# US 10,873,161 B2 · Receptacle assembly having cabled receptacle connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,161 B2 - Document ID: US10873161B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/404,103 - Filed: 2019-05-06 - Published: 2020-11-12 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-06 - Assignees: Te Connectivity Corporation - Applicants: Te Connectivity Corporation - Inventors: Randall Robert Henry; Brandon Michael Matthews - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873161B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/633: for disengagement only {(in combination with safety switch H01R13/7132)} - H01R 13/6595: with separate members fixing the shield to the PCB - H01R 12/716: {Coupling device provided on the PCB} - H01R 13/6581: Shield structure - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A cabled receptacle connector includes a receptacle housing having a cavity extending between a front and a rear of the receptacle housing and a mating slot at the front. The cavity receives a cable assembly with contacts positioned in the mating slot. The cable receptacle connector includes a latch coupled to the receptacle housing. The receptacle housing includes a latch mount and a cover removably coupled to the latch mount and a securing plate coupled to the latch mount and the cover to secure the cover to the latch mount. The cable receptacle connector includes a biasing spring coupled to the latch and the receptacle housing and forward biasing the receptacle housing in the receptacle cage when the latching tab is latchably coupled to the receptacle cage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cabled receptacle connector for a receptacle assembly comprising: a cable assembly including a frame holding contacts, the contacts being terminated to cables of the cable assembly; a receptacle housing having a cavity extending between a front and a rear of the receptacle housing, the receptacle housing having a mating slot at the front, the cavity receiving the cable assembly with the contacts positioned in the mating slot for mating engagement with a pluggable module removably received in a receptacle cage of the receptacle assembly, the receptacle housing including a latch mount and a cover removably coupled to the latch mount, the receptacle housing including a latch plate coupled to the latch mount and the cover to secure the cover to the latch mount; a latch coupled to the receptacle housing, the latch having a latching tab configured to be latchably coupled to the receptacle cage; and a biasing spring having a first end coupled to the latch and a second end coupled to the cover of the receptacle housing, the biasing spring forward biasing the receptacle housing in the receptacle cage when the latching tab is latchably coupled to the receptacle cage; wherein the cover includes access ports in the latch mount aligned with the biasing springs, the access ports providing access to the biasing springs from a location forward of the latch mount. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cabled receptacle connector of claim 1, wherein the latch is movable axially relative to the receptacle housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cabled receptacle connector of claim 1, wherein the latch includes a pivot axle coupled to the receptacle housing, the latch being rotatable about the pivot axle, the receptacle housing being slidably coupled to the pivot axle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cabled receptacle connector of claim 1, wherein the receptacle cage includes a latching guide at the rear being separate and discrete from the plurality of walls, the latching guide including a latching feature, the latch having a latching tab latchably coupled to the latching feature of the latching guide to secure the cabled receptacle connector in the receptacle cage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cabled receptacle connector of claim 4, wherein the latching guide includes a first side wall and a second side wall, each of the first and second side walls including a cutout and a mounting block axially offset form the cutout, the cutout configured to receive a second mounting block of a second latching guide of an adjacent cabled receptacle connector, the mounting block configured to be received in a second cutout of the second latching guide of the adjacent cabled receptacle connector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cabled receptacle connector of claim 1, wherein the biasing spring forward biases the receptacle housing until the receptacle housing engages a stop surface of the receptacle cage to locate the receptacle housing relative to the receptacle cage. ### Claim 7 A cabled receptacle connector for a receptacle assembly comprising: a cable assembly including a frame holding contacts, the contacts being terminated to cables of the cable assembly; a receptacle housing having a cavity extending between a front and a rear of the receptacle housing, the receptacle housing having a mating slot at the front, the cavity receiving the cable assembly with the contacts positioned in the mating slot for mating engagement with a pluggable module removably received in a receptacle cage of the receptacle assembly, the receptacle housing including a latch mount and a cover removably coupled to the latch mount, the receptacle housing including a latch plate coupled to the latch mount and the cover to secure the cover to the latch mount; a latch coupled to the receptacle housing, the latch having a latching tab configured to be latchably coupled to the receptacle cage; and a biasing spring having a first end coupled to the latch and a second end coupled to the cover of the receptacle housing, the biasing spring forward biasing the receptacle housing in the receptacle cage when the latching tab is latchably coupled to the receptacle cage, wherein the biasing spring has a forward biasing force exceeding a mating force of the pluggable module with the cabled receptacle connector to maintain the receptacle housing in the forward biased position during mating of the pluggable module with the cabled receptacle connector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The cabled receptacle connector of claim 7, wherein the cover includes access ports in the latch mount aligned with the biasing springs, the access ports providing access to the biasing springs from a location forward of the latch mount. