Patent Publication Number: US-10770842-B2

Title: Connector with an elastic clip for a radiator

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of Chinese Patent Application No. 201810209943.3, filed on Mar. 14, 2018. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector and, more particularly, to a connector having a cage and a radiator mounted on the cage. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A high-speed photoelectric connector usually includes a shell (also referred to as a cage), an optical module received in the cage, a radiator mounted on the top wall of the cage, and an elastic clip for holding the radiator on the cage. The cage commonly has a plurality of insertion chambers arranged side by side. One radiator is mounted on the top wall of each insertion chamber and the elastic clip holds the radiator on the cage. The elastic clip has a pair of longitudinal beams extending along a longitudinal direction of the cage and a pair of lateral beams connected to two ends of the pair of longitudinal beams. A plurality of elastic pressing fingers are formed on each of the lateral beams. When the elastic clip is fixed on the top wall of the cage, the elastic pressing fingers on the lateral beams are pressed on both longitudinal ends of the radiator to hold the radiator on the cage. 
     In order to avoid interference of the elastic pressing fingers with the radiator, the radiator must have a large blank area without a heat dissipation column or fin receiving the elastic pressing fingers. This reduces the heat dissipation area and the service life of the connector. In addition, the length of the radiator is limited by the elastic clip and cannot be changed according to different heat dissipation requirements. 
     SUMMARY 
     A connector comprises a cage having a plurality of insertion chambers arranged in parallel, a plurality of radiators each mounted on a top wall of one of the plurality of insertion chambers, and a plurality of elastic clips each adapted to fix one of the radiators on the top wall of one of the insertion chambers. Each clip has a pair of longitudinal beams and a pair of elastic lateral beams connected between the pair of longitudinal beams. The pair of elastic lateral beams cross the radiator in a lateral direction of the cage and press the radiator on the top wall of the insertion chamber. The pair of longitudinal beams are located at a pair of sides of the radiator opposite to each other in the lateral direction and are locked to the top wall of the insertion chamber. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a cage and an elastic clip of the connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the elastic clip of the  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of locking the elastic clip to the cage of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a partially exploded perspective view of a radiator to be mounted on a top wall of an insertion chamber of the cage with the elastic clip of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of mounting one radiator on the top wall of one insertion chamber of the cage with one elastic clip of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of mounting two radiators on top walls of two insertion chambers of the cage with two elastic clips of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the connector of  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of a connector according to another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     A connector, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5-7 , comprises a cage  100 , a plurality of radiators  300 , and a plurality of elastic clips  200 . The cage  100  has a plurality of insertion chambers  101  arranged parallel to each other. The plurality of radiators  300  are mounted on top walls of the plurality of insertion chambers  101 . The plurality of elastic clips  200  are adapted to fix the plurality of radiators  300  on the top walls of the plurality of insertion chambers  101 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , each clip  200  comprises a pair of longitudinal beams  210 ,  220  and a pair of elastic lateral beams  230 ,  240  connected between the pair of longitudinal beams  210 ,  220 . The pair of elastic lateral beams  230 ,  240  are formed to cross the radiator  300  in a lateral direction X of the cage  100  to elastically press the radiator  300  on the top wall of the insertion chamber  101 . The pair of longitudinal beams  210 ,  220  are located at both sides of the radiator  300  opposite each other in the lateral direction and locked to the top wall of the insertion chamber  101 . A plurality of hooks  211 ,  221 ,  222  are formed on each of the longitudinal beams  210 ,  220  and a plurality of latches  111 ,  121 ,  122  are formed on the top wall of the insertion chamber  101 . The plurality of hooks  211 ,  221 ,  222  and the plurality of latches  111 ,  121 ,  122  engage and are adapted to be locked with each other. