IP Library Granted Patent US 12,730,270
Granted Patent B2
US 12,730,270 · App. 18/219,094 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Connector assembly

Inventors: Che-Yuan Yang (New Taipei City, TW); Ya-Li Xu (New Taipei City, TW)
Assignee: Molex, LLC
G02B6/4269G02B6/4261H01R13/502H05K7/2049
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,730,270
App. No.
18/219,094
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A connector assembly includes a cage having at least one inserting passageway and a heat sink frame positioned above the inserting passageway, the heat sink module is assembled to the heat sink frame, the heat sink module includes a movable plate, a heat sink, a pressure-applying spring and a supporting spring; the movable plate has a pushed portion which enters into the inserting passageway, the pressure-applying spring is provided between the movable plate and the heat sink, the supporting spring upwardly and elastically supports the heat sink; the movable plate is capable of moving relative to the heat sink frame between a first position which is in the front and a second position which is in the rear, the heat sink is capable of moving relative to the heat sink frame between a release position which is in the up and a contact position which is in the down. A pluggable module is capable of inserting into the inserting passageway of the cage along an inserting direction which is from front to rear so as to push the pushed portion of the movable plate and make the movable plate rearwardly move from the first position to the second position, in turn the movable plate brings the pressure-applying spring to move to actuate the heat sink from the release position which is in the up to move to the contact position which is in the down to contact a surface of the pluggable module.

Claims (80)

1 . A connector assembly, comprising:

a cage having at least one inserting passageway and a heat sink frame positioned above the inserting passageway;

a heat sink module assembled to the heat sink frame, the heat sink module comprising a movable plate, a heat sink, a pressure-applying spring and a supporting spring, the movable plate being positioned above the heat sink and having a pushed portion which enters into the inserting passageway, the pressure-applying spring being provided between the movable plate and the heat sink, the supporting spring upwardly and elastically supporting the heat sink, the movable plate being capable of moving relative to the heat sink frame between a first position which is in the front and a second position which is in the rear, and the heat sink being capable of moving relative to the heat sink frame between a release position which is in an upwards direction and a contact position which is in a downwards direction; and

a pluggable module capable of being inserted into the inserting passageway of the cage along an inserting direction which is from front to rear so as to push the pushed portion of the movable plate and make the movable plate rearwardly move from the first position to the second position, in turn the movable plate bringing the pressure-applying spring to move the heat sink from the release position which is in the upwards direction to the contact position which is in the downwards direction and make the supporting spring compressed, an elastic acting force of the pressure-applying spring making a bottom portion of the heat sink downwardly contact a surface of the pluggable module with a pressure, when the pluggable module withdraws from the inserting passageway, the supporting spring upwardly raising the heat sink to the release position where the heat sink does not contact the surface of the pluggable module, the pressure-applying spring actuating the movable plate to forwardly move to the first position.

2 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the pressure-applying spring is integrally constructed on the movable plate;

the heat sink frame is constructed with a pressure-applying spring acting construction; and

when the movable plate rearwardly moves from the first position to the second position, the pressure-applying spring on the movable plate and the pressure-applying spring acting construction of the heat sink frame act to make the movable plate downwardly move and in turn bring the heat sink to move downwardly from the release position and to the contact position.

3 . The connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein

the pressure-applying spring comprises a plurality of plate spring portions which are constructed to two sides of the movable plate and are arranged in a front-rear direction,

the plurality of plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring obliquely extend forwardly and upwardly,

the heat sink frame has an upper wall,

the pressure-applying spring acting construction comprises a plurality of interfering pieces which are constructed to the upper wall of the heat sink frame,

when the movable plate is positioned in the first position, the interfering pieces of the pressure-applying spring acting construction are respectively positioned behind the plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring, and

when the movable plate is positioned in the second position, the interfering pieces of the pressure-applying spring acting construction downwardly act to the plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring.

