Connector assembly

Abstract

A connector assembly includes a guide shield and a heat sink module. The guide shield has a mating channel. The heat sink module is disposed on the guide shield and includes a heat sink and an actuator. The heat sink has a base and fins disposed on the base. The actuator has a shaft and a lever connected to the shaft. The lever has a first end and a second end connected to each other. The shaft passes through the heat sink and rests against the top surface of the base, or the shaft passes through the heat sink and is at least partially outside the air duct of the fins. The actuator is normally in a first state and can be displaced to a second state under force. In the first state, the first end of the actuator extends into the mating channel. In the second state, the second end of the actuator acts on the heat sink to cause the base of the heat sink to extend into the mating channel.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a connector assembly, and more particularly to a connector assembly having a heat sink. [Previous Technology]

[0002] In Chinese Invention Patent Publication No. CN114623722A, a connector assembly is disclosed. The connector assembly includes a guide shield and a heat sink module. The heat sink module includes a lever and a heat sink. The lever can be pushed to apply force to the heat sink, thereby contacting the pluggable module and achieving the effect of heat dissipation for the pluggable module.

[0003] In this type of connector assembly, since the lever is located on the heat sink fins, it is worth considering how to improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat sink while maintaining the function of the lever. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly that can improve at least one disadvantage of the prior art.

[0005] Therefore, the connector assembly of the present invention includes a guide shield and a heat sink module. The guide shield has a plug-in channel. The heat sink module is disposed on the guide shield and includes a heat sink and an actuator. The heat sink has a base and fins disposed on the base. The actuator has a shaft and a lever connected to the shaft. The lever has a first end and a second end connected to each other. The shaft passes through the heat sink and rests against the top surface of the base. The actuator is normally in a first state and can be displaced to a second state under force. In the first state, the first end of the actuator extends into the plug-in channel. In the second state, the second end of the actuator acts on the heat sink to cause the base of the heat sink to extend into the plug-in channel.

[0006] In some embodiments, the heat sink module further includes a support elastic member that elastically supports the heat sink, so that the actuator is normally in the first state.

[0007] In some embodiments, the base is formed with a first groove and the fin portion is formed with a second groove. The first groove and the second groove cooperate to define a shaft hole through which the shaft portion of the actuator passes, and the shaft portion rests against the surface of the first groove.

[0008] In some embodiments, the base includes a plate portion and a thermally joined portion, the thermally joined portion being located on the bottom surface of the plate portion of the base, and the actuator, in the second state, having its second end pressing against the plate portion.

[0009] In some embodiments, the base further includes two side fins extending upward from the plate portion, the fin portion being located between the side fins.

[0010] In some embodiments, when the actuator is in the second state, the second end is in a direction that is substantially parallel to the plate portion and close to the plate portion.

[0011] In some embodiments, the radiator module further includes a housing, the radiator is housed within the housing, and the actuator is pivotally mounted on the housing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the housing includes a combined lower shell and an upper shell, and the supporting elastic element is formed in the lower shell of the housing.

[0013] In some embodiments, the lower shell of the housing is formed with a frame opening, and the two supporting elastic members are integrally constructed on the lower shell at both sides of the frame opening.

[0014] In some embodiments, the thermal interface of the radiator includes a thermal pad.

[0015] The connector assembly of the present invention includes a guide shield and a heat sink module. The guide shield has a plug-in channel. The heat sink module is disposed on the guide shield and includes a heat sink and an actuator. The heat sink has a fin portion forming an air duct. The actuator has a shaft portion and two levers connecting the shaft portion. The levers have a first end and a second end. The shaft portion passes through the heat sink and is at least partially outside the air duct. The actuator is normally in a first state and can be displaced to a second state under force. When the actuator is in the first state, the first end of the actuator extends into the plug-in channel. When the actuator is in the second state, the second end of the actuator acts on the heat sink to cause the base of the heat sink to extend into the plug-in channel.

[0016] The advantage of the present invention is that the components of the heat sink module are simplified by the position of the actuator, and the shaft of the actuator is mounted on the top surface of the base, or at least partially located outside the air duct, thereby reducing the obstruction of the air duct of the fin portion, and thus reducing the heat dissipation impact on the airflow of the air duct due to the obstruction of the shaft.

