Connector assembly and electronic device

Abstract

The present application provides a connector assembly for input or output and an electronic device including the same, the connector assembly may include: a cage including walls at a top, a bottom, a side, and a rear portion of the cage, and a port disposed at the top, the bottom, the side, and the rear portion of the cage; the port is located at the front portion of the cage and is configured to be capable of leading to a channel defined by the wall of the cage, and the wall located at the top of the cage is provided with an opening; and a heat dissipation member including a base disposed at the top of the cage, a plurality of portions separated by respective gaps, and a contact portion protruding into the channel from the base in a first direction through an opening of a wall located at the top of the cage, each of the plurality of portions includes a plurality of fins protruding from the base in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and the heat dissipation member includes a layer of a micro-thermal bonding material at the contact portion.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to interconnect systems for interconnecting electronic assemblies, such as including electrical connectors. BACKGROUND

[0002] Electronic devices are often connected, whether to communicate over a network or because the electronic devices form part of a network. For example, servers are often connected to a network to exchange data with other servers or end user devices. Similarly, routers and switches are often connected to form a network or to devices that use the network to exchange data.

[0003] Typically, these connections are made through I / O connectors (input / output connectors) located inside the device that mate with male connectors terminated on cables. The I / O connectors are configured as female connectors that mount to a circuit board and mate with the male connectors. The female connectors can be mounted near an edge of the circuit board where components forming the electronic device are attached. The edge can be in close proximity to a faceplate of an enclosure that holds the circuit board and possibly other subassemblies that make up the electronic device.

[0004] To enable the male connectors to be inserted into the female connectors, the faceplate can have openings through which the male connectors can be inserted to mate with the female connectors. The female connectors are typically enclosed in a grounded metal structure, referred to as a cage. The cage can have one or more channels that are shaped to receive the male connectors and are aligned with both the faceplate openings and the mating interface of the female connectors. The male connectors can be inserted through the faceplate openings into the channels so that the male and female connectors mate inside the cage. In this state, the cage prevents emissions from inside the device from reaching the faceplate openings. In addition, the male connectors can have a conductive exterior that is also grounded that prevents emissions from the male or female connectors from exiting the cage through the channels. The cage, male connectors, and female connectors are typically made according to industry standards, such as the OSFP standard.

[0005] To establish connections that carry data at high data rates, the male connectors can include transceivers that convert signals in a format that is transmitted through the cables to a format that can be used inside the device. The transceivers can generate heat that can be dissipated by cooling fans that draw air through the cage or by drawing air around the cage. SUMMARY

[0006] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to high speed, high density connector assemblies for input or output.

[0007] An aspect of the present application relates to a connector assembly for input or output, the connector assembly can include: a cage including walls at a top, a bottom, sides, and a back of the cage, and a port at a front of the cage and configured to open to a channel defined by the walls of the cage, the wall at the top of the cage having an opening; and a heat dissipation member including a base arranged at the top of the cage, a plurality of portions separated by respective gaps, and a contact portion protruding from the base into the channel in a first direction through the opening of the wall at the top of the cage, each of the plurality of portions including a plurality of fins protruding from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction; and the heat dissipation member including a layer of micro thermal interface material at the contact portion.

[0008] In some example embodiments, the cage can have dimensions according to the OSFP-XD standard.

[0009] In some example embodiments, each of the plurality of portions can have ten fins protruding from the base in the second direction opposite the first direction, which can provide higher heat dissipation; and both the base and the fins can include die cast metal.

[0010] In some example embodiments, each fin can have a height in the second direction opposite the first direction in a range of 18 millimeters to 22 millimeters.

[0011] In some example embodiments, the heat dissipation member can extend to the wall at the back of the cage.

[0012] In some example embodiments, the cage can include a copper alloy and nickel silver plated on the copper alloy; and the heat dissipation member can include an aluminum alloy and nickel plated on the aluminum alloy.

[0013] In some example embodiments, the connector assembly can further include a clip including a band arranged in the gaps between the plurality of portions of the heat dissipation member, and a bar connecting the band and attached to the wall at the sides of the cage, the clip can include stainless steel.

[0014] In some example embodiments, each of the plurality of portions of the heat dissipation member can include a first section, a second section, and a space between the first section and the second section, the first and second sections can include an equal number of fins; the spaces of the plurality of portions of the heat dissipation member can be aligned; and the connector assembly can further include a light pipe, the light pipe can include a first end disposed at the back of the cage, a second end extending beyond the heat dissipation member, and a body extending from the first end through the aligned spaces of the plurality of portions of the heat dissipation member to the second end.

[0015] In some example embodiments, the connector assembly can further include a support member attached to the wall at the back of the cage, and the support member holds the first end of the light pipe.

[0016] In some example embodiments, the support member can include a body having a slot for holding the first end of the light pipe, and a latch extending from the body and hooked to the wall at the back of the cage.

[0017] In some example embodiments, both the body and the second end of the light pipe can include extensions, the extensions of the body and the second end are disposed on the wall at the top of the cage.

[0018] In some example embodiments, the wall at the top of the cage can include a region having a plurality of holes; and the heat dissipation member can extend to the region and terminate before the wall at the back of the cage.

[0019] Another aspect of the present application relates to a connector assembly for input or output, the connector assembly can include: a cage including an outer wall at a top, a bottom, sides, and a back of the cage, an inner wall disposed parallel to the outer wall at the sides and dividing an interior of the cage into a plurality of channels, and a plurality of ports aligned in a row direction at a front and configured for access to the plurality of channels; and a light pipe assembly attached to the outer wall of the cage at the sides, the light pipe assembly including a plurality of light pipes each having a first end adjacent the bottom of the cage and a second end adjacent the front of the cage, the second ends of the plurality of light pipes aligned in a column direction perpendicular to the row direction, and the first ends of the plurality of light pipes aligned in a mating direction perpendicular to both the row direction and the column direction.

[0020] In some example embodiments, the light pipe assembly can include a first rod connecting first ends of the plurality of light pipes, a second rod connecting second ends of the plurality of light pipes, and a third rod extending from a light pipe of the plurality of light pipes and attached to the outer wall at the side of the cage.

[0021] In some example embodiments, the light pipes in the light pipe assembly can include transparent polycarbonate.

[0022] In some example embodiments, the cage can have dimensions according to the OSFP-XD standard.

