Two-sided connectors for connecting signal cables to floating hardware components and related methods

Abstract

Two-sided connectors for connecting signal cables to floating hardware components and related methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, a connector includes: a housing; a first receptacle located on a first side of the housing, the first receptacle configured to receive a first signal cable connector inserted into the first receptacle; and a second socket located on a second side of the housing, the second socket configured to receive an end portion of a hardware component inserted into the second socket. The first socket and the second socket are adjacent to each other and have openings interconnected to each other. The connector includes first metal contacts extending along a first surface of the first receptacle to along a corresponding first surface of the second receptacle, and includes second metal contacts extending along a second surface of the first receptacle to along a corresponding second surface of the second receptacle.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Computers typically include one or more signal transmission cables for transmitting signals between a computer's motherboard and one or more hardware components separated from the motherboard, such as one or more expansion cards or add-on cards. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) is an interface standard for connecting high-speed input / output (HSIO) devices. Typically, one or more adapter cards can be used to adjust the number and orientation of PCIe devices (e.g., PCIe cards) connected to a computer's motherboard. In addition to or instead of PCIe devices, some computer designs also include compatibility with Open Compute Project (OCP) cards. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0002] To more fully understand the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0003] Figures 1A to 1E An example of a bilateral connector for connecting a signal cable to a floating hardware component for signal transmission, where the floating hardware component is a PCIe add-on card, is illustrated in accordance with certain embodiments;

[0004] Figures 2A to 2F An example of a bilateral connector for connecting a signal cable to a floating hardware component for signal transmission, where the floating hardware component is an OCP card, is illustrated in accordance with certain embodiments; and

[0005] Figure 3 An example method of a bilateral connector for connecting a signal cable to a hardware component for signal transmission is illustrated in accordance with certain embodiments. Detailed Description

[0006] To transfer signals between a computer's motherboard and one or more hardware components (e.g., PCIe cards), the hardware components can be inserted into expansion slots on the motherboard. However, the number of hardware components that can be inserted into the motherboard may be limited by the space and number of available expansion slots on the motherboard. Additionally or alternatively, the orientation of each hardware component can be fixed relative to the motherboard. For example, a PCIe card can be designed to be inserted into the motherboard in a specific direction, which may limit the flexibility during the installation process. Using a PCIe card in combination with an adapter card (where the cable wires may be directly soldered to the PCIe connector pins of the adapter card) may allow the PCIe card to be located at a distance from the motherboard. However, due to an increase in the number of impedance discontinuities such as from the connector pin pads and conductive materials (e.g., copper, etc.), this implementation may result in a reduction in signal transmission quality. Additionally or alternatively, with such a soldering solution, in the case of cable wire or adapter card damage or electrical problems, it may be necessary to replace both the cable wire and the adapter card, which may increase the operating cost. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a bilateral connector that can improve the signal transmission quality of signals transmitted between hardware components in a computer system and / or can increase the flexibility during the installation of hardware components. The structure and operation of the bilateral connector are described in more detail below in multiple scenarios.

[0007] Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a bilateral connector that provides transmission of signals from a first side of the bilateral connector to a second side of the bilateral connector. The bilateral connector can include metal contacts that extend through the housing of the bilateral connector. Adjacent metal contacts extend from a first socket located on the first side of the bilateral connector to a second socket located on the second side of the bilateral connector.

[0008] In certain embodiments, the bilateral connector can be used as a conduit to transfer signals between a fixed hardware component connected to the first socket via a signal transmission cable and a floating hardware component inserted into the second socket of the bilateral connector. The fixed hardware component can be a permanent (or semi-permanent) physical component attached to a computer in the computer, such as a computer motherboard. The bilateral connector and the signal transmission cable can be used to allow the floating hardware component to be located at a distance (and potentially a relatively large distance) from the fixed hardware component and to be oriented in any orientation relative to the fixed hardware component. The floating hardware component refers to a component that is not permanently attached to the computer but can be added or removed from the second socket of the bilateral connector.

[0009] The present disclosure describes examples of bilateral connectors for use in combination with various fixed and floating hardware components. In some examples, the fixed hardware component is a computer motherboard and the floating hardware component is a PCIe add-in card. In some examples, the fixed hardware component is a computer motherboard and the floating hardware component is an OCP card. The fixed and floating hardware components described are provided only as examples.

[0010] In a first example with a PCIe add-in card as the floating hardware component, one or more adapter cards can be used to adjust the number and orientation of PCIe devices (e.g., PCIe cards) connected to a computer's motherboard. The adapter card can be a printed circuit board (PCB) that allows additional PCIe devices to be added to the computer's motherboard. Example types of adapter card design solutions include fixed adapter cards and floating adapter cards. A fixed adapter card can be inserted into an adapter card connector located on the main system board (e.g., near the root complex device). A floating adapter card can use a cable as the main interconnect between the root complex device and the adapter card, where the root complex device can be located at a distance (and potentially a relatively large distance) from the adapter card. Increasing performance requirements / goals have motivated designers to seek solutions that provide higher PCIe bus speeds and improved signal quality at the lowest possible manufacturing cost.

[0011] In some embodiments, the bilateral connectors of the present disclosure can be used in combination with an adapter card. The adapter card (e.g., a floating adapter card) can be located at a distance (and potentially a relatively large distance) from the root complex device of the computer motherboard. The bilateral connector can allow a PCIe cable connected to the computer motherboard to be inserted into a first side of the bilateral connector and allow a PCIe add-in card to be inserted into a second side of the bilateral connector. The bilateral connector can facilitate signal transmission between the PCIe add-in card and the computer motherboard. The bilateral connector can include one or more adjacent metal contacts configured to contact signal pads of the PCIe cable when the PCIe cable is inserted into the first side of the bilateral connector. Additionally, the one or more adjacent metal contacts can be configured to contact signal pads of a PCIe card edge connector when the PCIe add-in card is inserted into the second side of the bilateral connector. The metal contacts can act as a bridge between the two signal pads, allowing signals to be transmitted between the two signal pads.

[0012] In some embodiments, the dual-sided connector allows a PCIe cable to be removably attached to an adapter card, which can reduce manufacturing and assembly costs compared to solutions involving fixedly attaching the PCIe cable to the adapter card, while still providing sufficient or even improved bus speed and signal quality. In some embodiments, by simply pulling out the PCIe cable and the adapter card from the dual-sided connector, both the PCIe cable and the adapter card can be separated from each other, which can allow for replacing the PCIe cable or the adapter card without replacing both the PCIe cable and the adapter card (e.g., in case of damage or electrical issues), which can reduce costs such as directly soldering cable wires to PCIe connector pins. The dual-sided connector can improve signal transmission quality due to a reduced number of impedance discontinuities such as from connector pin pads and conductive materials (e.g., copper or other suitable metallic materials). In some embodiments, different lengths of PCIe cables can be utilized to connect a computer motherboard to the dual-sided connector, allowing flexibility in the positioning of the adapter card relative to the root complex device of the motherboard.

