronically connected to the SAS connection port  212  of the motherboard  210 , and the SATA connectors  16  are electronically connected to the SATA connection ports  224  of the hard disk drive backplane  220 . Operators manipulate the switch toggles  32  to allow the second terminal S 2  to be electronically connected to the seventh terminal S 7 , the fourth terminal S 4  to be electronically connected to the fifth terminal S 5 , the first terminal S 1  to be disconnected from the eighth terminal S 8 , and the third terminal S 3  to be disconnected from the sixth terminal S 6 . The second terminal S 2  receives the first signals output from the controller  216 , and the seventh terminal S 7  outputs the first signals to the first pin R 1  of the SAS connector  12  via the SAS connection port  212 . The fourth terminal S 4  receives the second signals output from the controller  216 , and the fifth terminal S 5  outputs the second signals to the second pin R 2  of the SAS connector  12  via the SAS connection port  212 . Then, the SAS controller  12  outputs the first signals and the second signals to the SATA connection ports  224  of the hard disk drive backplane  220  via the cables  14  and the SATA connectors  16 . Thus, direct communication between the motherboard  210  and the hard disk drive backplane  220  is enabled. 
     The electronic device  100  includes the switches  30  installed on the motherboard  210  or the hard disk drive backplane  220 . The switches  30  not only allow transmission of the first signals and the second signals from the controller  216  of the motherboard  210  to the SAS connector  12 , but also can allow transmission of the first signals and the second signals from the controller  226  of the hard disk drive backplane  220  to the SAS connector  12 . Thus, if the SAS connector  12  is connected to the motherboard  210  or the hard disk drive backplane  220 , the motherboard  210  and the hard disk drive backplane  220  can interconnect and communication via the connection member  10  can be enabled in either direction, and a different connection member is not needed. Thus, the connection member  10  is universal, and the connection assembly  100  is efficient and convenient. 
     Although numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of arrangement of parts within the principles of disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.