Backplane and communications device

• US 10,440,850 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2018
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Guodong, Zhang, Jian, Shu, Jianping
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abdullah A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US15/936,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20180220545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 43960711
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7005 Guiding, mounting, polarizing or locking means; Extractors for printed circuit boards H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/75 connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/15 Backplane arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/044 Details of backplane or midplane for mounting orthogonal PCBs
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10318 Surface mounted metallic pins
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10356 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1439 Back panel mother boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1449 with connections to the back board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1451 with connections between circuit boards or units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1452 Mounting of connectors; Switching; Reinforcing of back panels

Abstract

A backplane and a communications device are disclosed. In one example, the backplane includes at least one fixing plate, multiple connectors, and multiple flexible cables, where signal connection is implemented between corresponding connectors by the flexible cables. Each of the connectors is provided with a housing, and multiple signal pins are installed on the housing. The housing is installed on the fixing plate and is provided with a jack for insertion of a connector of a subcard in the communications device. One end of each signal pin is inserted into the jack, and the other end is connected to each flexible cable.

Claims

1. A backplane of a communications device, comprising:

at least one fixing plate;

multiple connectors; and

multiple flexible cables;

wherein signal connection is implemented between corresponding connectors using the flexible cables, wherein each of the connectors is provided with a housing and multiple signal pins installed on the housing, wherein the housing is installed on the at least one fixing plate, and wherein the housing is provided with a jack for insertion of a connector of a subcard in the communications device;

wherein one end of each signal pin is inserted into the jack, and wherein the other end is connected to one of the multiple flexible cables;

wherein a surface of each fixing plate facing the subcard in the communications device is an insertion surface of the fixing plate, and wherein the multiple flexible cables are located on a side of the fixing plate opposite to the insertion surface; and

wherein each fixing plate is provided with at least one connector opening running through a thickness direction of the fixing plate, and wherein a housing of each connector runs through the fixing plate through the connector opening.

2. The backplane according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connector and the fixing plate are assembled by at least one pair of a limiting groove and a limiting bulge that are in clearance fit, so that a position of the connector relative to the fixing is adjustable in a length direction of the connector opening and a width direction of the connector opening.

3. The backplane according to claim 2, wherein the connector and the fixing plate are connected by two pairs of limiting grooves and limiting bulges that are in clearance fit, wherein one of:

the two limiting grooves are separately formed on the fixing plate and are located on two opposite side walls of the connector opening, and wherein the two limiting bulges are disposed on the housing of the connector, and are located on two opposite side surfaces of the housing;

or

the two limiting bulges are separately formed on the fixing plate and are located on two opposite side walls of the connector opening, and wherein the two limiting grooves are disposed on the housing of the connector and are located on two opposite side surfaces of the housing.

4. The backplane according to claim 1, wherein the backplane further comprises a printed circuit board, and wherein the fixing plate is installed on the printed circuit board.

5. The backplane according to claim 4, wherein the printed circuit board is provided with multiple guide pins, and wherein each fixing plate is provided with at least two pin holes that are in guide fit with the guide pins, so that each fixing plate and the printed circuit board are aligned by guiding between a corresponding pin hole and a corresponding guide pin.

6. The backplane according to claim 1, wherein the flexible cables are metal conducting wires or optical fibers.

7. The backplane according to claim 1, wherein the backplane comprises two fixing plates, wherein one of:

the two fixing plates are parallel to each other, and wherein the multiple flexible cables are located between the two fixing plates;

or

the two fixing plates are perpendicular to each other, wherein one side of one of the two fixing plates is spliced with one side of the other fixing plate, and wherein the flexible cables are located in a region of an angle of 90 degrees formed between the two fixing plates.

8. The backplane according to claim 7, wherein the backplane further comprises at least one baffle, wherein the baffle is located on sides of the two fixing plates opposite to insertion surfaces of the two fixing plates, wherein a protective cover located on the sides of the two fixing plates opposite to the insertion surfaces of the two fixing plates is formed between the at least one baffle and the two fixing plates, and wherein the flexible cables are located in the protective cover.

9. A communications device, comprising:

multiple subcards; and

a backplane, the backplane comprising;

at least one fixing plate;

multiple connectors; and

multiple flexible cables;

wherein signal connection is implemented between corresponding connectors using the flexible cables, wherein each of the connectors is provided with a housing and multiple signal pins installed on the housing, wherein the housing is installed on the at least one fixing plate, and wherein the housing is provided with a jack for insertion of a connector of a subcard in the communications device;

wherein one end of each signal pin is inserted into the jack, and wherein the other end is connected to one of the multiple flexible cables;

wherein a surface of each fixing plate facing the subcard in the communications device is an insertion surface of the fixing plate, and wherein the multiple flexible cables are located on a side of the fixing plate opposite to the insertion surface;

wherein a connector of each subcard is inserted into a jack of a connector of the backplane to implement signal connection between the connector of the subcard and the connector of the backplane; and

wherein each fixing plate is provided with at least one connector opening running through a thickness direction of the fixing plate, and wherein a housing of each connector runs through the fixing plate through the connector opening.

10. The communications device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one connector and the fixing plate are assembled by at least one pair of a limiting groove and a limiting bulge that are in clearance fit, so that a position of the connector relative to the fixing plate is adjustable in a length direction of the connector opening and a width direction of the connector opening.

11. The communications device according to claim 10, wherein the connector and the fixing plate are connected by two pairs of limiting grooves and limiting bulges that are in clearance fit, wherein one of:

the two limiting grooves are separately formed on the fixing plate and are located on two opposite side walls of the connector opening, and wherein the two limiting bulges are disposed on the housing of the connector, and are located on two opposite side surfaces of the housing;

or

the two limiting bulges are separately formed on the fixing plate and are located on two opposite side walls of the connector opening, and wherein the two limiting grooves are disposed on the housing of the connector and are located on two opposite side surfaces of the housing.

12. The communications device according to claim 9, wherein the backplane further comprises a printed circuit board, and wherein the fixing plate is installed on the printed circuit board.

13. The communications device according to claim 12, wherein the printed circuit board is provided with multiple guide pins, and wherein each fixing plate is provided with at least two pin holes that are in guide fit with the guide pins, wherein each fixing plate and the printed circuit board are aligned by guiding between a corresponding pin hole and a corresponding guide pin.

14. The communications device according to claim 9, wherein the flexible cables are metal conducting wires or optical fibers.

15. The communications device according to claim 9, wherein the backplane comprises two fixing plates, wherein one of:

the two fixing plates are parallel to each other, and wherein the multiple flexible cables are located between the two fixing plates;

or

the two fixing plates are perpendicular to each other, wherein one side of one of the two fixing plates is spliced with one side of the other fixing plate, and wherein the flexible cables are located in a region of an angle of 90 degrees formed between the two fixing plates.

16. The communications device according to claim 15, wherein the backplane further comprises at least one baffle, wherein the baffle is located on sides of the two fixing plates opposite to insertion surfaces of the two fixing plates, wherein a protective cover located on the sides of the two fixing plates opposite to the insertion surfaces of the two fixing plates is formed between the at least one baffle and the two fixing plates, and wherein the flexible cables are located in the protective cover.