Implementation Method

[0018] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, one embodiment of the connector assembly 100 of the present invention is suitable for insertion into a pluggable module 4. The connector assembly 100 includes a guide shield 1, a socket connector 2, and a heat sink module 3.

[0019] The guide shield 1 has a plug-in channel 115 for plugging in the pluggable module 4. For example, the guide shield 1 is constructed by stamping and bending a thin metal sheet using a die. The guide shield 1 can be installed on a circuit board (not shown) in a housing (not shown) and extends along a front-rear direction D1. In this embodiment, the guide shield 1 has a top wall 111, a bottom wall 112 spaced from the top wall 111 along a vertical direction D2, and a bottom wall 112 spaced from the top wall 111 along a left-right direction D3. The system includes two side walls 113 connected between the top wall 111 and the bottom wall 112, a rear wall 114 connected to the rear edges of the top wall 111 and the two side walls 113, the aforementioned insertion channel 115 defined by the top wall 111, the bottom wall 112, the two side walls 113 and the rear wall 114, a plurality of pins 116 extending downward from the side walls 113 and the rear wall 114 and adapted for fixing on the circuit board and / or connecting to a ground track (not shown), and a plurality of grounding elements 117.

[0020] The insertion channel 115 has a forward-facing socket 115a, and the socket connector 2 is disposed near the rear wall 114 of the guide shield 1 and with its slot 21 facing forward, providing a pluggable module 4 for insertion into the insertion channel 115.

[0021] The top wall 111 has a window 111a communicating with the insertion channel 115. Each side wall 113 has a stamped opening 113a communicating with the insertion channel 115, an inwardly extending spring 113b extending backward from the front edge of the opening 113a toward the guide shield 1, and a socket 113c located behind the opening 113a and facing forward. The inwardly extending spring 113b provides a locking limit when the pluggable module 4 is inserted. Each grounding member 117 has a plurality of elastic fingers 117a extending backward from the front end of the guide shield 1 and distributed on the outer side and the inner side of the guide shield 1. The elastic fingers 117a located on the outer side of the guide shield 1 are used to contact the edge of the mounting hole of the housing, and the elastic fingers 117a located on the inner side of the guide shield 1 are used to contact the pluggable module 4.

[0022] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the heat sink module 3 is installed on the top wall 111 of the guide shield 1 and corresponds to the insertion channel 115. The heat sink module 3 includes a housing 30, a heat sink 31, a cooperating member 33, and two supporting elastic members 34 (Figures 2 and 3 only show one supporting elastic member 34 due to the angle). The housing 30 includes a lower shell 30a and an upper shell 30b that are combined. The lower shell 30a is generally frame-shaped and includes two first side walls 302 that define a frame opening 301. In this embodiment, the supporting elastic members 34 are integrally formed in the form of spring sheets and connected to the bottom edges of the two first side walls 302 of the lower shell 30a and located inside the frame opening 301. The two ends of each supporting elastic member 34 are connected to the bottom edges of the first side walls 302, and the two ends of the supporting elastic members 34 are slightly inclined upwards to support the left and right sides of the bottom of the heat sink 31. In other embodiments, the supporting elastic element 34 may also be a separate component and assembled to the lower shell 30a of the housing 30 by welding or fastening.

[0023] The longitudinal section of the upper shell 30b is approximately inverted U-shaped and includes two second sidewalls 303. Each second sidewall 303 forms a hook 304 extending downward and backward. When the lower shell 30a is combined with the upper shell 30b and is set on the top wall 111 of the guide shield 1, the two first sidewalls 302 overlap with the two second sidewalls 303 respectively, and the hooks 304 of the two second sidewalls 303 of the upper shell 30b are respectively inserted into the two holes 113c of the guide shield 1. The frame opening 301 of the lower shell 30a corresponds to the window 111a of the top wall 111 of the guide shield 1.

