Cooling subassembly for a connector assembly and electronic system

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a cooling subassembly for a connector assembly and an electronic system, the cooling subassembly comprising an upper cooling plate and a lower cooling plate, the upper cooling plate comprising an upper cooling plate main portion and an upper cooling plate first side portion and an upper cooling plate second side portion, the lower cooling plate comprising a lower cooling plate main portion and a lower cooling plate first side portion and a lower cooling plate second side portion, the upper cooling plate first side portion being superposed on the lower cooling plate first side portion, the upper cooling plate second side portion being superposed on the lower cooling plate second side portion, one of the upper cooling plate first side portion and the lower cooling plate first side portion being provided with a cooling medium inlet, the other of the upper cooling plate first side portion and the lower cooling plate first side portion being provided with a cooling medium outlet, a cooling medium communication hole being formed in the upper cooling plate second side portion and the lower cooling plate second side portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to interconnection systems, and more specifically, to interconnection systems including electrical connectors for interconnecting electronic components. Background Technology

[0002] This section provides background information relating to this disclosure, but such information does not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] Electronic systems typically consist of multiple components. The construction and function of these components vary depending on the function of the electronic system. For example, a system may have components for processing data, storing data, or transmitting data over a network.

[0004] When needed, the components are engaged via electrical connectors. These connectors provide separable joints, allowing components to be manufactured at different times or locations and then easily assembled into a system. One known arrangement for engaging multiple components is to use one component as a backplane. This backplane provides connectivity between other components. The backplane may be located at the rear of the equipment rack, with backplane connectors arranged facing the rack such that connectors on other components mate with connectors on the backplane when those components are inserted into the rack. In some systems, the backplane is manufactured as a printed circuit board with connectors mounted on it. Conductive traces in the backplane connect to signal conductors in the connectors, allowing signals to be transmitted between the connectors.

[0005] In other systems, the backplane connectors can be held within cylindrical components that provide mechanical support, while electrical connections are achieved via cables that interconnect the connectors. This configuration, sometimes referred to as a "cable backplane," is used in high-data-rate scenarios or in large systems where relatively long signal paths are required through the backplane to interconnect components. Compared to traces within a printed circuit board, cables provide a higher signal integrity, especially for high-frequency signals such as those using NRZ or PAM4 protocols and exceeding 40Gbps.

[0006] Connectors can also be used to send signals to or from electronic devices. Known as "input / output (I / O) connectors," these connectors can be mounted onto printed circuit boards and are typically located at the edge of the board. The connector can be configured as a female connector that mates with a male connector at one end of a cable assembly, allowing the cable in the cable assembly to be connected to the printed circuit board via the female connector. The other end of the cable can then be connected to another electronic device.

[0007] Male and female I / O connectors are typically constructed according to standards that allow components from different manufacturers to mate. For example, the Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable (QSFP) standard defines a compact, hot-pluggable transceiver for data communication applications. Form factor and electrical interfaces are specified by the Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) under the Miniaturization Specification (SFF) committee. Components manufactured according to the QSFP standard are widely used to interface network hardware (such as servers and switches) with fiber optic cables or active / passive electrical cable assemblies.

[0008] QSFP plugs mate with receptacles typically mounted on printed circuit boards (PCBs). To block electromagnetic interference (EMI), the receptacle may be housed within a metal cage also mounted to the PCB. The receptacle is typically located at the rear portion of the cage. The front portion of the cage typically extends through the panel of the electronic device and has an opening for receiving the plug. A channel extends from the opening at the front portion of the cage toward the rear portion to guide the plug into engagement with the receptacle.

[0009] In some systems, the plug may include a transceiver that converts the signal format used within the electronic device housing the socket between the signal format transmitted over the cable. In some systems, the cable may include optical fiber for transmitting optical signals, and the transceiver may be an optoelectronic transceiver. For cables transmitting electrical signals, a transceiver may also be provided, as the signal may need to be amplified, or the format used on the cable may need to be converted between the format used within the device.

[0010] Over time, these standards have evolved to support electronic devices capable of sending or receiving larger amounts of data. Newer standards tend to include more channels through the connector than earlier ones. Each channel provides a path for the data stream entering or leaving the electronic device, allowing more channels to support more streams and greater bandwidth (measured in bits per second of data passing through the connector). Typically, as the number of channels increases, connector components are miniaturized so that the overall size of the connector does not increase proportionally to the increased number of channels.

[0011] Another approach to manufacturing connectors that support greater bandwidth is to construct connectors capable of transmitting bits at higher frequencies. For example, a connector that transmits at frequencies up to 30 GHz with relatively low distortion can transmit more bits per second than a connector that can only operate at frequencies up to 15 GHz.

[0012] Another way to enable connectors to support higher bandwidth is to use modulation techniques that make better use of the available bandwidth. PAM4 (four-level pulse amplitude modulation) is an example of a protocol used to provide higher bandwidth. Utility Model Content Various aspects of this disclosure relate to cooling subassemblies and electronic systems for connector assemblies.

[0013] One aspect of this disclosure provides a cooling sub-assembly for a connector assembly. The cooling sub-assembly may include an upper cooling plate and a lower cooling plate stacked on top of the upper cooling plate. The upper cooling plate may include an upper cooling plate main body and upper cooling plate first side portions and upper cooling plate second side portions located on both sides of the upper cooling plate main body in a first direction. The lower cooling plate may include a lower cooling plate main body and lower cooling plate first side portions and lower cooling plate second side portions located on both sides of the lower cooling plate main body in a first direction. The upper cooling plate first side portions are stacked on the lower cooling plate first side portions, and the upper cooling plate second side portions are stacked on the lower cooling plate second side portions. One of the upper cooling plate first side portions and the lower cooling plate first side portions is provided with a cooling medium inlet, and the other of the upper cooling plate first side portions and the lower cooling plate first side portions is provided with a cooling medium outlet. Cooling medium communication holes are formed on the upper cooling plate second side portions and the lower cooling plate second side portions to allow the cooling medium to flow between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate.

[0014] Optionally, the first side portion of the upper cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the upper cooling plate. The first side portion of the upper cooling plate may include a first side flange of the upper cooling plate that protrudes from the main body of the upper cooling plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first side portion of the lower cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the lower cooling plate. The first side portion of the lower cooling plate includes a first side flange of the lower cooling plate that protrudes in the same direction as the protrusion direction of the first side flange of the upper cooling plate. A cooling medium inlet is provided on one of the first side flanges of the upper cooling plate and the first side flange of the lower cooling plate, and a cooling medium outlet is provided on the other of the first side flanges of the upper cooling plate and the first side flange of the lower cooling plate.

[0015] Optionally, a positioning groove is formed on one of the surfaces of the upper cooling plate facing the lower cooling plate and the lower cooling plate facing the upper cooling plate, and a positioning protrusion is formed on the other of the surfaces of the upper cooling plate facing the lower cooling plate and the lower cooling plate facing the upper cooling plate. When the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate are stacked, the positioning protrusion is inserted into the positioning groove for positioning.

[0016] Optionally, both the cooling medium inlet and the cooling medium outlet are connected to pipes, thereby allowing the cooling medium to circulate through the pipes in the cooling sub-assembly.

[0017] Optionally, a first connecting portion of the upper cooling plate is formed on the side opposite to the first flange of the upper cooling plate on the first side of the upper cooling plate, and the first connecting portion of the upper cooling plate is fixedly connected to the first side of the lower cooling plate.

