Receptacle connector

A receptacle connector comprising:

• a receptacle housing having a front cavity and a rear cavity, the receptacle housing having a mounting base at the rear configured to be mounted to a host circuit board;
• a housing insert received in the front cavity, the housing insert including a slot configured to receive a mating end of a pluggable module;
• a biasing member coupled between the receptacle housing and the housing insert, wherein the housing insert is movable within the front cavity between an extended position and a retracted position, the biasing member forward biasing the housing insert relative to the receptacle housing in the extended position, the biasing member being compressed when the housing insert is moved from the extended position to the retracted position;
• a flexible circuit received in the rear cavity, the flexible circuit having a mating end received in the housing insert and extending along the slot for mating engagement with the pluggable module, the flexible circuit including circuit conductors at the mating end for mating engagement with contacts at the mating end of the pluggable module, the flexible circuit including a terminating end extending from the receptacle housing for termination to the host circuit board;
• and
• a flexible circuit support to support the flexible circuit in the receptacle housing, the flexible circuit support including a carrier received in the rear cavity and support elements extending from the carrier into the housing insert;
• wherein the housing insert moves the support elements inward toward the flexible circuit as the housing insert is moved from the extended position to the retracted position to press the circuit conductors into mating engagement with the contacts of the pluggable module.

A receptacle connector comprising:

• a receptacle housing having a front cavity and a rear cavity, the receptacle housing having a mounting base at the rear configured to be mounted to a host circuit board;
• a housing insert received in the front cavity, the housing insert including a slot configured to receive a mating end of a pluggable module, the housing insert including a flexible circuit pocket outward of the slot and a support element pocket outward of the flexible circuit pocket;
• a flexible circuit received in the rear cavity, the flexible circuit having a mating end received in the flexible circuit pocket of the housing insert, the flexible circuit including circuit conductors at the mating end for mating engagement with contacts at the mating end of the pluggable module, the flexible circuit including a terminating end extending from the receptacle housing for termination to the host circuit board;
• and
• a flexible circuit support to support the flexible circuit in the receptacle housing, the flexible circuit support including a carrier received in the rear cavity and support elements extending from the carrier into the support element pocket of the housing insert, the support elements engaging the flexible circuit to press the circuit conductors into mating engagement with the contacts of the pluggable module.