Patent Publication Number: US-2021175668-A1

Title: Highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional patent Application No. 62/596,664, titled “Highly Configurable and Modular High Speed Connector System” and filed on Dec. 8, 2017, the entire contents of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     The present invention relates generally to connectors and, more particularly, to modular connectors capable of transmitting multiple types of electrical and optical signals. 
     Background of the Invention 
     Various connectors may be used to provide connections between components, such as between an edge card and a motherboard in a computing system. Conventional connectors only transmit a single type of data. For example, a conventional connector may receive and transmit a single type of high-speed data or a single type of optical signal. Thus, if multiple types of data are to be transmitted between an edge card and a motherboard, at least one connector for each type of data to be transmitted must be installed. The design of such conventional connectors typically requires that many different connectors be installed on a printed circuit board (PCB), reducing space and increasing clutter on the PCB, and resulting in an increased cost of manufacturing the PCB. 
     SUMMARY 
     Described herein is a shielded modular connector system. The system includes a first portion having a first housing and a plurality of first contact modules. The first housing includes a first interface surface and a first interface perimeter surrounding the first interface surface. The first housing further includes a first plurality of bays configured to receive the plurality of first contact modules, the first interface surface having an opening for each bay of the first plurality of bays such that the plurality of first contact modules are accessible. The first housing further includes a grounding ring located along at least a portion of the first interface perimeter. The system further includes a second portion configured to mate with the first portion, and having a second housing and a plurality of second contact modules. The second housing includes a second interface surface and a second interface perimeter surrounding the second interface surface, the second interface surface configured to face the first interface surface when the first portion is mated with the second portion. The second housing further includes a second plurality of bays configured to receive the plurality of second contact modules, the second interface surface having an opening for each bay of the second plurality of bays such that the plurality of second contact modules are accessible, the plurality of second contact modules and the plurality of first contact modules being configured to connect when the first portion is mated with the second portion. The second housing further includes a backshell located along at least a portion of the second interface perimeter and extending away from the second interface surface, the backshell configured to engage the grounding ring when the first portion is mated with the second portion to provide electromagnetic interference protection to the plurality of first contact modules and the plurality of second contact modules. 
     Also described is a shielded modular connector system. The system includes a first portion having a first housing with a first interface surface and a first plurality of bays. The first portion further includes a first optical contact module and a first high-speed contact module each configured to be received by one of the first plurality of bays. The system further includes a second portion configured to mate with the first portion and having a second housing with a second interface surface configured to interface with the first interface surface and a second plurality of bays. The second portion further includes a second optical contact module and a second high-speed contact module configured to be connected to the first optical contact module and the first high-speed contact module, respectively, and each configured to be received by one of the second plurality of bays. 
     Also described is a shielded modular connector system. The system includes a first portion having a first housing with a first interface surface and defining a first plurality of bays. The first portion further includes a first optical contact module and a first high-speed contact module each configured to be received by one of the first plurality of bays. The first portion further includes a grounding ring located along at least a portion of the first interface surface. The system further includes a second portion configured to mate with the first portion and having a second housing with a second interface surface configured to interface with the first interface surface and defining a second plurality of bays. The second portion further includes a second optical contact module and a second high-speed contact module configured to be connected to the first optical contact module and the first high-speed contact module, respectively, and each configured to be received by one of the second plurality of bays. The second portion further includes a backshell located along at least a portion of the second interface surface and extending away from the second interface surface, the backshell configured to engage the grounding ring when the first portion is mated with the second portion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a first portion of a highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 1B  is an annotated version of  FIG. 1A  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a first portion of a highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2B  is an annotated version of  FIG. 2A  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3A  is a front view of a first portion of a highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3B  is an annotated version of  FIG. 3A  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a second portion of a highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4B  is an annotated version of  FIG. 4A  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of a first portion and a second portion of a highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system being connected according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5B  is an annotated version of  FIG. 5A  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of a first portion and a second portion of a highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system being connected according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6B  is an annotated version of  FIG. 6A  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a drawing of a contact module usable in the first portion of  FIG. 1A  or the second portion of  FIG. 4A  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8A  is a drawing of an interface surface of a first portion of a highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8B  is a drawing of a back end of the first portion of the highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system of  FIG. 8A  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 9  is a drawing of a contact module usable in the first portion of  FIG. 8A  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various conventional connectors may individually provide high-speed, signal, power, and fiber optic connections at the board level. However, these connectors are segmented, offering only one connection per housing. As a result, many different and space-consuming connectors must be used. Often the connector does not have integral electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. 
