Spring seals for I / O connector cages with high shielding effectiveness, and connector assemblies and methods of operating the same

Abstract

A spring seal for a cage in a high-speed I / O connector, such as those conforming to the OSFP standard. The spring seal suppresses resonance within the connector's operating frequency range in the space between the cage and a transceiver inserted into the cage to mate with the I / O connector. The spring seal has multiple peaks separated by valleys, with short conductive paths between the peaks and valleys. The spring seal connects the conductive exterior of the transceiver to the wall of the cage, such that the peaks contact the conductive exterior of the transceiver and the valleys contact the wall of the cage. The spring seal may have a plurality of slits that reduce spring force while providing conductive paths between the peaks and valleys.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The techniques described herein generally relate to interconnect systems, and more specifically to designs for reducing electromagnetic interference and / or improving high-frequency performance in electronic devices.

[0002] Cross-reference to related applications

[0003] This application claims priority and benefits from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 208,200, filed June 8, 2021, entitled “I / O CONNECTOR CAGE WITH HIGH SHIELDING EFFECTIVENESS”. The entire contents of that application are incorporated herein by reference. [Previous Technology]

[0004] Electronic devices are often connected to enable them to communicate over a network, or because they 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.

[0005] Typically, this connection is achieved through an internal I / O connector mating with a plug, where the plug terminates a cable routed between electronic devices. The I / O connector is configured as a receptacle that is mounted to a printed circuit board and mates with the plug. The receptacle may be mounted near the edge of the printed circuit board to which components constituting the electronic device are attached. This edge may be adjacent to a panel that houses the printed circuit board and may also house the housing of other sub-components constituting the electronic device.

[0006] To allow a plug to be inserted into a socket, the panel may have an opening through which the plug can be inserted to mate with the socket. However, openings in the panel may allow electromagnetic radiation to escape from the housing, or conversely, allow radiation to enter the housing through the panel. Radiation through the panels of electronic devices can cause undesirable interference between electronic devices or even between different parts of the same electronic device.

[0007] To reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI), socket connectors are typically enclosed in a grounded metal structure called a "cage." The cage may have one or more channels, each shaped to receive the plug, and each channel is aligned with the mating interface of the panel opening and the socket. The plug can be inserted into the channel through the panel opening, allowing the plug and socket to mate within the cage. In this configuration, the cage blocks radiation from inside the device from reaching the panel opening. Furthermore, the plug may have a conductive exterior, which is also grounded, blocking radiation from the plug or socket from leaving the cage through the channels.

[0008] To enhance the effectiveness of the cage and plug in blocking electromagnetic radiation, one or more components acting as electromagnetic seals can be used. Conductive washers can be positioned between the periphery of the cage and the panel opening to reduce radiation exiting from any opening between the cage and the panel. Additionally, spring fingers can be installed in the channel opening. These spring fingers can be biased outward from the channel wall to establish contact with the conductive exterior of the plug, thereby blocking the opening between the plug and the cage.

[0009] In this way, a large amount of radiation is blocked by the cage and plug, which would otherwise leave the enclosure through the panel opening. Radiation that might enter the enclosure is also blocked, which also reduces EMI.

[0010] The effectiveness of a component, such as a cage or spring finger, in blocking radiation through an opening can be expressed as shielding effectiveness. Shielding effectiveness can be measured as the percentage decrease in radiation passing through a panel opening when the component is in place, compared to when the component is not present. [Summary of the Invention]

[0011] Aspects of this disclosure can be implemented as spring seals for a cage of a connector assembly, the cage being configured to receive a plug inserted in an insertion direction. The spring seal may include a conductive sheet comprising a plurality of peaks spaced apart in the insertion direction.

[0012] Aspects of this disclosure can be implemented as connector assemblies including a receptacle connector within a cage, the cage including a channel with an opening and a plurality of spring seals disposed at the opening of the channel. Each of the plurality of seals may include a wave plate including a plurality of peaks and a plurality of valleys, the length of the conductive path between each of the plurality of peaks and a valley of an adjacent plurality of valleys being 1 mm or less.