[0018] Optionally, a first connecting portion of the lower cooling plate is formed on the side opposite to the first flange of the lower cooling plate on the first side of the lower cooling plate, and the first connecting portion of the lower cooling plate is configured to be fixedly connected to a printed circuit board for a connector assembly.

[0019] Optionally, the second side of the upper cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the upper cooling plate, and the second side of the lower cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the lower cooling plate.

[0020] Optionally, the second side of the upper cooling plate may include a second connecting portion of the upper cooling plate on opposite sides in the second direction, and the second connecting portion of the upper cooling plate is fixedly connected to the second side of the lower cooling plate.

[0021] Optionally, the opposite sides of the second side of the lower cooling plate in the second direction may include a second lower cooling plate connection portion, which is configured to be fixedly connected to a printed circuit board for a connector assembly.

[0022] Optionally, the cooling sub-assembly may also include a seal disposed on the cooling medium communication hole for sealing the cooling channel at the cooling medium communication hole.

[0023] Optionally, the upper cooling plate may further include a contact sub-assembly, with the upper cooling plate body stacked on the contact sub-assembly; the contact sub-assembly may include a frame and a plurality of members attached to the frame, the frame may include a plurality of openings, and each of the plurality of members is attached to each of the plurality of openings.

[0024] Optionally, each of the plurality of openings may include an inwardly projecting support; each of the plurality of components may be placed on the support.

[0025] Optionally, each of the plurality of components may include a contact member positioned on the support, a flexible member disposed on the contact member, and an offset member surrounding the flexible member. The contact member may be configured to move in a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions, and the flexible member may be configured to support the movement of the contact member in the third direction.

[0026] Optionally, the biasing member can deform between a restored state and a compressed state when subjected to a third-direction pressing force, thereby controlling the thickness of the flexible member surrounded by the biasing member in the third-direction. When the biasing member is in the restored state, the flexible member has a first thickness; and when the biasing member is in the compressed state, the flexible member has a second thickness less than the first thickness.

[0027] Optionally, the contact member may include a contact member body and a contact member flange extending outward from the contact member body. The contact member flange may be placed on the support and is movable between the bottom wall of the upper cooling plate body and the support. When the biasing member is in the restored state, the gap between the contact member flange and the bottom wall has a third thickness that is less than the first thickness.

[0028] Alternatively, the biasing member can be arranged between the bottom wall of the upper cooling plate body and the flange of the contact member.

[0029] Optionally, the cooling sub-assembly may include a cage-like component, which may include an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is disposed between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate, and the lower portion may be disposed between the lower cooling plate and the printed circuit board for the connector assembly.

[0030] Optionally, the upper portion may include a plurality of first sidewalls disposed along a first direction, each of the plurality of first sidewalls extending along a second direction to form a plurality of first channels in the upper portion for receiving a connector to be mated, the openings of the first channels mating with the connector. The lower portion includes a plurality of second sidewalls disposed along the first direction, each of the plurality of second sidewalls extending along a second direction to form a plurality of second channels in the lower portion for receiving a connector, the openings of the second channels mating with the connector. The openings of the first channels and the openings of the second channels protrude from the lower cooling plate in the second direction. The openings of the first channels and the openings of the second channels are joined by welding in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0031] During use, the first direction is the length direction of the connector assembly, the second direction is the width direction of the connector assembly, and the third direction is the thickness direction of the connector assembly.

[0032] Optionally, each of the plurality of first sidewalls may include a first tail portion, and each of the plurality of second sidewalls may include a second tail portion; the first tail portion and the second tail portion partially overlap in a first direction and are joined by welding at the overlap portion.

[0033] Optionally, the interior of the upper cooling plate may include an upper cooling medium flow cavity, and the interior of the upper cooling medium flow cavity may include a plurality of upper cooling plate fins for guiding the flow of the cooling medium. The interior of the lower cooling plate may include a lower cooling medium flow cavity, and the interior of the lower cooling medium flow cavity may include a plurality of lower cooling plate fins for guiding the flow of the cooling medium.

[0034] Optionally, each of the plurality of upper cooling plate fins extends in a direction parallel to the first direction or extends at an angle to the first direction; and / or, each of the plurality of lower cooling plate fins extends in a direction parallel to the first direction or extends at an angle to the first direction.

[0035] Optionally, the cooling subassembly may also include a cover that covers the upper and lower portions of the cage-like member at a first tail side of the upper portion and a second tail side of the lower portion.

[0036] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an electronic system that may include a printed circuit board and a first connector assembly and a second connector assembly placed side-by-side on the same surface of the printed circuit board. The first connector assembly and the second connector assembly include cooling sub-assemblies for the connector assemblies as described above, wherein the cooling medium inlet and cooling medium outlet of the cooling sub-assembly for the first connector assembly are located on opposite sides of the arrangement direction of the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly, respectively.

[0037] Optionally, the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly are arranged side by side by using the second side of the upper cooling plate and the second side of the lower cooling plate of the cooling sub-assembly of the first connector assembly to abut against the second side of the upper cooling plate and the second side of the lower cooling plate of the cooling sub-assembly of the second connector assembly.

[0038] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an electronic system that may include a printed circuit board, a first connector assembly mounted to a first surface of the printed circuit board, and a second connector assembly mounted to a second surface of the printed circuit board opposite to the first surface. The first and second connector assemblies include cooling subassemblies for the connector assemblies as described above, wherein a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet for the cooling subassembly of the first connector assembly are located on the same side of the electronic system as the cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet for the cooling subassembly of the second connector assembly.

[0039] Optionally, the electronic system may also include a fixing member that connects the side of the first connector assembly having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, and the side of the second connector assembly having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, to the printed circuit board.

[0040] These techniques can be used individually or in any suitable combination. The overview described above is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, identical or nearly identical parts appearing in different figures may be represented by the same reference numerals. For clarity, not every part in every figure is labeled; in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 A perspective view of a connector assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown from the front.

[0042] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the connector assembly viewed from the rear.

[0043] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 Partial exploded perspective view of the connector assembly.

[0044] Figure 4 It shows the use of Figure 1 A perspective view of the upper cooling plate of the cooling sub-assembly of the connector assembly, viewed from the front.

[0045] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 A perspective view of the upper cooling plate from the rear, where the pipes are hidden and the cooling medium inlet / outlet is shown.

[0046] Figure 6 It shows Figure 4 A bottom-view perspective of the upper cooling plate.

[0047] Figure 7 It shows Figure 4 A view of the upper cooling plate, in which the top wall and pipes of the upper cooling plate are hidden.

[0048] Figure 8 It shows Figure 4 An exploded perspective view of the upper cooling plate.

[0049] Figure 9 It shows Figure 8 A perspective view of the contact assembly of the upper cooling plate.

[0050] Figure 10 It shows along Figure 9 The cross-sectional view taken from line AA.

[0051] Figure 11A It shows Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the contact components of the contact sub-assembly.

[0052] Figure 11B It shows Figure 9 A top view of the contact component of the contact sub-assembly.

[0053] Figure 11CIt shows Figure 9 A side view of the contact member of the contact sub-assembly.

[0054] Figure 12A It shows Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the frame of the contact sub-component.

[0055] Figure 12B It shows Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the biasing component of the contactor assembly.

[0056] Figure 13 It shows along Figure 4 A three-dimensional view of the cross section cut by line BB.

[0057] Figure 14 It shows the use of Figure 1 A perspective view of the lower cooling plate of the cooling sub-assembly of the connector assembly, viewed from the front.

[0058] Figure 15 It shows Figure 14 A three-dimensional view of the lower cooling plate viewed from the back.

