Backplane connector

Details Backplane connector Backplane connector

2001-07-11

2002-09-10

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Coupling part with actuating means urging contact to move...

Having open slot for receiving preformed panel circuit...

C439S607070, C439S108000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06447317

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, and particularly to an InfiniBand backplane connector mountable on a mother board and accommodating a daughter board therein, thereby establishing electrical connection between the mother board and the daughter board.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's computing model is becoming more distributed as companies work to meet the growing demands of the Internet economy. The demands of the Internet and distributed computing are challenging the scalability, reliability, availability, and performance of servers. To meet this demand a balanced system architecture with equally good performance in the memory, processor, and input/output (I/O) subsystems is required. Seven of the computing industry's leaders, Compaq, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems have joined together to address this important issue by leading an independent industry body called the InfiniBand
SM
Trade Association. The association is dedicated to developing a new common I/O interconnect standard. In Oct. 24, 2000, the association released the version 1.0 of the InfiniBand Architecture Specification which disclosed a rudiment of an InfiniBand backplane connector in the chapter 10 thereof.
The disclosed InfiniBand backplane connector is a low insertion force connector with two sets of contacts. One set of contacts, accommodated in an insulative module, is used on the primary side of the InfiniBand board for high-speed differential pair signals and its corresponding grounds. A second set of contacts is used on the secondary side of the board for low-speed signals, power, and grounding. The 12X type connector contains 24 pairs of high-speed contacts (48 pins) and 18 low-speed/power contacts. Closure of the mechanism to engage the high-speed contacts is achieved by an internal mechanism which is actuated by outline features on a paddle guard. U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,713, assigned to Tyco, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,785,534, 5,823,823 and 6,012,927, assigned to Siemens, disclosed similar backplane connectors.
However, the disclosed InfiniBand backplane connectors does not have means for driving the insulative module having the high-speed contacts to pivotably move toward the InfiniBand board or the driving means is not durable enough, so the normal force between the high-speed contacts and the InfiniBand board may be deficient, thereby affecting signal transmission between the InfiniBand connector and the InfiniBand board. Hence, an improved InfiniBand connector is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a backplane connector having a unique actuator for ensuring electrical connection between contacts of the connector and solder pads on an inserted daughter board.
To obtain the above mentioned object, an electrical connector includes an insulative housing having a slot, a row of low-speed signal contacts and an insert module received in respective opposite sides of the slot. The insert module has two rows of high-speed signal contact modules confronting the row of low-speed signal contacts. The insert module is pivotable in the slot from a first position, where the connector is ready for receipt of a daughter board, to a second position, where the insert module and the row of low-speed contacts sandwich the daughter board therebetween. The electrical connector provides a pair of actuators pivotably located at the top of the insulative housing. In the second position, the actuators abut against the back portion of the insert module to pivot toward the daughter board, thereby ensuring electrical connection between the high-speed contacts in the insert module and the solder pads on the daughter board.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3130351 (1964-04-01), Giel
patent: 3665370 (1972-05-01), Hartman
patent: 4556268 (1985-12-01), Noschese
patent: 5785534 (1998-07-01), Longueville et al.
patent: 5823823 (1998-10-01), Longueville et al.
patent: 6012927 (2000-01-01), Longueville et al.
patent: 6206713 (2001-03-01), Baertsoen et al.

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