Straddle mount connector for a pluggable transceiver module

Abstract

A straddle mount connector is provided for edge mounting to a circuit board of a pluggable module. The straddle mount connector includes a dielectric connector body having a base and a plug extending from the base. The base is configured to be coupled to an edge of the circuit board. The plug has opposite first and second sides and a plate cavity that extends within the plug between the first and second sides. The plug is configured to be received within a receptacle of a receptacle connector. Electrical contacts are held by the connector body. The electrical contacts include mating segments. The mating segments of a first group of the electrical contacts are arranged in a first row that extends a length along the first side of the plug. The mating segments of a second group of the electrical contacts are arranged in a second row that extends a length along the second side of the plug. A ground plate is held within the plate cavity of the plug of the connector body. The ground plate extends between the first and second rows of electrical contacts along the lengths of the first and second rows.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The subject matter described and / or illustrated herein relates generally to transceiver assemblies.[0002]Various types of fiber optic and copper based transceiver assemblies that permit communication between host equipment and external devices are known. These transceiver assemblies typically include a module assembly that can be pluggably connected to a receptacle connector in the host equipment. The module assemblies are constructed according to various standards for size and compatibility, one standard being the Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) module standard. Conventional QSFP modules and receptacle assemblies perform satisfactorily conveying data signals at rates up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps). Another pluggable module standard, the XFP standard, calls for the transceiver module to also convey data signals at rates up to 10 Gbps.[0003]As electrical and optical devices become smaller, the signal paths thereof become more densely grou...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The straddle mount connector described in this patent allows for edge mounting of a circuit board in a pluggable module. It includes a connector body with a base and a plug that is designed to fit into a receptacle connector. The connector has mating segments for both signal and ground contacts that mate with corresponding contacts in the receptacle connector. The ground contacts are arranged in a way that they are electrically connected to each other, which ensures that any ground contact within the connector is common to all other ground contacts. This design helps to reduce crosstalk and improve the overall performance of the pluggable module.

Problems solved by technology

However, because of the increased signal rates and / or higher density, differential pairs of signal contacts within a transceiver assembly may interfere with each other, which is commonly referred to as “crosstalk”.

Such crosstalk can become a relatively large contributor to errors along the signal paths of the transceiver assembly.

Coupling between signal contacts within the same differential pair may also contribute to errors along the signal paths of the transceiver assembly.

Moreover, the increased signal rates and / or higher density may make it difficult to maintain a desired impedance value of the transceiver assembly, which may result in impedance discontinuities between the transceiver assembly and the host equipment and / or the external device.

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