[0023] In some example embodiments, the outer wall at the top of the cage includes a plurality of openings over respective ones of the plurality of channels; the connector assembly can further include a plurality of heat dissipation members, each of the plurality of heat dissipation members can include a base disposed at the top of the cage and a contact portion protruding from the base into a respective one of the plurality of channels through a respective one of the plurality of openings in a first direction.

[0024] In some example embodiments, the cage includes a copper alloy and nickel silver plated on the copper alloy; and each of the plurality of heat dissipation members includes an aluminum alloy, nickel plated on the aluminum alloy, and a layer of micro thermal interface material at the contact portion.

[0025] In some example embodiments, each of the heat dissipation members has a plurality of portions separated by a gap, each of the plurality of portions includes a plurality of fins protruding in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and the connector assembly can further include a clip including a band disposed in the gap between the plurality of portions of the plurality of heat dissipation members and a rod connecting the band and attached to the outer wall at the side of the cage.

[0026] Yet another aspect of the present application relates to an electronic device, which can include a chassis including a panel having one or more openings, a circuit board disposed in the chassis, and a connector assembly mounted on the circuit board and including a cage including a plurality of ports aligned in a row direction and aligned with the one or more openings of the panel of the chassis, and a plurality of light pipes each including a first end facing a surface of the circuit board and aligned in a mating direction, and a second end adjacent to the one or more openings of the panel of the chassis and aligned in a direction perpendicular to both the row direction and the mating direction, wherein a number of the plurality of light pipes is configured to be equal to a number of the plurality of ports of the cage.

[0027] In some example embodiments, the circuit board can include a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; the connector assembly described above is a first connector assembly mounted on the first surface of the circuit board; and the electronic device can further include a second connector assembly mounted on the second surface of the circuit board.

[0028] In some example embodiments, the second connector assembly can include: a cage, the cage of the second connector assembly including a plurality of ports aligned in a row direction; a plurality of optical tubes, each optical tube of the plurality of optical tubes of the second connector assembly including a first end facing the second surface of the circuit board and aligned in a mating direction and a second end aligned in a column direction perpendicular to both the row direction and the mating direction; and the plurality of optical tubes of the first connector assembly and the plurality of optical tubes of the second connector assembly are arranged on opposite sides of one or more openings of the rack.

[0029] These techniques can be used alone or in any suitable combination. The above summary is provided in illustrative fashion to provide a basic understanding of the subject matter disclosed herein. No limitation as to the scope of the disclosed implementations is intended. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0030] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical, or nearly identical, component that is illustrated in various figures is represented with a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component can be called out in every drawing. In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device having a connector assembly according to some embodiments, partially exploded and partially cut away.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a connector assembly of FIG. 1 and a female seat connector implemented as a transceiver and positioned for insertion into a channel of the cage of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 .

[0033] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a connector assembly that can be used in the electronic device of FIG. 1 , wherein a heat dissipation member is attached to the cage by a clamp.

[0034] FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a connector assembly of FIG. 3A .

[0035] FIG. 4A is a top perspective view of a heat dissipation member of the connector assembly of FIG. 3A .

[0036] FIG. 4B isFIG. 4A A bottom-view perspective of the heat dissipation components.

[0037] FIG. 5A According to some implementation methods, it is possible FIG. 1 A perspective view of a connector assembly used in an electronic device, wherein a heat dissipation component is attached to a cage-like component via a clamp and a top light tube.

[0038] FIG. 5B yes FIG. 5A A perspective view of the connector assembly, in which heat dissipation components and clamping components are hidden.

[0039] FIG. 5C yes FIG. 5B Partial exploded perspective view of the connector assembly.

[0040] FIG. 6A According to some implementation methods, it is possible FIG. 1 A perspective view of a connector assembly used in an electronic device, wherein a heat dissipation component is attached to a cage via a clamp and a corresponding top light tube.

[0041] FIG. 6B yes FIG. 6A Partial exploded perspective view of the connector assembly.

[0042] FIG. 7 It is based on some implementation methods FIG. 5A or FIG. 6A The side view shows the connector components in a configuration where their bottoms face each other.

[0043] FIG. 8A According to some implementation methods, it is possible FIG. 1 A perspective view of a connector assembly with a light tube component used in electronic devices.

[0044] FIG. 8B yes FIG. 8A A perspective view of the outer side of the optical tube assembly of the connector assembly.

[0045] FIG. 8C yes FIG. 8B A perspective view of the second side of the light tube assembly, opposite to the first side (i.e., the aforementioned outer side).

[0046] FIG. 9 It is based on some implementation methods FIG. 8A The side view shows the connector components in a configuration where their bottoms face each other.

[0047] FIG. 10A According to some implementation methods, it is possible FIG. 1a perspective view of a connector assembly used in an electronic device, wherein the connector assembly has a heat sink member attached to a cage by a clip and a light pipe assembly attached to the cage.

[0048] FIG. 10B is FIG. 10A a partial exploded perspective view of the connector assembly.

[0049] FIG. 11 is FIG. 10A a side view of the connector assembly used in a configuration with the bottoms facing each other. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The inventors have recognized and appreciated a need for high speed, high density connector assemblies for input or output that include a cage. High speed connector assemblies require more electronic circuitry per channel, which generates more heat. In addition, for high density, the circuitry is confined to a smaller space defined by the cage. The cage tends to trap the generated heat, which can result in unacceptable temperature rise. In addition, the desire to provide compact electronic devices precludes any added or increased size of components that dissipate heat. The power density and heat demands of I / O connectors are continually increasing, presenting challenges in designing the connector assemblies. For example, OSFP-XD supports higher data rates, typically up to 800 Gbps, which generates more heat during operation. In addition, the larger form factor of the OSFP-XD presents challenges for designing the faceplate. The techniques described herein, including component structures and material compositions, can provide sufficient heat dissipation to enable high speed, high density connector assemblies, yet can still be manufactured economically and meet the size requirements of the OSFP-XD standard.

[0051] According to various aspects of the present application, a connector assembly for input or output can include a female connector located inside a cage. Both the male connector and the cage can be mounted on a circuit board. The female connector can be configured to support high data rates, such as data rates according to the OSFP-XD or other standard. The cage can include a channel enclosed by walls at a top, a bottom, sides, and a back, the channel having a port at a front for access to the channel. The female connector can be arranged adjacent to the back wall of the cage. During operation, the male connector can be inserted into the channel to mate with the female connector, thereby connecting to circuitry on the circuit board.

