Actuating mechanism for connector engagement

Abstract

A connector assembly is described that includes a housing having a front planar surface, at least one rail extending longitudinally along the connector assembly parallel to the front planar surface, and a handle movably coupled to the at least one rail that actuates translation of the at least one rail. The connector assembly further includes one or more terminal assemblies having a plurality of terminals disposed in a terminal housing. An alignment member is provided that maintains alignment of the at least one terminal assembly during movement between a first position at least partially recessed in the front planar surface and a second position at least partially extending beyond the front planar surface.

Description

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR CONNECTOR ENGAGEMENTTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of connectors and connector assemblies and, more specifically, actuating connectors for mating a device with one or more external connectors.BACKGROUND

[0002] The amount of data processed by computers, computing systems, and computing environments continues to increase. For example, data centers can include hundreds of computing and networking systems interconnected using copper cables, optical cables, and various connectors, cable assemblies, and related terminations between them. The data throughput of these interconnects is high and increasing. A range of cable and connector assemblies are available to facilitate the data interconnect applications, such as board-to- board, wire-to-wire, and wire-to-board applications. An example wire-to-board connector assembly includes a free-end connector that is attached to one or more wires or cables and a fixed-end connector that is attached to a board. A wide range of suitable designs exist for each type of data interconnect application, depending on the requirements and the environment in which the cable and connector assemblies are used.

[0003] For applications where high data rates are needed and physical space is restricted, competing concerns make the design of cable and connector assemblies more challenging. High data rate applications often rely upon differentially coupled signal pairs in which two conductors are electrically coupled and physically arranged in pairs to transmit a differential signal. Differential signaling provides greater resistance to spurious signals and electronic crosstalk, among other benefits, and preferably maintains sufficient signal spacing to avoid inadvertent signaling modes with adjacent signals pairs. In the connector interface, ground terminals can be added to create a return path to electrical ground and to provide shielding between differential pairs.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] According to one or more aspects, a connector assembly is described, including: a rail, the rail comprising an actuating segment; a handle movably coupled to the rail that actuates translation of the rail; a floating frame assembly having a projection oriented in a guide aperture of the rail, the floating frame assembly being movably coupled to the rail; and a terminal assembly comprising a plurality of terminals disposed in a terminal housing, the terminal assembly being disposed in the floating frame assembly.

[0005] The floating frame assembly is one a pair of floating frame assemblies; the terminal assembly is one of a pair of terminal assemblies, each terminal assembly in the pair being positioned in a respective one of the floating frame assemblies. The connector assembly further comprises an alignment member positioned between the set of terminal assemblies that guides the pair of terminal assemblies during movement between a first position and a second position.

[0006] The connector assembly further includes a plurality of end brackets, wherein the end brackets are C-shaped end brackets, and the pair of terminal assemblies are positioned between the C-shaped end brackets. The plurality of guide apertures are Z-shaped or S- shaped. The alignment member provides a terminal housing of the terminal assembly with at least one of: a horizontal float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly, and a vertical float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly.

[0007] The terminal housing is coupled to a plurality of terminal mounts via a plurality of biasing members, the terminal mounts being fixedly attached to an interior portion of a housing, and the biasing members configured to bias the terminal assembly relative to an external connector. The plurality of biasing members comprise a plurality of springs and, in a full mating condition, the plurality of springs are in approximately 50% compression.

[0008] In some aspects, the rail is a first rail, and the connector assembly further comprises a second rail. The first rail is an upper rail and the second rail is a lower rail, and the floating frame assembly and the terminal assembly are positioned between the upper rail and the lower rail.

[0009] According to one or more aspects, a connector assembly is described, including: a housing, at least one rail, actuating means movably coupled to the at least one rail that actuates movement of the at least rail, and at least one terminal assembly comprising aplurality of terminals disposed in a terminal housing; a floating frame assembly having a projection positioned in an aperture of the at least one rail, the at least one terminal assembly being positioned in the floating frame assembly such that, upon actuation of the at least one rail, the floating frame assembly causes the at least one terminal assembly to move between a first position and a second position; and an alignment member movably coupled to the at least one rail that maintains alignment of the at least one terminal assembly during movement between the first position and the second position. The first position is an unmated position where the at least one terminal assembly is not mated with an external connector, and the second position is a mated position where the at least one terminal assembly is mated with an external connector.

[0010] The at least one rail includes a first rail and a second rail. The floating frame assembly, the at least one terminal assembly, and the alignment member are disposed between the first rail and the second rail. The connector assembly further includes C-shaped end brackets, the floating frame assembly, the at least one terminal assembly, and the alignment member being positioned between the C-shaped end brackets. The plurality of guide apertures are Z-shaped or S-shaped. The alignment member provides the terminal housing with at least one of: a horizontal float of approximately 2 mm relative to the bracket, and a vertical float of approximately 2 mm relative to the bracket.

