Cable backplane system having individually removable cable connector assemblies
A cable backplane system includes cable backplanes each including a tray configured to be coupled to a chassis and a plurality of cable connector assemblies mounted to the tray. The tray has a plate extending between a front and a rear with mounting locations receiving corresponding cable connector assemblies. The trays are oriented parallel to each other with front openings between the fronts of the plates and rear openings between the rears of the plates. Each cable connector assembly has a housing holding contacts terminated to corresponding cables. Each cable connector assembly has a holder mounted to the corresponding mounting location of the plate. The holder is mounted to the plate and removable from the plate through the rear opening at the rear of the plate.
1. A cable connector assembly configured to be mounted to a tray, the cable connector assembly comprising:
a housing holding contacts terminated to corresponding cables and configured for mating with mating contacts of a corresponding card connector when mated to the cable connector assembly;
a holder including a top plate, a bottom plate and side plates defining a cavity with the housing disposed therein, the bottom plate having a plurality of mounting tabs extending therefrom below the bottom plate, the mounting tabs being configured to locate the cable connector assembly relative to the tray; and
a fastener coupled to the bottom plate, the fastener configured to engage the tray to secure the cable connector assembly to the tray.
2. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable connector assembly has a mating end opposite a cable end, the cables extending from the cable end, the holder extending along a bottom of the cable connector assembly, the bottom configured to be mounted to the tray.
3. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting tabs are configured to be received in corresponding slots in a plate of the tray to locate the cable connector assembly relative to the plate.
4. The cable connector assembly of claim 3 , wherein the mounting tabs include a foot portion having an upper surface configured to be captured below the plate of the tray.
5. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting tabs are L-shaped.
6. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting tabs have a leg portion extending downward from the bottom wall and a foot portion extending from the leg portion, the foot portion having an upper surface configured to be captured below the plate of the tray after the mounting tab passes through the corresponding slot and the holder is slid forward.
7. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bottom plate includes a base configured to be positioned between the housing and a plate of the tray and a tail extending rearward from the base, the tail holding the fastener for securing the cable connector assembly to the plate.
8. The cable connector assembly of claim 7 , wherein the tail includes flexible beams to allow relative movement between the base and the tail.
9. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting tabs are configured to engage a plate of the tray to secure the cable connector assembly in a vertical direction perpendicular to a mating direction of the housing and to secure the cable connector assembly in a lateral direction perpendicular to the mating direction and perpendicular to the vertical direction.
10. The cable connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein the holder includes a positioning tab configured to be received in a rear slot of the plate of the tray and engaging a plate of the tray to secure the holder in the mating direction.
11. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fastener includes threads configured to be threadably coupled to the tray.
12. A cable connector assembly configured to be mounted to a tray having a plate with slots therethrough, the cable connector assembly comprising:
a housing holding contacts at a front of the housing terminated to corresponding cables extending from a rear of the housing, the contacts configured for mating with mating contacts of a corresponding card connector when mated to the cable connector assembly in a mating direction;
a holder including a top plate, a bottom plate and side plates defining a cavity with the housing disposed therein, the bottom plate having a plurality of mounting tabs extending therefrom below the bottom plate, the mounting tabs configured to be received in corresponding slots in the plate of the tray to locate the cable connector assembly relative to the tray, the mounting tabs having engagement surfaces configured to engage a bottom of the plate of the tray to secure the bottom plate of the holder to a top surface of the plate of the tray, the engagement surfaces being parallel to the bottom plate of the holder and being upward facing to engage the bottom of the plate of the tray; and
a fastener coupled to the bottom plate of the holder, the fastener configured to engage the plate of the tray to secure the cable connector assembly to the tray.
13. The cable connector assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mounting tabs include a foot portion defining the engagement surface, the engagement surface being upward facing to be captured below the plate of the tray.
14. The cable connector assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mounting tabs are L-shaped.
15. The cable connector assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mounting tabs have a leg portion extending downward from the bottom plate and a foot portion extending from the leg portion, the foot portion having an upper surface defining the engagement surface configured to be captured below the plate of the tray after the mounting tab passes through the corresponding slot and the holder is slid forward.
16. The cable connector assembly of claim 12 , wherein the bottom plate of the holder includes a base configured to be positioned between the housing and the plate of the tray and a tail extending rearward from the base, the tail holding a fastener for securing the cable connector assembly to the plate.
17. The cable connector assembly of claim 16 , wherein the tail includes flexible beams to allow relative movement between the base and the tail.
18. The cable connector assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mounting tabs secure the cable connector assembly in a vertical direction perpendicular to the mating direction of the housing and to secure the cable connector assembly in a lateral direction perpendicular to the mating direction and perpendicular to the vertical direction.
19. The cable connector assembly of claim 18 , wherein the holder includes a positioning tab configured to be received in a rear slot of the plate of the tray and engaging the plate of the tray to secure the holder in the mating direction.