     None of these conventional connectors are modular or configurable. The system disclosed herein offers a modular configurable solution of housing many different connector types within one connector housing. 
     The connector system may include electrical signals (including high-speed electrical signals) and optical signals in a common housing with protection for the system with an EMI protection system. 
     While the connector system is shown in the FIGS. as having eight (8) modules, the system may have any number of modules, such as 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, or 24 modules, for example. 
     In addition, the connector system may be used in any context where multiple types of connectors are present, such as space systems, personal or business computing, aerospace, military, automotive, or medical, for example. In particular, when fiber optic signals are communicated using the connector, the applications may be standard applications or radiation-hardened applications. The systems disclosed herein protect the fiber optic connection from radiation, such that the fiber optic cable is not damaged from radiation. 
     The connector system described herein optimizes the space available on an edge of a printed circuit board, for example. This results in increased space and contact density, both at the card edge and within the entire system. The EMI protection established by the system described herein provides for increased performance. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  show a perspective view of a first portion  100  of a highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system. The first portion  100  includes a first housing  110 . The first housing  110  may be made of a metal, such as aluminum, or a conductive polymer. The first housing  110  includes attachment units  102  configured to receive corresponding attachment units on the second portion  200 , to establish and reinforce the connection between the first portion  100  and the second portion  200 . In some embodiments, the attachment units  102  may include threaded screws and sockets. In some embodiments, the attachment units  102  may include a keying, rendering the attachment unit  102  asymmetrical, such that the second portion  200  and the first portion  100  may only be mated in a particular orientation. 
     The first housing  110  has a face  112 , which has an interface surface  116 , surrounded by an interface perimeter  108 . The first housing  110  is configured to house a plurality of contact modules  104 . In that regard, the first housing  110  may define a plurality of bays  122 . Each of the bays  122  may receive a respective contact module  104 . The contact modules  104  may be replaced and interchanged depending on the requirements of the system in which the connector is being used. The first housing  110  has multiple openings for exposing the contact modules  104  to make the contact modules  104  accessible. 
     As shown, the first portion  100  includes a low-speed signal contact module  104 A, a high-speed signal contact module  104 B, a second high-speed signal contact module  104 C, a fiber optics contact module  104 D, a second low-speed signal contact module  104 E, a power connector contact module  104 F, a second fiber optics contact module  104 G, and a third high-speed signal contact module  104 H. However, any configuration of contact modules may be used. Each bay receiving each contact module  104  is shielded such that interference between contact modules is prevented. Conventionally, fiber optic connections have not been integrated into connectors having other types of connections, such as high-speed signal connections. 
     The first housing  110  may also have an inner wall  114  surrounding the openings for the contact modules  104 . The inner wall  114  has a front surface  120  which is raised, when compared to the interface surface  116 . The inner wall  114  also has a side surface  118  which travels around the perimeter of the inner wall  114 . 
     The first portion  100  also includes a grounding ring  106 , which is located on at least a portion of the interface perimeter  108 . In some embodiments, the grounding ring  106  is located on the entire interface perimeter  108 . The grounding ring  106  may contact a backshell of the second portion of the system in order to provide EMI protection. The grounding ring  106  may be an integral part of the first housing  110  or may be a separate part attached to the first housing  110 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the first portion  100  may have a front end  130  and a back end  128 . The back end  128  may connect to a cable or may connect to a printed circuit board. The front end  130  is configured to face a front end of the second portion  200 . 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  show a front view of the first portion  100  of the highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  show a perspective view of a second portion of the highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system. 