[0052] The cage can include an opening at the top wall. The connector assembly can include a heat sink member. The heat sink member can include a base disposed on the top wall of the cage. A contact portion of the heat sink member configured to contact a mating male socket connector inside the cage can protrude from the base into the channel through the opening of the top wall in a first direction. The contact portion can include a layer of micro thermal interface material at the contact portion that engages the mating male socket connector. Such micro thermal interface material can be manufactured to enhance the thermal performance and durability of the heat generating device, e.g., the male socket connector and the heat sink member. Examples of such micro thermal interface material include Microtim MTIM 4028. Such a configuration can provide robustness and resilience to repeated pull and plug actions of the insertion device while providing good thermal impedance.

[0053] One or more portions of the fins can protrude from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction. Optionally, the fins can extend to a back wall of the cage, which can provide optimized heat dissipation for some implementations according to the OSFP-XD standard. In some implementations, each portion can include between 9 and 11 fins, e.g., each portion can include 10 fins, which can provide higher heat dissipation for some implementations according to the OSFP-XD standard, taking into account space and cost constraints. Higher heat dissipation is characterized by operating temperatures at various locations, e.g., at the top of the cage, at the bottom of the cage, at the mating interface between the male socket connector and the female socket connector, etc.

[0054] Optionally, the fins and the base of the heat sink member can be integrally formed. In some examples, the heat sink member can be cost-effectively formed from die cast metal, and the number of fins can be selected to accommodate a desired rate of heat dissipation while complying with dimensional and manufacturability constraints regarding the die casting process. In some examples, the fins can extend above the top wall of the cage by an amount that provides a desired amount of heat dissipation while fitting within available space and being manufacturable with a material, e.g., die cast metal. For example, the fins can extend between 18 and 22 millimeters above the top surface, e.g., the fins can extend 20.8 millimeters above the top surface.

[0055] In some implementations, the fins in each portion can be equally spaced from one another. In some implementations, the fins in each portion can be divided into a first section and a second section with a space between the first section and the second section. The spaces of the portions of the heat sink member can be aligned.

[0056] Optionally, the connector assembly can include one or more components that occupy space that would otherwise be occupied by the heat dissipating member. The heat dissipating member can be configured to accommodate such one or more other components while also providing the required heat transfer. An example of such a component is a light pipe. The light pipe can include a first end disposed at the rear of the cage, a second end opposite the first end, and a body extending from the first end through the aligned spaces of the portions of the heat dissipating member to the second end. The light pipe can be held at the first end by the support member to be adjacent to the light emitting structure on the circuit board. The second end of the light pipe can extend beyond the heat dissipating member to display a status of the light emitting structure on the circuit board. The status of the light emitting structure can indicate a connection status between the male connector and the female connector and / or the circuit board. The heat dissipating member can be configured to accommodate the light pipe while still dissipating enough heat to operate within a required heat range. In one example, the plurality of fins of the heat dissipating member can be positioned in two groups, each group having fins aligned in parallel at a generally uniform spacing. The two groups of fins can be separated by a gap that is greater than the spacing between fins within each group. The light pipe can be positioned in the gap.

[0057] In some implementations, the connector assembly can include a cage having a plurality of ports aligned in a row direction. The ports can be configured for access to respective channels in the cage and thus to respective female connectors located at the other end of the channels. A light pipe assembly can be attached to a side wall of the cage. The light pipe assembly can include a plurality of light pipes stacked in a column direction perpendicular to the row direction. Each light pipe can be configured to display a status of a light emitting structure on a circuit board. The status of each light emitting structure can represent a connection status between the male connector and the female connector in the respective channel and / or a circuit on the circuit board.

[0058] Such a configuration can provide a high density panel design for some implementations according to the OSFP-XD standard. The circuit board and the connector assembly can be arranged inside a chassis of an electronic device. A panel of the electronic device can have one or more openings aligned with the ports of the connector assembly. The indicating ends of the light pipes in the light pipe assembly can be arranged on one side of the one or more openings on the panel of the electronic device, effectively using the panel area.

[0059] According to the OSFP-XD standard, this configuration can provide high-density bottom-to-bottom designs for some implementations. For example, in a bottom-to-bottom design, two connector assemblies can be mounted on opposite sides of a circuit board. The circuit board and connector assemblies can be disposed inside a chassis of an electronic device. A faceplate of the electronic device can have one or more openings aligned with ports of the connector assemblies. Indicated ends (i.e., second ends) of the optical pipes of the two optical pipe assemblies can be disposed on opposite sides of the one or more openings on the faceplate of the electronic device, effectively using the faceplate area.

[0060] FIG. 1 An electronic device 100 is shown having a circuit board 110 and a connector assembly 112 for input or output mounted to an edge 114 of the circuit board 110. In this example, the circuit board 110 is a printed circuit board (PCB). The connector assembly 112 is positioned for insertion into an opening 122 of a faceplate 120 of the electronic device 100, which forms an enclosure for the electronic device 100. In this example, the connector assembly 112 is configured to hold four female socket connectors, and a cage 130 having four channels 132A, 132B, 132C, and 132D is shown. In the illustrated implementation, EMI seals 134 at the openings of each channel of the cage are mounted to all four interior walls at the opening to each channel. In the illustrated implementation, a separate seal 136 is used between the cage 130 and the opening 122 of the faceplate 120. In the example, the outer seal 136 is a conductive elastomer. Alternatively or additionally, the EMI seals 134 can be used in place of the seal 136.

[0061] FIG. 2 A diagram showing insertion of a male socket connector 210 into the cage 130 is shown. The male socket connector 210 is implemented as a transceiver in this example. As can be observed in FIG. 2 , the male socket connector 210 terminates at a cable 216, and can be connected between the cable 216 and components on the circuit board 110 through female socket connectors in the connector assembly 112. The male socket connector is inserted into the channel 132A of the cage 130 in an insertion direction 250 so that a front end 214 of the male socket connector can be connected to a female socket connector located at a rear portion of the channel 132 of the cage 130 (not visible in FIG. 2 ).

