MOUNTING ASSEMBLY AND BACKPLANE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20150195942A1
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Rossman, Jared Evan
• Granted Patent: US 9,661,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1445 with double-sided connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1451 with connections between circuit boards or units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7075 including discrete retainer

Abstract

Mounting assembly for a backplane communication system. The mounting assembly includes a retention collet that has a collet base and a coupling arm that extends from the collet base. The collet base includes a passage therethrough. The collet base is configured to be mounted to a backplane such that the passage extends through the backplane and the coupling arm extends from the collet base away from the backplane. The mounting assembly also includes a spacer member having a member cavity that receives the coupling arm when the spacer member is mounted to the backplane. The coupling arm is held in a locked position when engaged by a guide pin that has been inserted through the passage of the collet base and into the member cavity. The retention collet and the spacer member are interlocked when the coupling arm is in the locked position.

Claims

1. A mounting assembly for a backplane communication system, the mounting assembly comprising:

a retention collet including a collet base and a coupling arm that extends from the collet base, the collet base having a passage therethrough, wherein the collet base is configured to be mounted to a backplane such that the passage extends through the backplane and the coupling arm extends away from the backplane; and

a spacer member having a member cavity that receives the coupling arm when the spacer member is mounted to the backplane, the coupling arm being held in a locked position when engaged by a guide pin that has been inserted through the passage of the collet base and into the member cavity, the retention collet and the spacer member being interlocked when the coupling arm is in the locked position.

2. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupling arm has an inner surface and an outer surface that face in generally opposite directions, the inner surface configured to extend along and directly engage the guide pin when the coupling arm is in the locked position, the outer surface configured to directly engage an interior surface of the spacer member that defines the member cavity.

3. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the spacer member has an interior surface that defines the member cavity, the coupling arm being deflected in a first lateral direction by the interior surface as the spacer member is mounted to the backplane and, subsequently, pressed in a different second lateral direction as the guide pin is inserted into the member cavity.

4. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the spacer member includes an interior surface that defines the member cavity, the coupling arm and the interior surface being shaped relative to each other such that spacer member is forced toward the backplane as the coupling arm is pressed against the interior surface by the guide pin.

5. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the spacer member has an interior surface that defines the member cavity and that includes a blocking portion, the guide pin advancing in a loading direction when the guide pin is inserted into the member cavity, the interior surface along the blocking portion at least partially facing in the loading direction.

6. The mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein the coupling arm has an outer surface including a driving area, the driving area being pressed against the blocking portion of the interior surface when the guide pin engages the coupling arm, wherein the driving area and the blocking portion are shaped relative to each other such that spacer member is forced toward the backplane as the driving area is pressed against the blocking portion.

7. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the retention collet includes a plurality of the coupling arms, the coupling arms being positioned about a collet axis extending through the passage, the coupling arms extending generally parallel to the collet axis.

8. The mounting assembly of claim 7, wherein each of the coupling arms is deflected toward the collet axis by an interior surface of the spacer member that defines the member cavity as the spacer member is mounted to the backplane.

9. The mounting assembly of claim 7, wherein the coupling arms include at least three coupling arms that are distributed circumferentially about the collet axis.

10. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the retention collet extends between a leading end and a trailing end, the collet base having an exterior surface that defines an outer diameter of the collet base, the outer diameter being greatest along a flange portion of the collet base that includes the trailing end.

11. A backplane communication system comprising:

a backplane having a mounting hole and a mating window extending through the backplane;

a retention collet including a collet base and a coupling arm that extends from the collet base, the collet base being secured to the backplane such that the coupling arm is proximate to the mounting hole and extends away from the backplane; and

a connector assembly configured to be mounted to the backplane, the connector assembly including an electrical connector that is configured to be positioned proximate to the mating window of the backplane and a spacer member coupled to the electrical connector, the spacer member having a member cavity that receives the coupling arm of the retention collet when the connector assembly is mounted to the backplane, the coupling arm being held in a locked position when engaged by a guide pin that has been inserted through the mounting hole and into the member cavity, the retention collet and the spacer member being interlocked when the coupling arm is in the locked position.

12. The backplane communication system of claim 11, wherein the backplane comprises a printed circuit board.

13. The backplane communication system of claim 11, wherein the collet base includes a passage extending therethrough along a collet axis, the coupling arm extending generally parallel to the collet axis, the guide pin configured to be inserted through the passage.

14. The backplane communication system of claim 11, further comprising the guide pin and a daughter card assembly that includes the guide pin.

15. The backplane communication system of claim 11, wherein the coupling arm has an inner surface and an outer surface that face in generally opposite directions, the inner surface configured to extend along and directly engage the guide pin when the coupling arm is in the locked position, the outer surface configured to directly engage an interior surface of the spacer member that defines the member cavity.

16. The backplane communication system of claim 11, wherein the spacer member has an interior surface that defines the member cavity, the coupling arm being deflected in a first lateral direction by the interior surface as the spacer member is mounted to the backplane and, subsequently, pressed in a different second lateral direction as the guide pin is inserted into the member cavity.

17. The backplane communication system of claim 11, wherein the spacer member includes an interior surface that defines the member cavity, the coupling arm and the interior surface being shaped relative to each other such that spacer member is forced toward the backplane as the coupling arm is pressed against the interior surface by the guide pin.

18. The backplane communication system of claim 11, wherein the retention collet includes a plurality of the coupling arms extending generally parallel to one another.

19. The backplane communication system of claim 18, wherein each of the coupling arms is configured to be deflected by an interior surface of the spacer member that defines the member cavity.

20. The backplane communication system of claim 18, wherein the coupling arms include at least three coupling arms.