Connector assembly

Abstract

A connector assembly comprises a guide shielding case and a radiator module, the guide shielding case is provided with an insertion channel, the radiator module is arranged on the guide shielding case and comprises a radiator and an actuating piece, the radiator is provided with a base and a fin part arranged on the base, and the actuating piece is provided with a shaft part and a lever connected with the shaft part. The lever is provided with a first end part and a second end part which are connected with each other, the shaft part penetrates through the radiator and leans against the top surface of the base, or the shaft part penetrates through the radiator and is at least partially located outside the air duct of the fin part, and the actuating piece is normally in a first state and can be stressed to move to a second state; when the actuating piece is in a first state, the first end part extends into the insertion channel; when the actuating piece is in the second state, the second end portion of the actuating piece acts on the radiator so that the base of the radiator can stretch into the inserting channel.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In Chinese invention patent publication number 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 component. The lever is pushed to apply force to the heat sink component, thereby making contact with 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 positioned on the heat sink fins, it is worth considering how to improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat sink while ensuring that the lever still functions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly that can improve upon at least one of the disadvantages 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 mating channel, and 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 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.

[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 a first state.

[0007] In some embodiments, the base has a first groove and the fin portion has a second groove, the first groove and the second groove cooperating to define a shaft hole through which the shaft portion of the actuator passes, the shaft portion resting against the surface of the first groove.

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

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

[0010] In some embodiments, the actuating member, in the second state, has the second end portion in a direction substantially parallel to the plate portion and close to the plate portion.

[0011] In some embodiments, the heat sink module further comprises a housing, the heat sink is received in the housing, and the actuating member is pivotally arranged in the housing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the housing comprises a lower housing and an upper housing combined, and the support elastic members are formed in the lower housing of the housing.

[0013] In some embodiments, the lower housing of the housing is formed with a frame opening, and the two support elastic members are integrally formed in the lower housing at two sides of the frame opening of the lower housing.

[0014] In some embodiments, the thermal engagement portion of the heat sink comprises a thermal pad.

[0015] The connector assembly of the present application comprises a guide shield having a plug-in channel and a heat sink module arranged in the guide shield and comprising a heat sink having a fin portion formed with an air duct and an actuating member having a shaft portion and two levers connected to the shaft portion, the levers having first end portions and second end portions, the shaft portion passing through the heat sink and at least partially located outside the air duct; wherein the actuating member is normally in a first state and can be forced to be displaced to a second state; the actuating member, in the first state, has the first end portions extended into the plug-in channel; the actuating member, in the second state, has the second end portions of the actuating member acting on the heat sink to make a base of the heat sink extended into the plug-in channel.

[0016] The present application has the advantages that the components of the heat sink module are simplified by the arrangement of the actuating member, and the shaft portion of the actuating member is arranged on the top surface of the base or at least partially located outside the air duct, reducing the obstruction of the air duct of the fin portion by the shaft portion, and further reducing the heat dissipation effect of the air flow of the air duct caused by the obstruction of the shaft portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] Other features and advantages of the present application will be apparent in the light of the following embodiments thereof, which will be described with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

[0018] Figure 1is a perspective view of an embodiment of a connector assembly of the present invention, illustrating that the connector assembly comprises a guide shield and a heat sink module, and showing a pluggable module;

[0019] Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of the embodiment, illustrating the positional relationship between the guide shield and the heat sink module;

[0020] Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of the embodiment, illustrating that the heat sink module comprises a heat sink and an actuating member, and that the heat sink comprises a base and a fin portion;

[0021] Figure 4 is a perspective view of partial components of the embodiment, illustrating the state in which the actuating member is disposed in the fin portion;

[0022] Figure 5 is a perspective view of partial components of the embodiment, illustrating the state in which the actuating member is disposed in the base;

[0023] Figure 6 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 located outside the air duct;

[0024] Figure 7 is a sectional view of the embodiment, illustrating that the actuating member is in a first state; and

[0025] Figure 8 is a sectional view of the embodiment, illustrating that the actuating member is in a second state.