[0024] The radiator 31 is housed in the housing 30 and has a base 35 and a fin portion 36 disposed on the base 35. In this embodiment, the base 35 is formed with a first groove 354 extending in the left-right direction D3, and the fin portion 36 is formed with a second groove 361 extending in the left-right direction D3. The first groove 354 and the second groove 361 cooperate to define a shaft hole 310, the function of which will be explained later. In this embodiment, the base 35 includes a plate portion 35a, a heat-bonding portion 353, and side fins 356 extending upward from the plate portion 35a and spaced apart from each other on the left and right. In this embodiment, the plate portion 35a includes a first plate portion 351 and a second plate portion 352 connected to each other. The aforementioned side fins 356 extend upward from the second plate portion 352 and are spaced apart from each other on the left and right. The first plate portion 351 is located at the rear and the second plate portion 352 is located at the front. The heat-bonding portion 353 is located on the bottom surface of the second plate portion 352 of the base 35. In this embodiment, the base 35 further includes a connecting plate portion 350 connecting the first plate portion 351 and the second plate portion 352. The width of the connecting plate portion 350 in the left and right direction D3 is smaller than that of the first plate portion 351 and the second plate portion 352. Therefore, a notch 355 is formed on the left and right sides of the connecting plate portion 350 respectively. The aforementioned first groove 354 is formed approximately in the area of ​​the connecting plate portion 350. In this embodiment, the fin portion 36 includes, but is not limited to, a plurality of heat dissipation fins 362 that interlock with each other, and the heat dissipation fins 362 define a plurality of air ducts 363 extending in the front-to-back direction D1. The air ducts 363 provide external airflow into the fin portion 36 of the heat sink module 3 and flow from front to back, thereby carrying away the heat energy conducted upward from the pluggable module 4 to the fin portion 36. A portion of the fin portion 36 located in the second plate portion 352 is between the left and right side fins 356. In addition, the arrangement of the side fins 356 also helps the heat dissipation of the entire heat sink 31.

[0025] The base 35 is positioned such that the thermally bonded portion 353 corresponds to the frame opening 301 of the lower shell 30a, thereby allowing the thermally bonded portion 353 to pass through the frame opening 301 and the window 111a of the guide shield 1 to contact the pluggable module 4 inserted into the insertion channel 115, thereby dissipating heat from the pluggable module 4. In this embodiment, the thermally bonded portion 353 includes a thermally conductive pad 311b located at the bottom for contacting the pluggable module 4. The thermally conductive pad 311b can be, for example, a thermal interface material, and the thermal interface material can be selected from a combination of materials having properties such as high thermal conductivity, high flexibility, compressibility, insulation, and wear resistance, for example, a combination of a base material and a phase change material.

[0026] Referring to Figures 3 to 6, the actuator 33 is disposed between the first plate portion 351 and the second plate portion 352 of the base 35. The actuator 33 has an H-shaped structure and has a shaft portion 330 and two levers 330a connecting the shaft portion 330. The shaft portion 330 is rod-shaped extending in the left-right direction D3. The two levers 330a are disposed in the front-back direction D1 and are connected to the two ends of the shaft portion 330 at intervals. Each lever 330a is generally elongated and has a first end portion 331 extending backward and downward from the shaft portion 330 and a second end portion 332 extending forward from the shaft portion 330.

[0027] When the actuator 33 is installed on the heat sink 31, its shaft portion 330 passes through the shaft hole 310 defined by the first groove 354 and the second groove 361 of the heat sink 31 and rests against the top surface of the base 35. In other words, the position of the shaft portion 330 can also be understood as being located at the bottom of the fin portion 36 and at least partially outside the air duct 363. The position of the first end portion 331 is located in the area of ​​the notch 355, and the second end portion 332 is located on the second plate portion 352 of the base 35. The actuator 33 is close to the base 35 as a whole, and the degree of closeness is to minimize the area where the shaft portion 330 of the actuator 33 will block the air duct 363 of the heat sink fin 362. Therefore, the aforementioned shaft portion 330 being at least partially outside the air duct 363 means that at least a portion of the shaft portion 330 is located outside the area of ​​the heat sink fin 362 where the air duct 363 is located. For example, in this embodiment, since the base 35 has a first groove 354, the aforementioned top surface of the base 35 refers to the inner surface of the recessed first groove 354. As shown in FIG6, part of the height of the shaft portion 330 is located within the first groove 354 and not within the area of ​​the air duct 363. Therefore, the height of the shaft portion 330 located within the air duct 363 can be reduced, thereby reducing the height of the shaft portion 330 blocking the air duct 363 and reducing the heat dissipation impact on the airflow of the air duct 363 due to the blocking of the shaft portion 330. Therefore, within the range of considering the overall thickness of the base 35, the deeper the first groove 354 is recessed, the more the heat dissipation impact on the airflow of the air duct 363 due to the blocking of the shaft portion 330 can be reduced.