[0013] As another example with the OCP card as the floating hardware component, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dual-sided connector that can be used to provide a floating OCP slot including the dual-sided connector. The dual-sided connector can be configured to allow an OCP card to be inserted into the second side of the dual-sided connector. The dual-sided connector can be coupled to and supported in place by a support structure disposed within a computer chassis. The dual-sided connector allows signals to be transmitted between the OCP card and the computer motherboard. The dual-sided connector can include one or more adjacent metal contacts configured to contact signal pads of a PCIe cable when the PCIe cable is inserted into the first side of the dual-sided connector. The one or more adjacent metal contacts can be configured to contact signal pads of an OCP card edge connector when the OCP card is inserted into the second side of the dual-sided connector. The one or more metal contacts can act as a bridge between the two signal pads, allowing signals to be transmitted between the two signal pads.

[0014] In some embodiments, one or more advantages similar to those described above for the embodiments of the adapter card and the dual-sided connector (which allow a PCIe cable to be inserted into the first side of the dual-sided connector and a PCIe add-on card to be inserted into the second side of the dual-sided connector) also apply to the embodiments of the floating OCP slot and the dual-sided connector, which allow a PCIe cable to be inserted into the first side of the dual-sided connector and an OCP card to be inserted into the second side of the dual-sided connector.

[0015] Turning to the drawings, Figures 1A to 1E An example application of the dual-sided connector is illustrated, where the fixed hardware component is a computer motherboard and the floating hardware component is a PCIe add-on card.Figures 2A to 2F An example application of a bilateral connector is illustrated, where the fixed hardware component is a computer motherboard and the floating hardware component is an OCP card. Figure 3 A flowchart depicting a method for implementing a bilateral connector in conjunction with a fixed hardware component and a floating hardware component is illustrated. Each figure is described in more detail below. Throughout the following description, unless otherwise specified, in the various figures, the same reference numerals may represent the same components, such that the description of these components may not be repeated.

[0016] Figure 1A An example computer according to certain embodiments is illustrated, the example computer including a bilateral connector for connecting a signal cable to a hardware component for signal transmission. In particular, Figure 1A An example adapter card configuration is illustrated, where the bilateral connector is used in combination with an adapter card.

[0017] In certain embodiments, Figure 1A the components of can be disposed within the chassis of computer 48. Computer 48 can be any suitable type of electronic processing device, including, by way of particular example, a desktop computer or a computer server. The adapter card configuration refers to the use of one or more hardware components including an adapter card, the adapter card being used to change the physical layout or orientation of an add-in card (also referred to as an expansion card) within the computer chassis. An add-in card is a hardware component or device that can be added to a computer motherboard to enhance its functionality. Add-in cards can include graphics cards, network cards, sound cards, other peripherals, etc. An example add-in card can be PCIe-compatible and can be referred to as a PCIe card or a PCI add-in card.

[0018] Motherboard 50 can be disposed within the chassis of computer 48, and a central processing unit (CPU) can be fixedly mounted on motherboard 50. Additionally, storage drives such as solid state drives (SSDs), hard disk drives (HDDs), etc. can be installed within the chassis of computer 48.

[0019] In Figure 1AIn the example, the adapter card configuration includes a floating adapter card 57, which includes an adapter card body 60 and a dual-sided connector 62. The floating adapter card 57 allows one or more signal transmission cables (e.g., PCIe cable 56) to be used as the main interconnect to connect to the root complex device of the motherboard 50 of the computer 48, where the root complex device may be located at a certain distance (and possibly a relatively large distance) from the floating adapter card 57. The adapter card body 60 may include a PCB and may be supported at a position within the chassis of the computer 48 using any suitable support structure. For example, the support structure may be a mechanical structure such as a tray, a plate, a mounting bracket, a mounting adapter, etc. Additionally, if appropriate, the PCIe cable 56 may have any desired length, provided that the PCIe cable 56 remains within the signal integrity specifications. The PCIe cable 56 may be coupled to a first PCIe plug 54 (which may also be referred to hereinafter as a connector, a signal cable connector, or a PCIe cable connector) at a first end of the PCIe cable 56, and coupled to a second PCIe plug 58 (which may also be referred to hereinafter as a connector, a signal cable connector, or a PCIe cable connector) at a second end of the PCIe cable 56. The first PCIe plug 54 may be inserted into a PCIe connector 52 (which may also be referred to hereinafter as a slot or a socket) coupled to the motherboard 50. The second PCIe plug 58 may be inserted into a first socket 66 of the dual-sided connector 62.

[0020] The dual-sided connector 62 may be supported by the adapter card body 60 and extend through the adapter card body. The dual-sided connector 62 may also be referred to as a signal transmission device. The dual-sided connector 62 may include a housing 67 (shown hereinafter in Figure 1B ), a first socket 66 located on a first side of the housing 67 (shown hereinafter in Figure 1B ), and a second socket 68 located on a second side of the housing 67 (shown hereinafter in Figure 1B ). The first socket 66 is adapted to receive the second PCIe plug 58 inserted into the first socket 66 of the dual-sided connector 62. That is, the first socket 66 is adapted to allow the second PCIe plug 58 to be inserted into the first socket 66 of the dual-sided connector 62. The second socket 68 is adapted to receive an end portion of a PCIe add-in card 64 inserted into the second socket 68 of the dual-sided connector 62. That is, the second socket 68 is adapted to allow the PCIe add-in card 64 to be inserted into the second socket 68 of the dual-sided connector 62.

[0021] When the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first socket 66 and the PCIe add-in card 64 is inserted into the second socket 68, the double-sided connector 62 allows signals to be transmitted between the PCIe add-in card 64 and the motherboard 50. The signals can include data signals, control signals, power signals, and / or any other suitable type of signal. In some embodiments, more than one double-sided connector 62 can extend through the adapter card body 60. In this case, more than one PCIe add-in card 64 can be connected to the motherboard 50. Each PCIe add-in card 64 is connected to the motherboard 50 using a corresponding double-sided connector 62 and a corresponding PCIe cable 56, where the PCIe add-in card 64 is inserted into the second socket 68 of the corresponding double-sided connector 62, and the second PCIe plug 58 of the corresponding PCIe cable 56 is inserted into the first socket 66 of the corresponding double-sided connector 62.

[0022] Figure 1B Illustrated is an example of a Figure 1A double-sided connector 62 according to some embodiments and additional details of its associated operation. For purposes of clarity, Figure 1B the adapter card body 60 is omitted in []. The double-sided connector 62 can include a housing 67 (which may also be referred to hereinafter as the body), a first socket 66 located on a first side of the housing 67 (which may also be described hereinafter as a receiving seat), and a second socket 68 located on a second side of the housing 67 (which may also be described hereinafter as a receiving seat), where the first side is on a side of the housing 67 opposite the second side of the housing 67.