[0059] Figure 16 It shows Figure 14 A view of the lower cooling plate, where the top and side walls of the lower cooling plate are hidden.

[0060] Figure 17 It shows Figure 14 An enlarged view of part B.

[0061] Figure 18 It shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the upper part of the cage-like component of the connector assembly.

[0062] Figure 19 It shows Figure 18 A view of the first sidewall of the upper portion of the cage-like component.

[0063] Figure 20 A view showing the connection between the upper part of the cage-like component and the lower cooling plate is provided.

[0064] Figure 21 It shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the lower part of the cage-like component of the connector assembly.

[0065] Figure 22 It shows Figure 1 An enlarged view of part A of the connector assembly.

[0066] Figure 23 It shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the connector assembly, viewed from the rear, showing the upper and lower portions of the cage-like member being joined.

[0067] Figure 24 Electronic systems according to other embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0068] Figure 25 An electronic system according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0069] List of reference numerals Detailed Implementation

[0070] The inventors have recognized and understood that the design of connector assemblies can rapidly and efficiently dissipate heat in a reduced space for high-speed systems that may generate more heat, such as systems with input / output (I / O) connectors designed for speeds of 224 Gbps and higher. Such systems can use multiple connectors (e.g., connectors constructed according to, for example, QSFP or OSFP) in various configurations (e.g., stacked, side-by-side, and belly-to-belt configurations). This configuration allows for the placement of more components in a limited space, such as in a rack-mount system, thereby improving system integration, which conventional designs cannot accommodate in such a reduced space.

[0071] The inventors have provided a cooling sub-assembly capable of cooling a connector assembly in space-constrained conditions. This cooling sub-assembly places the inlet and outlet for the cooling medium on the same side of the connector assembly.

[0072] According to some aspects of this disclosure, a cooling sub-assembly for a connector assembly is provided. The cooling sub-assembly may include an upper cooling plate and a lower cooling plate stacked on top of the upper cooling plate. The upper cooling plate includes an upper cooling plate main body and upper cooling plate first side portions and upper cooling plate second side portions located on both sides of the upper cooling plate main body in a first direction. The lower cooling plate includes a lower cooling plate main body and lower cooling plate first side portions and lower cooling plate second side portions located on both sides of the lower cooling plate main body in a first direction. The upper cooling plate first side portions are stacked on the lower cooling plate first side portions, and the upper cooling plate second side portions are stacked on the lower cooling plate second side portions. One of the upper cooling plate first side portions and the lower cooling plate first side portions is provided with a cooling medium inlet, and the other of the upper cooling plate first side portions and the lower cooling plate first side portions is provided with a cooling medium outlet. Cooling medium communication holes are formed on the upper cooling plate second side portions and the lower cooling plate second side portions to allow cooling medium to flow between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate. That is, in this connector assembly, the cooling medium inlet and the cooling medium outlet are arranged on the same side of the connector assembly.

[0073] In this manner, during operation, the cooling medium inlet and outlet are connected to piping, allowing the cooling medium to circulate within the cooling sub-assembly. Thus, for example, the cooling medium enters the upper cooling plate from the cooling medium inlet, flows through the upper cooling medium flow chamber of the upper cooling plate, passes through the cooling medium connecting hole of the upper cooling plate to enter the lower cooling plate, flows through the lower cooling medium flow chamber of the lower cooling plate, and exits the lower cooling plate from the cooling medium outlet. Because the cooling medium inlet and outlet are located on the same side, the required piping is reduced, simplifying the piping design, while providing additional space for integrating more electronic components into the connector assembly, increasing the integration density of the connector assembly.

[0074] The first side portion of the upper cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the upper cooling plate. This first side portion includes a first side flange protruding from the main body of the upper cooling plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Similarly, the first side portion of the lower cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the lower cooling plate. This first side portion includes a first side flange protruding in the same direction as the protrusion direction of the first side flange of the upper cooling plate. A cooling medium inlet is provided on one of the first side flanges of the upper and lower cooling plates, and a cooling medium outlet is provided on the other. In other words, the first side portions of the upper and lower cooling plates are offset relative to the main body of the upper and lower cooling plates, respectively, in the second direction. Both the first side portions of the upper and lower cooling plates may include a cooling medium inlet / outlet, configured to allow cooling medium to flow into and out of the upper or lower cooling plate via pipes. The offset of the first side portion of the upper cooling plate and the first side portion of the lower cooling plate relative to the main body portion of the upper cooling plate and the main body portion of the lower cooling plate in the second direction provides more space for the installation of pipes, making installation easier.

[0075] A positioning groove is formed on one of the surfaces of the upper cooling plate facing the first side of the lower cooling plate and the lower cooling plate facing the first side of the upper cooling plate. A positioning protrusion is formed on the other of the surfaces of the upper cooling plate facing the first side of the lower cooling plate and the lower cooling plate facing the first side of the upper cooling plate. When the upper and lower cooling plates are stacked, the positioning protrusion inserts into the positioning groove for positioning. Furthermore, the first connecting portion of the upper cooling plate on the first side of the upper cooling plate is fixedly connected to the first side of the lower cooling plate, and the second connecting portion of the upper cooling plate on the second side of the upper cooling plate is fixedly connected to the second side of the lower cooling plate. In this manner, a stable connection is provided for the upper and lower cooling plates of the cooling sub-assembly.

[0076] When the cooling medium flows between the upper and lower cooling plates through the cooling medium communication holes on both the second side of the upper cooling plate and the second side of the lower cooling plate, there is a risk of accidental leakage of the cooling medium. Therefore, a seal is configured to surround the cooling medium communication holes to seal the cooling channel at the cooling medium communication holes.

[0077] In addition, the upper cooling plate can be configured to have multiple upper cooling plate fins arranged inside the upper cooling medium flow cavity, and the lower cooling plate can be configured to have multiple lower cooling plate fins arranged inside the lower cooling medium flow cavity. The upper and lower cooling plate fins can guide the cooling medium to the area that needs more heat dissipation, thereby increasing the cooling efficiency.

[0078] An electronic system is formed by placing the aforementioned connector assemblies side by side and connecting them to the same surface of a printed circuit board. In this electronic system, the connector assemblies are formed as a first connector assembly and a second connector assembly. The cooling medium inlet and outlet of the cooling subassembly for the first connector assembly are located on opposite sides of the arrangement direction of the first and second connector assemblies, providing additional space for the central portion of the connector assemblies. This allows for the integration of more electronic components on the printed circuit board, improving the integration of the electronic system and supporting flexible design of the electronic system.

[0079] Another electronic system is formed by mounting the aforementioned connector assemblies to opposite first and second surfaces of a printed circuit board, respectively. In this electronic system, the connector assemblies are formed as a first connector assembly and a second connector assembly. The cooling medium inlet and outlet of the cooling subassembly for the first connector assembly are located on the same side of the electronic system as the cooling medium inlet and outlet of the cooling subassembly for the second connector assembly. This provides additional space on the other side of the electronic system, allowing more electronic components to be integrated on the printed circuit board, improving the integration of the electronic system, and supporting the flexible design of the electronic system.

[0080] In this disclosure, the cooling medium is a fluid. Preferably, the cooling medium is a liquid, such as water.