     The second portion  200  includes a second housing  210 . The second housing  210  may be made of a metal, such as aluminum, or a conductive polymer. The first housing  110  and the second housing  210  may be made of the same or different materials. The second housing  210  includes attachment units  202  configured to engage the corresponding attachment units  102  of the first housing  110 . 
     The second housing  210  has an interface surface  216  surrounded by an interface perimeter  208 . The second housing  210  is configured to house a plurality of contact modules  204 , which are the complements of the contact modules  104  of the first portion  100 . The contact modules  204  may be replaced and interchanged depending on the requirements of the system in which the connector is being used. The second housing  210  has multiple openings for exposing the contact modules  204  to make the contact modules  204  accessible. 
     In order for the contact modules  104  and the contact modules  204  to properly line up, the arrangement of contact modules in the second portion  200  must be the mirror image of the arrangement of contact modules in the first portion  100 . This is reflected in the lettering of the contact modules  204 . 
     The contact modules  104  which are housed by the first portion  100  may be the pin ends of the contact connection, or may be the socket ends of the contact connection. Accordingly, the contact modules of the second portion  200  are the other complementary ends of the connection. For example, if the contact modules  104  of the first portion  100  are the pin ends, the contact modules  204  of the second portion  200  are the socket ends, and if the contact modules  104  of the first portion  100  are the socket ends, the contact modules  204  of the second portion  200  are the pin ends. 
     The second housing  210  may also have an inner wall surrounding the openings for the contact modules  204 . The inner wall has a front surface which is raised, when compared to the interface surface  216 . The inner wall also has a side surface which travels around the perimeter of the inner wall. In some embodiments, the inner wall of the second housing  210  may fit within the inner wall  114  of the first housing  110 . In some embodiments, the inner wall  114  of the first housing  110  fits within the inner wall of the second housing  210 . The overlapping inner walls of the first portion  100  and the second portion  200  may provide EMI protection, as well as lateral stability for the connections between the contact modules  104  and  204 . 
     The second housing  210  may be split into two halves, a top half  224  and a bottom half  226 . The halves may be separated in order to adjust the contact modules  204 . In some embodiments, the second housing  210  may include a single component. In some embodiments, the second housing  210  may include more than two portions, such that it is split into three, four, or more pieces. 
     The second portion  200  also includes a backshell  222 , which is located on at least a portion of the interface perimeter  208 . In some embodiments, the backshell  222  is located on the entire interface perimeter  208 . The grounding ring  106  of the first portion  100  makes contact with the backshell  222  of the second portion  200  in order to provide EMI protection. 
     The second portion  200  may have a front end  230  and a back end  228 . The back end  228  may connect to a cable or may connect to a printed circuit board. The front end  230  is configured to face the front end  130  of the first portion  100 . 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are perspective views of the first portion  100  and the second portion  200  of the highly configurable and modular high-speed connector system being connected. In some embodiments, at least one of the first portion  100  or the second portion  200  is fixedly attached to at least one of an electromagnetic interference (EMI) bulkhead or a faraday cage bulkhead 
     The second portion  200 , on the back end  228 , may have a plurality of openings to be occupied by wires or cables to connect to the contact modules  204 . The first portion  100  may have a similar plurality of opening on the back end  128  of the first portion  100 . 
       FIGS. 5A, 5B, 6A, and 6B  illustrate the backshell  222  of the second portion  200  engaging the grounding ring  106  of the first portion  100 . The grounding ring  106  may extend beyond the interface perimeter  108  in order to provide an interference fit with the backshell  222  when the first portion  100  and the second portion  200  are mated. 
     The system may be a VPX connection connecting a motherboard to a motherboard, a motherboard to a daughter card, or a cable to a board, for example. A user may be able to configure the various contact modules  104  and  204  of the system. 