[0023] The first socket 66 can include a first opening 70, and the second socket 68 can include a second opening 72. The first socket 66 is adapted to allow the second PCIe plug 58 to be inserted into the first opening 70 of the first socket 66, and the second socket 68 is adapted to allow an end portion of the PCIe add-in card 64 (e.g., the PCIe card edge connector of the PCIe add-in card 64) to be inserted into the second opening 72 of the second socket 68. The first opening 70 and the second opening 72 are adjacent to each other and interconnected. In some embodiments, the first opening 70 and the second opening 72 form at least a portion of a continuous opening that also extends through the housing 67 of the double-sided connector 62.

[0024] The double-sided connector 62 can include adjacent metal contacts 74 (subsequently in Figure 1CAs shown, these metal contacts are configured to contact the signal pads of the second PCIe plug 58 when the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first socket 66 of the dual-sided connector 62. Additionally, the adjacent metal contacts 74 are configured to contact the signal pads of the PCIe card edge connector of the PCIe add-in card 64 when the PCIe add-in card 64 is inserted into the second socket 68 of the dual-sided connector 62. Each metal contact 74 thus acts as a bridge between two signal pads. The dual-sided connector 62 thus allows signal transmission between the PCIe add-in card 64 and the PCIe cable 56.

[0025] The dual-sided connector 62 may include portions having different heights. For example, a first portion of the dual-sided connector 62 that includes the first socket 66 may have a first height H1. A second portion of the dual-sided connector 62 that includes the second socket 68 may have a second height H2, where the height H1 is different from the height H2. In certain embodiments, the height H2 is greater than the height H1.

[0026] Figures 1C to 1E Illustrated is a Figure 1A and Figure 1B additional detail of the dual-sided connector 62 according to certain embodiments. In particular, Figures 1C to 1D illustrated is the state of the dual-sided connector 62 after the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first opening 70 of the first socket 66 and the PCIe card edge connector of the PCIe add-in card 64 is inserted into the second opening 72 of the second socket 68. Figure 1E Shown is the dual-sided connector 62 along Figure 1C a top view of the cross-section X-X shown in Figures 1C to 1E For clarity purposes, the adapter card body 60 is omitted in

[0027] Figures 1C to 1D Shown is that the dual-sided connector 62 may include adjacent metal contacts 74. The metal contacts 74 may include a conductive material (e.g., copper, copper alloy, or any other suitable conductive material) and may extend along a first surface of the first socket 66 to a corresponding first surface of the second socket 68, and along a second surface of the first socket 66 to a corresponding second surface of the second socket 68. In certain embodiments, the first surface of the first socket 66 is the top surface in the first opening 70, and the first surface of the second socket 68 is the top surface in the second opening 72. In certain embodiments, the second surface of the first socket 66 is the bottom surface in the first opening 70, and the second surface of the second socket 68 is the bottom surface in the second opening 72.

[0028] The first opening 70 and the second opening 72 form at least a portion of a continuous opening that also extends through the housing 67 of the dual-sided connector 62, and as such, each metal contact 74 that extends along a first surface of the first socket 66 to a corresponding first surface of the second socket 68 also extends along a top surface of a first portion of the continuous opening that is disposed between the first opening 70 and the second opening 72. Additionally, each metal contact 74 that extends along a second surface of the first socket 66 to a corresponding second surface that extends along the second socket 68 also extends along a bottom surface of a first portion of the continuous opening that is disposed between the first opening 70 and the second opening 72.

[0029] Each metal contact 74 can be elongate and can include a strip having a rectangular or cylindrical cross-section. In some embodiments, the metal contacts 74 can be arranged flat. In some embodiments, the metal contacts 74 can be arranged in a zigzag form having a plurality of bends or turns in the metal (e.g., as shown in Figure 1C and Figure 1D ), where a first portion of each metal contact 74 is embedded in the wall of the first socket 66, the wall of the second socket 68, and the wall of the housing 67.

[0030] A second portion of each metal contact 74 can extend into the first opening 70, the second opening 72, or a first portion of the continuous opening that is disposed between the first opening 70 and the second opening 72. The second portion of each metal contact 74 that extends into the first opening 70 can be adapted to make physical and electrical contact with a first signal pad 59 of the second PCIe plug 58 when the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first opening 70 of the first socket 66. The portion of each metal contact 74 that extends into the second opening 72 can be adapted to make physical and electrical contact with the first signal pad 59 and physical and electrical contact with a second signal pad 63 of the PCIe card edge connector of the PCIe add-in card 64 when the PCIe add-in card 64 is inserted into the second opening 72 of the second socket 68.

[0031] The metal contacts 74 that extend along a first surface of the first socket 66 to a corresponding first surface along the second socket 68 are adapted to be vertically above and make physical and electrical contact with a top surface of a top portion of the first signal pad 59 of the second PCIe plug 58 and a top surface of a top portion of the second signal pad 63 of the PCIe card edge connector. The metal contacts 74 that extend along a second surface of the first socket 66 to a corresponding second surface along the second socket 68 are adapted to be vertically below and make physical and electrical contact with a bottom surface of a bottom portion of the first signal pad 59 of the second PCIe plug 58 and a bottom surface of a bottom portion of the second signal pad 63 of the PCIe card edge connector.

[0032] The metal contact 74 can be arranged in a zigzag form having a plurality of bends or turns in the metal (e.g., as shown in Figure 1C and Figure 1D ) to provide a secure and reliable electrical connection between the first signal pad 59 and the second signal pad 63 via the metal contact 74. Additionally, the plurality of bends or turns in the metal can be strategically positioned to ensure proper alignment and tight fit of the second PCIe plug 58 in the first opening 70 of the first socket 66 and the PCIe card edge connector of the PCIe add-in card 64 in the second opening 72 of the second socket 68. For example, the plurality of bends or turns in the metal can be strategically positioned to ensure proper alignment and tight fit to accommodate PCIe cable plugs 58 and PCIe card edge connectors of PCIe add-in cards 64 of different widths. When the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first socket 66 and the PCIe card edge connector of the PCIe add-in card 64 is inserted into the second socket 68, signals can be transmitted between the motherboard 50 and the PCIe add-in card 64 through the PCIe cable 56, the first signal pad 59, the metal contact 74, and the second signal pad 63.

