Plug connector having a guide frame

A connector system comprising:

• a plug connector including a circuit card held by a housing and a guide frame mounted to the circuit card, the circuit card including a front edge extending laterally between opposite first and second outer edges of the circuit card, the circuit card defining at least one datum hole through a first surface of the circuit card, the circuit card further including a set of contact pads along the first surface proximate to the front edge, the contact pads being registered relative to the at least one datum hole,
• wherein the guide frame of the plug connector has a base that includes at least one post, the guide frame further including a first frame member and a second frame member extending from the base to respective distal ends of the first and second frame members, the distal ends of the first and second frame members connected to each other via a ledge, the guide frame including a window defined laterally between the first and second frame members and longitudinally between the base and the ledge, respective outer walls of the first and second frame members being registered relative to the at least one post,
• wherein the at least one post is received in the at least one datum hole of the circuit card such that the outer walls of the frame members are registered relative to the contact pads, a mating segment of the circuit card including the set of contact pads disposed within the window of the guide frame, the first frame member extending along the first outer edge of the circuit card and the second frame member extending along the second outer edge of the circuit card such that a lateral width between the outer walls of the first and second frame members is greater than a lateral width of the circuit card between the first and second outer edges;
• and
• a receptacle connector having a receptacle housing that defines a slot at a mating end thereof, the receptacle connector holding multiple receptacle contacts along at least one of a first side wall or a second side wall, the slot defined between the first and second side walls and between first and second end walls, the first and second end walls extending between the first and second side walls;
• wherein when the plug connector is mated to the receptacle connector, the first and second frame members of the guide frame are received within the slot and the respective outer walls of the first and second frame members engage the first and second end walls, respectively, of the slot to guide the set of contact pads on the circuit card into alignment with the corresponding receptacle contacts of the receptacle connector.

A plug connector comprising:

• a circuit card held by a housing, the circuit card having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the circuit card including a front edge extending laterally between opposite outer edges of the circuit card, the circuit card defining at least one datum hole in the first surface, the circuit card further including a first set of contact pads along the first surface and a second set of contact pads along the second surface, the first and second sets of contact pads disposed proximate to the front edge and registered relative to the at least one datum hole;
• and
• a guide frame mounted to the circuit card, the guide frame having a base that has at least one post extending from a side thereof, the base extending across a width of the circuit card between the outer edges, the guide frame including a first frame member and a second frame member that extend from the base to respective distal ends of the first and second frame members, the distal ends of the first and second frame members connected to each other via a ledge, the guide frame including a window defined laterally between the first and second frame members and longitudinally between the base and the ledge, respective outer walls of the first and second frame members being registered relative to the at least one post,
• wherein the at least one post is received in the at least one datum hole of the circuit card such that the outer walls of the first and second frame members are registered relative to the contact pads independent of locations of the outer edges of the circuit card,
• wherein the first and second sets of contact pads are disposed on a mating segment of the circuit card that extends longitudinally between the base and the front edge of the circuit card, the mating segment of the circuit card aligning within the window of the guide frame such that the first and second sets of contact pads are exposed through the guide frame for engaging corresponding mating contacts of a mating connector,
• the outer walls of the first and second frame member configured to be received in a slot of the mating connector to engage corresponding end walls of the slot to guide the mating segment of the circuit card into the slot such that the first and second sets of contact pads align with the corresponding mating contacts of the mating connector.