[0026] Symbol explanation

[0027] 100 connector assembly

[0028] 1 guide shield

[0029] 111 top wall

[0030] 111a window

[0031] 112 bottom wall

[0032] 113 side wall

[0033] 113a opening

[0034] 113b inner extension spring

[0035] 113c insertion hole

[0036] 114 rear wall

[0037] 115 insertion channel

[0038] 115a insertion port

[0039] 116 Insert

[0040] 117 Grounding component

[0041] 117a Elastic finger

[0042] 123a Pivot Hole

[0043] 2. Socket connector

[0044] 21 slots

[0045] 3. Heatsink Module

[0046] 30. Housing

[0047] 30a lower shell

[0048] 30b upper shell

[0049] 301 frame opening

[0050] 302 First sidewall

[0051] 303 Second sidewall

[0052] 304 hook

[0053] 31 Radiator

[0054] 310 shaft hole

[0055] 311b thermal pad

[0056] 33 Actuators

[0057] 330 shaft section

[0058] 330a Lever

[0059] 331 First end

[0060] 332 Second end

[0061] 334 Pivot Shaft

[0062] 34 Supporting elastic element

[0063] 35 base

[0064] 35a Plate Section

[0065] 350 Connecting plate section

[0066] 351 First Board Section

[0067] 352 Second Plate Section

[0068] 353 Thermal joint

[0069] 354 first recess

[0070] 355 gap

[0071] 356 side fin

[0072] 36 fin portion

[0073] 361 second recess

[0074] 362 heat dissipation fin

[0075] 363 air duct

[0076] 4 pluggable module

[0077] D1 front-rear direction

[0078] D2 up-down direction

[0079] D3 left-right direction DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0080] Reference Figure 1 、 Figure 2 An embodiment of the connector assembly 100 of the present application is adapted to be plugged with a pluggable module 4. The connector assembly 100 comprises a guide shield 1, a receptacle connector 2, and a heat sink module 3.

[0081] The guide shield 1 has a plugging passage 115 for plugging the pluggable module 4. For example, the guide shield 1 is made of sheet metal by stamping and bending. The guide shield 1 can be arranged on a circuit board (not shown) of a housing (not shown) and extends in 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 in an up-down direction D2, two side walls 113 spaced from each other in a left-right direction D3 and connected between the top wall 111 and the bottom wall 112, a rear wall 114 connected to the top wall 111 and rear edges of the two side walls 113, the aforementioned plugging passage 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 to be fixed on the circuit board and / or connected to ground tracks (not shown), and a plurality of ground members 117.

[0082] The plugging passage 115 has a front opening 115a. The receptacle connector 2 is arranged close to the rear wall 114 of the guide shield 1 with its receptacle slots 21 facing forward, so as to provide the pluggable module 4 plugged into the plugging passage 115.

[0083] The top wall 111 has a window 111a communicating with the insertion channel 115, each of the side walls 113 has a stamping formed opening 113a communicating with the insertion channel 115, an inner extending spring 113b extending obliquely from the front edge of the opening 113a towards the inside of the guide shield 1 and towards the rear, and a receptacle 113c located behind the opening 113a and opening towards the front, the inner extending spring 113b provides clamping limit when the pluggable module 4 is inserted. Each grounding member 117 has a plurality of elastic fingers 117a extending from the front end of the guide shield 1 towards the rear and distributed on the outside of the guide shield 1 and on the inside of the guide shield 1, the elastic fingers 117a located on the outside of the guide shield 1 are used to contact the edge of the mounting hole of the case, and the elastic fingers 117a located on the inside of the guide shield 1 are used to contact the pluggable module 4.

[0084] Referring to Figures 1 to 3 The heat sink module 3 is mounted and arranged 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, an actuating member 33, and two support springs 34 Figure 2 、 Figure 3 Due to the angle relationship, only one of the support springs 34 is shown). The housing 30 includes a lower housing 30a and an upper housing 30b combined together, the lower housing 30a is generally frame-shaped and includes left and right two first side walls 302 defining a frame opening 301, in the embodiment, the support springs 34 in the form of spring plates are integrally connected to the bottom edges of the two first side walls 302 of the lower housing 30a and located in the frame opening 301, each support spring 34 is connected between the bottom edges of the first side walls 302, and the two ends of the support spring 34 are slightly inclined upwards to support the bottom left and right sides of the heat sink 31. In other embodiments, the support springs 34 can also be independent components and assembled on the lower housing 30a of the housing 30 by welding or buckling.

[0085] The longitudinal section of the upper housing 30b is generally inverted U-shaped and includes two second side walls 303, each second side wall 303 is formed with a downwardly and rearwardly extending hook 304, when the lower housing 30a and the upper housing 30b are combined together and arranged on the top wall 111 of the guide shield 1, the two first side walls 302 overlap with the two second side walls 303 respectively, and the hooks 304 of the two second side walls 303 of the upper housing 30b are respectively inserted into the two receptacles 113c of the guide shield 1, and the frame opening 301 of the lower housing 30a corresponds to the window 111a of the top wall 111 of the guide shield 1.