[0033] In some embodiments, the dual-sided connector 62 can include more than one first socket 66 on the first side of the dual-sided connector 62. For example, Figure 1E a dual-sided connector 62 including first sockets 66 (e.g., two of the first sockets 66) is shown. The dual-sided connector 62 also includes a second socket 68 and a housing 67 disposed between the first socket 66 and the second socket 68. The edge of the dual-sided connector 62 disposed on the first side of the dual-sided connector 62 (e.g., including the first socket 66) can have a first width W1. The second socket 68 is disposed on the second side of the housing 67, wherein the edge of the dual-sided connector 62 disposed on the second side of the dual-sided connector 62 can have a second width W2. In some embodiments, the first width W1 is different from the second width W2. In some embodiments, the second width W2 is greater than the first width W1. As Figure 1E shown, each first socket 66 can be electrically connected to the motherboard 50 through a corresponding PCIe cable 56, wherein each PCIe cable 56 is coupled to the corresponding first socket 66 through a corresponding second PCIe plug 58 inserted into the corresponding first socket 66.

[0034] Figure 1ETwo of the first sockets 66 are shown, where each first socket 66 can be designed to accommodate (as an example only) a PCIe x8 cable. Thus, each PCIe cable 56 can be a PCIe x8 cable (which can also be referred to as a fast PCI x8 cable), which is a high-speed signal transmission cable designed to connect a PCIe device (such as an expansion card) to a computer motherboard. The "x8" designation indicates that the cable supports eight PCIe channels for signal transmission. In other embodiments, each first socket 66 can be designed to accommodate any suitable configuration of a cable that supports any number of PCIe channels for signal transmission.

[0035] The second socket 68 on the second side of the double-sided connector 62 can be designed to accommodate (as an example only) a PCIe x16 card. Thus, the PCIe add-in card 64 can be a PCIe x16 card, and the second socket 68 is designed to provide sixteen separate PCIe channels for signal transmission.

[0036] Figure 1E It is also shown that each second PCIe plug 58 coupled to the PCIe cable 56 can include a first signal pad 59 that is electrically coupled to a second signal pad 63 of the PCIe add-in card 64 using a corresponding set of one or more metal contacts 74. When the corresponding second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the corresponding first socket 66, a first end portion of the metal contact 74 in the corresponding set of one or more metal contacts 74 is aligned with and physically contacts the first signal pad 59 of the corresponding second PCIe plug 58. When the PCIe card edge connector of the PCIe add-in card 64 is inserted into the second socket 68, a second end portion of the metal contact 74 in the corresponding set of one or more metal contacts 74 is aligned with and physically contacts the second signal pad 63 of the PCIe card edge connector of the PCIe add-in card 64. In this way, signal transmission between the PCIe add-in card 64 and each PCIe cable 56 can be carried out using the corresponding set of one or more metal contacts 74.

[0037] A first width W1 of the double-sided connector 62 provided at an edge of the first side of the double-sided connector 62 can be different from a second width W2 of the double-sided connector 62 provided at an edge of the second side of the double-sided connector 62 (as Figure 1Eas seen in the top view). To accommodate such variations between the first width W1 and the second width W2, one or more metal contacts 74 that electrically connect the second signal pad 63 to the corresponding group of the corresponding first signal pads 59 can be configured to have different shapes (as seen in the top view) to ensure proper alignment of the metal contacts 74 and to ensure proper electrical connection between the second signal pad 63 and the corresponding first signal pad 59. One or more of the metal contacts 74 can have an S shape (e.g., as Figure 1E shown), an L shape, etc. In some embodiments, one or more of the metal contacts 74 can be diagonal (e.g., set at an angle relative to the edge of the dual-sided connector 62 disposed on the second side of the dual-sided connector 62), or straight (e.g., set perpendicular to the edge of the dual-sided connector 62 disposed on the second side of the dual-sided connector 62).

[0038] Some embodiments may not provide the following technical advantages, while some or all of the following technical advantages are provided. These and other potential technical advantages may be described elsewhere in this disclosure or may be apparent to those skilled in the art based on this disclosure.

[0039] In some embodiments, the dual-sided connector 62 can be used in conjunction with a floating adapter card 57 and can be supported by the adapter card body 60 and extend through the adapter card body. The floating adapter card 57 can be located at a distance (and potentially a relatively large distance) from the root complex device of the motherboard 50 of the computer 48. The floating adapter card 57 can include the dual-sided connector 62 that can allow a second PCIe plug 58 of the PCIe cable 56 to be inserted into a first socket 66 located on the first side of the dual-sided connector 62, and a PCIe add-in card 64 to be inserted into a second socket 68 located on the second side of the dual-sided connector 62. The PCIe cable 56 can also be connected to the motherboard 50.

[0040] Some embodiments can allow the PCIe cable 56 to be removably attached to the adapter card because the PCIe cable 56 can be removably attached to the dual-sided connector 62 by the engagement of the second PCIe plug 58 with the first socket 66 located on the first side of the dual-sided connector 62. Relative to solutions that fixedly attach one end of the PCIe cable to an adapter card within a computer chassis, using the dual-sided connector 62 can reduce manufacturing and assembly costs, allow for individual replacement of the PCIe cable and / or the dual-sided connector 62, and / or increase installation flexibility. Additionally, in some embodiments, the dual-sided connector 62 can provide one or more of these advantages while still providing sufficient or even improved bus speed and signal quality.

[0041] For example, by simply unplugging the PCIe cable 56 from the dual-sided connector 62 (e.g., by removing the second PCIe plug 58 from the first socket 66 of the dual-sided connector), both the PCIe cable 56 and the floating adapter card 57 can be separated from each other. This can allow for the replacement of the PCIe cable 56 and / or the floating adapter card 57 without replacing both the PCIe cable 56 and the floating adapter card 57 (e.g., in case of damage or electrical problems or for any other reason), which can reduce costs compared to other potential solutions such as directly soldering the cable wires to the PCIe connector pins. In some embodiments, the dual-sided connector 62 can improve signal transmission quality due to a reduced number of impedance discontinuities such as those from connector pin pads and cable wires. In some embodiments, depending on what may be appropriate for a given embodiment, different lengths of the PCIe cable 56 can be utilized to connect the motherboard 50 of the computer 48 to the dual-sided connector 62, thus allowing flexibility in the positioning of the floating adapter card 57 relative to the root complex device of the motherboard 50.

[0042] Figures 2A to 2F An example application of the dual-sided connector is illustrated, where the fixed hardware component is a computer motherboard and the floating hardware component is an OCP card. Figure 2A An example computer according to some embodiments is illustrated, the example computer including a dual-sided connector for connecting a signal cable to a hardware component for signal transmission. In particular, Figure 2A An example of the dual-sided connector facilitating connection to an OCP card is illustrated, as described in more detail below.

[0043] In some embodiments, Figure 2A the components of can be disposed within the chassis of the computer 48. The motherboard 50 can be disposed within the chassis of the computer 48, and the CPU can be securely mounted on the motherboard 50.

[0044] In Figure 2A the example shown, the devices within the chassis of the computer 48 can include a floating OCP slot 77 that includes a support structure 65, and the devices also include a dual-sided connector 76. The floating OCP slot 77 is adapted to receive an OCP add-in card 78. In some embodiments, the OCP add-in card 78 is an expansion card or adapter designed and constructed according to the OCP-defined specifications and standards.