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , the pair of longitudinal beams  210 ,  220  comprise a first longitudinal beam  210  and a second longitudinal beam  220 . The plurality of hooks  211 ,  221 ,  222  comprise a first hook  211  formed on the first longitudinal beam  210  and a second hook  221  and a third hook  222  each formed on the second longitudinal beam  220 . The plurality of latches  111 ,  121 ,  122  comprise a first latch  111  engaged with the first hook  211  and a second latch  121  engaged with the second hook  221 , and a third latch  122  engaged with the third hook  222 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 , the first hook  211  is on the first longitudinal beam  210 , and the second hook  221  and the third hook  222  are on the second longitudinal beam  220 . The first hook  211  is located at a middle of the first longitudinal beam  210  in a length direction thereof. The second hook  221  and the third hook  222  are located at either ends of the second longitudinal beam  220  in the length direction. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , at least one of a reinforcement rib  213  protrudes inward or outward and is formed on the first longitudinal beam  210 . The reinforcement rib  213  extends from a first end of the first longitudinal beam  210  to a second end of the first longitudinal beam  210  along the length direction of the first longitudinal beam  210 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , the first longitudinal beam  210  and the second longitudinal beam  220  are arranged to extend along a longitudinal direction (length direction) Y of the cage  100  and are perpendicular to the top wall of the cage  100 . The first hook  211 , the second hook  221 , and the third hook  222  are connected to lower edges of the first longitudinal beam  210  and the second longitudinal beam  220 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , the pair of elastic lateral beams  230 ,  240  comprise a first elastic lateral beam  230  connected between a pair of first ends of the first longitudinal beam  210  and the second longitudinal beam  220 , and a second elastic lateral beam  240  connected between a pair of second ends of the first longitudinal beam  210  and the second longitudinal beam  220 . The first elastic lateral beam  230  and the second elastic lateral beam  240  are connected to upper edges of the first longitudinal beam  210  and the second longitudinal beam  220 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , a pressing tab  212  is formed on the first longitudinal beam  210  and connected to the upper edge of the first longitudinal beam  210  at the middle of the first longitudinal beam  210  in the length direction. The pressing tab  212  is inclined with respect to the top wall of the cage  100 , so that the first hook  211  is moved in the lateral direction X and a height direction Z perpendicular to the top wall of the cage  100  by pushing the pressing tab  212 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 and 7 , the first hook  211  is on one of two adjacent elastic clips  200  located between and aligned with the second hook  221  and the third hook  222  on the other one of the two adjacent elastic clips in the longitudinal direction of the cage  200 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1, 3, and 5-7 , the first elastic lateral beam  230  and the second elastic lateral beam  240  each have a curved shape which is bent downward. A first vertical slot  310 , corresponding to the first elastic lateral beam  230 , is formed in and traverses the radiator  300 . A second vertical slot  320 , corresponding to the second elastic lateral beam  240 , is formed in and traverses the radiator  300 . The first elastic lateral beam  230  and the second elastic lateral beam  240  are received in the first vertical slot  310  and the second vertical slot  320 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-2, and 4-6 , an opening  102  is formed in the top wall of the insertion chamber  101 . The bottom of the radiator  300  protrudes through the opening  102  into the insertion chamber  101  to make physical contact with an optical module (not shown) inserted into the insertion chamber  101 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 and 4-7 , the first latch  111 , the second latch  121  and the third latch  122  are located at opposite sides of the opening  102  in the lateral direction X. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 and 4-7 , the connector further comprises an elastic electromagnetic shielding component  103  mounted on four walls of a port of the insertion chamber  101 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 and 4-7 , a plurality of pins  104 , for inserting into holes formed in a circuit board (not shown), are formed on the bottom of the cage  100 . 
     In another embodiment, the connector may further comprise an optical module adapted to be inserted into the insertion chamber  101  of the cage  100 . 
     In the embodiment of the connector described above, the elastic clip  200  has decreased negative effect on the heat dissipation area of the radiator  300 , which increases the heat dissipation area and prolongs the service life of the connector. The elastic clip  200  imposes less of a limitation on the length of the radiator  300 , and the length of the radiator  300  may be changed according to different heat dissipation requirements. For example, compared with the connector shown in  FIG. 8 , the connector shown in  FIG. 9  is lengthened to increase in the heat dissipation area of the radiator. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the length of the radiator  300  may be extended beyond the cage  100  in the longitudinal direction Y of the cage  100 . 
     It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle. 
     Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. 
     As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.