[0081] Next, exemplary embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0082] One aspect of this disclosure provides a cooling subassembly for a connector assembly 100. The cooling subassembly provided in this disclosure is particularly suitable for OSFP type stacked connectors. (See also...) Figures 1 to 3 The cooling subassembly includes an upper cooling plate 110 and a lower cooling plate 120 stacked with the upper cooling plate 110. (Refer to...) Figures 4 to 17 The upper cooling plate 110 may include an upper cooling plate main body 111 and upper cooling plate first side portions 112 and upper cooling plate second side portions 113 located on both sides of the upper cooling plate main body in a first direction X. The lower cooling plate 120 may include a lower cooling plate main body 121 and lower cooling plate first side portions 122 and lower cooling plate second side portions 123 located on both sides of the lower cooling plate main body 121 in a first direction X. The upper cooling plate first side portion 112 is stacked on the lower cooling plate first side portion 122, and the upper cooling plate second side portion 113 is stacked on the lower cooling plate second side portion 123. One of the upper cooling plate first side portion 112 and the lower cooling plate first side portion 122 is provided with a cooling medium inlet 101, and the other of the upper cooling plate first side portion 112 and the lower cooling plate first side portion 122 is provided with a cooling medium outlet 102. Cooling medium communication holes 103 are formed on the second side portion 113 of the upper cooling plate and the second side portion 123 of the lower cooling plate to allow the cooling medium to flow between the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120.

[0083] Those skilled in the art will understand that the first direction X can be referred to as the length direction of the connector assembly 100, the second direction Y described below can be referred to as the width direction of the connector assembly 100, and the third direction Z described below can be referred to as the height direction of the connector assembly 100. The first direction X, the second direction Y and the third direction Z are perpendicular to each other.

[0084] According to the cooling sub-assembly provided in the first aspect of this disclosure, referring to Figures 1 to 3 The cooling medium inlet 101 and cooling medium outlet 102 are arranged on the same side of the connector assembly 100 in the first direction X (i.e., the longitudinal direction of the connector assembly). Specifically, the first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate includes the cooling medium inlet 101, and the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate includes the cooling medium outlet 102. In this way, the cooling medium enters the cooling medium inlet 101 through the conduit 106, flows through the upper cooling medium flow chamber 118 of the upper cooling plate 110, passes through the cooling medium connecting holes of the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120, flows through the lower cooling medium flow chamber 128 of the lower cooling plate 120, and exits the lower cooling plate 120 through the cooling medium outlet 102 via the conduit 106. That is, the cooling medium enters and exits from the same side of the connector assembly, reducing the required piping, thus simplifying the piping design and providing additional space on the other side of the connector assembly, allowing for the integration of more electronic components onto the printed circuit board.

[0085] Alternatively, those skilled in the art will understand that the cooling medium inlet 101 may also be formed in the lower cooling plate 120, and the cooling medium outlet 102 may also be formed in the upper cooling plate 110. In this way, the cooling medium enters the lower cooling plate 120 through the cooling medium inlet 101, flows through the lower cooling medium flow chamber 128 of the lower cooling plate 120, enters the upper cooling plate 110 through the cooling medium communication hole 103, and exits the upper cooling plate 110 through the cooling medium outlet 102.

[0086] In some exemplary embodiments, the first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body portion 111 of the upper cooling plate, and may include a first side flange 114 of the upper cooling plate protruding outward from the main body portion 111 of the upper cooling plate in a second direction Y. The first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body portion 121 of the lower cooling plate, and includes a first side flange 124 of the lower cooling plate protruding in the same direction as the protrusion direction of the first side flange 114 of the upper cooling plate. A cooling medium inlet 101 is provided on one of the first side flange 114 of the upper cooling plate and the first side flange 124 of the lower cooling plate, and a cooling medium outlet 102 is provided on the other of the first side flange 114 of the upper cooling plate and the first side flange 124 of the lower cooling plate.

[0087] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figures 4 to 7 The first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 111 along the first direction X. Furthermore, the first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 111 along the second direction Y, causing the first side flange 114 of the upper cooling plate to be offset relative to the main body portion 111 in the second direction Y. This offset between the first side flange 114 and the main body portion 111 provides greater space for the installation of the pipes, facilitating the installation of the pipes 106.

[0088] More specifically, refer to Figures 8 to 13 The upper cooling plate 110 also includes a contact subassembly 1103. The contact subassembly 1103 includes a frame 1102 and a plurality of components attached to the frame 1102. The upper cooling plate body 111 is stacked on the contact subassembly. The upper cooling plate body 111 includes a top wall 1104, a bottom wall 1105, and side walls 1106 that enclose the upper cooling medium flow cavity 118. The frame 1102 includes a plurality of openings 1113, and each of the plurality of components is attached to each of the plurality of openings 1113.

[0089] Reference Figure 12AEach of the plurality of openings 1113 in frame 1102 includes an inwardly projecting support 1107, on which each of the plurality of members is placed. (See reference...) Figures 8 to 11C Each of the plurality of components includes a contact member 1108 positioned on the support 1107, a flexible member 1109 disposed on the contact member 1108, and a biasing member 1110 surrounding the flexible member 1109. The contact member 1108 is configured to be movable in a third direction Z. See in particular Figures 11A to 11C Each contact member 1108 may include a contact member body 1111 and a contact member flange 1112 extending outwardly from the contact member body 1111. The contact member body 1111 projects downward in a third direction Z relative to the contact member flange 1112. The contact member flange 1112 may be positioned on a support 1107 of each of the plurality of openings 1113 of the frame 1102. The contact member flange 1112 may move between the bottom wall 1105 of the upper cooling plate body 111 and the support 1107 of the corresponding opening 1106 of the frame, and the contact member body 1111 may pass through the corresponding opening of the frame and the corresponding opening 134 (described below) of the upper portion 130 of the cage to enter the corresponding first channel 133.

[0090] Reference Figure 13 The flexible member 1109 is configured to support the movement of the contact member 1108 in the third direction Z. The flexible member 1109 can be positioned between the bottom wall 1105 of the upper cooling plate body and the contact member 1108. The flexible member 1109 is sized such that the corresponding contact member body 1111 and contact member flange 1112 can move between the bottom wall 1105 of the upper cooling plate body and the frame 1102. Each flexible member 1109 has a first thickness t1 in the uncompressed state, and the contact member flange 1112 of the corresponding contact member 1108 is spaced from the bottom wall 1105 of the upper cooling plate body by a third thickness t3 less than the first thickness t1. When a mating connector (e.g., a transceiver) is inserted into the first channel 133 of the upper portion 130 of the corresponding cage and contacts the corresponding contact member 1108, the transceiver can apply force to the contact surface of the corresponding contact member 1108 that contacts the transceiver. This force can compress the flexible member 1109 to a second thickness t2 less than the first thickness t1, allowing the corresponding contact member 1108 to move closer to the bottom wall 1105 of the upper cooling plate body 111. When the mating connector (e.g., a transceiver) is removed from the corresponding channel, the flexible member 1109 can return to its uncompressed state with the first thickness t1, and the corresponding contact member 1108 can move away from the bottom wall 1105 of the upper cooling plate body 111 and return to the support portion 1107 of the frame.