[0062] The male socket connector can have a conductive exterior 212 that is contacted by the EMI seals 134 at multiple locations in the insertion direction, thereby packing the walls of the channel at the channel opening. As can be observed in FIG. 2As seen in the image, the cage 130 includes functional elements for connecting the cage to a grounding structure in the circuit board. In this example, for this purpose, a press-fit member 138 extends from the cage 130. Specifically, the press-fit member 138 extends from the bottom of the cage. When the cage 130 is grounded, the exterior 212 of the male connector is connected to the cage 130 via an EMI seal 134, thereby providing a common ground for the exterior of both the cage and the male connector.

[0063] exist FIG. 3A to FIG. 4B The examples shown below are some exemplary embodiments according to this application. FIG. 3A It shows that it can be used FIG. 1 The connector assembly 112 used in the electronic device 100 for input or output is implemented to retain a female connector. FIG. 3B yes FIG. 3A The connector assembly 112 shown is a partially exploded perspective view. The connector assembly 112 includes: a cage-like member 130, which includes walls and a port 131. The walls are located at the top, bottom, sides, and rear of the cage-like member, and the port 131 is located at the front of the cage-like member and configured to provide access to a channel 132 defined by the walls of the cage-like member 130. The wall at the top has an opening 133. The heat dissipation member 140 includes a base 141, multiple portions 142, and contact portions 143. The base 141 is disposed on the cage-like member. At the top wall of the cage-like member 130, multiple portions 142 are separated by various gaps 144. A contact portion 143 protrudes from the base 141 along a first direction R1 through an opening 133 in the wall at the top of the cage-like member 130 into the channel 132. Each of the multiple portions 142 includes multiple fins 145 protruding from the base 141 along a second direction R2 opposite to the first direction R1. The heat dissipation member 140 includes a layer 146 of micro thermal interface material located at the contact portion 143.

[0064] The connector assembly may include a female connector located inside a cage-like component, the female connector being arranged adjacent to a wall at the rear of the cage-like component. During operation, a male connector is inserted into a channel to mate with the female connector, thereby connecting to circuitry on a circuit board. Contact portions of a heat-dissipating component are used to contact the mating male connector located inside the cage-like component.

[0065] In some example implementations, the cage has dimensions according to the OSFP-XD standard. OSFP-XD supports higher data rates, typically up to 800 Gbps, which generates more heat during operation. In addition, the larger form factor of OSFP-XD presents challenges for designing a faceplate. The techniques described herein, including component structure and material composition, can provide sufficient heat dissipation to enable a high speed, high density connector assembly for input or output, yet can still be manufactured economically and meet the dimensional requirements of the OSFP-XD standard.

[0066] The contact portion 143 of the heat dissipation member 140 protrudes into the channel 132 from the base 141 through the opening 133 of the top-located wall of the cage 130 in the first direction Rl to contact a male socket connector inserted into the channel 132 through the port 131 and mated with a female socket connector. In example implementations, the direction in which the male socket connector mates with the female socket connector located in the channel of the cage is referred to as the mating direction. The layer 146 of micro thermal interface material applied to the contact portion 143 can provide enhanced thermal performance and durability for the male socket connector and the heat dissipation member. Examples of such micro thermal interface material include Microtim MTIM 4028. Such a configuration of the heat dissipation member can provide robustness and resilience to repeated pull and plug actions of the insertion device while providing good thermal impedance. In this way, a high speed, high density connector assembly with sufficient heat dissipation is provided.

[0067] In some example implementation examples, each of the plurality of portions 142 can include between 9 and 11 fins 145. In FIG. 3A to FIG. 4B In the illustrated example, each portion can include 10 fins 145, which can provide higher heat dissipation. In some examples, the fins in each portion can be equally spaced from each other.

[0068] As can be seen in FIG. 3A to FIG. 4B the plurality of portions 142 is three portions, which are separated by two gaps 144. In some examples, both the base 141 and the fins 145 can include die cast metal, that is, both the base 141 and the fins 145 can be made of die cast metal. In some examples, each fin 145 has a height in the second direction R2 in the range of 18 to 22 millimeters. Such fins provide the amount of heat dissipation required for the connector assembly while still fitting within the available space. In some examples, the base 141 and the fins 145 can be integrally formed.

[0069] Additionally, as FIG. 3AAs shown, the heat dissipation member 140 can extend to the wall located at the rear of the cage 130, allowing heat generated at the rear portion of the cage to be adequately transferred to the heat dissipation member, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the connector assembly. In some exemplary embodiments, the wall located at the top of the cage 130 may include a region 135 having a plurality of holes 137. Furthermore, as can be... FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B As clearly seen, the portion of the heat dissipation component located at the rear of the cage is significantly larger than the other portions. During the mating and operation of the male and female connectors at the rear of the cage, a large amount of heat is generated in the rear portion of the channel. By making the fins 145 of the portion 142 of the heat dissipation component 140 located above region 135 larger than the fins 145 of the other portions, the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation component is increased, allowing the large amount of heat generated at the rear of the cage 130 due to the engagement of the male and female connectors to be dissipated efficiently.

[0070] In some examples, the cage 130 comprises a copper alloy and nickel silver plated on the copper alloy; the heat dissipation component 140 comprises an aluminum alloy and nickel plated on the aluminum alloy. That is, the cage 130 is made of a copper alloy and nickel silver plated on the copper alloy; the heat dissipation component 140 is made of an aluminum alloy and nickel plated on the aluminum alloy.

[0071] In some exemplary implementations, such as FIG. 3B As shown, the connector assembly 112 may further include a clamping member 150, which includes a strip 151 and a rod 152. The strip 151 is disposed in a gap 144 between multiple portions of the heat dissipation member 140, and the rod 152 connects the strip 151 and attaches it to a wall located at the side of the cage member 130. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B In the example shown, the rod-shaped member 152 is attached to the wall by hooking onto a corresponding opening in the wall located on the side of the cage-like member, thereby securely attaching the heat dissipation member to the cage-like member. In some examples, the clamping member 150 is made of stainless steel, that is, the clamping member 150 is made of stainless steel. The heat dissipation member is attached to the cage-like member via the clamping member, thereby providing structural reliability for the connector assembly.