[0086] The heat sink 31 is received in the housing 30 and has a base 35 and a fin portion 36 disposed on the base 35. In the present embodiment, the base 35 is formed with a first recess 354 extending in the left-right direction D3, and the fin portion 36 is formed with a second recess 361 extending in the left-right direction D3. The first recess 354 cooperates with the second recess 361 to define an axle hole 310, which will be described later. In the present embodiment, the base 35 includes a plate portion 35a and a thermal engagement portion 353, and side fins 356 extending upwardly from the plate portion 35a and spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction D3. In the present embodiment, the plate portion 35a includes a first plate portion 351 and a second plate portion 352 connected to each other. The side fins 356 extend upwardly from the second plate portion 352 and are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction D3. The first plate portion 351 is located at the rear, and the second plate portion 352 is located at the front. The thermal engagement portion 353 is located on the bottom surface of the second plate portion 352 of the base 35. In the present embodiment, the base 35 further includes a connecting plate portion 350 connecting the first plate portion 351 and the second plate portion 352. The connecting plate portion 350 has a width in the left-right direction D3 smaller than those of the first plate portion 351 and the second plate portion 352. Thus, the connecting plate portion 350 is formed with notches 355 on both sides thereof in the left-right direction D3. The first recess 354 is substantially formed in the region of the connecting plate portion 350. In the present embodiment, the fin portion 36 includes, but is not limited to, a plurality of heat dissipation fins 362 engaged with each other. The heat dissipation fins 362 are defined therebetween with a plurality of air channels 363 extending in the front-rear direction D1. The air channels 363 provide external air to enter the fin portion 36 of the heat sink module 3 and flow from front to rear, thereby taking away the heat energy conducted to the fin portion 36 from the pluggable module 4. The fin portion 36 is located at a portion of the second plate portion 352 between the side fins 356 spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction D3. In addition, the side fins 356 also help to dissipate heat from the entire heat sink 31.

[0087] The base 35 is disposed such that the thermal engagement portion 311a corresponds to the frame opening 301 of the lower housing 30a. Thus, the thermal engagement portion 311a can pass through the frame opening 301 and the window 111a of the guide shield 1 to contact the pluggable module 4 inserted into the plug-in channel 115, thereby dissipating heat from the pluggable module 4. In the present embodiment, the thermal engagement portion 311a includes a thermally conductive pad 311b located on the bottom and used to contact the pluggable module 4. The thermally conductive pad 311b can be, for example, a thermal interface material. The thermal interface material can be selected from a combination of materials having, for example, high thermal conductivity, high flexibility, compressibility, insulation, wear resistance, and the like. For example, the thermal interface material can be selected from a combination of a base material and a phase change material.

[0088] Referring to Figures 3 to 6The actuating member 33 is disposed between the first plate portion 351 and the second plate portion 352 of the base 35. The actuating member 33 has a substantially H-shaped structure and includes a shaft portion 330 and two levers 330a connected to the shaft portion 330. The shaft portion 330 has a rod shape extending in the left-right direction D3. The two levers 330a are disposed in the front-rear direction D1 and are connected to the two ends of the shaft portion 330 in the left-right direction D3. Each lever 330a has a substantially long strip shape and includes a first end portion 331 extending downwardly and rearwardly from the shaft portion 330 and a second end portion 332 extending forwardly from the shaft portion 330.

[0089] When the actuating member 33 is disposed in the heat sink 31, the shaft portion 330 of the actuating member 33 passes through the shaft hole 310 defined by the first recess 354 and the second recess 361 of the heat sink 31 and is disposed on the top surface of the base 35. In other words, the shaft portion 330 can be understood as being disposed at the bottom of the fin portion 36 and at least partially outside the air passage 363. The first end portion 331 is disposed in the region of the notch 355, and the second end portion 332 is disposed on the second plate portion 352 of the base 35. The actuating member 33 is disposed close to the base 35 to reduce the height of the shaft portion 330 of the actuating member 33 that is disposed in the region of the air passage 363 of the heat dissipation fins 362. For example, in the present embodiment, the top surface of the base 35 is the inner surface of the first recess 354. As shown in FIG. 6, the shaft portion 330 has a portion disposed in the first recess 354 and not in the region of the air passage 363. Thus, the height of the shaft portion 330 disposed in the region of the air passage 363 can be reduced, and the heat dissipation effect of the air flow in the air passage 363 caused by the shaft portion 330 can be reduced. Therefore, within the range of the overall thickness of the base 35, the deeper the first recess 354, the smaller the heat dissipation effect of the air flow in the air passage 363 caused by the shaft portion 330. Figure 6

[0090] In the present embodiment, the actuating member 33 further includes two pivot shafts 334 protruding from the outer sides of the two levers 330a. Each pivot shaft 334 is pivotally connected to the pivot hole 123a (see FIG. 1) on the left or right side of the housing 12. Thus, the actuating member 33 can be in a first state (see FIG. 6) and a second state (see FIG. 7). Figure 1 Figure 7 Figure 8 ​​​It should be noted that, in a variation embodiment, the actuator 33 of the radiator 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 may be formed by connecting the 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.

[0091] See Figure 7 , Figure 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 by force because the base 35 is elastically supported upward by the supporting elastic members 34 on both sides of the bottom. In the first state, the actuator 33 is in the state of extending into the insertion channel 115 because the second end 331 is supported upward by the supporting 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.