4 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the pressure-applying spring is assembled on the heat sink,

the movable plate is constructed with a pressure-applying spring acting construction, and

when the movable plate rearwardly moves from the first position to the second position, the pressure-applying spring acting construction on the movable plate and the pressure-applying spring on the heat sink act in turn to bring the heat sink to move downwardly from the release position and move to the contact position.

5 . The connector assembly of claim 4 , wherein

the pressure-applying spring comprises a plurality of plate spring portions which are assembled to two sides of the heat sink and are arranged in a front-rear direction,

the plurality of plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring obliquely extend rearwardly and upwardly,

the pressure-applying spring acting construction comprises a plurality of interfering pieces which are constructed to two sides of the movable plate,

when the movable plate is positioned in the first position, the interfering pieces of the pressure-applying spring acting construction are respectively positioned in front of the plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring, and

when the movable plate is positioned in the second position, the interfering pieces of the pressure-applying spring acting construction downwardly act to the plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring.

6 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the pressure-applying spring is integrally constructed on the movable plate,

the heat sink is constructed with a pressure-applying spring acting construction, and

when the movable plate rearwardly moves from the first position to the second position, the pressure-applying spring on the movable plate and the pressure-applying spring acting construction of the heat sink act in turn to move the heat sink downwardly from the release position to the contact position.

7 . The connector assembly of claim 6 , wherein

the pressure-applying spring comprises a plurality of plate spring portions which are constructed to two sides of the movable plate and are arranged in a front-rear direction,

the plurality of plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring obliquely extend forwardly and downwardly,

the pressure-applying spring acting construction comprises a plurality of interfering oblique surfaces which are constructed to two sides of the heat sink and obliquely extend rearwardly and upwardly,

when the movable plate is positioned in the first position, the interfering oblique surfaces of the pressure-applying spring acting construction are respectively positioned behind the plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring, and

when the movable plate is positioned in the second position, the plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring downwardly act to the interfering oblique surfaces of the pressure-applying spring acting construction.

8 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the heat sink module further comprises a position-restoring spring which is provided between the heat sink frame and the movable plate, the position-restoring spring being used to provide an elastic acting force for the movable plate moving to the first position.

9 . The connector assembly of claim 8 , wherein

the heat sink frame has a first hook portion which is positioned at a front end of the heat sink frame,

the movable plate has a second hook portion which is positioned at a front end of the movable plate, and

the position-restoring spring is a coil spring, a front end of the position-restoring spring connecting the first hook portion, and a rear end of the position-restoring spring connecting the second hook portion.

10 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the supporting spring comprises at least two supporting spring constructions, the two supporting spring constructions being respectively constructed on the heat sink frame and supporting a left side and a right side of the heat sink.

11 . The connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein the supporting spring construction comprises two elastic supporting portions which upwardly support the heat sink and are plate-shaped.

12 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the heat sink frame and the heat sink are provided therebetween with a heat sink guiding construction, the heat sink guiding construction limiting movement of the heat sink in a front-rear direction and guiding movement of the heat sink in an up-down direction.

13 . The connector assembly of claim 12 , wherein

the heat sink guiding construction comprises guiding holes which are constructed on side walls of the heat sink frame and guiding protrusions which are constructed on side edges of the heat sink, the guiding protrusions being provided to the guiding holes and being capable of moving up and down.

14 . A connector assembly, comprising:

a cage having at least one inserting passageway and at least one heat sink frame positioned above the inserting passageway;

at least one heat sink module assembled to the heat sink frame, the heat sink module comprising a movable plate, a heat sink, a pressure-applying spring, a supporting spring and a movable plate guiding construction, the movable plate being positioned above the heat sink and having a pushed portion which enters into the inserting passageway, the pressure-applying spring being provided between the movable plate and the heat sink, the supporting spring upwardly and elastically supporting the heat sink, the movable plate being capable of being guided by the movable plate guiding construction to move relative to the heat sink frame between a first position which is in the front and in an upwards direction and a second position which is in the rear and in a downwards direction, and the heat sink being capable of moving relative to the heat sink frame between a release position which is in the upwards direction and a contact position which is in the downwards direction; and