[0011] The terminal housing is coupled to a plurality of terminal mounts via a plurality of biasing members, the terminal mounts being fixedly attached to an interior portion of the housing, the biasing members biasing the terminal assembly relative to an external connector. The plurality of biasing members comprise a plurality of springs and, in a full mating condition, the plurality of springs are in approximately 50% compression. The actuating means is a handle, a latch, a lever, or a screw.

[0012] According to one or more aspects, a connector assembly is described, including: a housing, at least one rail, actuating means movably coupled to the at least one rail that actuates movement of the at least rail, and a plurality of terminal assemblies disposed in a respective floating frame assembly having a projection that engages with a corresponding one of a plurality of apertures of the at least one rail, each of the plurality of terminal assemblies comprising a plurality of terminals disposed in a respective terminal housing, wherein a first one of the plurality of apertures is offset relative to a second one of the plurality of aperturessuch that a mating of the first one and the second one of the plurality of terminal assemblies with respective external connectors occur at different times.

[0013] The first position is an unmated position where the at least one terminal assembly is not mated with an external connector, and the second position is a mated position where the at least one terminal assembly is mated with an external connector. The at least one rail is an upper rail and a lower rail. The floating frame assembly comprises a plurality of projections positioned in guide apertures on the upper rail and the lower rail. The at least one terminal assembly and the alignment member are disposed between the upper rail and the lower rail.

[0014] The connector assembly further includes end brackets, such as C-shaped end brackets, the at least one terminal assembly being positioned between the C-shaped end brackets. The plurality of guide apertures are Z-shaped or S-shaped. The connector assembly further includes an alignment member positioned relative to the at least one terminal assembly that provides a terminal housing thereof with at least one of: a horizontal float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly, and a vertical float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly.

[0015] The terminal housing is coupled to a plurality of terminal mounts via a plurality of biasing members, the terminal mounts being fixedly attached to an interior portion of the housing, the biasing members biasing the terminal assembly relative to an external connector. The plurality of biasing members include a plurality of springs and, in a full mating condition, the plurality of springs are in approximately 50% compression. The actuating means is a handle pivotable about a pivot point.

[0016] According to one or more aspects, a connector assembly is described, including: an upper rail and a lower rail, each of the upper rail and the lower rail comprising a plurality of actuating segments; a handle movably coupled to the upper rail and the lower rail that actuates translation of the upper rail and the lower rail; a pair of terminal assemblies, each terminal assembly in the pair of terminal assemblies being disposed in a respective floating frame assembly having a plurality of projections oriented in guide apertures of the upper rail and the lower rail, the floating frame assembly being movably coupled to the upper rail and the lower rail and secured using a plurality of end brackets, each terminal assembly in the pair of terminal assemblies having a terminal mount coupled thereto; and an alignmentmember positioned between the pair of terminal assemblies that maintains alignment of the at least one terminal assembly during movement between a first position and a second position.

[0017] Each terminal member comprising a plurality of standoffs and a plurality of biasing members, each terminal mount being fixedly attached to an interior portion of a housing, and the plurality of biasing members biasing each terminal assembly relative to an external connector.

[0018] According to one or more aspects, a connector assembly is described, including: a plurality of end brackets; a first rail and a second rail, the first rail and the second rail slidably supported by the plurality of end brackets; and a connector supported by the first rail and the second rail, wherein the connector is configured to translate in a first direction when the first rail and the second rail translate in a second direction. One of the connector and the first and the second rails has a plurality of projections and the other has a plurality of guide apertures, wherein translation of the projections along the guide apertures causes the connector to translate in the second direction.

[0019] The connector assembly further includes an alignment member that is slidably supported by the connector, wherein translation of the first rail and the second rail causes the alignment member to translate in the first direction before the connector starts to translate. The connector includes a plurality of terminals supported by a floating frame, wherein the floating frame is supported by the first rail and the second rail. The terminals are supported in a biased manner and are configured to translate relative to the floating frame.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0021] FIGS. 1, 2 A, and 2B are top perspective views of a connector assembly mounted within a housing coupled to external connectors according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIGS. 3-8 are top plan views of the connector assembly shown in FIG. 1, illustrating actuation of the connector assembly according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 9 is a side view of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 having terminal assemblies extruding from a front surface of a housing for engagement with external connectors, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the connector assembly shown in FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present disclosure relates to a connector assembly having an actuation mechanism for connector manipulation and engagement. More specifically, the disclosure describes a connector assembly having terminal assemblies that can be manipulated to adjust a position of the terminal assemblies for mating with external connectors. The connector assembly can include a housing, one or more rails, a handle, at least one terminal assembly, and an alignment member. The connector assembly can be designed to facilitate the movement of the terminal assembly between various positions to mate the terminal assembly with that of an external connector, thereby enhancing the connection process.

