# US 10,873,149 B2 · High performance stacked connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,149 B2 - Document ID: US10873149B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/388,560 - Filed: 2019-04-18 - Published: 2019-10-24 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-18 - Assignees: Amphenol Corporation - Applicants: Amphenol Corporation - Inventors: Xingye Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873149B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/4268: {Cooling (of instruments G12B15/00; of electric apparatus H05K7/20; of semiconductor devices H10W76/47)} - H01R 13/514: composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them - H01R 12/53: connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables - H01R 13/6581: Shield structure - H04B 10/40: Transceivers - H04B 10/801: {using optical interconnects, e.g. light coupled isolators, circuit board interconnections} - H05K 7/20154: {Heat dissipaters coupled to components} - G02B 6/4246: {Bidirectionally operating package structures} - G02B 6/4261: {Packages with mounting structures to be pluggable or detachable, e.g. having latches or rails} - G02B 6/4269: {with heat sinks or radiation fins} - G02B 6/4277: {Protection against electromagnetic interference [EMI], e.g. shielding means (shielding of electric apparatus H05K9/00, of instruments G12B17/00)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A cage for a stacked I/O connector that provides heat dissipation sufficient to support operation of QSFP-DD transceivers with a conventionally-sized cooling fan. The cage includes a second channel, between a first and a third channel that are sized and positioned adjacent ports of a connector so as to receive two transceivers. A face of the second channel may have a pattern of openings that enables a high airflow yet blocks electromagnetic radiation that would otherwise contribute to EMI. An element, adjacent the channel that similarly has a pattern of holes enabling high airflow, may further block EMI. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cage assembly for an electrical connector comprising: a first channel defined by conductive walls and configured to receive a transceiver; a second channel defined by conductive walls and adjacent the first channel, the second channel comprising a face comprising a perimeter that bounds an area of the face, the face comprising a plurality of holes therethrough collectively occupying at least 40% of the area of the face; a heat sink disposed in the second channel; and a thermally conductive element extending within the second channel between the face of the second channel and the heat sink, the thermally conductive element comprising a plurality of holes passing therethrough aligned with the plurality of holes of the face of the second channel, wherein: the plurality of holes are arranged in a plurality of lines extending in a first direction; and each of the plurality of lines is offset, in the first direction, from an adjacent line such that holes in the line are disposed between holes of the adjacent line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cage assembly of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of lines are separated by a first distance in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction; the plurality of holes extend in the second direction by at least a second distance; and the first distance is less than the second distance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cage assembly of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of lines are separated in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, by a first distance; the face has a width in the second direction of less than 20 mm; and the plurality of lines comprises at least 3 lines. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cage assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes have perimeters with straight segments. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cage assembly of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of holes comprise hexagons. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cage assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are disposed in a honeycomb pattern. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cage assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes collectively occupy an area that is at least 50% of the area of the face. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cage assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes collectively occupy an area that is between 50% and 60% of the area of the face. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cage assembly of claim 1, wherein the first channel is configured to receive a QSFP transceiver. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cage assembly of claim 1, wherein: the cage further comprises a third channel defined by conductive walls and configured to receive a second transceiver; and the second channel is between the first channel and the third channel. ### Claim 11 An electronic system comprising: an enclosure having a panel with at least one opening therethrough; a printed circuit board within the enclosure; a cage mounted to the printed circuit board with the connector enclosed by the cage, the cage comprising a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel having ends exposed in the opening, the second channel being disposed between the first channel and the third channel, the end of the second channel comprising a surface comprising a plurality of holes therethrough collectively occupying more than 40% of a surface area of the surface; an electrical connector comprising a first electrical connector port disposed in the first channel and a second electrical connector port disposed in the third channel, the electrical connector being mounted to the printed circuit board; a thermally conductive element disposed within the second channel, the thermally conductive element comprising a plurality of holes passing therethrough aligned with the plurality of holes of the surface of the second; and at least one fan positioned to cause air to flow over the cage, wherein the plurality of holes are disposed in a plurality of rows with the holes in each of the plurality of rows being staggered with respect to holes in an adjacent row such that holes in the row are between holes in the adjacent row in a first direction parallel to the plurality of rows. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of rows are separated by a distance in a second direction perpendicular to the plurality of rows that is less than the dimension of the holes in the second direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The electronic system of claim 11, wherein the holes through the thermally conductive element have an aspect ratio of length to diameter of at least 3. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electronic system of claim 11, wherein the at least one fan is configured to cause a static pressure of less than 1.5 IW (inches of water). ### Claim 15 A method of operating an electronic system in an ambient environment comprising, within an enclosure, a stacked cage mounted to a printed circuit board comprising stacked first, second and third channels, wherein the second channel has a face at a first end, the method comprising: transmitting or receiving optical signals with a first transceiver consuming between 1 and 15 W, the first transceiver being disposed within the first channel and coupled to a first port of an electrical connector that is mounted to the printed circuit board; transmitting or receiving optical signals with a second transceiver consuming between 1 and 15 W, the second transceiver being disposed within the second channel and coupled to a second port of the electrical connector; flowing air through openings in the face of the second channel that collectively occupy at least 40% of an area of the face and flowing air towards the electrical connector with a fan within the enclosure, thereby dissipating heat from the first transceivers in the first channel and the second transceiver in the third channel at a rate such that a temperature rise of the first and second transceivers relative to an off state of the transceivers is less than 25 degrees C. in an ambient environment of 25 degrees C. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein: the cage is mounted to a printed circuit board with the first channel adjacent the printed circuit board and the second channel between the first channel and the third channel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein: the transceivers in the first and third channels are QSFP-DD transceivers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein: the openings in the face are arranged in a honeycomb pattern.