[0045] The OCP add-in card 78 and the dual-sided connector 76 can be supported in a position within the chassis of the computer 48 using a support structure 65, which can be positioned at any distance from and in any orientation relative to the motherboard 50. The support structure 65 can be a mechanical support structure such as a tray, a board, etc. The OCP add-in card 78 and the dual-sided connector 76 can be attached or coupled to the support structure 65 to form a floating OCP slot 77.

[0046] The floating OCP slot 77 allows the use of one or more cables (e.g., the PCIe cable 56) as the main interconnect to connect the root complex device of the motherboard 50 of the computer 48 to the floating OCP slot 77, where the root complex device can be located at a distance (and potentially a relatively large distance) from the floating OCP slot 77. The floating OCP slot 77 can be positioned at any distance from and in any orientation relative to the motherboard 50. Additionally, the PCIe cable 56 can have any desired length and can be coupled to a first PCIe plug 54 (which can also be referred to as a connector hereinafter) located at the first end of the PCIe cable 56 and a second PCIe plug 58 (which can also be referred to as a connector hereinafter) located at the second end of the PCIe cable 56. The first PCIe plug 54 can be inserted into a PCIe connector 52 (which can also be referred to as a slot or socket hereinafter) coupled to the motherboard 50. The second PCIe plug 58 can be inserted into the first socket 84 of the dual-sided connector 76.

[0047] The dual-sided connector 76 can include a housing 85 (shown hereinafter in Figure 2B ), a first socket 84 located on the first side of the housing 85 (shown hereinafter in Figure 2B ), and a second socket 86 located on the second side of the housing 85 (shown hereinafter in Figure 2B ). The dual-sided connector 76 can also be referred to as a signal transmission device. The first socket 84 is adapted to receive the second PCIe plug 58 inserted into the first socket 84 of the dual-sided connector 76. That is, the first socket 84 is adapted to allow the second PCIe plug 58 to be inserted into the first socket 84 of the dual-sided connector 76. The second socket 86 is adapted to receive an end portion of the OCP add-in card 78 inserted into the second socket 86 of the dual-sided connector 76. That is, the second socket 86 is adapted to allow the OCP add-in card 78 to be inserted into the second socket 86 of the dual-sided connector 76.

[0048] When the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first socket 84 and the OCP add-on card 78 is inserted into the second socket 86, the double-sided connector 76 allows the transmission of signals between the OCP add-on card 78 and the motherboard 50. The signals may include data signals, control signals, power signals, and / or any other suitable type of signals. In some embodiments, more than one floating OCP slot 77 may be connected to the motherboard 50 using corresponding PCIe cables 56. In this case, more than one OCP add-on card 78 may be connected to the motherboard 50. Each OCP add-on card 78 is connected to the motherboard 50 using a corresponding double-sided connector 76 and a corresponding PCIe cable 56, wherein the OCP add-on card 78 is inserted into the second socket 86 of the corresponding double-sided connector 76, and the second PCIe plug 58 of the corresponding PCIe cable 56 is inserted into the first socket 84 of the corresponding double-sided connector 76.

[0049] Figure 2B Reference according to some embodiments is shown Figure 2A Additional details of the example double-sided connector 76 are described. For the purpose of clarity, Figure 2B Omitted Figure 2A The support structure 65 in the double-sided connector 76. The double-sided connector 76 may include a housing 85 (which may also be referred to as a body later), a first socket 84 located on a first side of the housing 85 (which may also be described as a receiving seat later), and a second socket 86 located on a second side of the housing 85 (which may also be described as a receiving seat later), wherein the first side is a side of the housing 85 opposite to the second side of the housing 85. The first socket 84 may include a first opening 80, and the second socket 86 may include a second opening 82. The first socket 84 is adapted to allow the second PCIe plug 58 to be inserted into the first opening 80 of the first socket 84, and the second socket 86 is adapted to allow the end portion of the OCP add-on card 78 (e.g., the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-on card 78) to be inserted into the second opening 82 of the second socket 86. The first opening 80 and the second opening 82 are adjacent to each other and interconnected with each other. In some embodiments, the first opening 80 and the second opening 82 form at least a portion of a continuous opening that also extends through the housing 85 of the double-sided connector 76.

[0050] The double-sided connector 76 may include adjacent metal contacts 88 (described later in Figure 2CAs shown (in [reference], etc.), these metal contacts are configured to contact the signal pads of the second PCIe plug 58 when the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first socket 84 of the dual-sided connector 76. Additionally, the adjacent metal contacts 88 are configured to contact the signal pads of the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78 when the OCP add-in card 78 is inserted into the second socket 86 of the dual-sided connector 76. Each metal contact 88 thus serves as a bridge between two signal pads. The dual-sided connector 76 thus allows signal transmission between the OCP add-in card 78 and the PCIe cable 56.

[0051] The dual-sided connector 76 may include portions having different heights. For example, a first portion of the dual-sided connector 76 that includes the first socket 84 may have a third height H3. A second portion of the dual-sided connector 76 that includes the second socket 86 may have a fourth height H4, where the height H3 is different from the height H4. In certain embodiments, the height H4 is greater than the height H3.

[0052] Figures 2C to 2E Illustrated is a Figure 2A and Figure 2B of the dual-sided connector 76 according to certain embodiments. In particular, Figures 2C to 2D illustrates the state of the dual-sided connector 76 after the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first opening 80 of the first socket 84 and the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78 is inserted into the second opening 82 of the second socket 86. Figure 2E Shows a Figure 2C top view of the dual-sided connector 76 along the cross-section Y-Y shown in [reference]. In [reference], for clarity purposes, the support structure 65 (e.g., as shown in [another reference]) is omitted. Figures 2C to 2E In [reference], for clarity purposes, the support structure 65 (e.g., as Figure 2A shown) is omitted.

[0053] Figures 2C to 2D Shows that the dual-sided connector 76 may include adjacent metal contacts 88. The metal contacts 88 may include a conductive material (e.g., copper, copper alloy, or any other suitable conductive material) and may extend along a first surface of the first socket 84 to a corresponding first surface of the second socket 86, and along a second surface of the first socket 84 to a corresponding second surface of the second socket 86. In certain embodiments, the first surface of the first socket 84 is the top surface in the first opening 80, and the first surface of the second socket 86 is the top surface in the second opening 82. In certain embodiments, the second surface of the first socket 84 is the bottom surface in the first opening 80, and the second surface of the second socket 86 is the bottom surface in the second opening 82.

[0054] The first opening 80 and the second opening 82 form at least a portion of a continuous opening that also extends through the housing 85 of the dual connector 76, and thus, each metal contact 88 that extends along a first surface of the first socket 84 to a corresponding first surface of the second socket 86 also extends along a top surface of a first portion of the continuous opening that is disposed between the first opening 80 and the second opening 82. Additionally, each metal contact 88 that extends along a second surface of the first socket 84 to a corresponding second surface of the second socket 86 also extends along a bottom surface of a first portion of the continuous opening that is disposed between the first opening 80 and the second opening 82.