[0026] In some aspects, the connector assembly can include a housing with a front planar surface. The housing can accommodate various components including, but not limited to, application-specific integrated circuits, central processing unit modules, graphics processing unit modules, networking modules, power management modules, heat management modules, and so forth. As can be appreciated, modules of these components can include circuit boards, printed circuit boards (PCBs), power supplies, conductive traces, and the like. The connector assembly disposed in the housing can also include one or more rails extending longitudinally along the connector assembly parallel to the front planar surface. The rails, which can be deemed a first or second rail in various implementations, can be actuated by a handle or other actuating means movably coupled to the rails, enabling translation or other movement of the rails upon movement of the handle.

[0027] The connector assembly can also include at least one terminal assembly comprising a plurality of terminals disposed in a terminal housing. The terminal assemblycan be aligned with apertures of the front planar surface and can be disposed in a floating frame assembly coupled to the rail. The floating frame assembly can have a plurality of projections oriented in guide apertures of the rail. This arrangement can allow for a controlled movement of the terminal assembly, thereby enhancing the reliability of the connection process.

[0028] In some cases, an alignment member can be movably coupled to the rail. Upon actuation of the rail, a projection of the alignment member will cause the alignment member to displace, causing the alignment member to travel along with and maintain alignment with the terminal assembly or a set of terminal assemblies. The actuation of the rail can cause the terminal assembly to move between a first position, where the terminal assembly is at least partially recessed in the front planar surface, and a second position, where the terminal assembly extends at least partially beyond the front planar surface. This movement can facilitate the mating of the terminal assembly with an external connector, thereby improving the efficiency of the connection process.

[0029] The connector assembly can also include a plurality of biasing members, such as springs, that bias the terminal assembly relative to an external connector. In a full mating condition, these springs can be in approximately 50% compression. Thus, a controlled biasing force can be defined, thereby ensuring a reliable connection with the external connector, and preventing under-mating and over-mating conditions. The connector assembly of the present disclosure can provide a robust and efficient solution for connecting various components. The assembly can facilitate the controlled movement of the terminal assembly, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the connection process.

[0030] Turning now to FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, according to various embodiments, FIG. 1 depicts a rear perspective view of a connector assembly 100, FIG. 2A depicts an enlarged side perspective view of the connector assembly 100, and FIG. 2B depicts an enlarged side perspective view of the connector assembly 100 with an upper rail thereof omitted for explanatory purposes. The connector assembly 100 is representative, not drawn to any particular scale, and is illustrated to provide context for the concepts of actuating mechanisms for connector engagement as described herein. The connector assembly 100 is not intended to be limited to an assembly for a particular purpose, application, or field of use. The concepts of actuating mechanisms for connector engagement are also not limited to a particularpurpose, application, or field of use. The concepts can be extended and applied to housings and assemblies for a range of purposes.

[0031] Generally, the connector assembly 100 can include a housing 103 although, in various implementations, the housing 103 can be separate from the connector assembly 100. To this end, the connector assembly 100 can be configured to detachably attach to the housing 103 and, as such, can be configured for use with a multitude of various types of housings 103. The housing 103 can include a number of components therein, such as ASICs, GPU modules, CPU modules, networking modules, power modules, heat management modules, and so forth, which are omitted from the views for explanatory purposes. In some implementations, the housing 103 can be one of a hot-swappable module for use in a data center. For instance, the housing 103 can slide or otherwise be positioned in a rack, connected to a backplane, side plane, or other desired architecture to provide additional computing, networking, power, heat management, or other resources to the data center.

[0032] The connector assembly 100 can facilitate a quick and reliable connection between electronic components of the housing 103 to an external device having one or more external connectors 200a, 200b (collectively “external connectors 200”) for data communication, as will be described. While the external connectors 200 are shown, the housing and other various components of the external device are omitted for explanatory purposes. In some embodiments, the external device can be a cable management device having a multitude of cables that couple the housing 103 in a rack to another housing, enabling the components thereof to communicate or otherwise provide resources.

[0033] Generally, the housing 103 can be made of a variety of materials, including but not limited to, metal, plastic, or a composite material. The choice of material can depend on factors such as the intended application of the connector assembly 100, the environmental conditions in which the connector assembly is to be used, and the desired mechanical and electrical properties of the housing 103.

[0034] The housing 103 can include a front surface 106 where, in some implementations, the front surface 106 is a generally planar or flat surface. In other embodiments, the front surface 106 is contoured or non-uniform. The connector assembly 100 can generally be configured to transition a terminal assembly 109 between a multitude of positions to create a connection between the housing 103 and an external device. For instance, the connectorassembly 100 can be configured to transition the terminal assembly 109 between a first position, where the terminal assembly 109 is wholly or partially nested in the housing 103, and a second position, where the terminal assembly 109 is fully or partially extended beyond the front surface 106 of the housing 103 that can be desirable for mating with the external device and the external connectors 200 thereof.

[0035] The terminal assembly 109 can include a multitude of terminals having tails, connector ends, and body portions extending between the tails and ends. The terminals can be disposed within a terminal housing 111. The terminal housing 111 can be formed of a non- conductive material, such as a plastic polymer, and can be injection molded on a multitude of terminal arrays.