[0013] Aspects of this disclosure can be implemented as a method of operating an electronic component including an accessible socket within a channel of a cage having a spring seal at an opening in the channel. The method may include: inserting a transceiver through the opening into the channel; contacting a first convex surface of the spring seal at a first distance from the opening; contacting a second convex surface of the spring seal at a second distance from the opening; and contacting a third convex surface of the spring seal at a third distance from the opening, such that the spring seal is compressed between the transceiver and the wall of the cage.

[0014] The foregoing is a non-limiting overview of the present invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended patent applications.

Implementation Method

[0022] The inventors have recognized and understood that a structure for enhancing the shielding effectiveness of an I / O connector assembly includes a cage. Increased shielding effectiveness can be provided by a spring seal having a plurality of segments between the cage and a pluggable component, each of the plurality of segments contacting the cage wall at multiple spaced apart in the direction of transceiver insertion into the cage.

[0023] The spring seal may have a plurality of peaks and valleys. The peaks may be oriented to contact the outer housing of the transceiver or other pluggable component, and the valleys may be oriented to contact the wall of the cage. When the spring is uncompressed, the separation between the peaks and valleys in a direction perpendicular to the cage wall may be greater than the positioning tolerance between the outer housing of the transceiver and the wall of the cage, which will cause the spring seal to be compressed in a direction toward the cage wall when the transceiver is inserted into the cage.

[0024] Figure 1 shows an electronic assembly 100 having a printed circuit board 110 and a connector assembly 112 mounted to an edge 114. The connector assembly 112 is positioned for insertion into an opening 122 in a panel 120 to form a housing that will surround the electronic assembly 100. In this example, the connector assembly 112 is configured to hold four receptacle connectors, and a ganged cage 130 with four channels 132A, 132B, 132C, and 132D is shown. Each of the channels is shown to have the same type of seal.

[0025] In the illustrated embodiment, the EMI seal 134 at the opening of each channel of the cage is formed by spring seals, as described herein, mounted to all four inner walls at the opening into each channel. In this exemplary embodiment, each spring seal is formed of a sheet of metal. The walls of the cage may be formed of stainless steel, and the spring seals may be formed of a material unlikely to yield when compressed. For example, the spring seals may be stamped from phosphor bronze sheets. The spring seals may include a plating such as a nickel plating.

[0026] Figure 2 illustrates the insertion of transceiver 210 into cage 130. As can be seen in Figure 2, transceiver 210 terminates cable 216 and a connection can be established between cable 216 and components on PCB 110 via the receptacle connector of connector assembly 112. The transceiver moves along insertion direction 250 into channel 132A of cage 130, such that front end 214 of the transceiver can be connected to the receptacle connector (not visible in Figure 2) at the rear portion of the channel of cage 130.

[0027] The transceiver may have a conductive exterior 212 that is contacted at multiple locations along the insertion direction by spring seals aligned with the walls of the channel at its openings. As can be seen in Figure 2, the cage 130 includes features for connecting the cage to a grounding structure in the PCB on which it is mounted. In this example, for this purpose, a press-fit portion 138 extends from the cage 130. Since the cage 130 is grounded, connecting the transceiver's exterior 212 to the cage via the spring seals provides a common ground for both the cage and the transceiver housing.

[0028] Figure 3 shows a spring seal 332A disassembled from one wall of the cage's passage. A second spring seal 332B can be seen on a second wall orthogonal to the passage. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring seals on each wall of the cage have a similar arrangement of peaks and valleys. Each spring seal may also have the same type of attachment features for attaching the spring seal to the cage. Similarly, the spring seals may be formed of the same material, and all spring seals may function in the same manner. However, the spring seals on different walls may differ in length.

[0029] As can be seen, for example in Figure 4, spring seals such as spring seal 332A have attachment mechanisms at the front and rear for attaching to the cage wall. In this example, the attachment mechanism at the front is a clamp 410, which is formed by folding the metal sheet forming the spring seal so that the spring seal is clamped to the front edge of the cage wall. In this embodiment, the spring seal can be held to the cage at the front by friction. Alternatively or additionally, the spring seal can be welded to the cage at the front or otherwise fixedly coupled to the cage. In a further embodiment, the attachment at the front can be omitted, and the spring seal can be held at the rear by a hook or other attachment mechanism.