[0028] In this embodiment, the actuator 33 further has two pivot shafts 334 protruding from the outside of the two levers 330a. Each pivot shaft 334 is pivotally connected to the pivot holes 123a on the left and right sides of the housing 30 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, the actuator 33 can rotate between a first state (see FIG. 7) and a second state (see FIG. 8). It should be noted that in a variant embodiment, the actuator 33 of the heat sink module 3 may also have only one lever 330a. The two first ends 331 are used to sequentially pass through the frame opening 301 of the housing 30 and the window 111a of the guide shield 1 and extend into the insertion channel 115. The ends of the two second ends 332 are respectively used to abut against the two sides of the second plate portion 352 of the base 35. In this embodiment, they abut against the second plate portion 352 located behind the side fins 356 and on both sides of the fin portion 36. The aforementioned pivot hole 123a can be formed by connecting holes respectively provided in the first side wall 302 of the lower shell 30a and the second side wall 303 of the upper shell 30b.

[0029] Referring to Figures 7 and 8, when the radiator 31 is housed in the housing 30, the actuator 33 is normally in the first state and can be displaced to the second state due to the support elastic members 34 supporting the bottom sides of the base 35. In the first state, the actuator 33 is in the state of extending into the insertion channel 115 because the second end 332 is supported by the support elastic members 34 through the base 35. In the second state, the second end 332 of the actuator 33 acts on the radiator 31 to make the base 35 of the radiator 31 extend into the insertion channel 115.

[0030] More specifically, referring to FIG7, when the pluggable module 4 is not yet inserted into the insertion channel 115, the actuator 33 is in a first state. At this time, the first end 331 of the actuator 33 extends into the insertion channel 115, and the heat sink 31 is supported upward by the supporting elastic member 34, while its thermally bonded portion 353 does not extend downward into the insertion channel 115. It should be noted that in other embodiments, when the actuator 33 is in this first state, the height of the heat sink 31 can also be such that the thermally bonded portion 353 extends into the insertion channel 115 but does not contact the pluggable module 4. Therefore, before the pluggable module 4 pushes the actuator 33, there is a gap between the thermally bonded portion 353 at the bottom of the heat sink 31 and the upper surface of the pluggable module 4.

[0031] Referring to Figure 8, when the pluggable module 4 is inserted into the insertion channel 115 of the guide shield 1 from the front to the back through the socket 115a, the pluggable module 4 provides an external force that pushes the two first ends 331 of the actuator 33 backward and upward, causing the actuator 33 to gradually rotate from the first state to the second state. At this time, the two first ends 331 of the actuator 33 move upward away from the insertion channel 115, and cause the two second ends 332 to move downward and apply force to press against it. The second plate portion 352 of the plate portion 35a of the base 35 compresses the elastic member 34 downward through the base 35. At this time, the second end portion 332 is in a direction that is approximately parallel to the second plate portion 352 and close to the second plate portion 352, so that the heat sink 31 moves downward and the thermal joint portion 353 extends downward through the window 111a into the plug-in channel 115 and contacts the surface of the pluggable module 4 with contact pressure, thereby achieving the effect of heat dissipation by contacting the pluggable module 4 with the thermal joint portion 353.

[0032] In summary, the connector assembly 100 of the present invention simplifies the components of the heat sink module 3 by adjusting the position of the actuator. In addition, by having the shaft portion 330 of the actuator 33 rest against the top surface of the base 35, or at least partially located outside the air duct 363, the obstruction of the air duct 363 of the fin portion 36 is reduced, thereby reducing the heat dissipation impact on the airflow of the air duct 363 due to the obstruction of the shaft portion 330. Therefore, the purpose of the present invention can indeed be achieved.