[0036] The tails can be coupled to a corresponding one of a multitude of wires 110 in some types of connectors. However, the tails can be coupled to other signal conducting devices, such as other terminals, ground traces, and so forth. The terminals can be arranged in terminal pairs, which can be used for differential signaling, although the disclosure is not so limited as other types of communications can be employed. Further, the terminals can be disposed in ground shields, and ground terminals coupled to the ground shields can be positioned at one or both ends of each pair of terminals. It is understood that such configurations can be used to mate the terminal assembly 109, or a multitude of terminal assemblies 109, to external connectors 200 while maintaining desirable signal integrity characteristics, where the external connectors 200 are shown for explanatory purposes. It is understood, however, that the external connectors 200 are not part of the connector assembly 100.

[0037] The connector assembly 100 can further include one or more rails 112a, 112b (collectively “rails 112”), a floating frame assembly 115 that mounts the terminal assembly 109 to the one or more rails 112, an alignment member 118, as well as other components as will be described. The one or more rails 112 can include a first rail 112a (e.g., a top or upper rail) and a second rail 112b (e.g., a bottom or lower rail) in some implementations. In alternative implementations, a single rail or three or more rails can be employed. For ease of explanation, the one or more rails 112 will be referred to herein as rails 112. The terminal assembly 109, the floating frame assembly 115, the alignment member 118, and othercomponents can be sandwiched or otherwise positioned between the first rail 112a and the second rail 112b.

[0038] The connector assembly 100 can include an actuating means for actuating the rails 112. The actuating means can include a handle 121 in some embodiments. In alternative embodiments, the actuating means can include a screw, a latch, a gear, a pulley, a lever, or other like device having a position that can be tuned to adjust actuating of the rails 112. In the depicted embodiments, the handle 121 can be pivotably coupled to the rails 112 using one or more bell-crank linkages (not shown), as can be appreciated, that translate annular or other force to a lateral force that causes the rails 112 to translate left or right. Therefore, the connector assembly 100 can be positioned in a housing 103 and an external force can cause the rails 112 to translate.

[0039] The rails 112 can include one or more segments 114a, 114b (collectively “segments 114”). For instance, a portion of the segments 114 can be extension segments 114a, where some of the segments 114 can be actuating segments 114b, as shown in FIG. 2 A. Thus, the rails 112 can be directly or indirectly coupled to the handle 121 in various embodiments. Alternatively, in some implementations, the extension segments 114a are optional, as shown in FIG. 1. A rail 112 can also be configured as a one-piece design that includes the desired features.

[0040] In any event, the rails 112 can extend longitudinally along the connector assembly 100 parallel to the front surface 106. The first and second rails 112 (or actuating segments 114b thereof) can be identical to each other, or they can have different shapes, sizes, or materials. Generally, the rails 112 can be designed to guide or cause movement of other components of the connector assembly 100, such as the terminal assembly 109. In some cases, the rails 112 can be straight, while in other cases, the rails 112 can have a curved or irregular shape. The rails 112 can be made of a variety of materials, including but not limited to, metal, plastic, or a composite material.

[0041] The connector assembly 100 can further include end brackets 124a, 124b (collectively “end brackets 124”) that are mounted in slots on the rails 112 that act to retain one or more floating frame assemblies 115 and terminal assemblies 109 disposed between the end brackets 124. For instance, the end bracket 124 can include C-shaped or U-shaped endbrackets. The terminal assembly 109, mounted to the floating frame assembly 115, can be positioned between the end brackets 124.

[0042] The floating frame assembly 115 can retain the terminal assembly 109 within the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B by coupling the terminal assembly 109 to the rails 112. The floating frame assembly 115 and the end brackets 124 can be made of a variety of materials, including but not limited to, metal, plastic, or a composite material. The floating frame assembly 115 can be retained in its position via the end brackets 124. The alignment member 118 can be disposed within two consecutive floating frame assemblies 115 in some cases, as shown in FIG. 2B. Thus, in some implementations, the alignment member 118 can be disposed between two sets of terminal assemblies 109, where the end brackets 124 help retain the terminal assemblies 109 within the two sets of floating frame assemblies 115. Additionally, FIG. 2B depicts two floating frame assemblies 115, each coupling a respective terminal assembly 109 to the rails 112.

[0043] In some embodiments, the floating frame assembly 115 includes frame projections 130 extending from a surface that movably couple the floating frame assembly 115 to the rails 112. For instance, the frame projections 130 can be positioned in guide apertures 133 located on the rails 112 or, more specifically, in one or more actuating segments 114b of the rails 112. Lateral translation of the rails 112 will cause the frame projections 130 to navigate along the guide apertures 133, directing motion of the terminal assemblies 109.