[0030] The spring seal may optionally or additionally include an attachment mechanism at the rear. In the embodiment of FIG3, the spring seal is attached at the rear with a protrusion 340 that engages with the wall 336 of the cage. Here, the protrusion is inserted into a slot 334 in the wall 336 of the cage. In this example, the protrusion 340 is designed to be hook-shaped. The attachment mechanism can provide movable coupling. In the illustrated example, the hook is oriented to prevent the spring seal from being pulled out of the cage, but allows the rear of the spring seal to move into the cage. To achieve this movement, the slot 334 may have a width in a direction parallel to the insertion direction 250, which is greater than the thickness of the hook inserted into the slot.

[0031] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the spring seal. In this example, the spring seal is formed from a single metal sheet. The folded front portion forming the clip 410 and the protrusion 340 with a rear hook are visible from the rear. Furthermore, the metal sheet is formed with multiple peaks and valleys, the peaks shown here as peaks 420A, 420B, and 420C, and the valleys shown here as valleys 430A, 430B, 430C, and 430D. In the illustrated example, valleys 430B or 430C are between each pair of adjacent peaks. Further valleys 430A and 430D define the peaks at the front and rear of the spring seal. In this example, the peaks and valleys have smooth surfaces to provide alternating concave and convex portions and a wave-like shape. The peaks and valleys here are elongated in the direction transverse to the insertion direction 250. In the example of Figure 4, there are three peaks and four valleys.

[0032] In this example, the slit 440 is cut into the shield. In this example, the slit 440 has an elongated dimension parallel to the insertion direction. In the illustrated example, the slit is cut into the inner portion of the metal sheet forming the spring seal, such that the slit has a closed perimeter. The slit 440 has an elongated dimension transverse to the peaks and valleys. This orientation creates a plurality of segments 442 that provide conductive paths between the slits and connect the peaks and valleys.

[0033] Slit 442 can modify the stiffness of the shield. In the illustrated embodiment, there are more slits at the front and rear than in the central portion. Therefore, the opening density at the front and rear is greater than that in the central portion. In the illustrated example, the average spacing between the slits at the front and rear is approximately half that in the central portion. In some examples, the average spacing between the slits in the front and rear portions can be 30% to 70% of the average spacing in the central portion. This configuration provides a stiffer spring force from the central portion of the shield, while providing a smaller spring force at the front and rear.

[0034] Figure 5 shows an electronic assembly 500 with a cage 530 having a conventional spring shield 550. The cage 530 includes four channels 532A, 532B, 532C, and 532D. As with the cage 130 described above, each of the channels includes a rear portion 542 that surrounds a receptacle connector (shown as an imaginary line in Figure 5). The front portion 540 of the channel receives a transceiver 520. As described above in conjunction with transceiver 210, the transceiver is connected to a cable 522 and has a front end 524 configured to mate with the receptacle connector. The transceiver 520 can establish a connection between the cable 522 and components on the PCB 510 via the receptacle connector. As can be seen in Figure 5, the insertion direction of the cage extends from the opening of the channel to the rear portion 542, where the receptacle connector is surrounded by the cage.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, the spring shield 550 has a plurality of spring fingers 552, but not the plurality of peaks shown in Figure 4. In this example, the spring shield is attached to the outside of the cage, providing a seal between the cage and the panel opening. However, the spring shield with spring fingers shown in Figure 5 can also be used within the passage of the cage, between the cage and a transceiver inserted into the cage. For example, the transceiver 520 may have a conductive exterior 526. When the transceiver 520 is inserted into the passage of the cage 530, one or more spring shields 550 may establish a connection between the exterior 526 and the wall of the cage. For example, the spring shield 550 may be attached to a vertical wall, wherein vertical walls 534B, 534C, and 534D are visible.

[0036] In the example of Figure 1, a separate seal 136 is used between the cage and the panel opening. In this example, the external seal 136 is a conductive elastomer. The spring seal described herein may optionally or additionally be used on the outside of the cage in the same configuration as shown in Figure 5, or in place of the elastomer seal 136.

[0037] As can be seen in Figure 5, the spring finger 552 has a single curved portion that can establish a contact point relative to an opposing component, such as a panel wall for an external seal or a transceiver for an internal seal.

[0038] Figure 6 shows the spring seal 332A as shown in Figure 4 clamped to the edge of the cage wall 336. In the illustrated embodiment, three peaks 420A, 420B, and 420C are oriented to contact the outer housing of the transceiver inserted into the cage. Each peak will form a contact point with the transceiver when the transceiver or other components are pressed against the shield. In this example, there will be three contact points between the spring shield and the transceiver.