[0072] According to FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C In the exemplary embodiments shown, FIG. 5A It shows that it can be used FIG. 1 A perspective view of a connector assembly 112 used for input or output in an electronic device. In this example, the connector assembly is configured to retain a female connector. The connector assembly 112 may include a cage 130, a heat sink 140, and a light tube 160.FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C The configuration of the cage and heat sink member of the connector assembly shown in FIG. 3A to FIG. 4B The configuration of the cage and heat sink member shown in

[0073] As shown in FIG. 5A Each of the plurality of portions 142 of the heat sink member 140 includes a first section 1421, a second section 1422, and a space 1423 between the first section 1421 and the second section 1422, the first section 1421 and the second section 1422 include an equal number of fins, and the spaces 143 of the plurality of portions 142 of the heat sink member 140 are aligned.

[0074] In some example embodiments, the light pipe 160 includes a first end 161 disposed at the wall at the rear of the cage 130, a second end 162 extending beyond the heat sink member 142, and a body 163 extending from the first end 161 through the aligned spaces 1423 of the plurality of portions of the heat sink member 140 to the second end 162. In some example embodiments, the light pipe of the light pipe assembly includes a transparent polycarbonate. That is, the light pipe of the light pipe assembly is made of a transparent polycarbonate.

[0075] In some example embodiments, the connector assembly 112 further includes a support member 170 attached to the wall at the rear of the cage 130 and holding the first end of the light pipe 160 adjacent to the light emitting structure on the circuit board. The second end 160 of the light pipe 160 extending beyond the heat sink member 140 is used to display the status of the light emitting structure on the circuit board, thereby providing convenience for a user to observe the connection status. In some examples, the status of the light emitting structure can indicate the connection status between the male connector and the female connector and / or the circuit board. The heat sink member can be configured to house the light pipe while still dissipating enough heat for the connector assembly for input or output to operate within a desired thermal range.

[0076] In some example embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5C The support member 170 includes a body 171 having a slot 1710 for holding the first end 161 of the light pipe 160 and a latch 172 extending from the body 171 and attached, for example, hooked to the wall at the rear of the cage 130.

[0077] In some example embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5CAs shown, both the body 163 and the second end 162 of the light pipe 160 include extensions, the extension 1631 of the body 163 and the extension 1621 of the second end 162 are arranged on the wall at the top of the cage 130. The extension 1631 of the body 163 and the extension 1621 of the second end 162 are respectively used to support the body 163 and the second end on the wall at the top of the cage.

[0078] In some example embodiments, the wall at the top of the cage 130 can include a region 135 having a plurality of holes 137, in combination FIG. 5A As can be seen, the heat dissipation member 140 can extend to this region 135 and terminate before the wall at the rear of the cage 130, thereby providing optimized heat dissipation for the connector assembly.

[0079] In FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B the example embodiments shown, FIG. 6A a connector assembly 112 that can be used in an electronic device of FIG. 1 is shown. In this example, the connector assembly 112 is configured to hold four female socket connectors. The connector assembly 112 includes a cage 130, the cage 130 including an outer wall 1301 at the top, bottom, sides and rear of the cage, an inner wall 1302 arranged parallel to the outer wall at the sides and dividing the interior of the cage into a plurality of passages 132A, 132B, 132C and 132D, and a plurality of ports 131A, 131B, 131C and 131D aligned in a row direction X at the front of the cage and configured for access to the plurality of passages 132A, 132B, 132C and 132D of the cage; a plurality of heat dissipation members 140; a plurality of light pipes 160; and a clamp 150. The heat dissipation members 140 are attached to the cage 130 by the clamp 150. The clamp 150 includes a band 151, a rod 152, and a connector 153 connecting the band 151.

[0080] In FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B the example shown, the plurality of heat dissipation members 140 are disposed on the outer wall at the top of the cage 130, and one of the plurality of heat dissipation members is positioned over a respective one of the plurality of passages 132A, 132B, 132C and 132D. Each of the plurality of light pipes extends beyond the heat dissipation member through the aligned spaces 1423 of the plurality of portions of the heat dissipation member 140. The plurality of heat dissipation members are separated from each other by the connector of the clamp. FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B other configurations of the cage, heat dissipation member and clamp shown in Figs. 1-10 are described above.FIG. 5A The configurations of the cage, the heat dissipation member, and the clamping member shown are the same, and thus will not be described again.

[0081] FIG. 7 A configuration of an electronic device according to some example embodiments is shown. FIG. 5A Or FIG. 6A The connector assembly shown for input or output is used in an arrangement structure in which the bottoms of the connector assemblies face each other in an electronic device. In some examples, the electronic device can include a chassis including a panel 120 having one or more openings 122, a circuit board 110 arranged in the chassis, the circuit board 110 including a first surface 1101 and a second surface 1102 opposite the first surface 1101, and a connector assembly configured to be inserted into the openings of the panel, the connector assembly including a first connector assembly mounted to the first surface 1101 and a second connector assembly mounted to the second surface 1102, the configuration of the first connector assembly and the configuration of the second connector assembly being the same as FIG. 5A Or FIG. 6A the connector assembly shown.

[0082] In some example embodiments, the ports of the cage of the first connector assembly are aligned with the one or more openings 122 of the panel 120 of the chassis, each of the light pipes of the first connector assembly includes a first end portion arranged at the outer wall at the rear of the cage 130 and a second end portion extending beyond the heat dissipation member, and the number of the light pipes of the first connector assembly is configured to be equal to the number of the ports of the cage of the first connector assembly. The ports of the cage of the second connector assembly are aligned with the one or more openings 122 of the panel 120 of the chassis, each of the light pipes of the second connector assembly includes a first end portion arranged at the outer wall at the rear of the cage 130 and a second end portion extending beyond the heat dissipation member. The number of the light pipes of the second connector assembly is configured to be equal to the number of the ports of the cage of the second connector assembly. In FIG. 7 In the example shown, the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly of the electronic device are mounted to the circuit board in a manner in which the bottoms face each other, thereby providing a high-density arrangement structure for the electronic device.

[0083] In FIG. 7 the configuration of the electronic device shown, since the FIG. 5A Or FIG. 6AThe configuration of the connector assembly shown, therefore, the heat dissipation members 140 are also arranged on both sides of the opposite first and second surfaces of the circuit board, respectively. In addition, the outer wall at the top of the cage includes a region 135 having a plurality of holes 137, to which the heat dissipation members extend and terminate before the outer wall of the rear portion of the cage, such that at least a portion of the plurality of holes of the region 135 are exposed to the internal environment of the electronic device, thereby transferring the heat generated at the rear portion of the cage due to the mating of the male and female connectors during operation to the outside of the cage with maximum efficiency, providing an optimized heat dissipation for the connector assembly.

