Card edge connector

A card edge connector for mating with a pluggable module, the card edge connector comprising:

• a housing including a top and a bottom, the housing having a front and a rear, the housing having a first side and a second side, the bottom configured to be mounted to a circuit board, the housing including a cavity at the rear, the housing including a card slot open to the cavity at the front of the housing, the card slot configured to receive a card edge of a module circuit board of the pluggable module;
• a contact assembly received in the cavity, the contact assembly including an organizer holding an upper contact array and a lower contact array and a locking device securing the upper contact array to the lower contact array;
• the organizer having a central wall extending between a first side and a second side of the organizer, the organizer including an upper platform and a lower platform at a front of the organizer, the organizer including an organizer slot between the upper platform and the lower platform aligned with the card slot and configured to receive the card edge of the module circuit card;
• the upper contact array coupled to the central wall, the upper contact array including upper contacts held by an upper contact holder, the upper contacts extending along the upper platform, the upper contact holder having a first side coupled to the organizer at the first side of the organizer and a second side coupled to the organizer at the second side of the organizer, the upper contact holder including an upper locking tab;
• the lower contact array coupled to the central wall, the lower contact array including lower contacts held by a lower contact holder, the lower contacts extending along the lower platform, the lower contact holder having a first side coupled to the organizer at the first side of the organizer and a second side coupled to the organizer at the second side of the organizer, the lower contact holder including a lower locking tab;
• and
• the locking device coupled to the upper locking tab and the lower locking tab to secure the upper contact holder to the lower contact holder.

A receptacle connector assembly for connecting a pluggable module with a circuit board, the receptacle connector comprising:

• a receptacle cage having walls forming a module channel configured to receive the pluggable module and a port open to the module channel;
• a card edge connector configured to be mounted to the circuit board, the card edge connector being received in the module channel for mating with the pluggable module, the card edge connector including a housing and a contact assembly received in the housing:
• the housing including a top and a bottom, the housing having a front and a rear, the housing having a first side and a second side, the bottom configured to be mounted to a circuit board, the housing including a cavity at the rear, the housing including a card slot open to the cavity at the front of the housing, the card slot configured to receive a card edge of a module circuit board of the pluggable module;
• the contact assembly received in the cavity, the contact assembly including an organizer holding an first contact array and a second contact array and a locking device securing the first contact array to the second contact array;
• the organizer having a central wall extending between a first side and a second side of the organizer, the organizer including an first platform and a second platform at a front of the organizer, the organizer including an organizer slot between the first platform and the second platform aligned with the card slot and configured to receive the card edge of the module circuit card;
• the first contact array coupled to the central wall, the first contact array including first contacts held by an first contact holder, the first contacts extending along the first platform, the first contact holder having a first side coupled to the organizer at the first side of the organizer and a second side coupled to the organizer at the second side of the organizer, the first contact holder including an first locking tab;
• the second contact array coupled to the central wall, the second contact array including second contacts held by a second contact holder, the second contacts extending along the second platform, the second contact holder having a first side coupled to the organizer at the first side of the organizer and a second side coupled to the organizer at the second side of the organizer, the second contact holder including a second locking tab;
• and
• the locking device coupled to the first locking tab and the second locking tab to secure the first contact holder to the second contact holder.