[0044] The guide apertures 133 can be Z-shaped, S-shaped, and so forth. As such, as the frame projections 130 navigate along the guide apertures 133, the floating frame assembly 115, and the terminal assembly 109 positioned therein, will be directed towards the front surface 106 of the housing 103. The alignment member 118 correspondingly moves towards the front surface 106 of the housing 103. The alignment member 118 can maintain alignment of the housings of the terminal assemblies 109, and permit the terminal assemblies 109 to have a float, as will be described. Actuation of the rails 112 causes the terminal assemblies 109 to extend out of housing apertures 117 located on the front surface 106 of the housing 103. This arrangement can provide a controlled path for the movement of the terminal assembly 109, thereby enhancing the reliability of the connection process.

[0045] In some embodiments, the terminal assembly 109 is directed to move between a first position and a second position. In some cases, the first position can be a position wherethe terminal assembly 109 is at least partially recessed in the housing 103. The second position can be a position where the terminal assembly 109 extends at least partially beyond the front surface 106 of the housing 103, such that the terminal assembly 109 can be coupled to external connectors 200.

[0046] In some aspects, the alignment member 118 can provide the terminal assemblies 109 with a degree of movement or “float,” as can be appreciated. This float can be in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, or both. For instance, the alignment member 118 can provide the terminal assemblies 109 with a horizontal float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly 115. This horizontal float can allow the terminal assembly 109 to move laterally relative to the front surface 106 of the housing 103, thereby facilitating the alignment of the terminal assembly 109 with an external connector 200. In some cases, the alignment member 118 can provide the terminal assembly 109 with a vertical float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly 115. Likewise, this vertical float can allow the terminal assembly 109 to move vertically relative to the front surface 106 of the housing 103, further facilitating the engagement of the terminal assembly 109 with an external connector 200. The horizontal and vertical float allow loose alignment of connectors within desired tolerances.

[0047] The alignment member 118 can include an alignment member projection 136 situated in a guide aperture 139 of the rail 112. Like the other guide apertures 133, the guide aperture 139 can be Z-shaped, S-shaped, and so forth, but can be offset from other guide apertures 133 to account for the location of the alignment member 118, which may be staggered relative to the terminal assemblies 109. Thus, the alignment member proj ection 136 can move along the guide aperture 139 as the handle 121 is actuated, along with the frame projections 130 in the guide apertures 133.

[0048] Further, the end brackets 124a, 124b can include end bracket projections 142 positioned in slots 145 of the rails 112. The slots 145 can extend longitudinally or horizontally along the rails 112, and can be substantially elongated and linear in some implementations. The slots 145 can thus be oriented parallel to the front surface 106 of the housing 103. To this end, as the rails 112 are actuated, the rails 112 displace or translate relative to the end bracket projections 142 and the end brackets 124.

[0049] In some embodiments, the terminal housing 111 of the terminal assembly 109 can be coupled to terminal mounts 148a, 148b (collectively “terminal mounts 148”) via biasing members 151a, 151b (collectively “biasing members 151”). The terminal mounts 148 can be positioned on opposing distal ends of the terminal housing 111 and can include one or more standoffs 155. As shown in FIG. 2A, in some implementations, a first set of terminal mounts 148 are positioned on a first terminal assembly 109, whereas a second set of terminal mounts 148 are coupled to a second terminal assembly 109, where the alignment member 118 is positioned therebetween. The biasing members 151 can include springs in various embodiments. In such embodiments, the springs can be positioned around the screws or like connection devices. The biasing members 151 can bias the terminal assembly 109 relative to an external connector 200, and can prevent under-mate and over-mate conditions that can potentially occur when coupling the terminal assembly 109 to the external connector 200.

[0050] In a full mating condition, the springs can be in approximately 50% compression (e.g., ± 10%), for instance. It is understood, however, that other desired levels of compression can be employed. The terminal mounts 148 can be fixedly or rigidly attached to an interior portion of the housing 103, omitted herein for explanatory purposes, which can further secure the connector assembly 100 to the housing 103.

[0051] Referring now to FIGS. 3-8, sequential top views of the connector assembly 100 are shown. For instance, FIG. 3 shows a top view of the connector assembly 100 in a fully unlatched position (where the handle 121 is in a fully open position), whereas FIG. 8 shows a top view of the connector assembly 100 in a fully latched position (where the handle 121 is in a fully closed position). FIGS. 4-7 show sequential actuation of the connector assembly 100 between these states, as can be appreciated.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 3, the handle 121 or other actuating means is shown in a full open position such that the handle 121 is parallel to a front surface 106 of the housing 103. As noted above, however, other actuating means can be employed, such as a screw, lever, crank, or shaft that can cause translation of the rails 112 through variable insertion into a side of the housing 103. Additionally, other types of handles 121 can be employed. The handle 121, however, can provide actuation without requiring personnel to operate any tools. FIG. 3 shows, as an example, two terminal assemblies 109a, 109b (collectively “terminal assemblies 109”). The terminal assemblies 109 are fully nested within the housing 103, and are notextending through apertures or other openings on the front surface 106 of the housing 103. The terminal assemblies 109 are thus not coupled to external connectors 200.