[0039] A conductive path through the shield will exist between each contact point of these peaks and the location marked "X" on the wall of the cage. In this example, there are conductive paths extending from the peaks in two directions between each peak and the wall of the cage. These paths are relatively short. For example, in this example, the spring seal can be formed to have a height H of approximately 1 mm in the uncompressed state, for example, between 0.5 mm and 2 mm, or between 0.5 mm and 1 mm, or approximately 0.75 + / - 0.1 mm. For example, this height can be less than 1 mm. The length of the conductive path can be around 1.0 mm, for example, less than 1 mm. These dimensions have been found to provide enhanced performance for systems using cage, transceiver, and receptacle connectors manufactured according to the OSFP standard.

[0040] It has been found that spring seals, as described herein, provide improved high-frequency performance for electronic systems with I / O connectors. Without being bound by any particular theory, the inventors reason that multiple peaks and valleys result in short conductive paths through the seal across the gap between the transceiver and the cage. These conductive paths will be shorter than the spring fingers required to form a seal between the same two components, as shown in Figure 5. The inventors reason that the space between the transceiver and the cage (or between any other components separated by the gap to be sealed with the spring seal) can resonate during operation. Resonance in a space including an opening increases the coupling of electromagnetic energy through that opening. The shorter conductive segment defining the opening increases the resonant frequency that can be supported by that opening. Therefore, a seal with a shorter conductive segment increases the resonant frequency supported within the panel opening. Less overlap between the resonant frequency and the operating frequency range of the electronic system contributes to enhanced performance. The structure described herein can increase this resonant frequency beyond the operating range of electronic components using high-speed I / O connectors such as those manufactured according to the OSFP standard.

[0041] As disclosed herein, designs with multiple peaks and valleys help to shorten the conductive sections defining openings in the panel, contributing to enhanced performance, particularly in high-frequency systems where resonance could otherwise degrade performance. For example, the seals described herein would be useful at high frequencies, such as those used in OSFP connectors.

[0042] Figure 6 shows the distance S extending in the insertion direction of the conductive segment between the peak and the valley. If a similar spring shield is implemented with a spring finger as shown in Figure 5, the conductive path through the shield will have a distance P longer than the distance S.

[0043] Figure 6 also shows additional details of the exemplary embodiment. For example, it can be seen from Figure 6 that the spring seal has a maximum height H at the position corresponding to the central peak. The additional peaks on both sides of the central peak are lower. This configuration shows that the peaks can have different heights. For example, the height of the peaks (with or without slits, as described above) can be selected to provide the required spring force in the compression direction (indicated in Figure 6 as perpendicular to the cage wall).

[0044] As can be understood from the foregoing, a cage having the spring seal as described above can be used in a method of operating an electronic component, the electronic component including an accessible socket within a channel of the cage and having a spring seal at an opening of the channel. An exemplary method may include inserting a transceiver through the opening into the channel; contacting a first convex surface of the spring seal at a first distance from the opening; contacting a second convex surface of the spring seal at a second distance from the opening; and contacting a third convex surface of the spring seal at a third distance from the opening, such that the spring seal is compressed between the transceiver and the wall of the cage. The method may include mating the transceiver with a connector in the channel.

[0045] A spring seal used with this method may include a front portion adjacent to the opening and a rear portion offset relative to the front portion in the insertion direction. When the spring seal is compressed, the rear portion of the spring seal may move in the insertion direction.

[0046] Contact with the first convex surface can compress the spring seal to generate a first contact force between the first convex surface and the transceiver. Contact with the second convex surface can compress the spring seal to generate a second contact force between the second convex surface and the transceiver, and the second contact force may be greater than the first contact force.

[0047] By compressing the spring seal between the transceiver and the cage wall, a plurality of conductive paths with a length of less than 1 mm can be formed between the transceiver and the cage wall.

[0048] Compressing the spring seal between the transceiver and the cage wall can create multiple grounding connections between the transceiver and the cage wall. When the transceiver operates at high frequencies, such as within the operating frequency range of the OSFP standard, the multiple grounding connections can suppress resonances in the space between the transceiver and the cage wall within the operating frequency range.