[0091] Reference Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 12B The biasing member 1110 is formed as a rectangular frame with an opening 1114, and two opposing sides of the rectangular frame have multiple bends 1115. Each biasing member 1110 can be disposed between the bottom wall 1105 of the upper cooling plate body 111 and the contact member flange 1112 of the corresponding contact member 1108. The opening 1114 of each biasing member 1110 is aligned with one of the multiple openings 1113 of the frame. A corresponding flexible member 1109 can be disposed in the openings 1113 of the frame and the openings 1114 of the biasing member, and located on the contact member body 1111 of the corresponding contact member 1108. When subjected to pressure in the third direction Z, the biasing member 1110 can deform between a restored state and a compressed state, thereby controlling the thickness of the flexible member 1109 surrounded by the biasing member 1110 in the third direction Z. Specifically, when the biasing member 1110 is subjected to pressure in the third direction Z, the plurality of bending portions 1115 can deform to provide movement of the contact member 1108 in the third direction Z and change of the flexible member between a compressed state and a restored state. When the biasing member 1110 is in the restored state, the corresponding flexible member 1109 is in its uncompressed state and has a first thickness t1. When the biasing member 1110 is in the compressed state, the corresponding flexible member 1109 can be compressed to a second thickness t2. For example, it can be... Figure 12B As can be seen, the multiple bends 1115 are configured in a wavy shape to give the bias member 1110 a high degree of deformability. Those skilled in the art will understand that the shape and number of bends can be configured to provide the required degree of deformability of the bias member.

[0092] In some example implementations, the contact member body of each contact member includes a layer of micro-thermal interface material (micro-TIM) located at the contact surface. The micro-TIM can provide good thermal resistance while offering robustness and flexibility for repeated insertion and removal of mating parts. The micro-TIM can be formed to enhance heat transfer efficiency and the durability of heat-generating devices (e.g., mating connectors, heat dissipation components). The micro-TIM can include a composite material containing thermally conductive particles dispersed in a carrier matrix (e.g., polymer, gel, or phase change material). The small size structure of the micro-TIM allows it to conform to microscopic surface irregularities between mating parts, thereby reducing thermal resistance and improving heat dissipation. In some implementations, the micro-TIM can be applied in the form of a film, paste, or gasket, and can be selected based on factors such as thermal conductivity, mechanical compliance, and stability at operating temperatures. An example of such a micro-TIM is BERGQUIST® microTIM (mTIM) 4028. In some examples, the thickness of the thermal interface material ranges from 20 mm to 30 mm.

[0093] The components described herein may be formed from materials selected to enhance heat dissipation, mechanical strength, and / or electrical shielding. In some examples, the upper cooling plate may include aluminum or copper. Contact members may include aluminum or copper. The frame may include aluminum. The biasing members may include stainless steel.

[0094] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figures 14 to 17 The first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 121 along the first direction X. Furthermore, the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 121 along the second direction Y, causing the first side flange 124 of the lower cooling plate to be offset relative to the main body portion 121 in the second direction Y. This offset between the first side flange 124 and the main body portion 121 facilitates the installation of the pipe 106.

[0095] exist Figures 4 to 17 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the first side flange 114 of the upper cooling plate includes a cooling medium inlet 101, and the first side flange 124 of the lower cooling plate includes a cooling medium outlet 102. The pipe 106 can be connected to the cooling medium inlet 101 and the cooling medium outlet 102 in a manner known in the art. For example, the pipe 106 can be connected to the cooling medium inlet 101 and the cooling medium outlet 102 by fitting it onto a pipe connection member, which is then inserted into the cooling medium inlet 101 and the cooling medium outlet 102.

[0096] Reference Figures 4 to 15The first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 111 of the upper cooling plate along the third direction Z toward the lower cooling plate 120, so that the first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate can be stacked on the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate, and the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 121 of the lower cooling plate along the third direction Z toward the printed circuit board for the connector assembly, so that the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate can be connected to the printed circuit board.

[0097] A positioning groove is formed on one of the surfaces of the upper cooling plate 112 facing the lower cooling plate 122 and the lower cooling plate 122 facing the upper cooling plate 112. A positioning protrusion is formed on the other of the surfaces of the upper cooling plate 112 facing the lower cooling plate 122 and the lower cooling plate 122 facing the upper cooling plate 112. When the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120 are stacked, the positioning protrusion is inserted into the positioning groove for positioning. See also... Figure 6 and Figure 14 The surface of the first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate facing the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate includes a positioning groove 104, and the surface of the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate facing the first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate includes a positioning protrusion 105. When the upper cooling plate 110 is stacked on the lower cooling plate 120, the positioning protrusion 105 is inserted into the positioning groove 104 for positioning, thereby increasing the positioning accuracy between the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120. Alternatively or additionally, the positioning groove 104 may also be formed on the surface of the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate facing the first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate, and the positioning protrusion 105 may also be formed on the surface of the first side portion 112 of the upper cooling plate facing the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate.

[0098] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figure 4 and Figure 6 An upper cooling plate first connecting portion 115 is formed on the side of the upper cooling plate first side portion 112 opposite to the upper cooling plate first side flange 114. The upper cooling plate first connecting portion 115 is fixedly connected to the lower cooling plate first side portion 122. For example, the upper cooling plate first connecting portion 115 is fixed to the lower cooling plate first side portion 122 by fasteners passing through the upper cooling plate first connecting portion 115. Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown. In some examples, the first connecting portion 115 of the upper cooling plate is formed as a stepped portion, which is fixed to the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate by screws passing through threaded holes formed in the stepped portion. In some examples, the first connecting portion 115 of the upper cooling plate can be fixed to the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate by other means, such as welding.

[0099] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figure 14 and Figure 15 A first connecting portion 125 of the lower cooling plate is formed on the side opposite to the first flange 124 of the lower cooling plate on the first side portion 122 of the lower cooling plate. The first connecting portion 125 of the lower cooling plate is fixedly connected to a printed circuit board for the connector assembly. For example, the first connecting portion 125 of the lower cooling plate is fixed to the printed circuit board for the connector assembly by a fastener extending through the first connecting portion 125 of the lower cooling plate. In some examples, the first connecting portion 125 of the lower cooling plate is also formed as a stepped portion, which is fixed to the printed circuit board by a screw passing through a threaded hole formed in the stepped portion. In some examples, the first connecting portion 125 of the lower cooling plate can be fixed to the printed circuit board by other means, such as soldering.

[0100] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 as well as Figure 14 and Figure 15 The second side portion 113 of the upper cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body portion 111 of the upper cooling plate, and the second side portion 123 of the lower cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body portion 121 of the lower cooling plate. In some examples, the second side portion 113 of the upper cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 111 of the upper cooling plate along a first direction X. Furthermore, the second side portion 113 of the upper cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 111 of the upper cooling plate along a third direction Z toward the lower cooling plate 120 for stacking on the second side portion 123 of the lower cooling plate. In some examples, the second side portion 123 of the lower cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 121 of the lower cooling plate along a first direction X. Furthermore, the second side portion 123 of the lower cooling plate extends beyond the main body portion 121 of the lower cooling plate in the same direction as the protrusion direction of the first side flange 124 of the lower cooling plate, thereby providing a larger contact surface for connection with the printed circuit board and increasing the connection strength between the lower cooling plate and the printed circuit board.

[0101] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figure 5 The upper cooling plate second side portion 113 includes upper cooling plate second connecting portions 116 on opposite sides in the second direction Y. The upper cooling plate second connecting portions 116 are fixedly connected to the lower cooling plate second side portion 123. For example, the upper cooling plate second connecting portions 116 are fixed to the lower cooling plate second side portion 123 by fasteners passing through them. In some examples, the upper cooling plate second connecting portion 116 is also formed as a stepped portion, which is fixed to the lower cooling plate second side portion 123 by screws passing through threaded holes formed in the stepped portion. In some examples, the upper cooling plate second connecting portion 116 can be fixed to the lower cooling plate second side portion 123 by other means, such as welding.

