# US 8,465,320 B2 · Dual stacked connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,320 B2 - Document ID: US8465320B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/971,128 - Filed: 2010-12-17 - Published: 2011-12-29 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2004-05-14 - Assignees: Molex Incorporated - Applicants: Jerry A. Long - Inventors: Jerry A. Long - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465320B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/518: for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames - G02B 6/0001: {specially adapted for lighting devices or systems (lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00)} - G02B 6/0008: {the light being emitted at the end of the fibre} - H01R 12/00: Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures (printed connections to, or between, printed circuits H05K1/11) - H01R 13/658: High frequency shielding arrangements, e.g. against EMI [Electro-Magnetic Interference] or EMP [Electro-Magnetic Pulse] {(coaxial coupling devices specially adapted for high frequency H01R24/40; for flat or ribbon cable connectors H01R12/774; for coaxial cable H01R9/05)} - H01R 13/6587: for mounting on PCBs - H01R 13/659: with plural ports for distinct connectors - H01R 13/717: with built-in light source - H01R 13/7172: {Conduits for light transmission} - H01R 12/716: {Coupling device provided on the PCB} - H01R 12/724: {containing contact members forming a right angle} - H01R 13/6582: with resilient means for engaging mating connector - H01R 13/6594: the shield being mounted on a PCB and connected to conductive members - H01R 13/7175: {Light emitting diodes (LEDs)} - H01R 24/60: Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement - Y10T 29/49208: by assembling plural parts - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A connector has a housing and two edge card-receiving slots disposed in a stacked arrangement on a first face of the housing. The housing supports a plurality of wafers, each wafer supporting a plurality of terminals and including two grooves, the grooves aligned with the terminals supported by the wafer. The housing may be positioned in a cage that includes receptacles on a front face of the cage. A light pipe may extend toward the front face of the cage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical connector, comprising: an insulative housing, the housing including a first face, the first face including a first and second card-receiving slot spaced vertically apart thereon, the first and second card-receiving slots being sized to receive mating ends of the mating portions of a component that is mateable with the connector; a set of frames supported by the insulative housing, each frame of the set of frames including a first and second groove; and a first terminal and a second terminal supported by each frame, the first terminal extending into the first card-receiving slot and the second terminal extending into the second card receiving slot, wherein the first and second grooves in each of the frames is aligned with the first and second terminal and wherein the first and second grooves respectively expose a substantial portion of the first and second terminals to air and each of the first and second grooves have a first portion that extends horizontally and a second portion that extends at an angle to the first portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The connector of claim 1, wherein each frame further comprises a third and fourth terminal, the third terminal extending into the first card-receiving slot and the fourth terminal extending into the second card-receiving slot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The connector of claim 2, wherein the first and third terminal are configured to translate in opposite directions when a mating portion is inserted into the first card-receiving slot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The connector of claim 1, wherein each frame further comprises a third and fourth terminal, the third terminal extending into the first card-receiving slot and the fourth terminal extending into the second card-receiving slot and wherein each frame further comprises a third and fourth groove respectively aligned with the third and fourth terminal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The connector of claim 4, wherein the third and fourth grooves respectively expose a portion of the third and fourth terminals to air. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The connector of claim 5, wherein the grooves expose a substantial portion of the third and fourth terminals to air. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The connector of claim 1, wherein each card-receiving slot includes a plurality of terminal-receiving grooves. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The connector of claim 1, wherein each frame further comprises a clip configured to engage the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The connector of claim 1, further comprising a cage positioned around the housing, the cage including a front face, a rear face and a plurality of side faces and two receptacles in the front face, the two receptacles each configured to receive a mating connector. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The connector of claim 9, wherein each receptacle is aligned with one of the card-receiving slots. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The connector of claim 9, further comprising a light pipe extending toward the front face of the cage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The connector of claim 1, wherein the first and second groove substantially follow the entire path of the respective terminals in the respective frames so as to allow the first and second grooves to expose a substantial majority of the terminals that are positioned in the frame. ### Claim 13 An electrical connector, comprising: a cage assembly including a front face, a plurality of side faces and a rear face, the cage assembly further including two receptacle portions configured to receive mating portions of two distinct corresponding opposing members, the two receptacle portions space vertically apart from each other within the cage assembly so as to provide an upper receptacle portion and a lower receptacle portion, wherein the cage assembly includes a first shield associated with one of the two receptacle portions and a second shield associated with the other of the two receptacle portions, wherein the shields extend from a rear of the receptacle portion to the front face and the shields define an intervening space between the upper and lower receptacle portions; at least one light pipe that extends in the intervening space between the first and second shield toward the front face; a housing positioned within the cage assembly, the housing including a first face, the first face including a pair of card-receiving slots spaced vertically apart thereon, the pair of card-receiving slots being sized to receive mating ends of the mating portions of a component that is mateable with the connector, the pair of card-receiving slots each including a plurality of terminal-receiving channels, wherein the light pipe extends forward of the housing; and a plurality of conductive terminals supported by the housing, the terminals configured to be positioned in corresponding terminal-receiving channels in the pair of card-receiving slots. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The connector of claim 13, wherein the plurality of conductive terminals are supported by frames. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The connector of claim 14, wherein each frame supports at least four terminals.