[0033] However, the above description is only an embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Any simple equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the scope of the patent application and the contents of the patent specification shall still fall within the scope of the patent of the present invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0017] Other features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein: FIG1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the connector assembly of the present invention, illustrating that the connector assembly includes a guide shield and a heat sink module, and the figure shows a pluggable module; FIG2 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment, illustrating the positional relationship between the guide shield and the heat sink module; FIG3 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment, illustrating that the heat sink module includes a heat sink and an actuator, and the heat sink includes a base and a fin portion; FIG4 is a perspective view of some components of the embodiment, illustrating the state in which the actuator is disposed on the fin portion; FIG5 is a perspective view of some components of the embodiment, illustrating the state in which the actuator is disposed on the base; FIG6 is a front view of the embodiment, illustrating that the shaft portion of the lever passes through the heat sink and is at least partially outside the air duct; FIG7 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment, illustrating the actuator in a first state; and FIG8 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment, illustrating the actuator in a second state.

Claims

1. A connector assembly comprising: a guide shield having a mating channel; and a heat sink module disposed on the guide shield and including a heat sink, having a base and fins disposed on the base, the base forming a first groove extending in a left-right direction, the fins forming a second groove extending in a left-right direction, and a duct extending in a front-back direction, the first groove and the second groove cooperating to define a shaft hole; and an actuator having a shaft portion and a lever connecting the shaft portion, the lever having a first end and a second end connected to each other, the shaft portion passing through the shaft hole of the heat sink and resting against the top surface of the base, and at least partially located outside the duct; wherein... The actuator is normally in the first state and can be displaced to the second state under force; when the actuator is in the first state, the first end of the actuator extends into the insertion channel; when the actuator is in the second state, the second end of the actuator acts on the heat sink to cause the base of the heat sink to extend into the insertion channel.

2. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The radiator module also includes a support elastic element, which elastically supports the radiator so that the actuator is normally in the first state.

3. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The shaft portion rests against the surface of the first groove.

4. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The base includes a plate portion and a heat-bonded portion, the heat-bonded portion being located on the bottom surface of the plate portion of the base, and the actuator pressing its second end against the plate portion when in the second state.

5. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The base also includes two side fins extending upward from the plate portion, with the fin portion located between the side fins.

6. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein, In the second state, the second end of the actuator is positioned in a direction that is substantially parallel to and close to the plate portion.

7. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein, The radiator module also includes a housing, in which the radiator is housed, and the actuator is pivotally mounted on the housing.

8. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein, The housing includes a combined lower shell and an upper shell, with the supporting elastic element formed in the lower shell of the housing.

9. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein, The lower shell of the housing has a frame opening, and the two supporting elastic members are integrally constructed on both sides of the frame opening of the lower shell.

10. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The thermally bonded portion of the radiator includes a thermally conductive pad.

11. A connector assembly comprising: a guide shield having a mating channel; and a heat sink module disposed on the guide shield and including a heat sink, having a base and fins disposed on the base, the base forming a first groove extending in a left-right direction, the fins forming a second groove extending in a left-right direction, and a duct extending in a front-back direction, the first groove and the second groove cooperating to define a shaft hole; and an actuator having a shaft portion and a lever connecting the shaft portion, the lever having a first end and a second end, the shaft portion passing through the shaft hole of the heat sink and at least partially located outside the duct; wherein... The actuator is normally in the first state and can be displaced to the second state under force; when the actuator is in the first state, the first end of the actuator extends into the insertion channel; when the actuator is in the second state, the second end of the actuator acts on the heat sink to make the heat sink extend into the insertion channel.

12. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The radiator module also includes a support elastic element, which elastically supports the radiator so that the actuator is normally in the first state.

13. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The shaft portion is located at least partially outside the air duct by being situated in the first groove.

14. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein, The base includes a plate portion and a heat-bonded portion, the heat-bonded portion being located on the bottom surface of the plate portion of the base, and the actuator pressing its second end against the plate portion when in the second state.

15. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein, The base also includes two side fins extending upward from the plate portion, with the fin portion located between the side fins.

16. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein, In the second state, the second end of the actuator is positioned in a direction that is substantially parallel to and close to the plate portion.

17. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein, The radiator module also includes a housing, in which the radiator is housed, and the actuator is pivotally mounted on the housing.

18. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein, The housing includes a combined lower shell and an upper shell, with the supporting elastic element formed in the lower shell of the housing.

19. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein, The lower shell of the housing has a frame opening, and the two supporting elastic members are integrally constructed on both sides of the frame opening of the lower shell.

20. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein, The thermally bonded portion of the radiator includes a thermally conductive pad.

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