[0102] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figure 15The second side portion 123 of the lower cooling plate includes a second connecting portion 126 on opposite sides in the second direction Y. The second connecting portion 126 is fixedly connected to the printed circuit board. For example, the second connecting portion 126 is fixed to the printed circuit board by a fastener extending through it. In some examples, the second connecting portion 126 is also formed as a stepped portion, which is fixed to the printed circuit board by a screw passing through a threaded hole formed in the stepped portion. In some examples, the second connecting portion 126 can be fixed to the printed circuit board by other means, such as soldering.

[0103] The upper cooling plate first connecting portion 115 and the upper cooling plate second connecting portion 116, as well as the lower cooling plate first connecting portion 125 and the lower cooling plate second connecting portion 126, are formed into stepped portions, which increases the contact area between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate, thereby providing a firm connection between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate and between the lower cooling plate and the printed circuit board, reducing the weight of the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate themselves, which is beneficial to the miniaturization design of the connector assembly.

[0104] Reference Figure 14 , Figure 15 , Figure 17 and Figure 20 The lower cooling plate 120's top wall 1200 includes a plurality of top wall recesses 1201, each of which extends through the lower cooling plate top wall 1200 along a second direction Y to allow air to extend through the top wall recesses 1201, thereby cooling the upper portion 130 of the cage-like component. In this way, in addition to the cooling medium flowing through the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120 cooling the upper portion 130 of the cage-like component, the air passing through the top wall recesses 1201 of the lower cooling plate top wall 1200 further cools the upper portion 130 of the cage-like component, thereby improving the cooling effect.

[0105] Reference Figure 14 , Figure 15 and Figure 17 The top wall 1200 of the lower cooling plate 120 includes a plurality of cutouts 1202 to provide flexible clearance for the connection between the upper portion 130 of the cage-like member and the lower cooling plate 120. The plurality of cutouts 1202 are arranged in a row along a first direction X on the top wall 1200, and the first sidewall 131 of the upper portion 130 of the cage-like member includes feet 1301 inserted into the cutouts 1202. Figure 17 and Figure 20 As can be seen, the cut 1202 is square. Those skilled in the art will understand that the cut can also be set in other shapes, such as circles, as long as it can accommodate the foot of the first sidewall 131 of the upper part 130.

[0106] from Figure 14 and Figure 15 It can be seen that multiple top wall grooves 1201 are arranged in groups along the first direction X, and each group includes multiple top wall grooves. Figure 14 and Figure 15 In the example shown, each group includes five top wall recesses. Rows of cuts are arranged between the groups of top wall recesses.

[0107] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figure 3 The cooling subassembly may also include a seal 107 disposed on the cooling medium communication hole 103 for sealing the cooling channel at the cooling medium communication hole 103. In some examples, the seal 107 may be an O-ring. The seal 107 may be placed in a recess 129 surrounding the cooling medium communication hole 103 of the top wall 1200 of the lower cooling plate 120 (see...). Figure 15 The flow path of the cooling medium is sealed between the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120.

[0108] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figure 7 and Figure 16 The interior of the upper cooling plate 110 includes an upper cooling medium flow cavity 118 (see...) Figure 7 The interior of the lower cooling plate 120 includes a lower cooling medium flow chamber 128 (see...). Figure 10 The upper cooling medium flow cavity 118 includes multiple upper cooling plate fins 117 for guiding the flow of cooling medium, and the lower cooling medium flow cavity 128 includes multiple lower cooling plate fins 127 for guiding the flow of cooling medium. In some examples, the multiple upper cooling plate fins 117 are configured to guide the cooling medium from the cooling medium inlet 101 to the cooling medium communication hole 103, and the multiple lower cooling plate fins 127 are configured to guide the cooling medium from the cooling medium communication hole 103 to the cooling medium outlet 102.

[0109] exist Figure 7 and Figure 16 In the exemplary embodiment shown, each of the plurality of upper cooling plate fins 117 extends in a direction parallel to the first direction X. Similarly, each of the plurality of lower cooling plate fins 127 extends in a direction parallel to the first direction X. In this configuration, the plurality of upper cooling plate fins 117 are spaced apart from each other, and the plurality of lower cooling plate fins 127 are spaced apart from each other by the same predetermined distance, thereby ensuring that the cooling medium flows uniformly through the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120, providing uniform heat dissipation for all parts of the connector assembly.

[0110] Alternatively, those skilled in the art will understand that, in some examples, each of the plurality of upper cooling plate fins 117 may extend at an angle to the first direction X, and each of the plurality of lower cooling plate fins 127 may extend at an angle to the first direction X, thereby directing the cooling medium to locations within the connector assembly where heat dissipation is more critical. For example, the plurality of upper cooling plate fins 117 and the plurality of lower cooling plate fins 127 may be configured to direct the cooling medium to the central portion of the cooling subassembly, thereby providing targeted heat dissipation to the central portion of the connector that mates with the connector assembly.

[0111] Although Figure 7 and Figure 16 In the example shown, a plurality of upper cooling plate fins 117 and a plurality of lower cooling plate fins 127 extend from the bottom wall 1105 of the upper cooling plate main body 111 and the bottom wall of the lower cooling plate main body 121, respectively. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the plurality of upper cooling plate fins 117 and the plurality of lower cooling plate fins 127 may extend from the top wall 1104 of the upper cooling plate main body and the top wall of the lower cooling plate main body 121; or, the plurality of upper cooling plate fins 117 and the plurality of lower cooling plate fins 127 may simultaneously extend from the top wall 1104 and the bottom wall 1105 of the upper cooling plate main body 111 and the top wall and the bottom wall of the lower cooling plate main body 121.

[0112] Those skilled in the art will understand that the plurality of upper cooling plate fins 117 can be integrally formed with the bottom wall 1105 and / or top wall 1104 of the upper cooling plate main body 111, and the plurality of lower cooling plate fins 127 can be integrally formed with the bottom wall and / or top wall of the lower cooling plate main body 121.

[0113] In some exemplary implementations, such as Figure 3 As shown, the cooling subassembly may further include a cage-like member for mating with a connector. The cage-like member may include an upper portion 130 and a lower portion 140. The upper portion 130 is disposed between the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120, and the lower portion 140 is disposed between the lower cooling plate 120 and the printed circuit board for the connector assembly. The upper portion 130 and the lower portion 140 may be made of any suitable metal or other conductive material.

[0114] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figures 18 to 23The upper portion 130 includes a plurality of first sidewalls 131 disposed along a first direction X. Each of the plurality of first sidewalls 131 extends along a second direction Y to form a plurality of first channels 133 in the upper portion 130 for receiving a connector. The openings 134 of the first channels 133 mate with the connector, i.e., the connector can be inserted into the openings 134 of the first channels 133. The lower portion 140 includes a plurality of second sidewalls 141 disposed along the first direction X. Each of the plurality of second sidewalls 141 extends along the second direction Y to form a plurality of second channels 143 in the lower portion 140 for receiving a connector. The openings 144 of the second channels 143 mate with the connector, i.e., the connector can be inserted into the openings 144 of the second channels 143. The opening 134 of the first channel 133 and the opening 144 of the second channel 143 protrude from the lower cooling plate 120 in the second direction Y, such that the opening 134 of the first channel 133 and the opening 144 of the second channel 143 can be joined by welding in the third direction Z.