[0084] Thus, according to some embodiments of the present application FIG. 7 The configuration of the connector assembly shown not only can provide a high density arrangement for the electronic device, but also can provide the heat dissipation required for the electronic device.

[0085] In addition, in FIG. 7 In the configuration of the electronic device shown, the first end of the light pipe of the first connector assembly and the first end of the light pipe of the second connector assembly are both held by the respective support structures adjacent to the light emission structure of the circuit board, the second end of the light pipe of the first connector assembly and the second end of the light pipe of the second connector assembly extend beyond the heat dissipation members, thereby displaying the status of the light emission structure of the circuit board to provide convenience for the user to observe the connection status between the male and female connectors and / or the circuit board.

[0086] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C A perspective view of a connector assembly for input or output according to some other embodiments of the present application is shown in FIG. 12. In this example, the connector assembly 112 is configured to hold four female connectors. As FIG. 8AAs shown, the connector assembly 112 includes a cage 130 including an outer wall 1301 at the top, bottom, side and back of the cage, an inner wall 1302 arranged parallel to the outer wall at the side and dividing the interior of the cage into a plurality of passages 132A, 132B, 132C and 132D, and a plurality of ports 131A, 131B, 131C and 131D aligned in a row direction X at the front of the cage and configured for access to the plurality of passages 132A, 132B, 132C and 132D of the cage, and a light pipe assembly 180 attached to the outer wall at the side of the cage, the light pipe assembly 180 including a plurality of light pipes stacked in a column direction Y perpendicular to the row direction X and spaced apart from each other by an equal spacing. Each of the plurality of light pipes has a first end 161 adjacent to the bottom of the cage and a second end 162 adjacent to the front of the cage, the second ends 162 of the plurality of light pipes are aligned in the column direction Y, and the first ends of the plurality of light pipes are aligned in a mating direction Z perpendicular to both the row direction X and the column direction Y. The mating direction refers to the direction in which the male socket connector mates with the female socket connector in the passage of the cage.

[0087] The connector assembly can include a female socket connector inside the cage, which can be arranged adjacent to the outer wall of the back of the cage. During operation, the male socket connector can be inserted into the passage to mate with the female socket connector to connect to the circuit on the circuit board. In the configuration of the connector assembly including the light pipe assembly, the first end of each light pipe is adjacent to the bottom of the cage and the second end is adjacent to the front of the cage, so that the status of the light emitting structure on the circuit board can be displayed. The status of each light emitting structure can represent the connection status between the male socket connector and the female socket connector in the corresponding passage and / or the circuit on the circuit board.

[0088] This configuration can provide a design of high-density panel. The circuit board and the connector assembly can be arranged inside the chassis of the electronic device. The panel of the electronic device can have one or more openings aligned with the ports of the connector assembly. The indicating end (i.e., the second end) of the light pipe in the light pipe assembly can be arranged on one side of the one or more openings on the panel of the electronic device, thereby effectively using the panel area.

[0089] As FIG. 8B and FIG. 8CThe light pipe assembly 180 includes a first bar 181 connecting first ends 161 of the plurality of light pipes, a second bar 182 connecting second ends 162 of the plurality of light pipes, and a third bar 183 extending from a light pipe of the plurality of light pipes and attached to an outer wall at a side of the cage. In some example implementations, the light pipes of the light pipe assembly include transparent polycarbonate. That is, the light pipes of the light pipe assembly are made of transparent polycarbonate. In some examples, the light pipes are configured to display a status of the light emission structure of the circuit board. The status of the light emission structure can indicate a connection status between the male connector and the female connector in the corresponding channel and / or the circuit of the circuit board. In some examples, the cage can have dimensions according to the OSFP-XD standard.

[0090] FIG. 9 The connector assembly shown in FIG. 8A is used in an electronic device in an arrangement in which the bottoms of the connector assemblies face each other. In some examples, the electronic device can include a rack including a panel 120 having one or more openings 122, a circuit board 110 arranged in the rack, the circuit board 110 including a first surface 1101 and a second surface 1102 opposite the first surface 1101, and a connector assembly configured to be inserted into the openings of the panel 120, the connector assembly 112 including a first connector assembly mounted to the first surface 1101 and a second connector assembly mounted to the second surface 1102, the configuration of the first connector assembly and the configuration of the second connector assembly being the same as the configuration of the connector assembly shown in FIG. 8A .

[0091] In the example shown in FIG. 9 , the bottom of the cage of the first connector assembly is mounted to the first surface 1101 of the circuit board, the first end of each light pipe of the light pipe assembly of the first connector assembly is arranged adjacent to the bottom of the cage and the second end is adjacent to the front of the cage and is used to display the status of the light emission structure of the circuit board, the bottom of the cage of the second connector assembly is mounted to the second surface 1102 of the circuit board, and the first end of each light pipe of the light pipe assembly of the second connector assembly is arranged adjacent to the bottom of the cage and the second end is adjacent to the front of the cage and is used to display the status of the light emission structure of the circuit board.

[0092] Both the first and second connector assemblies may include a female connector located within a respective cage-like component, the female connector being arranged adjacent to the outer wall at the rear of the respective cage-like component. During operation, a male connector is inserted into a channel to mate with the corresponding female connector, thereby connecting to circuitry on the circuit board. Therefore, the state of each light-emitting structure on the circuit board can indicate the connection state between the male connector and the female connector in the corresponding channel and / or the circuitry on the circuit board. The second end of the optical tube in the optical tube assembly of the first connector assembly and the second end of the optical tube in the optical tube assembly of the second connector assembly are arranged on opposite sides of one or more openings in the panel, thereby effectively utilizing the panel area and providing convenience for the user to observe the connection status. FIG. 9 The bottom-facing configuration of the connector assemblies of the electronic device shown provides a high-density arrangement for the electronic device.