[0055] Each metal contact 88 can be elongate and can include a strip having a rectangular or cylindrical cross-section. In some embodiments, the metal contacts 88 can be arranged flat. In some embodiments, the metal contacts 88 can be arranged in a zigzag form (e.g., as shown in Figure 2C and Figure 2D ), including multiple bends or turns in the metal, where a first portion of each metal contact 88 is embedded in the wall of the first socket 84, the wall of the second socket 86, and the wall of the housing 85. A second portion of each metal contact 88 can extend into the first opening 80, the second opening 82, or the first portion of the continuous opening that is disposed between the first opening 80 and the second opening 82. The second portion of each metal contact 88 that extends into the first opening 80 can be adapted to make physical and electrical contact with a first signal pad 59 of the second PCIe plug 58 when the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first opening 80 of the first socket 84. The second portion of each metal contact 88 that extends into the second opening 82 can be adapted to make physical and electrical contact with a second signal pad 90 of the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78 when the OCP add-in card 78 is inserted into the second opening 82 of the second socket 86.

[0056] The metal contacts 88 that extend along the first surface of the first socket 84 to the corresponding first surface of the second socket 86 are adapted to be vertically located above and make physical and electrical contact with a top surface of a top portion of the first signal pad 59 of the second PCIe plug 58 and a top surface of a top portion of the second signal pad 90 of the OCP card edge connector. The metal contacts 88 that extend along the second surface of the first socket 84 to the corresponding second surface of the second socket 86 are adapted to be vertically located below and make physical and electrical contact with a bottom surface of a bottom portion of the first signal pad 59 of the second PCIe plug 58 and a bottom surface of a bottom portion of the second signal pad 90 of the OCP card edge connector.

[0057] The metal contact 88 is arranged in a zigzag form having a plurality of bends or turns in the metal (e.g., as shown in Figure 2C and Figure 2D ) to allow a firm and reliable electrical connection between the metal contact 88 and the first signal pad 59 and the second signal pad 90. Additionally, the plurality of bends or turns in the metal are strategically positioned to ensure proper alignment and tight fit of the second PCIe plug 58 in the first opening 80 of the first socket 84 and the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78 in the second opening 82 of the second socket 86. When the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first socket 84 and the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78 is inserted into the second socket 86, the dual-sided connector 76 allows signals to be transmitted between the OCP add-in card 78 and the motherboard 50 of the computer 48. Signals can be transmitted between the motherboard 50 and the OCP add-in card 78 through the PCIe cable 56, the first signal pad 59, the metal contact 88, and the second signal pad 90.

[0058] In some embodiments, the dual-sided connector 76 may include more than one first socket 84 on the first side of the dual-sided connector 76. For example, Figure 2E a dual-sided connector 76 including first sockets 84 (e.g., two of the first sockets 84) is shown. The dual-sided connector 76 also includes a second socket 86 and a housing 85 disposed between the first socket 84 and the second socket 86. The edge of the dual-sided connector 76 disposed on the first side of the dual-sided connector 76 (e.g., the first side including the first socket 84) may have a third width W3. The second socket 86 is disposed on the second side of the housing 85, wherein the edge of the dual-sided connector 76 disposed on the second side of the dual-sided connector 76 may have a fourth width W4. In some embodiments, the third width W3 is different from the fourth width W4. In some embodiments, the fourth width W4 is greater than the third width W3. As Figure 2E shown, each first socket 84 may be electrically connected to the motherboard 50 through a corresponding PCIe cable 56, wherein each PCIe cable 56 is coupled to the corresponding first socket 84 through a corresponding second PCIe plug 58 inserted into the corresponding first socket 84.

[0059] Figure 2E Two of the first sockets 84 are shown, where each first socket 84 may be designed to accommodate - by way of example only - a PCIe x8 cable. The second socket 86 located on the second side of the dual-sided connector 76 may be designed to accommodate an OCP add-in card and may be designed to provide - by way of example only - sixteen individual PCIe channels for signal transmission.

[0060] Figure 2EAlso shown is that each second PCIe plug 58 connected to the PCIe cable 56 includes a first signal pad 59, which is electrically connected to a second signal pad 90 of the OCP add-in card 78 by a corresponding set of one or more metal contacts 88. When the corresponding second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the corresponding first socket 84, the first end portion of the metal contact 88 in the corresponding set of one or more metal contacts 88 is aligned with and physically contacts the first signal pad 59 of the corresponding second PCIe plug 58. When the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78 is inserted into the second socket 86, the second end portion of the metal contact 88 in the corresponding set of one or more metal contacts 88 is aligned with and physically contacts the second signal pad 90 of the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78. In this way, the transmission of signals between the OCP add-in card 78 and each PCIe cable 56 can be carried out using the corresponding set of one or more metal contacts 88.

[0061] The third width W3 of the bilateral connector 76 provided at the edge of the first side of the bilateral connector 76 may be different from the fourth width W4 of the bilateral connector 76 provided at the edge of the second side of the bilateral connector 76 (as Figure 2E seen). To accommodate this variation between the third width W3 and the fourth width W4, the corresponding set of one or more metal contacts 88 that electrically connect the second signal pad 90 to the corresponding first signal pad 59 may be arranged to have different shapes (as seen in the top view) to ensure the correct alignment of the metal contacts 88 and to ensure the correct electrical connection between the second signal pad 90 and the corresponding first signal pad 59. One or more of the metal contacts 88 may have an S shape (for example, as Figure 2E shown), an L shape, etc. In some embodiments, one or more of the metal contacts 88 may be diagonal (for example, arranged at an angle with respect to the edge of the second side of the bilateral connector 76) or straight (for example, arranged perpendicular to the edge of the second side of the bilateral connector 76).

[0062] Figure 2F Illustrated is according to some embodiments Figure 2AStereogram of the floating OCP slot 77. The floating OCP slot 77 includes a support structure 65 and a dual-sided connector 76. The floating OCP slot 77 is adapted to receive an OCP add-in card 78. The OCP add-in card 78 and the dual-sided connector 76 can be supported in a position within the chassis of the computer 48 using the support structure 65. The OCP add-in card 78 and the dual-sided connector 76 can be attached or coupled to the support structure 65 to form the floating OCP slot 77, which can be positioned at any distance from the motherboard 50 of the computer 48 and in any orientation relative to the motherboard of the computer. Figure 2F Also shown is a second PCIe plug 58 of the corresponding PCIe cable 56 that can be inserted into the corresponding first socket 84 of the dual-sided connector 76. Also shown is an OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78 that can be inserted into the second socket 86 of the dual-sided connector 76. When the second PCIe plug 58 of the corresponding PCIe cable 56 is inserted into the corresponding first socket 84 of the dual-sided connector 76 and when the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78 is inserted into the second socket 86 of the dual-sided connector 76, signal transmission between the OCP add-in card 78 and the motherboard 50 of the computer 48 can be carried out using the dual-sided connector 76.

