Vertical Cage Daughterboard for Vertical Pluggable Modules

Abstract

A vertical line card (VLC) arrangement for networking modules is disclosed. The system includes a mainboard containing a high-speed ASIC and one or more outward cage structures, along with a centrally located daughterboard supporting one or more additional cages. This architecture significantly shortens high-speed SerDes traces, preserves front-to-back airflow, and sustains high port density. By mounting certain cages directly on the mainboard, extra insertion losses from interconnects are eliminated, while the centrally positioned daughterboard ensures only minimal additional signal degradation. Strategic cutouts and angled faceplates provide optimal thermal management. Overall, the solution avoids expensive flyover cables or multiple board-to-board connectors and accommodates busbar power delivery for high-current ASICs. This modular design offers flexibility in port counts, component placement, and power management, enabling robust signal integrity and enhanced heat dissipation for next-generation data center and telecom systems.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.