Guide rail and CAM system with integrated connector for removable transceiver

An electrical connector system, comprising:

• a first electrical connector having a body definable with respect to mutually perpendicular first, second and third axes, said body having a connector block, said connector block retaining a plurality of rows of contacts, each row spaced from an adjacent row along said first axis, each row having a plurality of contacts arrayed along said second axis and retained in said connector block;
• a second electrical connector having a body slideably engageable with said first electrical connector in a direction along said first axis, said second electrical connector having a plurality of contacts;
• and
• a camming element integral to one of said first and second electrical connectors that, in response to a force experienced by said camming element along said first axis, redirects said force in a direction having a component along said third axis to move said contacts of one of said first and second electrical connectors into electrical contact with said contacts of the other of said first and second electrical connectors.

An optoelectronic module, comprising:

• an enclosure having a guide flange slideably engageable with an elongated guide member along an axis;
• a circuit card at least partially within said enclosure and defining a face of said enclosure;
• a plurality of electrical contacts on said circuit card at a first end of said enclosure arranged in a plane parallel to said axis;
• an optical coupling at a second end of said enclosure mechanically and optically mateable with a mating optical cable coupling;
• and
• optoelectronics for communicating data signals between said plurality of electrical contacts and said optical coupling.

A method for connecting an electrical connector to a mating connector of a connector system, the electrical connector comprising a body and a plurality of contacts, said body definable with respect to mutually perpendicular first, second and third axes and having a guide member elongated along said first axis between a first end and a second end, said body having a connector block at said first end and having an upper surface and a lower surface oriented in opposed relation along said third axis, each contact retained in said connector block and having an upper portion and a lower portion oriented generally in opposed relation along said third axis, said upper portion disposed at said upper surface of said body and resiliently deflectable in substantially the direction of said third axis, said lower portion disposed at said lower surface of said body and surface-mounted to contact pads of a printed circuit card, said connector system including a camming element that, in response to a force experienced by said camming element along said first axis, redirects said force in a direction having a component along said third axis, the method comprising the steps of:

• engaging a complementary guide portion of said mating connector with said guide portion of said body;
• and
• moving said mating connector from said second end of said guide member toward said first end of said guide member along said first axis until said camming element redirects one of said mating connector and said electrical connector with respect to the other in a direction along said third axis and said plurality of complementary contacts of said mating connector make electrical contact with and deflect said upper portions of said plurality of contacts of said electrical connector.

A computer system, comprising:

• a computer enclosure;
• a circuit board mounted within said enclosure;
• and
• an electrical connector having a body definable with respect to mutually perpendicular first, second and third axes and having a guide member elongated along said first axis between a first end and a second end, said body having a connector block at said first end and having an upper surface and a lower surface oriented in opposed relation along said third axis, said connector block having a plurality of contacts retained therein, each contact having an upper portion and a lower portion oriented generally in opposed relation along said third axis, said upper portion disposed at said upper surface of said body and resiliently deflectable in substantially the direction of said third axis, said lower portion disposed at said lower surface of said body and surface-mounted to said computer circuit board, said connector block having a camming element that, in response to a force experienced by said camming element along said first axis, redirects said force in a direction having a component along said third axis and toward said lower surface.

A computer system, comprising:

• a computer enclosure;
• a circuit board within said enclosure;
• An electrical connector system, comprising:
• a first electrical connector having a body definable with respect to mutually perpendicular first, second and third axes, said body having a connector block, said connector block retaining a plurality of rows of contacts, each row spaced from an adjacent row along said first axis, each row having a plurality of contacts arrayed along said second axis and retained in said connector block;
• a second electrical connector having a body slideably engageable with said first electrical connector in a direction along said first axis, said second electrical connector having a plurality of contacts;
• and
• a camming element integral to one of said first and second electrical connectors that, in response to a force experienced by said camming element along said first axis, redirects said force in a direction having a component along said third axis to move said contacts of one of said first and second electrical connectors into electrical contact with said contacts of the other of said first and second electrical connectors.