a pluggable module capable of being inserted into the inserting passageway of the cage along an inserting direction which is from front to rear to push the pushed portion of the movable plate and make the movable plate rearwardly move from the first position to the second position, in turn the movable plate bringing the pressure-applying spring to move and actuate the heat sink to move from the release position which is in the upwards direction to the contact position which is in the downwards direction and make the supporting spring compressed, an elastic acting force of the pressure-applying spring making a bottom portion of the heat sink downwardly contact a surface of the pluggable module with a pressure,

when the pluggable module withdraws from the inserting passageway, the supporting spring upwardly raising the heat sink to move to the release position where the heat sink does not contact the surface of the pluggable module, the pressure-applying spring actuating the movable plate to forwardly move to the first position.

15 . The connector assembly of claim 14 , wherein

the heat sink frame has side walls,

the movable plate guiding construction comprises guiding members and guiding grooves which cooperate with each other,

the guiding grooves are constructed on the side walls of the heat sink frame and obliquely extend rearwardly and downwardly, and

the guiding members are constructed on side edges of the movable plate and are assembled into the guiding grooves, the guiding members being capable of moving along the guiding grooves.

16 . The connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein

the pressure-applying spring is integrally constructed on the movable plate, and

when the movable plate rearwardly moves from the first position to the second position, the pressure-applying spring on the movable plate directly acts to the heat sink, in turn bringing the heat sink to move downwardly from the release position to the contact position.

17 . The connector assembly of claim 16 , wherein

the pressure-applying spring comprises a plurality of plate spring portions which are constructed to two sides of the movable plate and are arranged in a front-rear direction, the plurality of plate spring portions of the pressure-applying spring obliquely extending forwardly and downwardly.

18 . The connector assembly of claim 14 , wherein

the supporting spring is constructed on the movable plate, and

the supporting spring comprises a supporting brace which braces the heat sink from down to up, the supporting brace of the supporting spring upwardly and elastically supporting the heat sink.

19 . The connector assembly of claim 18 , wherein

the heat sink frame has a lower wall,

the supporting spring comprises a plurality of the supporting braces which are constructed to two sides of the movable plate and a plurality of elastic abutting portions which are constructed to the two sides of the movable plate and downwardly elastically abut against the lower wall of the heat sink frame,

each of the supporting braces has a supporting hook which extends downwardly and inwardly and is used to hook a respective side edge of the heat sink, and

the plurality of elastic abutting portions extend obliquely.

20 . The connector assembly of claim 14 , wherein

the supporting spring comprises at least two supporting spring constructions, and

the two supporting spring constructions are respectively constructed on the heat sink frame and support a left side and a right side of the heat sink.

21 . The connector assembly of claim 20 , wherein

each of the supporting spring constructions comprises two elastic supporting portions which upwardly support the heat sink and are plate-shaped.

22 . The connector assembly of claim 14 , wherein

the heat sink frame and the heat sink are provided therebetween with a heat sink guiding construction, the heat sink guiding construction limiting movement of the heat sink in a front-rear direction and guiding movement of the heat sink in an up-down direction.

23 . The connector assembly of claim 22 , wherein

the heat sink guiding construction comprises guiding holes which are constructed on side walls of the heat sink frame and guiding protrusions which are constructed on side edges of the heat sink, the guiding protrusions being provided to the guiding holes and being capable of moving up and down.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2023
From: YANG, CHE-YUAN; XU, YA-LI
To: MOLEX TAIWAN LTD.
Reel/Frame 064961/0220 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2023
From: MOLEX TAIWAN LTD.
To: MOLEX, LLC
Reel/Frame 064961/0224 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202210867464.7 · Jul 22, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240027709A1 · Jan 25, 2024
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