Vertical backplane connector

A connector for electrically coupling an information handling resource to a backplane that has a planar surface, a first edge, and a second edge opposite the first edge, the connector comprising:

• a lead frame oriented perpendicular to the planar surface and comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive traces configured to be electrically coupled to the backplane;
• and
• a receptacle oriented perpendicular to the planar surface and having a plurality of electrically-conductive pins each electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame, configured to mechanically and electrically couple the respective modular information handling resource to the receptacle such that the modular information handling resource is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the planar surface and lies along a direction from the first edge toward the second edge, wherein the connector is disposed within a mechanical frame coupled to the backplane, and such that the connector and the modular information handling resource define airflow passages on either side thereof within the mechanical frame directed through the mechanical frame and along the direction, the receptacle being structurally oriented relative to the electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame and the backplane such that insertion and removal of the respective modular information handling resource to or from the receptacle is caused by applying force to the respective modular information handling resource along the direction.

A method for forming a connector for electrically coupling a modular information handling resource to a backplane that has a planar surface, a first edge, and a second edge opposite the first edge, the method comprising:

• providing a lead frame oriented perpendicular to the planar surface and comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive traces configured to be electrically coupled to the backplane;
• and
• mechanically and electrically coupling the lead frame to a receptacle oriented perpendicular to the planar surface and having a plurality of electrically-conductive pins such that each of the plurality of electrically-conductive pins is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame, is configured to mechanically and electrically couple the modular information handling resource to the receptacle such that the modular information handling resource is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the planar surface and lies along a direction from the first edge toward the second edge, wherein the connector is disposed within a mechanical frame coupled to the backplane, and such that the connector and the modular information handling resource define airflow passages on either side thereof within the mechanical frame directed through the mechanical frame and along the direction, and is structurally oriented relative to the electrically-conductive traces of the lead frame and the backplane such that insertion and removal of the respective modular information handling resource to or from the receptacle is caused by applying force to the respective modular information handling resource along the direction.