[0093] FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B The following are illustrated according to some embodiments. FIG. 8A The diagram shows a variation of the connector assembly used for input or output. (Compared to...) FIG. 8A The connector assembly shown differs in that the outer wall at the top of the cage-like member includes a plurality of openings 133, each of which is located above a corresponding channel among the plurality of channels 132A, 132B, 132C, and 132D, as shown. FIG. 10B As shown. In this example, the connector assembly may further include a plurality of heat dissipation members 140, each of the plurality of heat dissipation members 140 including: a base 141, a plurality of portions 142, and a contact portion 143. The base 141 is disposed at the top of the cage-like member, the plurality of portions 142 are separated by various gaps 144, and the contact portion 143 protrudes from the base 141 along a first direction R1 through a corresponding opening in a plurality of openings 133 located on the outer wall at the top of the cage-like member into a corresponding channel in a plurality of channels 132A, 132B, 132C, and 132D. Each of the plurality of portions 142 includes a plurality of fins 145 protruding from the base 141 along a second direction R2 opposite to the first direction R1.

[0094] In some exemplary embodiments, the cage-like component comprises a copper alloy and nickel-silver plated on the copper alloy; that is, the cage-like component is made of a copper alloy and nickel-silver plated on the copper alloy. Each of the plurality of heat dissipation components comprises an aluminum alloy, nickel plated on the aluminum alloy, and a layer of micro-thermal interface material at the contact portion. The contact portion of the heat dissipation component contacts a mating male connector located inside the cage-like component. The layer of micro-thermal interface material at the contact portion can be manufactured to enhance the thermal performance and durability of the male connector and the heat dissipation component. Examples of such micro-thermal interface materials include... Microtim MTIM 4028. This configuration can provide robustness and flexibility to the repeated pull and insert action of the insertion device, while providing good thermal impedance.

[0095] In addition, the connector assembly further includes a clamp 150 including a band 151 arranged in the gap 144 between the portions of the plurality of heat dissipation members, a bar 152 connecting the band 151 and attached to the outer wall at the side of the cage 130, and a connecting member 153 connecting the band 151. The plurality of heat dissipation members 140 are attached to the cage 130 by the clamp 150, thereby providing a firm attachment of the heat dissipation members 140.

[0096] FIG. 11 FIG. 1 shows a connector assembly according to some example embodiments. FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B The connector assembly shown for input or output is used in an arrangement structure of an electronic device in which the bottom of the connector assembly faces each other. In some examples, the electronic device includes a chassis including a panel 120 having one or more openings 122, a circuit board 110 arranged in the chassis, the circuit board 110 including a first surface 1101 and a second surface 1102 opposite to the first surface 1101, and a connector assembly configured to be inserted into the opening of the panel, the connector assembly 112 including a first connector assembly mounted to the first surface 1101 and a second connector assembly mounted to the second surface 1102, the configuration of the first connector assembly and the configuration of the second connector assembly being the same as shown in FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B The configuration of the connector assembly shown in

[0097] According to the example shown in FIG. 11 the first end of each light pipe of the light pipe assembly of the first connector assembly is arranged adjacent to the bottom of the cage and the second end adjacent to the front of the cage for displaying the status of the light emission structure of the circuit board. The first end of each light pipe of the light pipe assembly of the second connector assembly is arranged adjacent to the bottom of the cage and the second end adjacent to the front of the cage for displaying the status of the light emission structure of the circuit board.

[0098] The first and second connector assemblies can each include a female receptacle connector located inside the respective cage, which can be arranged adjacent to the outer wall at the back of the respective cage. During operation, the male receptacle connector is inserted into the channel to mate with the respective female receptacle connector and thereby connect to the circuit on the circuit board. Thus, the status of each light emission structure of the circuit board can represent the connection status between the male receptacle connector and the respective female receptacle connector in the channel and / or the circuit on the circuit board. The second end of the light pipe in the light pipe assembly of the first connector assembly and the second end of the light pipe in the light pipe assembly of the second connector assembly are arranged on opposite sides of the one or more openings of the faceplate, thereby efficiently using the faceplate area. FIG. 11 The configuration of the connector assemblies of the electronic devices shown in FIGS. 1-3, in which the bottoms of the connector assemblies face each other, provides a high density arrangement for the electronic devices, and the provision of the heat dissipation members also provides the required heat dissipation.

[0099] Accordingly, various aspects of a number of embodiments of a connector assembly and an electronic device including the connector assembly have been described. It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications, and improvements can readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the application. Although the present teachings have been described in connection with various illustrative embodiments and examples, it will be understood that the present teachings are not limited to the embodiments or examples. On the contrary, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art will readily apply the teachings of the present teachings to various alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Accordingly, the application is not limited to that described herein. Instead, this description is meant as a bond of teaching only.

[0100] Furthermore, although advantages of the present application have been described, it should be understood that each of the embodiments of the application can omit, substitute, or reformulate at least one feature or aspect of the others. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by illustration only.

[0101] Various aspects of the application can be used alone, in combination, or in a combination of one or more of the illustrative embodiments described in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings. For example, one aspect described in one embodiment can be used in combination with aspects of another embodiment. Thus, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.

[0102] Further, the application can be embodied as a method, of which an example has been described. The acts performed as part of the method can be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, an apparatus implementing a method according to this application can not perform the acts in the order listed. Further, those skilled in the art will recognize that one or more acts in the above description can be performed by computer code instructions executing on one or more computer systems.

[0103] Furthermore, the circuitry and modules depicted and described can be reordered in any order, and signals can be provided to achieve the reordering accordingly.

[0104] The use of ordinal terms such as "first," "second," "third," etc. in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote priority over or subordination of one claim element relative to another, nor does it connote any temporal order of execution. Rather, such ordinal terms are used merely as labels to identify elements of a claim with that particular name.

[0105] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and / or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

[0106] As used in the specification and claims, the phrase "at least one," in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to refer to at least one element from the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each of the elements from the list of elements. For example, "at least one" of A, B, and C can refer to A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, and additionally can refer to any of these elements individually or in any combination with each other.

[0107] The phrase "and / or," as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with "and / or" should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., "one or more" of the elements so conjoined. Other elements can optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the "and / or" clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to "A and / or B" when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as "comprising" can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including additional elements); etc.