[0049] Having described several aspects of at least one embodiment of the present invention, it should be understood that various changes, modifications and improvements will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0050] For example, the spring seal described herein can also be used between other components. The spring seal is described above as establishing an electrical connection between the transceiver and the cage. In other embodiments, the spring seal can establish multiple connections between the transceiver and another grounded structure of an electronic component having a receptacle I / O connector. In still other embodiments, the spring seal may be disposed between a passive plug or other pluggable component and the wall of the cage, rather than between the transceiver and the wall of the cage.

[0051] As another example, a cage with four walls defining a passage opening is shown. In embodiments where a non-rectangular pluggable component is inserted into the cage, the cage may have more or fewer inner walls, and therefore may have more or fewer spring seals around the perimeter of the opening into the cage.

[0052] As another example, a spring seal is described, wherein the spring seal is fixed at the front and retained at the rear to prevent movement in a direction perpendicular to the rear wall of the cage. The rear portion of the spring seal is free to move in the insertion direction. This mounting causes the spring seal to elongate in the insertion direction when the transceiver is inserted into the cage. This configuration provides a softer spring force to the transceiver and less pressure to the spring seal, thereby reducing the possibility of yielding. However, in other embodiments, a higher spring force would be beneficial, and both the front and rear portions of the spring seal could be fixed to the cage to prevent movement in the insertion direction.

[0053] Furthermore, a one-to-one correspondence between the inner walls of the cage and the spring seals is not required. In some embodiments, for example, each wall may have more than one spring seal. For example, multiple spring seals may be aligned end-to-end to span the walls of the cage. Conversely, some walls may also lack spring seals. This embodiment may be useful when one or more walls use optional types of seals and / or transceivers installed asymmetrically in the passageways of the cage. For example, one wall of the transceiver may be pressed against the wall of the cage without an intermediate spring seal. As a specific example, spring seals may be aligned on at least two walls of the cage.

[0054] For systems where the positioning of the transceiver wall relative to the cage wall is more variable, the required compression of the spring seal can also be more variable. In this embodiment, more slits can be formed than illustrated to provide a softer spring force to achieve greater compression without yielding.

[0055] As another example of a possible variation, the peaks and valleys are shown as elongated in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction. The peaks and valleys may be oriented laterally to the insertion direction at other angles, or they may be parallel to the insertion direction.

[0056] As another example of a possible variation, a spring seal is shown for use on a group of cages having four channels arranged side-by-side in a direction parallel to the surface of the printed circuit board to which the group of cages is attached. The spring seal described herein can be used in conjunction with group of cages having any number of side-by-side channels. The spring seal described herein can also be used in conjunction with stacked cages, in which one or more channels are arranged above another channel in a direction parallel to the surface of the printed circuit board to which the cage is attached. The spring seal described herein can also be used in connector assemblies having grouped stacked cages, or in conjunction with non-grouped cages, whether the non-grouped cages are single-channel or stacked cages.

[0057] Such changes, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, while advantages of the invention have been pointed out, it should be understood that not every embodiment of the invention will include every described advantage. Some embodiments may not implement any features of the advantages described herein and in some cases. Therefore, the foregoing description and figures are by way of example only.

[0058] Various aspects of the present invention can be used alone, in combination, or in various arrangements not specifically discussed in the embodiments described above, and therefore are not limited in their application to the details and arrangements of the components set forth in the foregoing description or shown in the drawings. For example, an aspect described in one embodiment can be combined with aspects described in other embodiments in any way.

[0059] Moreover, the present invention can be implemented as a method, and examples of such methods are provided. The actions performed as part of this method can be ordered in any suitable manner. Therefore, embodiments can be constructed in which actions are performed in an order different from that shown and / or described, which may include performing some actions simultaneously even if they are shown as sequential actions in the illustrative embodiments.

[0060] Moreover, the circuits and modules depicted and described can be rearranged in any order, and signals can be provided accordingly to achieve the rearrangement.

[0061] The use of ordinal terms such as "first", "second", "third" to modify a request element in a request does not imply any priority, precedence, or order of one request element relative to another request element, or the chronological order of the actions of the execution method, but is merely used as a label to distinguish one request element with a specific name from another request element with the same name (but using ordinal terms) in order to differentiate request elements.

[0062] All definitions used herein should be understood to supersede the dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and / or general meanings of the terms being defined.