[0063] Some embodiments may not provide the following technical advantages, provide some or all of the following technical advantages. These and other potential technical advantages may be described elsewhere in this disclosure, or may be apparent to those skilled in the art based on this disclosure.

[0064] In some embodiments, the dual-sided connector 76 and the OCP add-in card 78 can be attached to the support structure 65 to support the dual-sided connector 76 and the OCP add-in card 78 and hold them in place. The combination of the support structure 65 and the dual-sided connector 76 can be referred to as the floating OCP slot 77.

[0065] The dual-sided connector 76 can allow signal transmission between the OCP add-in card 78 and the motherboard 50. The dual-sided connector 76 includes adjacent metal contacts 88 that are configured to contact a first signal pad 59 of the corresponding second PCIe plug 58 when the corresponding second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the corresponding first socket 84 of the dual-sided connector 76. Additionally, the adjacent metal contacts 88 are configured to contact a second signal pad 90 of the OCP card edge connector of the OCP add-in card 78 when the OCP add-in card 78 is inserted into the second socket 86 of the dual-sided connector 76. One or more of the metal contacts 88 can thus allow signal transmission between the first signal pad 59 and the second signal pad 90.

[0066] Certain embodiments may allow the PCIe cable 56 to be removably attached to the OCP socket connector, as the PCIe cable 56 can be removably attached to the dual-sided connector 76 by the engagement of the second PCIe plug 58 with the first socket 84 located on the first side of the dual-sided connector 76. Relative to solutions that fixedly attach one end of a PCIe cable to an OCP socket connector within a computer chassis, using the dual-sided connector 76 can reduce manufacturing and assembly costs, allow for the individual replacement of the PCIe cable and / or the dual-sided connector 76, and / or increase installation flexibility. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the dual-sided connector 76 can provide one or more of these advantages while still providing sufficient or even improved bus speed and signal quality.

[0067] For example, by simply unplugging the PCIe cable 56 from the dual-sided connector 76 (e.g., by removing the second PCIe plug 58 from the first socket 84 of the dual-sided connector 76), both the PCIe cable 56 and the floating OCP socket 77 can be separated from each other. This can allow for the replacement of the PCIe cable 56 and / or the floating OCP socket 77 without replacing both the PCIe cable 56 and the floating OCP socket 77 (e.g., in the case of damage or electrical problems or for any other reason), which can reduce costs relative to other potential solutions. In certain embodiments, the dual-sided connector 76 can improve signal transmission quality due to a reduction in the number of impedance discontinuities such as those from connector pin pads and cable wires. In certain embodiments, depending on what may be appropriate for a given embodiment, different lengths of the PCIe cable 56 can be utilized to connect the motherboard 50 of the computer 48 to the dual-sided connector 76, thus allowing flexibility in the positioning of the floating OCP socket 77 relative to the root complex device of the motherboard 50.

[0068] Figure 3 An example method 100 for connecting a signal cable to a hardware component for signal transmission using a dual-sided connector according to certain embodiments is illustrated.

[0069] In certain embodiments, the method 100 can be used in conjunction with a dual-sided connector 62 (e.g., of the type illustrated and described with respect to these figures in Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figures 1C to 1E ), to removably connect the PCIe cable 56 to the first socket 66 of the dual-sided connector 62, and to removably couple a PCIe card (e.g., the PCIe add-in card 64) to the second socket 68 of the dual-sided connector 62. Using the method 100 in conjunction with the dual-sided connector 62 can allow for the transmission of signals between the motherboard 50 and the PCIe add-in card 64. In such an example, the hardware component can be, for example, a PCIe card (e.g., the PCIe add-in card 64).

[0070] In some embodiments, method 100 may be used in conjunction with a dual-sided connector 76 (e.g., of the type illustrated and described with respect to these figures in Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figures 2C to 2E and Figure 2F ) to removably connect a PCIe cable 56 to a first socket 84 of the dual-sided connector 76 and to removably couple an OCP card (e.g., OCP add-in card 78) to a second socket 86 of the dual-sided connector 76. Using method 100 in conjunction with the dual-sided connector 76 may allow signals to be transmitted between the motherboard 50 and the OCP add-in card 78. In such an example, the hardware component may be, for example, an OCP card (e.g., OCP add-in card 78).

[0071] In step 102, the dual-sided connector may be mounted to a support structure.

[0072] For example, in the case of the dual-sided connector 62, the dual-sided connector 62 may be mounted to an adapter card body 60 to form a floating adapter card 57. The dual-sided connector 62 may be mounted such that the dual-sided connector 62 is supported by the adapter card body 60 and extends through the adapter card body. The dual-sided connector 62 may include a housing 67, a first socket 66 located on a first side of the housing 67, a second socket 68 located on a second side of the housing 67, and a metal contact 74 disposed within the dual-sided connector 62 and extending from the first socket 66 to the second socket 68.

[0073] As another example, in the case of the dual-sided connector 76, the dual-sided connector 76 may be mounted to a support structure 65 to form a floating OCP slot 77. The dual-sided connector 76 may be mounted such that the dual-sided connector 76 is supported in place by the support structure 65. The dual-sided connector 76 may include a housing 85, a first socket 84 located on a first side of the housing 85, a second socket 86 located on a second side of the housing 85, and a metal contact 88 disposed within the dual-sided connector 76 and extending from the first socket 84 to the second socket 86.

[0074] In step 104, a first signal cable connector of the first signal cable may be inserted into the first socket of the dual-sided connector. In some embodiments, the first signal cable may be a PCIe cable 56 having a first PCIe plug 54 that is connected to (or to be connected to) a PCIe connector 52 that may be located on a motherboard 50 of a computer.

[0075] For example, in the case of the dual-sided connector 62, the second PCIe plug 58 can be inserted into the first socket 66. The second PCIe plug 58 can be coupled to the first end of the PCIe cable 56, and the second end of the PCIe cable 56 can be coupled to the first PCIe plug 54. The first PCIe plug 54 can be configured to connect to the motherboard 50 of the computer 48. After the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first socket 66, the metal contacts 74 of the dual-sided connector 62 can physically contact the first signal pad 59 of the second PCIe plug 58.

[0076] As another example, in the case of the dual-sided connector 76, the second PCIe plug 58 can be inserted into the first socket 84. The second PCIe plug 58 can be coupled to the first end of the PCIe cable 56, and the second end of the PCIe cable 56 can be coupled to the first PCIe plug 54. The first PCIe plug 54 can be configured to connect to the motherboard 50 of the computer 48. After the second PCIe plug 58 is inserted into the first socket 84, the metal contacts 88 of the dual-sided connector 76 can physically contact the first signal pad 59 of the second PCIe plug 58.

