Vertical backplane connector
View Patent ↗A connector for electrically coupling an information handling resource to a backplane, may include a lead frame comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive traces configured to be electrically coupled to the backplane and a receptacle having a plurality of electrically-conductive pins each electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame, configured to mechanically and electrically couple the respective modular information handling resource to the receptacle, and structurally oriented relative to the electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame and the backplane such that insertion and removal of the respective modular information handling resource to or from the receptacle is caused by applying force to the respective modular information handling resource in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the backplane having a surface area substantially larger than that of at least all but one of other surfaces of the backplane.
1. An information handling system comprising:
a backplane having a planar surface, a first edge, and a second edge opposite the first edge; and
a plurality of connectors each electrically and mechanically coupled to the backplane, each connector of the plurality of connectors oriented perpendicular to the planar surface and configured to receive a respective modular information handling resource in order to electrically couple the respective modular information handling resource to the backplane, wherein the plurality of connectors is disposed within a mechanical frame coupled to the backplane, and wherein the received modular information handling resources are disposed substantially perpendicularly to the planar surface and lie along a direction from the first edge toward the second edge, the plurality of connectors and respective received modular information handling resources defining airflow passages disposed between adjacent modular information handling resources and directed through the mechanical frame along the direction, each connector comprising:
a lead frame comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive traces electrically coupled to the backplane; and
a receptacle having a plurality of electrically-conductive pins each electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame, configured to mechanically and electrically couple the respective modular information handling resource to the receptacle, and structurally oriented relative to the electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame and the backplane such that insertion and removal of the respective modular information handling resource to or from the receptacle is caused by applying force to the respective modular information handling resource along the direction.
2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein each connector of the plurality of connectors comprises at least one shield mechanically covering a respective side of the lead frame of the connector in order to dampen electrical cross talk between electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame.
3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein for each lead frame, the electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame comprise at least:
a first differential pair of adjacent traces on a side of the lead frame for conducting a first differential electrical signal;
a second differential pair of adjacent traces on the side for conducting a second differential electrical signal; and
a shield trace on the side and formed between the first differential pair and the second differential pair and electrically coupled to a rail voltage of a power supply.
4. The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein traces of the first differential pair are impedance matched to one another.
5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the respective information handling resource comprises a storage resource.
6. The information handling system of claim 1 , further comprising an enclosing frame disposed around the respective receptacles, wherein the enclosing frame includes apertures therein corresponding to the airflow passages.
7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the receptacles are M.2 receptacles.
8. A connector for electrically coupling an information handling resource to a backplane that has a planar surface, a first edge, and a second edge opposite the first edge, the connector comprising:
a lead frame oriented perpendicular to the planar surface and comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive traces configured to be electrically coupled to the backplane; and
a receptacle oriented perpendicular to the planar surface and having a plurality of electrically-conductive pins each electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame, configured to mechanically and electrically couple the respective modular information handling resource to the receptacle such that the modular information handling resource is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the planar surface and lies along a direction from the first edge toward the second edge, wherein the connector is disposed within a mechanical frame coupled to the backplane, and such that the connector and the modular information handling resource define airflow passages on either side thereof within the mechanical frame directed through the mechanical frame and along the direction, the receptacle being structurally oriented relative to the electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame and the backplane such that insertion and removal of the respective modular information handling resource to or from the receptacle is caused by applying force to the respective modular information handling resource along the direction.
9. The connector of claim 8 , further comprising at least one shield mechanically covering a respective side of the lead frame of the connector in order to dampen electrical cross talk between electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame.
10. The connector of claim 8 , wherein the electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame comprise at least:
a first differential pair of adjacent traces on a side of the lead frame for conducting a first differential electrical signal;
a second differential pair of adjacent traces on the side for conducting a second differential electrical signal; and
a shield trace on the side and formed between the first differential pair and the second differential pair and configured to be electrically coupled to a rail voltage of a power supply.
11. The connector of claim 10 , wherein traces of the first differential pair are impedance matched to one another.
12. The connector of claim 8 , wherein the respective information handling resource comprises a storage resource.
13. The connector of claim 8 , wherein the receptacle is an M.2 receptacle.
14. A method for forming a connector for electrically coupling a modular information handling resource to a backplane that has a planar surface, a first edge, and a second edge opposite the first edge, the method comprising:
providing a lead frame oriented perpendicular to the planar surface and comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive traces configured to be electrically coupled to the backplane; and
mechanically and electrically coupling the lead frame to a receptacle oriented perpendicular to the planar surface and having a plurality of electrically-conductive pins such that each of the plurality of electrically-conductive pins is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame, is configured to mechanically and electrically couple the modular information handling resource to the receptacle such that the modular information handling resource is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the planar surface and lies along a direction from the first edge toward the second edge, wherein the connector is disposed within a mechanical frame coupled to the backplane, and such that the connector and the modular information handling resource define airflow passages on either side thereof within the mechanical frame directed through the mechanical frame and along the direction, and is structurally oriented relative to the electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame and the backplane such that insertion and removal of the respective modular information handling resource to or from the receptacle is caused by applying force to the respective modular information handling resource along the direction.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising mechanically coupling at least one shield to the lead frame to cover a respective side of the lead frame of the connector in order to dampen electrical cross talk between electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame comprise at least:
a first differential pair of adjacent traces on a side of the lead frame for conducting a first differential electrical signal;
a second differential pair of adjacent traces on the side for conducting a second differential electrical signal; and
a shield trace on the side and formed between the first differential pair and the second differential pair and configured to be electrically coupled to a rail voltage of a power supply.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein traces of the first differential pair are impedance matched to one another.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the respective information handling resource comprises a storage resource.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the receptacle is an M.2 receptacle.