Card edge connector assembly with support hardware

1. A card edge connector assembly comprising:

a card edge connector having a housing extending between a top and a bottom configured to be mounted to a host circuit board, the card edge connector having a card slot at the top configured to receive a pluggable module in a mating direction, the housing holding contacts in the card slot to electrically connect to the pluggable module, the contacts being configured to be electrically connected to the host circuit board; and

support hardware having a top and a bottom, the support hardware having a first mounting block at a first end and a second mounting block at a second end, the support hardware having a side rail extending between the first and second mounting blocks, the support hardware having a cavity defined on a first side by the side rail and on the first and second ends by the first and second mounting blocks, the cavity receiving the card edge connector, the side rail having a pocket configured to receive a support tab of the pluggable module to position the pluggable module relative to the support hardware;

wherein the top of the support hardware is flush with or below the top of the card edge connector.

2. The card edge connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the side rail is provided at the top of the support hardware.

3. The card edge connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support hardware includes guide features at the first and second mounting blocks to guide mating with the pluggable module.

4. The card edge connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support hardware includes a keying feature to orient mating with the pluggable module.

5. The card edge connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the side rail includes a support beam defining the pocket, the pocket open to the cavity.

6. The card edge connector assembly of claim 5 , wherein the support beam includes a latching feature configured to latchably interact with a complementary latching feature of the pluggable module to securely couple the pluggable module to the card edge connector.

7. The card edge connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pocket of the support hardware includes an interior pocket open to the cavity and the support hardware includes an exterior pocket open to an exterior of the card edge connector assembly, the exterior pocket is configured to receive a supporting tab of the pluggable module to position the pluggable module relative to the support hardware.

8. The card edge connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the side rail comprises a step, a first support beam between the first mounting block and the step and a second support beam between the second mounting block and the step, the first support beam having an exterior surface, the pocket defining a first pocket at the exterior surface between the first mounting block and the step configured to receive the supporting tab of the pluggable module, the second support beam having an exterior surface defining a second pocket between the second mounting block and the step configured to receive a supporting tab of the pluggable module.

9. The card edge connector assembly of claim 8 , wherein the step comprises a third support beam having an interior surface defining a third pocket open to the cavity, the third pocket being configured to receive a supporting tab of the pluggable module to position the pluggable module relative to the support hardware.

10. The card edge connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first mounting block comprises an anchor opening receiving a first anchor for securing the support hardware to the host circuit board independent of the card edge connector and the second mounting block comprises an anchor opening receiving a second anchor for securing the support hardware to the host circuit board independent of the card edge connector.

11. The card edge connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein the anchor includes a spreading feature configured to expand outward after mounting to the host circuit board to secure the support hardware to the host circuit board.

12. The card edge connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing of the card edge connector includes a base at the bottom configured to be mounted to the host circuit board, the first mounting block including a shoulder receiving a first end of the base, the second mounting block including a shoulder receiving a second end of the base, the shoulders pressing downward against the first and second ends of the base to support the card edge connector.

13. The card edge connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support hardware includes a guide feature configured to engage and orient the pluggable module prior to the pluggable module plugging into the card slot of the card edge connector.

14. The card edge connector assembly of claim 13 , wherein the guide feature extends parallel to the mating direction to provide angular alignment with the mating direction of the pluggable module relative to the support hardware.

15. A card edge connector assembly comprising:

a card edge connector having a housing extending between a top and a bottom configured to be mounted to a host circuit board, the housing having a first end and a second end, the housing having a first side and a second side extending between the first and second ends, the card edge connector having a card slot at the top configured to receive a pluggable module in a mating direction, the housing holding contacts in the card slot to electrically connect to the pluggable module, the contacts being configured to be electrically connected to the host circuit board; and

support hardware having a top and a bottom, the support hardware having a first mounting block at a first end and a second mounting block at a second end, the first and second mounting blocks configured to be mounted to the host circuit board, the support hardware having a side rail extending between the first and second mounting blocks, the support hardware having a cavity defined on a first side by the side rail and on the first and second ends by the first and second mounting blocks, the cavity receiving the card edge connector, the side rail having a step defining a pocket open to the cavity, a first support beam between the first mounting block and the step and a second support beam between the second mounting block and the step, the step having a third support beam, the first support beam having an interior surface abutting against the first side of the housing of the card edge connector and an exterior surface configured to engage a first supporting tab of the pluggable module to position the pluggable module relative to the support hardware, the second support beam having an interior surface abutting against the first side of the housing of the card edge connector and an exterior surface configured to engage a second supporting tab of the pluggable module to position the pluggable module relative to the support hardware, the third support beam having an interior surface facing the pocket and configured to engage a third supporting tab of the pluggable module to position the pluggable module relative to the support hardware.

16. The card edge connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the support hardware includes guide features at the first and second mounting blocks to guide mating with the pluggable module.

17. The card edge connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the third support beam includes a latching feature configured to latchably interact with a complementary latching feature of the pluggable module to securely couple the pluggable module to the card edge connector.

18. The card edge connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first mounting block comprises an anchor opening receiving a first anchor for securing the support hardware to the host circuit board independent of the card edge connector and the second mounting block comprises an anchor opening receiving a second anchor for securing the support hardware to the host circuit board independent of the card edge connector.

19. The card edge connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the housing of the card edge connector includes a base at the bottom configured to be mounted to the host circuit board, the first mounting block including a shoulder receiving a first end of the base, the second mounting block including a shoulder receiving a second end of the base, the shoulders pressing downward against the first and second ends of the base to support the card edge connector.

20. A card edge connector assembly comprising:

a pluggable module including a circuit card having a mating end including contact pads, the pluggable module including a housing holding the circuit card, the housing having a bottom and including a first supporting tab extending from the bottom, a second supporting tab extending from the bottom and a third supporting tab extending from the bottom;

a card edge connector receiving the pluggable module, the card edge connector having a housing extending between a top and a bottom configured to be mounted to a host circuit board, the housing having a first end and a second end, the housing having a first side and a second side extending between the first and second ends, the card edge connector having a card slot at the top receiving the mating end of the pluggable module in a mating direction, the housing holding contacts in the card slot to electrically connect to corresponding contact pads of the pluggable module, the contacts being configured to be electrically connected to the host circuit board; and

support hardware having a top and a bottom, the support hardware having a first mounting block at a first end and a second mounting block at a second end, the first and second mounting blocks configured to be mounted to the host circuit board, the support hardware having a side rail extending between the first and second mounting blocks, the support hardware having a cavity defined on a first side by the side rail and on the first and second ends by the first and second mounting blocks, the cavity receiving the card edge connector, the side rail having a step, a first support beam between the first mounting block and the step and a second support beam between the second mounting block and the step, the step having a third support beam, the first support beam having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the second support beam having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the third support beam having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface of the first support beam abutting against the first side of the housing of the card edge connector and the exterior surface of the first support beam defining a first pocket receiving the first supporting tab, the interior surface of the second support beam abutting against the first side of the housing of the card edge connector and the exterior surface of the second support beam defining a second pocket receiving the second supporting tab, the step defining a third pocket and the interior surface of the third support beam facing the third pocket and engaging the third supporting tab of the pluggable module.