[0115] In some examples, such as Figure 18 As shown, the upper part 130 has an open top for each of the plurality of first channels 133, and an upper cooling plate 110 is placed above the plurality of first channels 133 of the upper part 130. When the cooling medium flows through the upper cooling plate 110, the upper cooling plate 110 can dissipate heat for the connectors that mate with the first channels 133.

[0116] In some examples, such as Figure 21 As shown, the upper part of each of the plurality of second channels 143 in the lower portion 140 is open, and the lower cooling plate 120 is placed above the plurality of second channels 143 in the lower portion 140. When the cooling medium flows through the cooling medium communication hole and over the lower cooling plate 120, the lower cooling plate 120 can dissipate heat for the connector that mates with the second channel 143.

[0117] In this way, the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120 completely cover the upper portion 130 and the lower portion 140. Therefore, when the cooling medium enters one of the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120 from the cooling medium inlet 101 and flows through the upper cooling plate 110 and the lower cooling plate 120, the cooling medium can flow through all the first channels 133 and the second channels 143 of the upper portion 130 and the lower portion 140, thereby providing heat dissipation for the connector that mates with the first channels 133 and the second channels 143. This configuration of the cooling subassembly increases the contact area with the connector and improves cooling efficiency. In addition, since the cooling medium inlet 101 and the cooling medium outlet 102 are arranged on the same side of the connector assembly 100 in the first direction X, the required piping is reduced, thereby simplifying the piping design and providing the space required to integrate additional electronic components into the connector assembly.

[0118] Reference Figure 22 After the lower cooling plate 120 is positioned on the lower portion 140, the upper portion 130 can be fixed to the lower portion 140 by welding. Specifically, the upper portion 130 can be fixed to the lower portion 140 by laser welding the openings 134 of the first channel 133 and the openings 144 of the second channel 143 at the joint 145 in the third direction Z.

[0119] In some exemplary embodiments, reference is made to Figure 19 and Figure 21 Each of the plurality of first sidewalls 131 includes a first tail 132, and each of the plurality of second sidewalls 141 includes a second tail 142, as shown below. Figure 23 As shown, the first tail portion 132 and the second tail portion 142 partially overlap in the first direction X, and are joined at the overlap by welding, for example, laser welding.

[0120] The upper portion 130 and the lower portion 140 are secured to each other by welding at the opening 134 of the first channel 133 and the opening 144 of the second channel 143, as well as at the first tail 132 and the second tail 142, thereby providing mechanical stability and rigidity to the entire connector assembly 100.

[0121] In some exemplary implementations, a reference is returned. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The cooling subassembly also includes a cover 150 that covers the upper portion 130 and the lower portion 140 at a first tail side and a second tail side, respectively. In some examples, the cover 150 includes a plurality of ventilation holes 151 arranged in rows and columns to further improve cooling efficiency. In some examples, the cover is fastened to the upper portion 130 and the lower portion 140 by fasteners such as screws.

[0122] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an electronic system 200, with reference to Figure 24The electronic system 200 includes a printed circuit board 210, a first connector assembly 220, and a second connector assembly 230. The first connector assembly 220 and the second connector assembly 230 are connected to the same surface of the printed circuit board and are arranged side-by-side along a first direction X. The first connector assembly 220 and the second connector assembly 230 include cooling subassemblies provided according to the foregoing aspects of this disclosure. In the electronic system 200, the cooling medium inlet and outlet for the cooling subassembly of the first connector assembly 220 are located on opposite sides of the arrangement direction of the cooling subassembly of the second connector assembly 230. In this configuration, the cooling medium inlets and outlets for the cooling subassemblies of each connector assembly are arranged oppositely in the arrangement direction of the connector assemblies, thereby providing additional space for the central portion of the connector assembly, allowing for the integration of more electronic components on the printed circuit board, improving the integration level of the electronic system, and supporting flexible design of the electronic system.

[0123] In some exemplary embodiments, the first connector assembly 220 and the second connector assembly 230 are arranged side by side by using the second side of the upper cooling plate and the second side of the lower cooling plate of the cooling subassembly of the first connector assembly 220 to abut against the second side of the upper cooling plate and the second side of the lower cooling plate of the cooling subassembly of the second connector assembly 230.

[0124] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an electronic system 200, with reference to Figure 15 The electronic system 200 includes a printed circuit board 210, a first connector assembly 220 mounted to a first surface of the printed circuit board 210, and a second connector assembly 230 mounted to a second surface of the printed circuit board 210 opposite to the first surface. The first connector assembly 220 and the second connector assembly 230 include cooling subassemblies provided according to the foregoing aspects of this disclosure. The cooling medium inlet and outlet of the cooling subassembly for the first connector assembly 220 are located on the same side of the electronic system as the cooling medium inlet and outlet of the cooling subassembly for the second connector assembly 230. Similarly, in the electronic system 200, the location of each cooling medium inlet and outlet on the same side of the electronic system provides additional space on the other side of the electronic system, allowing for the integration of more electronic components on the printed circuit board, improving the integration level of the electronic system, and supporting flexible design of the electronic system.

[0125] In some exemplary embodiments, the electronic system 200 further includes a fixing member 240 that connects the side of the first connector assembly 220 having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet and the side of the second connector assembly 230 having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet to a printed circuit board.

[0126] The foregoing description of various embodiments is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments, modifications, and equivalents are all within the scope of protection of the appended claims. For example, the techniques described herein can be used alone or in any combination to provide a connector capable of transmitting high-frequency signals, such as signals higher than 40 Gbps using the NRZ protocol or signals higher than 50 Gbps using the PAM4 protocol. For example, the connector can transmit signals of the above frequencies with near-end crosstalk and / or far-end crosstalk of less than 6% and / or attenuation of less than -20 dB. However, in some embodiments, the operating frequency range of the connector may also be higher.

[0127] Various embodiments have been described herein, and those skilled in the art will readily conceive of various changes, modifications, and improvements. Such changes, modifications, and improvements are all intended to conform to the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the above description and accompanying drawings are merely examples.

[0128] Various modifications can be made to the example structures shown and described herein. As a specific example of a possible variation, in the embodiments described herein, the connection between the connector (e.g., transceiver) and the connector is an electrical connection. However, embodiments where the connection is an optical connection are also possible.

[0129] As another example of a variation, the description of the embodiments herein refers to liquids for facilitating heat transfer. In some embodiments, other types of coolants, including gaseous coolants, may be used in conjunction with the embodiments described. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to liquid coolants, as other fluids with cooling capabilities have been considered herein.

[0130] Furthermore, the connectors shown herein are configured to mate with OSFP-compliant connectors (e.g., transceivers). The techniques described herein can be used with connectors configured to operate according to any SFP standard (such as QSFP-DD), or with other connectors not specifically configured to operate according to SFP standards. Additionally, the techniques described herein can be used with single-port connectors or stacked connectors. Furthermore, one or more of the techniques described herein can be applied to connectors other than input / output (I / O) types, such as backplane connectors.

[0131] The terms “first”, “second”, etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or relative order.

[0132] It should be understood that the terms “inner,” “outer,” “upper,” “lower,” etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0133] It should also be understood that, unless expressly stated to the contrary, for any method claimed herein that includes more than one step or action, the order of the steps or actions of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which they are described herein.