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The cabled receptacle connector of claim 7, wherein the biasing spring forward biases the receptacle housing until the receptacle housing engages a stop surface of the receptacle cage to locate the receptacle housing relative to the receptacle cage. ### Claim 10 A receptacle assembly comprising: a receptacle cage having a plurality of walls defining a module channel extending between a front and a rear of the receptacle cage, the plurality of walls including a top wall, a first side wall extending from the top wall to a bottom of the receptacle cage and a second side wall extending from the top wall to the bottom, wherein the module channel is open at the front to receive a pluggable module therein, the module channel being open at the rear, the receptacle cage having a latching guide at the rear including a latching feature, the latching guide being separate and discrete from the plurality of walls, the latching guide being coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall; and a cabled receptacle connector received in the module channel at the rear of the receptacle cage, the cabled receptacle connector comprising: a cable assembly including a frame holding contacts, the contacts being terminated to cables of the cable assembly, the contacts having mating ends configured to be mated with the pluggable module; a receptacle housing having a cavity extending between a front and a rear of the receptacle housing, the receptacle housing having a mating slot at the front, the cavity receiving the cable assembly with the contacts positioned in the mating slot for mating engagement with the pluggable module; a latch coupled to the receptacle housing, the latch having a latching tab latchably coupled to the latching feature of the latching guide to secure the cabled receptacle connector in the receptacle cage; and a biasing spring having a first end coupled to the latch and a second end coupled to the receptacle housing, the biasing spring forward biasing the receptacle housing in the receptacle cage when the latching tab is latchably coupled to the latching feature. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The receptacle assembly of claim 10, wherein the receptacle housing includes a latch mount and a cover removably coupled to the latch mount, the second end of the biasing spring engaging the cover, the receptacle housing including a latch plate coupled to the latch mount and the cover to secure the cover to the latch mount. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The receptacle assembly of claim 11, wherein the cover includes access ports in the latch mount aligned with the biasing springs, the access ports providing access to the biasing springs from a location forward of the latch mount. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The receptacle assembly of claim 10, wherein the latching guide includes a first side wall and a second side wall, each of the first and second side walls including a cutout and a mounting block axially offset form the cutout, the cutout configured to receive a second mounting block of a second latching guide of an adjacent cabled receptacle connector, the mounting block configured to be received in a second cutout of the second latching guide of the adjacent cabled receptacle connector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The receptacle assembly of claim 10, wherein the top wall of the receptacle cage includes a positioning tab extending into the module channel to engage a top of the receptacle housing to position the receptacle housing in the module channel spaced apart from the top wall such that an airflow channel is defined between the top of the receptacle housing and the top wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The receptacle assembly of claim 10, wherein the biasing spring has a forward biasing force exceeding a mating force of the pluggable module with the cabled receptacle connector to maintain the receptacle housing in the forward biased position during mating of the pluggable module with the cabled receptacle connector. ### Claim 16 A communication system comprising: a pluggable module having a pluggable body holding a module circuit board at a mating end of the pluggable module; and a receptacle assembly comprising a cabled receptacle connector and a receptacle cage receiving the cabled receptacle connector and the pluggable module; the receptacle cage having a plurality of walls defining a module channel extending between a front and a rear of the receptacle cage, the plurality of walls including a top wall, a first side wall extending from the top wall to a bottom of the receptacle cage and a second side wall extending from the top wall to the bottom, wherein the module channel is open at the front to receive the pluggable module therein, the module channel being open at the rear to receive the cabled receptacle connector therein, the receptacle cage having a latching guide at the rear including a latching feature; the cabled receptacle connector comprising: a cable assembly including a frame holding contacts, the contacts being terminated to cables of the cable assembly, the contacts having mating ends configured to be mated with the module circuit board of the pluggable module; a receptacle housing having a cavity extending between a front and a rear of the receptacle housing, the receptacle housing having a mating slot at the front receiving the module circuit board of the pluggable module, the cavity receiving the cable assembly with the contacts positioned in the mating slot for mating engagement with the module circuit board of the pluggable module, the receptacle housing including a latch mount and a cover removably coupled to the latch mount, the receptacle housing including a latch plate coupled to the latch mount and the cover to secure the cover to the latch mount; a latch coupled to the receptacle housing, the latch having a latching tab latchably coupled to the latching feature of the latching guide to secure the cabled receptacle connector in the receptacle cage; and a biasing spring having a first end coupled to the latch and a second end coupled to the cover of the receptacle housing, the biasing spring forward biasing the receptacle housing in the receptacle cage when the latching tab is latchably coupled to the latching feature. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The communication system of claim 16, wherein the cover includes access ports in the latch mount aligned with the biasing springs, the access ports providing access to the biasing springs from a location forward of the latch mount. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The communication system of claim 16, wherein the latching guide is separate and discrete from the plurality of walls. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The communication system of claim 18, wherein the latching guide includes a first side wall and a second side wall, each of the first and second side walls including a cutout and a mounting block axially offset form the cutout, the cutout configured to receive a second mounting block of a second latching guide of an adjacent cabled receptacle connector, the mounting block configured to be received in a second cutout of the second latching guide of the adjacent cabled receptacle connector. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The communication system of claim 16, wherein the top wall of the receptacle cage includes a positioning tab extending into the module channel to engage a top of the receptacle housing to position the receptacle housing in the module channel spaced apart from the top wall such that an airflow channel is defined between the top of the receptacle housing and the top wall.