[0053] The handle 121 can pivot about a pivot point 157 directly or indirectly coupled to the rails 112, which makes the handle 121 or other actuating means pivotably coupled to the rails 112. The rotation of the handle 121 in a first direction about the pivot point 157 can be seen sequentially in FIGS. 3-8. As the handle 121 is rotated, the rails 112 are actuated and translate horizontally (e.g., left or right based on rotation of the handle 121) relative to the front surface 106 of the housing 103. The translation of the rails 112 causes the projections 130, 136, 142 to slide or otherwise move along the various guide apertures / slots 133, 139, 145. The movement of the projections 130, 136, 142 along the guide apertures / slots 133, 139, 145 causes the terminal assemblies 109 to displace.

[0054] The alignment member 118 can align one or more terminal assemblies 109 as the terminal assemblies 109 move, and can provide the terminal assemblies 109 with an X float and / or Y float. The different positions of the alignment member 118 can be seen in FIGS. 3- 8. In the fully extended position, the terminal assemblies 109 mate with the external connector 200. Springs or other biasing members 151 facilitate the terminal assemblies 109 not being in under-mate or over-mate conditions with the external connectors 200.

[0055] In some embodiments, the alignment member 118 is sized and positioned to extend outward from the front face 106 of the housing 103 before the terminal assemblies 109, as shown in FIG. 5, for example. To this end, the alignment member 118 can provide for proper alignment of the terminal assemblies 109 to the external connectors 200, while permitting float of the terminal assemblies 109.

[0056] In some embodiments, mating of individual ones of the terminal assemblies 109 can be staggered by providing an offset between individual ones of the terminal assemblies 109. The offset can be controlled based on size and positioning of the terminal housings 111, size and positioning of the guide apertures of the rails 112, and so forth. In some conditions, it is not ideal to have a multitude of terminal assemblies 109 mate with a multitude of external connectors 200 simultaneously, as this can make the mating force substantially higher than desired. As such, a first one of the terminal assemblies 109a can be configured to come into contact with and / or mate with a first one of the external connectors 200a prior to a second one of the terminal assemblies 109b coming into contact and / or mating with a second one of theexternal connectors 200b by virtue of a size and orientation of the floating frame assembly 115, the frame projections 130, and corresponding guide apertures 133 on the actuating segments 114b of the rails 112. By staggering mating sequences of the terminal assemblies 109, an overall max force needed to be applied by the actuating means (e.g., handle 121) can be reduced.

[0057] FIG. 7 shows the first terminal assembly 109a being offset relative to the second terminal assembly 109b such that the first terminal assembly 109a will mate with the first external connector 200a prior to the second terminal assembly 109b mating with the second external connector 200b. It is understood that, as there can be a substantial number of terminal assemblies 109 in the connector assembly 100, two or more staggers can be provided to control a rate or a time at which the terminal assemblies 109 mate with external connectors 200. The decoupling of the terminal assemblies 109 with the external connectors 200 can be discerned by viewing FIGS. 3-8 sequentially in reverse, as can be appreciated.

[0058] This stagger can be provided by adjusting a size and / or a position of the guide apertures / slots 133, 139, 145. Naturally, each terminal assembly 109 will be controlled by a set of guide apertures 133, 139, 145. In an embodiment, a first set of guide apertures can have the first horizontal section longer and the second horizontal section shorter compared to a second set of guide apertures so that terminal assembly 109 associated with the first set of guide apertures starts to translate later in time compared to the terminal assembly 109 associated with the second set of guide apertures.

[0059] In various embodiments, the connector assembly 100 can further include a latch 190 or other locking mechanism that can be nested in the housing 103. As the actuating means (e.g., handle 121) is manipulated, the latch 190 can first make a locking connection with an external device 203 prior to the terminal assemblies 109 mating with the external connectors 200, which can further ensure the reliability of the connection between the housing 103 and the external device 203. The latch 190 can engage with an aperture 206 on a front surface of the external device 203, for example, which can create an interference connection between the housing 103 and the external device 203.

[0060] Moving along, FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the connector assembly 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 10 depicts a rail 112 having four actuation segments 114b, and eight terminal assemblies 109. It is understood,however, that other numbers of actuation segments 114b can be employed, as well as other numbers of terminal assemblies 109. In various embodiments, the actuation segments 114b can have guide apertures and / or slots that are sized and positioned different to adjacent guide apertures and / or slots. For instance, the guide apertures / slots 133, 139, 145 on a first actuation segment 114b can be sized and positioned different to guide apertures / slots 133, 139, 145 on a second actuation segment 114b. As such, in particular implementations, the connector assembly 100 can be configured such that terminal assemblies closer to the handle 121 move and engage with the external connectors 200 prior to the terminal assemblies distal to the handle 121 moving and engaging with the external connectors 200.

[0061] While various embodiments shown herein depict a connector assembly 100 that includes a first rail 112a (e.g., an upper rail) and a second rail 112b (e.g., a lower rail), the disclosure is not so limited. In some embodiments, the connector assembly 100 can include a single rail 112 positioned at an upper position, a lower position, or a middle position. It is understood that projections of the various components can interact with corresponding apertures on the rail 112. Moreover, in some implementations, the one or more rails 112 can include projections that engage with corresponding apertures on the various components of the connector assembly 100.