[0108] As used in this specification and claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and / or” should be interpreted as inclusive, that is, including multiple elements or at least one of the elements in the list, but also multiple, and optionally, other items not listed. Only when terms explicitly indicating the opposite, such as “only one of…” or “exact one of…”, or “consisting of…” are used in the claims, do they refer to including multiple elements or exactly one element in the list. In general, the term “or” as used herein should only be interpreted as indicating an exclusive choice (i.e., “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by an exclusive term (e.g., “any,” “one of…,” “only one of…,” or “exact one of…”). “Constitutes mainly of…” when used in the claims should have the usual meaning in the field of patent law.

[0109] Furthermore, the wording and terminology used herein are for descriptive purposes only and should not be considered limiting. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof, as used herein, are intended to cover the items listed thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items.

Claims

1. A connector assembly comprising: a cage including walls at a top, a bottom, sides, and a back, and a port at a front configured to access a channel, the wall at the top having an opening; and a heat sink member including a base arranged at the top of the cage, a plurality of sections separated by respective gaps, and a contact portion protruding from the base into the channel through the opening of the wall at the top of the cage in a first direction, wherein each of the plurality of sections includes a plurality of fins protruding from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction; and the heat sink member includes a layer of micro thermal interface material at the contact portion.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: the cage has dimensions according to the OSFP-XD standard.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein: each of the plurality of sections has ten fins protruding from the base in the second direction; and both the base and the fins include die cast metal.

4. The connector assembly of claim 3, wherein: each fin has a height in the second direction in a range of 18 to 22 millimeters.

5. The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein: the heat sink member extends to the wall at the back of the cage.

6. The connector assembly of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein: the cage includes a copper alloy and nickel silver plated over the copper alloy; and the heat sink member includes an aluminum alloy and nickel plated over the aluminum alloy.

7. The connector assembly of claim 6, wherein, the connector assembly further comprises: a clip including a band arranged in the gaps between the plurality of sections of the heat sink member, and a bar connecting the band and attached to the wall at the sides of the cage, the clip includes stainless steel.

8. The connector assembly of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein: each of the plurality of sections of the heat sink member includes a first segment, a second segment, and a space between the first segment and the second segment, the first segment and the second segment including an equal number of fins; the spaces of the plurality of sections of the heat sink member are aligned; and the connector assembly includes a light pipe including a first end arranged at the back of the cage, a second end extending beyond the heat sink member, and a body of the light pipe extending from the first end to the second end through the aligned spaces of the plurality of sections of the heat sink member.

9. The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein, the connector assembly further comprises: a support member attached to the wall at the back of the cage and holding the first end of the light pipe.

10. The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein, the support member includes a body having a slot for holding the first end of the light pipe and a latch extending from the body of the support member and hooked to the wall at the back of the cage.

11. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein, the body and the second end of the light pipe both include extensions, the extensions of the body and the second end of the light pipe arranged on the wall at the top of the cage.

12. The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein, the wall at the top of the cage includes a region having a plurality of holes; and the heat sink member extends to the region and terminates before the wall at the back of the cage.

13. A connector assembly for input or output, characterized in that, the connector assembly includes: a cage including an outer wall at a top, a bottom, sides, and a back, an inner wall arranged parallel to the outer wall at the sides, and a plurality of ports aligned in a row direction at a front and configured for access to a plurality of channels; and a light pipe assembly attached to the outer wall at the sides of the cage, the light pipe assembly including a plurality of light pipes each having a first end adjacent the bottom of the cage and a second end adjacent the front of the cage, the second ends of the plurality of light pipes aligned in a column direction perpendicular to the row direction, the first ends of the plurality of light pipes aligned in a mating direction perpendicular to both the row direction and the column direction.

14. The connector assembly of claim 13, wherein, the light pipe assembly includes: a first bar connecting the first ends of the plurality of light pipes; a second bar connecting the second ends of the plurality of light pipes; a third bar extending from a light pipe of the plurality of light pipes and attached to the outer wall at the sides of the cage.

15. The connector assembly of claim 13 or 14, wherein, the light pipes of the light pipe assembly include transparent polycarbonate.

16. The connector assembly of claim 13 or 14, wherein, the cage has dimensions according to the OSFP-XD standard.

17. The connector assembly of claim 13 or 14, wherein, the outer wall at the top of the cage includes a plurality of openings over respective ones of the plurality of channels; the connector assembly further includes: a plurality of heat dissipation members, each of the plurality of heat dissipation members including a base arranged at the top portion of the cage and a contact portion protruding from the base into a corresponding one of the plurality of channels through a corresponding one of the plurality of openings in a first direction.

18. The connector assembly of claim 17, wherein, the cage includes a copper alloy and a nickel silver plated on the copper alloy; and each of the plurality of heat dissipation members includes an aluminum alloy, a nickel plated on the aluminum alloy, and a layer of a micro thermal interface material at the contact portion.

19. The connector assembly of claim 17, wherein, each of the heat dissipation members has a plurality of portions separated by a gap, each of the plurality of portions including a plurality of fins protruding in a second direction opposite the first direction; and the connector assembly further includes a clip including a band arranged in the gap between the plurality of portions of the plurality of heat dissipation members and a rod connecting the band and attached to the outer wall at the side portion of the cage.

20. An electronic device, comprising: the electronic device includes: a chassis including a panel having one or more openings; a circuit board arranged in the chassis; and a connector assembly for input or output mounted on the circuit board, the connector assembly including: a cage including a plurality of ports aligned in a row direction and aligned with the one or more openings of the panel of the chassis, and a plurality of light pipes, each of the plurality of light pipes including a first end portion facing a surface of the circuit board and aligned in a mating direction and a second end portion adjacent to the one or more openings of the panel of the chassis and aligned in a column direction perpendicular to both the row direction and the mating direction, a number of the plurality of light pipes configured to be equal to a number of the plurality of ports of the cage.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein: the circuit board includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; the connector assembly is a first connector assembly mounted on the first surface of the circuit board; and the electronic device includes a second connector assembly mounted on the second surface of the circuit board.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein: the second connector assembly includes: a cage including a plurality of ports aligned in the row direction; a plurality of light pipes, each of the plurality of light pipes of the second connector assembly including a first end portion facing the second surface of the circuit board and aligned in the mating direction and a second end portion aligned in a column direction perpendicular to both the row direction and the mating direction; and The plurality of light pipes of the first connector assembly and the plurality of light pipes of the second connector assembly are arranged on opposite sides of the one or more openings of the rack.

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