Claims

1. A cooling sub-assembly for a connector assembly, the cooling sub-assembly comprising: The upper cooling plate includes a main body and a first side portion and a second side portion located on both sides of the main body in a first direction. A lower cooling plate, stacked with an upper cooling plate, the lower cooling plate comprising a lower cooling plate main body and a lower cooling plate first side portion and a lower cooling plate second side portion located on both sides of the lower cooling plate main body in a first direction, characterized in that... The first side portion of the upper cooling plate is stacked on the first side portion of the lower cooling plate, and the second side portion of the upper cooling plate is stacked on the second side portion of the lower cooling plate. One of the first side portions of the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate is provided with a cooling medium inlet, and the other of the first side portions of the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate is provided with a cooling medium outlet. Cooling medium communication holes are formed on the second side of the upper cooling plate and the second side of the lower cooling plate to allow the cooling medium to flow between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate.

2. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first side portion of the upper cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the upper cooling plate, and the first side portion of the upper cooling plate includes a first side flange protruding from the main body of the upper cooling plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction outward from the main body of the upper cooling plate. The first side portion of the lower cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the lower cooling plate, and the first side portion of the lower cooling plate includes a first side flange of the lower cooling plate that protrudes in the same direction as the protrusion direction of the first side flange of the upper cooling plate. The cooling medium inlet is provided on one of the first side flange of the upper cooling plate and the first side flange of the lower cooling plate, and the cooling medium outlet is provided on the other of the first side flange of the upper cooling plate and the first side flange of the lower cooling plate.

3. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, A positioning groove is formed on one of the surfaces of the upper cooling plate facing the first side of the lower cooling plate and the lower cooling plate facing the first side of the upper cooling plate. A positioning protrusion is formed on the other of the surfaces of the upper cooling plate facing the first side of the lower cooling plate and the lower cooling plate facing the first side of the upper cooling plate. When the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate are stacked, the positioning protrusion is inserted into the positioning groove for positioning.

4. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, Both the cooling medium inlet and the cooling medium outlet are connected to pipes, thereby allowing the cooling medium to circulate in the cooling sub-assembly through the pipes.

5. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, An upper cooling plate first connecting portion is formed on the side opposite to the first flange of the upper cooling plate on the first side of the upper cooling plate, and the upper cooling plate first connecting portion is fixedly connected to the first side of the lower cooling plate.

6. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, A first connecting portion of the lower cooling plate is formed on the side opposite to the first flange of the lower cooling plate on the first side of the lower cooling plate, and the first connecting portion of the lower cooling plate is configured to be fixedly connected to a printed circuit board for the connector assembly.

7. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The second side of the upper cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the upper cooling plate. The second side of the lower cooling plate protrudes beyond the surface of the main body of the lower cooling plate.

8. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The second side of the upper cooling plate includes a second connecting portion on opposite sides in the second direction, and the second connecting portion of the upper cooling plate is fixedly connected to the second side of the lower cooling plate.

9. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The second side of the lower cooling plate includes a second connecting portion on opposite sides in the second direction, the second connecting portion of the lower cooling plate being configured to be fixedly connected to a printed circuit board for the connector assembly.

10. A cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The cooling sub-assembly also includes a sealing element disposed on the cooling medium communication hole for sealing the cooling channel at the cooling medium communication hole.

11. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The upper cooling plate also includes a contact sub-assembly, and the main body of the upper cooling plate is stacked on the contact sub-assembly; The contact sub-assembly includes a frame and a plurality of components attached to the frame, the frame including a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of components being attached to each of the plurality of openings.

12. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that, Each of the plurality of openings includes an inwardly projecting support portion; Each of the plurality of components is placed on the support.

13. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that, Each of the plurality of components includes a contact member positioned on the support, a flexible member disposed on the contact member, and a biasing member surrounding the flexible member. The contact member is configured to move upward in a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions. The flexible member is configured to support the movement of the contact member in the third direction.

14. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that, The biasing member can deform between a restored state and a compressed state when subjected to pressure in the third direction, thereby controlling the thickness of the flexible member surrounded by the biasing member in the third direction. When the biasing member is in the restored state, the flexible member has a first thickness; as well as When the biasing member is in the compressed state, the flexible member has a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.

15. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 14, characterized in that, The contact member includes a contact member body and a contact member flange extending outward from the contact member body. The contact member flange is placed on the support and is movable between the bottom wall of the upper cooling plate body and the support. as well as When the biasing member is in the restored state, the gap between the flange of the contact member and the bottom wall has a third thickness that is less than the first thickness.

16. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that, The biasing member is arranged between the bottom wall of the upper cooling plate body and the flange of the contact member.

17. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The cooling subassembly includes a cage-like component, which comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is disposed between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate, and the lower portion is disposed between the lower cooling plate and a printed circuit board for the connector assembly.

18. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 17, characterized in that, The upper portion includes a plurality of first sidewalls disposed along the first direction, each of the plurality of first sidewalls extending along the second direction to form a plurality of first channels in the upper portion for receiving a connector to be mated, the openings of the first channels mating with the connector. The lower portion includes a plurality of second sidewalls disposed along the first direction, each of the plurality of second sidewalls extending along the second direction to form a plurality of second channels in the lower portion for receiving the connector, the openings of the second channels engaging with the connector. The openings of the first channel and the second channel protrude from the lower cooling plate in the second direction, and the openings of the first channel and the second channel are joined by welding in a third direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

19. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 18, characterized in that, Each of the plurality of first sidewalls includes a first tail portion, and each of the plurality of second sidewalls includes a second tail portion; The first tail and the second tail partially overlap in the first direction and are joined by welding at the overlap.

20. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The upper cooling plate includes an upper cooling medium flow cavity, and the upper cooling medium flow cavity includes multiple upper cooling plate fins for guiding the flow of the cooling medium. The lower cooling plate includes a lower cooling medium flow cavity, and the lower cooling medium flow cavity includes multiple lower cooling plate fins for guiding the flow of the cooling medium.

21. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 20, characterized in that, Each of the plurality of upper cooling plate fins extends in a direction parallel to the first direction or at an angle to the first direction. And / or Each of the plurality of lower cooling plate fins extends in a direction parallel to the first direction or at an angle to the first direction.

22. The cooling subassembly for a connector assembly according to claim 19, characterized in that, The cooling subassembly further includes a cover that covers the upper portion and the lower portion of the cage-like member at a first tail side and a second tail side, respectively.

23. An electronic system, characterized in that, The electronic system includes a printed circuit board, a first connector assembly, and a second connector assembly, the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly being connected to the same surface of the printed circuit board and placed side by side, the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly including a cooling sub-assembly for the connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 22. The cooling medium inlet and outlet of the cooling sub-assembly for the first connector assembly are located on opposite sides of the cooling medium inlet and outlet of the cooling sub-assembly for the second connector assembly, respectively, in the arrangement directions of the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly.

24. The electronic system according to claim 23, characterized in that, The first connector assembly and the second connector assembly are arranged side by side by abutting the second side of the upper cooling plate and the second side of the lower cooling plate of the cooling sub-assembly of the first connector assembly with the second side of the upper cooling plate and the second side of the lower cooling plate of the cooling sub-assembly of the second connector assembly.

25. An electronic system, characterized in that, The electronic system includes a printed circuit board, a first connector assembly mounted to a first surface of the printed circuit board, and a second connector assembly mounted to a second surface of the printed circuit board opposite to the first surface. The first and second connector assemblies include a cooling subassembly for the connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 22. The cooling medium inlet and outlet of the cooling sub-assembly for the first connector assembly are located on the same side of the electronic system as the cooling medium inlet and outlet of the cooling sub-assembly for the second connector assembly.

26. The electronic system according to claim 25, characterized in that, The electronic system further includes a fixing member that connects the side of the first connector assembly having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, and the side of the second connector assembly having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, to the printed circuit board.

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