[0062] As can be appreciated from the foregoing description, in an embodiment a method of mating a one connector to another connector can include one or more of the following: providing a first connector (e.g., connector assembly 100) that is slidably supported by rails 112; applying a force to the rails 112 so that the rails 112 translate in a first direction and the first connector responsively translates in a second direction; and mating the first connector to a second connector (e.g., external connector 200).

[0063] The features, structures, or characteristics described above can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner, and the features discussed in the various embodiments can be interchangeable, if possible. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided in order to fully understand the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the technical solution of the present disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, materials, and the like can be employed. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the present disclosure.

[0064] Although the relative terms such as “on,” “below,” “upper,” and “lower” are used in the specification to describe the relative relationship of one component to another component, these terms are used in this specification for convenience only, for example, as a direction in an example shown in the drawings. It should be understood that if the device is turned upside down, the “upper” component described above will become a “lower” component. When a structure is “on” another structure, it is possible that the structure is integrally formed on another structure, or that the structure is “directly” disposed on another structure, or that the structure is “indirectly” disposed on the other structure through other structures.

[0065] In this specification, the terms such as “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are used to indicate the presence of one or more elements and components. The terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” “contain,” and their variants are used to be open ended, and are meant to include additional elements, components, etc., in addition to the listed elements, components, etc. unless otherwise specified in the appended claims.

[0066] The terms “first,” “second,” etc. are used only as labels, rather than a limitation for a number of the objects. It is understood that if multiple components are shown, the components can be referred to as a “first” component, a “second” component, and so forth, to the extent applicable.

[0067] The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are merely possible examples of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMSTherefore, the following is claimed:

1. A connector assembly, comprising: a rail, the rail comprising an actuating segment; a handle movably coupled to the rail that actuates translation of the rail; a floating frame assembly having a projection oriented in a guide aperture of the rail, the floating frame assembly being movably coupled to the rail; and a terminal assembly comprising a plurality of terminals disposed in a terminal housing, the terminal assembly being disposed in the floating frame assembly.

2. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein: the floating frame assembly is one a pair of floating frame assemblies; the terminal assembly is one of a pair of terminal assemblies, each terminal assembly in the pair being positioned in a respective one of the floating frame assemblies; and the connector assembly further comprises an alignment member positioned between the set of terminal assemblies that guides the pair of terminal assemblies during movement between a first position and a second position.

3. The connector assembly according to any of claims 2, further comprising a plurality of end brackets, wherein the end brackets are C-shaped end brackets, and the pair of terminal assemblies are positioned between the C-shaped end brackets.

4. The connector assembly according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the plurality of guide apertures are Z-shaped or S-shaped.

5. The connector assembly according to any of claims 1 -4, wherein the alignment member provides a terminal housing of the terminal assembly with at least one of: a horizontal float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly, and a vertical float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly.

6. The connector assembly according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the terminal housing is coupled to a plurality of terminal mounts via a plurality of biasing members, the terminal mounts being fixedly attached to an interior portion of a housing, the biasing members configured to bias the terminal assembly relative to an external connector.

7. The connector assembly according to any of claims 1-6, wherein the plurality of biasing members comprise a plurality of springs and, in a full mating condition, the plurality of springs are in approximately 50% compression.

8. The connector assembly according to any of claims 1-7, wherein the rail is a first rail, and the connector assembly further comprises a second rail.

9. The connector assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first rail is an upper rail and the second rail is a lower rail, and the floating frame assembly and the terminal assembly are positioned between the upper rail and the lower rail.

10. A connector assembly, comprising: a housing, at least one rail, actuating means movably coupled to the at least one rail that actuates movement of the at least rail, and at least one terminal assembly comprising a plurality of terminals disposed in a terminal housing; a floating frame assembly having a projection positioned in an aperture of the at least one rail, the at least one terminal assembly being positioned in the floating frame assembly such that, upon actuation of the at least one rail, the floating frame assembly causes the at least one terminal assembly to move between a first position and a second position; and an alignment member movably coupled to the at least one rail that maintains alignment of the at least one terminal assembly during movement between the first position and the second position, wherein the first position is an unmated position where the at least one terminal assembly is not mated with an external connector, and the second position is a mated position where the at least one terminal assembly is mated with an external connector.

11. The connector assembly according to claim 10, wherein the at least one rail comprises a first rail and a second rail.

12. The connector assembly according to any of claims 10-11, wherein the floating frame assembly, the at least one terminal assembly, and the alignment member are disposed between the first rail and the second rail.

13. The connector assembly according to claims 10-12, further comprising C- shaped end brackets, the floating frame assembly, the at least one terminal assembly, and the alignment member being positioned between the C-shaped end brackets.

14. The connector assembly according to any of claims 10-13, wherein the plurality of guide apertures are Z-shaped or S-shaped.

