Cable backplane system having mounting blocks

A cable backplane system comprising:

• a generally planar substrate defining a backplane having a plurality of connector openings extending between a front and a rear of the backplane, the front defines a mating interface for mating with circuit cards, the openings receive cable connectors configured to be mated with circuit card connectors of the circuit cards, the backplane having mounting locations proximate the openings with guide holes in the mounting locations;
• mounting blocks coupled to the front of the backplane at corresponding mounting locations, each mounting block having a front and a rear, each mounting block having a guide pin extending from the rear, the guide pin being received in the corresponding guide hole to position the mounting block relative to the mounting location, each mounting block having a fastener bore receiving a fastener;
• and
• a cable rack coupled to the rear of the backplane and holding the cable connectors, the cable rack comprising a tray having side walls defining a frame and surrounding a cable raceway for routing cables of the cable connectors, the tray having spacers coupled to the frame between the side walls, the spacers and side walls holding corresponding cable connectors such that the cables are routed through the cable raceway, the spacers being secured to corresponding mounting blocks by the fasteners to position the spacers and the cable connectors relative to the backplane, wherein the cable connectors are received in corresponding openings in the backplane and held in position relative to the backplane by the spacers and the mounting blocks.

A cable backplane system comprising:

• a backplane having a plurality of connector openings extending between a front and a rear of the backplane, the front defines a mating interface for mating with circuit cards, the backplane having mounting locations proximate the openings;
• mounting blocks coupled to the front of the backplane at corresponding mounting locations;
• and
• a cable rack coupled to the rear of the backplane, the cable rack comprising:
• a tray having side walls defining a frame and surrounding a cable raceway;
• spacers coupled to the frame between the side walls, the spacers being secured to corresponding mounting blocks using fasteners passing through the circuit board to position the spacers relative to the backplane;
• and
• cable connector assemblies held by corresponding side walls and spacers, each cable connector assembly having a plurality of cables extending between at least two cable connectors, the cables being routed in the cable raceway, the cable connectors being received in corresponding openings and held in position relative to the backplane by the spacers.