[0077] In step 106, a hardware component can be inserted into the second socket of the dual-sided connector.

[0078] For example, in the case of the dual-sided connector 62, the PCIe add-in card 64 is inserted into the second socket 68. After the PCIe add-in card 64 is inserted into the second socket 68, the metal contacts 74 of the dual-sided connector 62 can physically contact the second signal pad 63 of the PCIe add-in card 64.

[0079] As another example, in the case of the dual-sided connector 76, the OCP add-in card 78 is inserted into the second socket 86. After the OCP add-in card 78 is inserted into the second socket 86, the metal contacts 88 of the dual-sided connector 76 can physically contact the second signal pad 90 of the OCP add-in card 78.

[0080] In step 108, signals can be transmitted between the motherboard 50 of the computer 48 and the hardware component via the dual-sided connector. In some embodiments, the metal contacts of the dual-sided connector can be used to transmit signals between the motherboard 50 of the computer 48 and the hardware component.

[0081] For example, in the case of the dual-sided connector 62, the first PCIe plug 54, the PCIe cable 56, the second PCIe plug 58, the first signal pad 59, the metal contacts 74, and the second signal pad 63 can be used to transmit signals between the motherboard 50 and the PCIe add-in card 64.

[0082] As another example, in the case of the bilateral connector 76, the first PCIe plug 54, the PCIe cable 56, the second PCIe plug 58, the first signal pad 59, the metal contact 88, and the second signal pad 90 can be used to transfer signals between the motherboard 50 and the OCP add-in card 78.

[0083] It should be understood that the systems and methods described in the present disclosure can be combined in any suitable manner, whether for additional PCIe, OCP cards, or another suitable type of floating hardware component. For example, a computer system can include a bilateral connector for connecting a floating PCIe adapter card, a floating OCP card, or another suitable floating hardware component separately or in any suitable combination on the same computer system.

[0084] Although the present disclosure describes or illustrates specific operations that occur in a particular order, the present disclosure contemplates operations that occur in any suitable order. In addition, the present disclosure contemplates any suitable operation being repeated one or more times in any suitable order. Although the present disclosure describes or illustrates specific operations that occur in sequence, in appropriate cases, the present disclosure contemplates any suitable operation occurring substantially simultaneously.

[0085] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, the description is not intended to be construed as limiting. After referring to this description, various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as well as other embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover any such modifications or embodiments.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising: case; a first socket, the first socket being located at a first side of the housing, the first socket being configured to receive a first signal cable connector inserted into the first socket; a second socket located at a second side of the housing, the second socket being configured to receive an end portion of a hardware component inserted into the second socket, wherein the first socket and the second socket are adjacent to each other, and the first socket and the second socket have openings interconnected with each other; a first metal contact extending along a first surface of the first socket to a corresponding first surface of the second socket; and A second metal contact extends along a second surface of the first socket to a corresponding second surface of the second socket.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: The first metal contact is configured to physically contact a first signal pad of the first signal cable connector in the first receptacle and a second signal pad of the hardware component in the second receptacle.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein: The first metal contact is configured as: located on a first side of the first signal cable connector such that the first signal pad is between the first metal contact and a first surface of the first signal cable connector located on the first side of the first signal cable connector; as well as The second signal pad is located on a first side of the hardware component such that the second signal pad is between the first metal contact and a first surface of the hardware component located on the first side of the hardware component.

4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: The second metal contact is configured to physically contact a third signal pad of the first signal cable connector and a fourth signal pad of the hardware component.

5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein: The second metal contact is configured as: located on a second side of the first signal cable connector such that the third signal pad is between the second metal contact and a second surface of the first signal cable connector located on the second side of the first signal cable connector, the first side of the first signal cable connector being opposite to the second side of the first signal cable connector; as well as The fourth signal pad is located on a second side of the hardware component such that the fourth signal pad is between the second metal contact and a second surface of the hardware component located on the second side of the hardware component, the first side of the hardware component being opposite to the second side of the hardware component.

6. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a third receptacle located on the first side of the housing, the third receptacle configured to receive a second signal cable connector inserted into the third receptacle.

7. The connector of claim 6, further comprising a third metal contact extending along the first surface of the third socket to a corresponding third surface along the second socket, wherein: The third metal contact is configured to physically contact a fifth signal pad of the second signal cable connector in the third receptacle.

8. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: The hardware components include: Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) card; or Open Compute Project (OCP) card.

9. A device comprising: Support structure; as well as A double-sided connector coupled to the support structure, the double-sided connector comprising: case; a first socket, the first socket being located on a first side of the double-sided connector, the first socket being configured to receive a first PCIe cable connector inserted into the first socket; a second receptacle located on a second side of the double-sided connector, the second receptacle being configured to receive an end portion of a hardware component inserted into the second receptacle; and A plurality of first metal contacts are disposed within the double-sided connector and extend from the first socket to the second socket, wherein each first metal contact is configured to physically contact a first signal pad of the first PCIe cable connector and a second signal pad of the hardware component.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein: The supporting structure includes an adapter card body.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein: The support structure comprises a tray or a plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: The first socket includes a first opening; The second socket includes a second opening; and The first opening and the second opening form at least a portion of a continuous opening through a housing of the double-sided connector.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: The hardware components include: Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) card; or Open Compute Project (OCP) card.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a third socket located on a first side of the double-sided connector adjacent to the first socket, the third socket being configured to allow a second PCIe cable connector to be plugged into the third socket.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of second metal contacts disposed within the double-sided connector and extending from the third socket to the second socket, wherein Each second metal contact is configured to physically contact a third signal pad of the second PCIe cable connector and a second signal pad of the hardware component.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: At least one first metal contact of the plurality of first metal contacts has an S shape or an L shape when viewed in a plan view.

17. A method comprising: A double-sided connector is mounted on a supporting structure, wherein the double-sided connector comprises: case; a first socket, the first socket being located on a first side of the housing; a second socket located on a second side of the housing; and a plurality of metal contacts disposed within the double-sided connector and extending from the first receptacle to the second receptacle; A first signal cable connector is inserted into the first socket, wherein the first signal cable connector is coupled to a first end of a signal transmission cable, wherein: The second end of the signal transmission cable is coupled to a second signal cable connector, the second signal cable connector being configured to connect to a motherboard of a computer; and After the first signal cable connector is inserted into the first receptacle, the plurality of metal contacts physically contact the first signal pads of the first signal cable connector; and A hardware component is inserted into the second socket, wherein the plurality of metal contacts physically contact second signal pads of the hardware component after the hardware component is inserted into the second socket.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting signals between a motherboard of the computer and the hardware component using the plurality of metal contacts.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein: The support structure includes an adapter card body; and The double-sided connector extends through the riser card body.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein: The support structure comprises a tray or a plate.

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