[0063] As used herein in the specification and the claims, unless expressly indicated to the contrary, the indefinite article "a / an" shall be understood to mean "at least one / a".

[0064] As used herein in the specification and claims, the phrase "at least one" in relation to a list of one or more elements shall be understood to mean any one or more elements selected from the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each element specifically listed in the list of elements, and does not exclude any combination of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows for the optional presence of elements other than those expressly specified in the list of elements as referred to by the phrase "at least one," whether related to or unrelated to those expressly specified elements.

[0065] As used herein in the specification and claims, the phrase “and / or” should be understood to mean “any one or both” of the elements so combined, that is, the elements are combined in some cases and separate in others. Multiple elements listed with “and / or” should be understood in the same way, that is, “one or more” of the elements so combined. Other elements may optionally exist in addition to those specifically indicated by the “and / or” statement, whether related to or unrelated to those specifically indicated. Thus, as a non-limiting example, when used in conjunction with open-ended language (such as “including”), a reference to “A and / or B” can in one embodiment refer only to A (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, only to B (optionally including elements other than A); and in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements), and so on.

[0066] As used herein in the specification and claims, “or” shall be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as defined above. For example, when multiple items are divided in a list, “or” or “and / or” shall be interpreted as inclusive, that is, including at least one of the multiple elements or the list of elements, but also including multiple elements, and optionally including additional unlisted items. Only terms that clearly indicate the opposite, such as “only one of…” or “exact one of…” or “consisting of…” as used in the claims, refer to including exactly one of the multiple elements or the list of elements. In general, when followed by an exclusive term (such as “either of the two,” “one of…,” “only one of…,” or “exact one of…”), the term “or” as used herein shall be interpreted only as indicating an exclusive alternative (i.e., “one or the other but not both”). When used in the claims, “consisting substantially of…” shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0067] Moreover, the wording and terminology used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered restrictive. The use of terms such as “including,” “comprising,” “consisting of,” “having,” “containing,” and “involving,” and their variations, is intended to cover the items listed thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0015] The accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component shown in the various views is represented by similar numbers. For clarity, not every component is labeled in every view. In the accompanying drawings:

[0016] [Figure 1] is an isometric view of an electronic device that is partially exploded and partially cut open, wherein an exemplary embodiment of the I / O connector assembly has an improved spring seal;

[0017] [Figure 2] is an isometric view of the I / O connector assembly and transceiver of Figure 1, the transceiver being configured as a plug positioned for insertion into a channel of the cage of the connector of Figure 1;

[0018] [Figure 3] is an isometric view of the I / O connector assembly of Figure 1, wherein an exemplary embodiment of the improved spring seal is in an exploded state;

[0019] [Figure 4] is an enlarged view of the spring seal of the embodiment in Figure 3;

[0020] [Figure 5] is an isometric view of a cage with conventional spring shielding; and

[0021] [Figure 6] is a schematic diagram showing a plurality of shorter conductive paths through the spring seal of the embodiment of Figure 3 between the conductive exterior of the plug and the cage.

Claims

1. A spring seal for a cage of a connector assembly, the cage being configured to receive a plug inserted along an insertion direction, the spring seal comprising: A conductive sheet comprising: a plurality of peaks, each of the plurality of peaks including a curved surface configured to contact the plug; and a plurality of valleys, wherein the plurality of peaks are spaced apart by valleys in the insertion direction.

2. The spring seal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductive sheet further comprises a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings being elongated in the insertion direction.

3. The spring seal as claimed in claim 2, wherein: The spring seal includes: a front portion, a rear portion, and a central portion between the front portion and the rear portion; an opening of the plurality of openings is disposed in the front portion and the central portion; and the average spacing between the openings of the plurality of openings in the front portion is between 30% and 70% of the average spacing between the openings of the plurality of openings in the central portion.

4. The spring seal as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the opening in the central portion of the plurality of openings is aligned with the opening in the front portion of the plurality of openings, thereby providing a conductive path from the peak to the valley between the openings.

5. The spring seal as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The valleys in the plurality of valleys are between the corresponding pairs of adjacent peaks in the plurality of peaks.

6. The spring seal as claimed in claim 5, wherein: When the spring seal is in an uncompressed state, the height of each of the plurality of peaks relative to the height of the adjacent valley among the plurality of valleys is less than 1 mm.