[0092] More specifically, see Figure 7 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 311a 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 311a 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 311a at the bottom of the heat sink 31 and the upper surface of the pluggable module 4.

[0093] See Figure 8When 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 pressure to the base. The second plate portion 352 of the plate portion 35a of the base 35 is compressed downward by the base 35 to support the elastic member 34. 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, causing the heat sink 31 to move downward and the thermal joint portion 311a to extend downward through the window 111a into the plug-in channel 115 and contact 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 311a.

[0094] 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 is indeed achieved.

[0095] The above description is merely 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 of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the patent of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising: Guide shield with plug-in channel a guide shield having a guide channel for receiving a plug-in connector; a heat sink module disposed in the guide shield and comprising: a heat sink having a base and a fin portion disposed on the base; and an actuating member having a shaft portion and a lever connected to the shaft portion, the lever having a first end portion and a second end portion connected to each other, the shaft portion passing through the heat sink and being disposed on a top surface of the base; wherein the actuating member is normally in a first state and is capable of being displaced to a second state by a force; in the first state, the first end portion of the actuating member extends into the guide channel; in the second state, the second end portion of the actuating member acts on the heat sink to cause the base of the heat sink to extend into the guide channel.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein, The heat sink module further comprises a supporting elastic member elastically supporting the heat sink, such that the actuating member is normally in the first state.

3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein, The base is formed with a first recess, and the fin portion is formed with a second recess, the first recess and the second recess cooperatively defining a shaft hole for the shaft portion of the actuating member to pass through, the shaft portion being disposed on a surface of the first recess.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein, The base comprises a plate portion and a thermal coupling portion disposed on a bottom surface of the plate portion, and in the second state, the second end portion of the actuating member presses against the plate portion.

5. The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein, The base further comprises two side fins extending upward from the plate portion, and the fin portion is disposed between the two side fins.

6. The connector assembly of claim 5, wherein, In the second state, the second end portion of the actuating member is in a direction substantially parallel to the plate portion and is close to the plate portion.

7. The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein, The heat sink module further comprises a housing, the heat sink is accommodated in the housing, and the actuating member is pivotally disposed in the housing.

8. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein, The housing comprises a lower housing and an upper housing combined with each other, and the supporting elastic member is formed on the lower housing of the housing.

9. The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein, The lower housing of the housing is formed with a frame opening, and the two supporting elastic members are integrally formed on the lower housing at two sides of the frame opening of the lower housing, respectively.

10. The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein, The thermal coupling portion of the heat sink comprises a thermal pad. 11.A connector assembly, comprising: A guide shield has a plug-in channel. a guide shield having a guide channel for receiving a plug-in connector; a heat sink module disposed in the guide shield and comprising: a heat sink having a fin portion, the fin portion being formed with an air duct; and an actuating member having a shaft portion and a lever connected to the shaft portion, the lever having a first end portion and a second end portion, the shaft portion passing through the heat sink and being at least partially disposed outside the air duct; wherein the actuating member is normally in a first state and is capable of being displaced to a second state by a force; in the first state, the first end portion of the actuating member extends into the guide channel; in the second state, the second end portion of the actuating member acts on the heat sink to cause the heat sink to extend into the guide channel.

12. The connector assembly of claim 11, wherein, The heat sink module further comprises a supporting elastic member elastically supporting the heat sink, such that the actuating member is normally in the first state.

13. The connector assembly of claim 11, wherein, The heat sink further has a base formed with a first recess, the fin portion is formed with a second recess, the first recess and the second recess cooperatively define a shaft hole for the shaft portion of the actuating member to pass through, the shaft portion is at least partially located outside the air duct by being located in the first recess.

14. The connector assembly of claim 13, wherein, The base includes a plate portion and a thermal joint portion located at the bottom surface of the plate portion of the base, the second end portion of the actuating member presses against the plate portion in the second state.

15. The connector assembly of claim 14, wherein, The base further includes two side fins extending upward from the plate portion, the fin portion is located between the two side fins.

16. The connector assembly of claim 15, wherein, The second end portion of the actuating member is in a direction substantially parallel to the plate portion and close to the plate portion in the second state.

17. The connector assembly of claim 12, wherein, The heat sink module further includes a housing, the heat sink is accommodated in the housing, and the actuating member is pivotally arranged in the housing.

18. The connector assembly of claim 17, wherein, The housing includes a lower housing and an upper housing combined together, and the support elastic members are formed in the lower housing of the housing.

19. The connector assembly of claim 18, wherein, The lower housing of the housing is formed with a frame opening, and the two support elastic members are integrally formed in the lower housing at two sides of the frame opening of the lower housing.

20. The connector assembly of claim 14, wherein, The thermal joint portion of the heat sink includes a thermal conductive pad.

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