15. The connector assembly according to any of claims 10-14, wherein the alignment member provides the terminal housing with at least one of: a horizontal float of approximately 2 mm relative to the bracket, and a vertical float of approximately 2 mm relative to the bracket.

16. The connector assembly according to any of claims 10-15, wherein the terminal housing is coupled to a plurality of terminal mounts via a plurality of biasing members, the terminal mounts being fixedly attached to an interior portion of the housing, the biasing members biasing the terminal assembly relative to an external connector.

17. The connector assembly according to any of claims 10-16, wherein the plurality of biasing members comprise a plurality of springs and, in a full mating condition, the plurality of springs are in approximately 50% compression.

18. The connector assembly according to any of claims 10-17, wherein the actuating means is a handle, a latch, or a screw.

19. A connector assembly, comprising: a housing, at least one rail, actuating means movably coupled to the at least one rail that actuates movement of the at least rail, and a plurality of terminal assemblies disposed in a respective floating frame assembly having a projection that engages with a corresponding one of a plurality of apertures of the at least one rail, each of the plurality of terminal assemblies comprising a plurality of terminals disposed in a respective terminal housing, wherein a first one of the plurality of apertures is offset relative to a second one of the plurality of apertures such that a mating of the first one and the second one of the plurality of terminal assemblies with respective external connectors occur at different times.

20. The connector assembly according to claim 19, wherein the first position is an unmated position where the at least one terminal assembly is not mated with an external connector, and the second position is a mated position where the at least one terminal assembly is mated with an external connector.

21. The connector assembly according to any of claims 19-20, wherein the at least one rail is an upper rail and a lower rail.

22. The connector assembly according to any of claims 19-21 , wherein the floating frame assembly comprises a plurality of projections positioned in guide apertures on the upper rail and the lower rail.

23. The connector assembly according to any of claims 19-22, wherein the at least one terminal assembly and the alignment member are disposed between the upper rail and the lower rail.

24. The connector assembly according to any of claims 19-22, further comprising C-shaped end brackets, the at least one terminal assembly being positioned between the C- shaped end brackets.

25. The connector assembly according to any of claims 19-24, wherein the plurality of guide apertures are Z-shaped or S-shaped.

26. The connector assembly according to any of claims 19-25, further comprising an alignment member positioned relative to the at least one terminal assembly that provides a terminal housing thereof with at least one of: a horizontal float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly, and a vertical float of approximately 2 mm relative to the floating frame assembly.

27. The connector assembly according to any of claims 19-26, wherein the terminal housing is coupled to a plurality of terminal mounts via a plurality of biasing members, the terminal mounts being fixedly attached to an interior portion of the housing, the biasing members biasing the terminal assembly relative to an external connector.

28. The connector assembly according to any of claims 19-27, wherein the plurality of biasing members comprise a plurality of springs and, in a full mating condition, the plurality of springs are in approximately 50% compression.

29. The connector assembly according to any of claims 19-28, wherein the actuating means is a handle pivotable about a pivot point.

30. A connector assembly, comprising: an upper rail and a lower rail, each of the upper rail and the lower rail comprising a plurality of actuating segments; a handle movably coupled to the upper rail and the lower rail that actuates translation of the upper rail and the lower rail; a pair of terminal assemblies, each terminal assembly in the pair of terminal assemblies being disposed in a respective floating frame assembly having a plurality of projections oriented in guide apertures of the upper rail and the lower rail, the floating frame assembly being movably coupled to the upper rail and the lower rail and secured using a plurality of 1end brackets, each terminal assembly in the pair of terminal assemblies having a terminal mount coupled thereto; and a alignment member positioned between the pair of terminal assemblies that maintains alignment of the at least one terminal assembly during movement between a first position and a second position.

31. The connector assembly according to claim 30, wherein each terminal member comprising a plurality of standoffs and a plurality of biasing members, each terminal mount being fixedly attached to an interior portion of a housing, and the plurality of biasing members biasing each terminal assembly relative to an external connector.

32. A connector assembly, comprising a plurality of end brackets; a first rail and a second rail, the first rail and the second rail slidably supported by the plurality of end brackets; and a connector supported by the first rail and the second rail, wherein the connector is configured to translate in a first direction when the first rail and the second rail translate in a second direction.

33. The connector assembly of claim 32, wherein one of the connector and the first and the second rails has a plurality of projections and the other has a plurality of guide apertures, wherein translation of the projections along the guide apertures causes the connector to translate in the second direction.

34. The connector assembly of any of claims 32-33, further comprising an alignment member that is slidably supported by the connector, wherein translation of the first rail and the second rail causes the alignment member to translate in the first direction before the connector starts to translate.

35. The connector assembly of any of claims 32-34, wherein the connector includes a plurality of terminals supported by a floating frame, wherein the floating frame is supported by the first rail and the second rail.

36. The connector assembly of any of claims 32-35, wherein the terminals are supported in a biased manner and are configured to translate relative to the floating frame.

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