     When the contact module is a fiber optics contact module, the fiber optics communication may be an active transmission or a passive transmission. When the fiber optics communication is an active transmission, a transceiver may be integrated into the system (e.g., into the first portion  100  and/or the second portion  200 ). The transceiver may allow the system to transmit an active transmission, such that a fiber optic signal may be received and an electrical signal may be output, whereas with a passive transmission, a fiber optic signal is received and a fiber optic signal is output. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a contact module  301  may be used in the first portion  100  of  FIG. 1B  or the second portion  200  of  FIG. 4B . The contact module  301  may be a high-speed contact module and may thus transmit and receive high-speed data signals. Where used throughout, a high-speed data signal may correspond to a signal having a transfer rate of greater than 1 Megabits per second (Mbps), and a low-speed data signal may correspond to a signal having a transfer rate of less than 1 Mbps. 
     The contact module  301  may be received by a bay of a respective housing, such as a bay  122  of the first housing  110  of  FIG. 1B . The contact module  301  may have an interface surface  300  which may interface with a corresponding interface surface of a complementary contact module. The contact module  301  may further have a contact body  304  designed to be received by a bay, such as one of the bays  122  of the first housing  110  of  FIG. 1B . The contact module  301  may further include a back end  306  designed to be connected to an external component. As shown, the back end  306  of the contact module  301  is connected to a cable  302 , which may be used to electrically connect the contact module  301  to an external component (such as a PCB board). 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8A and 8B , another shielded modular connector system  400  may include a first portion  401  and may interface with a second portion, such as the second portion  200  of  FIG. 4B . The first portion  401  may include a housing  402  that defines a plurality of bays  404  and includes an interface surface  406  and a back end  408 . The plurality of bays  404  may each be designed to receive one of a plurality of contact modules  409 . The interface surface  406  is designed to interface with an interface surface of a complementary second portion, such as the second portion  200  of  FIG. 4B . 
     The back end  408  may include connectors  410  which may be connected to a PCB. For example, the connectors  410  may be soldered to, press fit with, or otherwise engage a PCB. The back end  408  may extend at an angle  412  relative to the interface surface  406 . The angle  412  may be 180 degrees, as with the first portion  100  of  FIG. 1 , or may have a different angle. For example, the angle  412  may be between 50 degrees and 130 degrees, between 70 degrees and 110 degrees, or about 90 degrees. Where used in this context, about refers to the referenced value plus or minus 10 percent of the referenced value. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 9 , a contact module  500  may be used in the first portion  401 . In that regard, the contact module  500  may be installed or received by one of the bays  404 . The contact module  500  may include an interface surface  502  designed to form a part of the interface surface  406 . The interface surface  502  may at least one of mechanically or electrically interface with an interface surface of a complimentary contact module. 
     The contact module  500  may further include a main body  504  designed to be received by the housing  402 , such as in one of the bays  404 . 
     The contact module  500  may further include a back end  506 , designed to form a part of the back end  408  of the first portion  401 . The back end  506  may include a connector  508  designed to be mounted or otherwise connected to a PCB. A signal, such as a high-speed signal, a low-speed signal, a power signal, an optical signal, or the like, may be received by the interface surface  502  and transmitted by the connector  508 . The signal transmitted by the connector  508  may have the same or similar properties as the signal received by the interface surface  502 . Likewise, a signal may be received by the connector  508  and the same or a similar signal may be transmitted by the interface surface  502 . 
     Exemplary embodiments of the methods/systems have been disclosed in an illustrative style. Accordingly, the terminology employed throughout should be read in a non-limiting manner. Although minor modifications to the teachings herein will occur to those well versed in the art, it shall be understood that what is intended to be circumscribed within the scope of the patent warranted hereon are all such embodiments that reasonably fall within the scope of the advancement to the art hereby contributed, and that that scope shall not be restricted, except in light of the appended claims and their equivalents.