Receptacle coupler for communication system

A receptacle coupler comprising:

• a coupler contact assembly having upper contacts and lower contacts arranged in an upper array and a lower array, each upper contact having an upper front mating beam configured to mate with a front module circuit board and an upper rear mating beam configured to mate with a rear module circuit board, each upper contact having an upper intermediate portion between the upper front mating beam and the upper rear mating beam, each lower contact having a lower front mating beam configured to mate with the front module circuit board and a lower rear mating beam configured to mate with the rear module circuit board, each lower contact having a lower intermediate portion between the lower front mating beam and the lower rear mating beam, the coupler contact assembly including a contact holder holding the upper and lower contacts;
• a coupler housing having a contact chamber receiving the coupler contact assembly, the coupler housing having a front receptacle defined by walls of the coupler housing forming a front card slot configured to receive and position the front module circuit board in the front receptacle, the coupler housing having a rear receptacle defined by walls of the coupler housing forming a rear card slot configured to receive and position the rear module circuit board in the rear receptacle, the coupler housing holding the coupler contact assembly such that the upper and lower front mating beams are located in the front receptacle and surrounded by the coupler housing for mating with the front module circuit board and such that the upper and lower rear mating beams are located in the rear receptacle and surrounded by the coupler housing for mating with the rear module circuit board, the coupler housing including mounting tabs extending from the coupler housing for mounting the coupler housing to a support structure;
• and
• an outer shroud having a coupler cavity receiving the coupler housing and the coupler contact assembly, the outer shroud having a front shroud member and a rear shroud member, the front shroud member forming a front plug cavity configured to receive a front plug connector holding the front module circuit board, the rear shroud member forming a rear plug cavity configured to receive a rear plug connector holding the front module circuit board, the front shroud member having a front rail and a front track, the rear shroud member having a rear rail and a rear track, the front shroud member coupled to the rear shroud member such that the front rail is received in the rear track and such that the rear rail is received in the front track;
• wherein the walls of the coupler housing defining the front receptacle and the upper and lower contacts define a front mating interface configured to pluggably receive the front module circuit board and wherein the walls of the coupler housing defining the rear receptacle and the upper and lower contacts define a rear mating interface configured to pluggably receive the rear module circuit board, the front and rear mating interfaces being identical.

A receptacle coupler comprising:

• a coupler contact assembly having upper contacts and lower contacts arranged in an upper array and a lower array, each upper contact having an upper front mating beam configured to mate with a front module circuit board of a front plug connector and an upper rear mating beam configured to mate with a rear module circuit board of a rear plug connector, each upper contact having an upper intermediate portion between the upper front mating beam and the upper rear mating beam, each lower contact having a lower front mating beam configured to mate with the front module circuit board and a lower rear mating beam configured to mate with the rear module circuit board, each lower contact having a lower intermediate portion between the lower front mating beam and the lower rear mating beam, the coupler contact assembly including a contact holder holding the upper and lower contacts;
• a coupler housing having a contact chamber receiving the coupler contact assembly, the coupler housing having a front receptacle configured to receive the front module circuit board, the coupler housing having a rear receptacle configured to receive the rear module circuit board, the coupler housing holding the coupler contact assembly such that the upper and lower front mating beams are located in the front receptacle for mating with the front module circuit board and such that the upper and lower rear mating beams are located in the rear receptacle for mating with the rear module circuit board, the coupler housing including mounting tabs extending from the coupler housing;
• and
• an outer shroud having a coupler cavity receiving the coupler housing and the coupler contact assembly, the mounting tabs engaging the outer shroud to couple the coupler housing to the outer shroud, the outer shroud having a front shroud member and a rear shroud member, the front shroud member forming a front plug cavity configured to receive the front plug connector, the rear shroud member forming a rear plug cavity configured to receive the rear plug connector, the front shroud member having a front rail and a front track, the rear shroud member having a rear rail and a rear track, the front shroud member coupled to the rear shroud member such that the front rail is received in the rear track and such that the rear rail is received in the front track.

A communication system comprising:

• a front pluggable module having a front module circuit board, the front module circuit board having a card edge;
• a rear pluggable module having a rear module circuit board, the rear module circuit board having a card edge;
• and
• a receptacle coupler electrically coupling the front pluggable module and the rear pluggable module, the receptacle coupler comprising:
• a coupler contact assembly having upper contacts and lower contacts arranged in an upper array and a lower array, each upper contact having an upper front mating beam and an upper rear mating beam, each upper contact having an upper intermediate portion between the upper front mating beam and the upper rear mating beam, each lower contact having a lower front mating beam and a lower rear mating beam, each lower contact having a lower intermediate portion between the lower front mating beam and the lower rear mating beam, the coupler contact assembly including a contact holder holding the upper and lower contacts;
• and
• a coupler housing having a contact chamber receiving the coupler contact assembly, the coupler housing having a front receptacle defined by walls of the coupler housing forming a front card slot receiving the card edge of the front module circuit board and positioning the front module circuit board in the front receptacle, the coupler housing having a rear receptacle defined by walls of the coupler housing forming a rear card slot receiving the card edge of the rear module circuit board and positioning the rear module circuit board in the rear receptacle, the coupler housing holding the coupler contact assembly such that the upper and lower front mating beams are located in the front receptacle and surrounded by the coupler housing for mating with the front module circuit board and such that the upper and lower rear mating beams are located in the rear receptacle and surrounded by the coupler housing for mating with the rear module circuit board, the coupler housing including mounting tabs extending from the coupler housing for mounting the coupler housing to a support structure;
• wherein the walls of the coupler housing defining the front receptacle and the upper and lower contacts define a front mating interface configured to pluggably receive the front module circuit board and wherein the walls of the coupler housing defining the rear receptacle and the upper and lower contacts define a rear mating interface configured to pluggably receive the rear module circuit board, the front and rear mating interfaces being identical;
• wherein the mounting tabs include front fingers extending forward from a front of the coupler housing and rear fingers extending rearward from a rear of the coupler housing, the front fingers being received in a front shroud to locate the coupler housing in the front shroud, the rear fingers being received in a rear shroud to locate the coupler housing in the rear shroud.