7. The spring seal as claimed in claim 5, wherein: The spring seal includes a conductive path with a length of less than 1 mm between the peak and the valley.

8. The spring seal as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of valleys includes a curved surface configured to contact the cage.

9. A connector assembly, comprising: A socket connector inside a cage, the cage including a channel with an opening; A plurality of spring seals are disposed at the opening of the channel, each of the plurality of spring seals comprising: a wave plate, the wave plate comprising a plurality of peaks and a plurality of valleys, wherein the conductive path between each of the plurality of peaks and an adjacent valley has a length of 1 mm or less.

10. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein: The passage is defined by a plurality of walls of the cage; and for each of the plurality of spring seals: the spring seal has a front portion adjacent to the opening of the passage, and a rear portion opposite to the front portion; The rear portion of the spring seal is movably coupled to a corresponding wall among the plurality of walls.

11. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein: For each of the plurality of spring seals: the front portion of the spring seal is clamped to the corresponding wall among the plurality of walls.

12. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein: The passage is defined by a plurality of walls of the cage; And for each of the plurality of spring seals: the spring seal is coupled to a corresponding wall among the plurality of walls of the cage; a first peak among the plurality of peaks is disposed between a second peak among the plurality of peaks and a third peak among the plurality of peaks; and when the spring seal is in an uncompressed state, the height of the first peak relative to the corresponding wall of the cage is greater than the heights of the second peak and the third peak.

13. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein: The channel includes an insertion direction extending from the opening toward the socket connector; for each of the plurality of spring seals: the wave plate includes a plurality of slits, the plurality of slits being elongated in the insertion direction, the slits of the plurality of slits being disposed on the first peak, the second peak, and the third peak; and the average spacing between the slits of the plurality of slits on the first peak is greater than the average spacing between the slits of the plurality of slits on the second peak and the third peak.

14. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein: The channel is defined by a plurality of walls of the cage; each of the plurality of spring seals is attached to a corresponding wall of the plurality of walls of the cage; the connector assembly is combined with a transceiver configured according to the OSFP specification, the transceiver being inserted into the channel in an insertion direction; For each of the plurality of spring seals: the plurality of peaks contact the transceiver at at least three locations spaced apart along the insertion direction; and the plurality of valleys contact the corresponding wall of the cage at at least three locations spaced apart along the insertion direction.

15. A method of operating an electronic component, the electronic component including an accessible socket within a passageway of a cage, the cage having a spring seal at an opening leading to the passageway, the method comprising: Insert the transceiver into the channel through the opening; The first convex surface of the spring seal contacts the first distance from the opening; The second convex surface of the spring seal contacts the second distance from the opening; And a third convex surface of the spring seal is contacted at a third distance from the opening, such that the spring seal is compressed between the transceiver and the wall of the cage.

16. The method as described in claim 15, further comprising: The transceiver is mated with the connector in the channel.

17. The method as described in request item 15, wherein: The spring seal includes a front portion adjacent to the opening and a rear portion offset relative to the front portion in the insertion direction; when the spring seal is compressed, the rear portion of the spring seal moves along the insertion direction.

18. The method as described in request item 15, wherein: Contact with the first convex surface compresses the spring seal to generate a first contact force between the first convex surface and the transceiver; Contact with the second convex surface compresses the spring seal to generate a second contact force between the second convex surface and the transceiver; And the second contact force is greater than the first contact force.

19. The method as described in claim 15, wherein: The spring seal is compressed between the transceiver and the wall of the cage to form a plurality of conductive paths with a length of less than 1 mm between the transceiver and the wall of the cage.

20. The method as described in request item 15, wherein: The spring seal is compressed between the transceiver and the wall of the cage to form a plurality of grounding connections between the transceiver and the wall of the cage.

21. The method as described in claim 20, further comprising: The transceiver is operated within the operating frequency range of the OSFP standard, such that the plurality of ground connections suppress resonance within the operating frequency range in the space between the transceiver and the wall of the cage.

22. The method as described in request item 15, wherein: The transceiver is inserted into the channel through the opening in the insertion direction; The second convex surface is offset relative to the first convex surface in the insertion direction, and the third convex surface is offset relative to the second convex surface in the insertion direction.

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