Abstract: A communication system includes a plug module and a receptacle module received in a receptacle cage. The receptacle module includes a receptacle housing having a cavity that receives a contact assembly. The receptacle module includes a receptacle latch coupled to the receptacle housing having latching features at sidewalls of the receptacle housing and receptacle release tabs operably coupled to a receptacle release actuator.

Abstract: A plug connector includes a housing holding plug contacts at a mating end for mating with a mating connector. The plug connector includes a latch received in a latch pocket and movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. The latch has a main body and a latch beam extending from the main body. The latch beam includes a latch hook configured to be received in a latch opening of the mating connector in the latched position to secure the plug connector to the mating connector. The plug connector includes a retention assist member engaging the latch having a main body and a ram extending therefrom with a latch retention support positioned rearward of the latch beam. A biasing member drives the retention assist member in a biasing direction into the latch to hold the latch hook in the latching position.

Abstract: A pluggable module is provided and includes a pluggable body including a cavity. The pluggable body extends between a mating end and a cable end opposite the mating end. The mating end is configured to be plugged into a receptacle connector assembly. The pluggable body has a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall at a first side, and a second side wall at a second side. The pluggable module includes a cable assembly coupled to the pluggable body. The cable assembly includes an upper module circuit card, a lower module circuit card, upper cables terminated to the upper module circuit card and lower cables terminated to the lower module circuit card. The upper module circuit card includes upper contact pads proximate to an upper mating edge. The lower module circuit card includes lower contact pads proximate to a lower mating edge.

Abstract: A communication system includes a plug module and a receptacle module received in a receptacle cage. The receptacle module includes a receptacle housing having a cavity that receives a contact assembly. The receptacle module includes a receptacle latch coupled to the receptacle housing having latching features at sidewalls of the receptacle housing and receptacle release tabs operably coupled to a receptacle release actuator.

Abstract: A plug connector includes a housing holding plug contacts at a mating end for mating with a mating connector. The plug connector includes a latch received in a latch pocket and movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. The latch has a main body and a latch beam extending from the main body. The latch beam includes a latch hook configured to be received in a latch opening of the mating connector in the latched position to secure the plug connector to the mating connector. The plug connector includes a retention assist member engaging the latch having a main body and a ram extending therefrom with a latch retention support positioned rearward of the latch beam. A biasing member drives the retention assist member in a biasing direction into the latch to hold the latch hook in the latching position.

Abstract: A pluggable module includes a housing having a top wall including an opening above a module cavity. The pluggable module includes a heat exchange assembly separate and discrete from the housing extending into the module cavity through the opening. The heat exchange assembly includes a thermal bridge having an upper thermal interface and a lower thermal interface. The thermal bridge includes a plurality of interleaved plates arranged in a plate stack with the plates being movable relative to each other in the plate stack. The lower thermal interface is in thermal communication with the electrical component to dissipate heat from the electrical component. The thermal bridge extends through the opening with the upper thermal interface exposed from above for dissipating heat from the heat exchange assembly.

Abstract: A communication system includes a plug module having a plug housing and a plug latch and a receptacle module having a receptacle housing and a receptacle latch. The receptacle module includes a receptacle connector with a card slot receiving a plug module circuit board. The receptacle connector includes cables terminated to contacts and extending from the receptacle connector. A receptacle cage includes a front cage interface receiving the plug module and a rear cage interface receiving the receptacle module. The front cage interface matches the rear cage interface including a front latching feature and a rear latching feature interfacing with the plug and receptacle latches.

Abstract: A communication system includes a plug module having a plug housing and a plug latch and a receptacle module having a receptacle housing and a receptacle latch. The receptacle module includes a receptacle connector with a card slot receiving a plug module circuit board. The receptacle connector includes cables terminated to contacts and extending from the receptacle connector. A receptacle cage includes a front cage interface receiving the plug module and a rear cage interface receiving the receptacle module. The front cage interface matches the rear cage interface including a front latching feature and a rear latching feature interfacing with the plug and receptacle latches.

Abstract: A pluggable module is provided and includes a pluggable body including a cavity. The pluggable body extends between a mating end and a cable end opposite the mating end. The mating end is configured to be plugged into a receptacle connector assembly. The pluggable body has a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall at a first side, and a second side wall at a second side. The pluggable module includes a cable assembly coupled to the pluggable body. The cable assembly includes an upper module circuit card, a lower module circuit card, upper cables terminated to the upper module circuit card and lower cables terminated to the lower module circuit card. The upper module circuit card includes upper contact pads proximate to an upper mating edge. The lower module circuit card includes lower contact pads proximate to a lower mating edge.

Abstract: A stacked receptacle connector assembly includes a receptacle cage configured to be mounted to a circuit board, a lower communication connector assembly received in the receptacle cage, and an upper communication connector assembly stacked in the receptacle cage above the lower communication connector assembly. The receptacle cage has a divider between an upper and lower module channels receiving upper and lower pluggable modules. The lower communication connector assembly includes a lower communication connector. The upper communication connector assembly includes a paddle card, an upper communication connector mounted to the paddle card, and a cable assembly having cables electrically connected to the paddle card and extending from the paddle card.

Abstract: A stacked receptacle connector assembly includes a receptacle cage configured to be mounted to a circuit board, a lower communication connector assembly received in the receptacle cage, and an upper communication connector assembly stacked in the receptacle cage above the lower communication connector assembly. The receptacle cage has a divider between an upper and lower module channels receiving upper and lower pluggable modules. The lower communication connector assembly includes a lower communication connector. The upper communication connector assembly includes a paddle card, an upper communication connector mounted to the paddle card, and a cable assembly having cables electrically connected to the paddle card and extending from the paddle card.

Abstract: A differential pair cable assembly includes a cable having a twin axial cable core including first and second conductors conveying differential signals and a cable shield. The cable assembly includes first and second contacts and a housing holding the first and second contacts. The cable assembly includes a shield having a shield cavity that receives the housing and the end of the cable and is electrically connected to the cable shield. The shield provides electrical shielding for the first and second contacts. The shield, the housing, and the contacts define a mating interface of the cable assembly configured to be mated to a mating component.

Abstract: A cable assembly includes a cable having a cable core including a first signal conductor and a first insulator around the first signal conductor. The first signal conductor includes an exposed segment at an end of the cable extending forward of the first insulators. The cable includes a cable shield surrounding the cable core providing electrical shielding along a length of the cable and having an exposed segment proximate to the end of the cable. A conductive film is wrapped around the exposed segment of the cable shield being electrically connected to the cable shield. A cable ferrule is coupled to the end of the cable being wrapped around the conductive film and being electrically connected to the conductive film. The cable ferrule is electrically connected to the cable shield through the conductive film.

Abstract: A cable assembly includes a cable having a cable core including a first signal conductor and a first insulator around the first signal conductor. The first signal conductor includes an exposed segment at an end of the cable extending forward of the first insulators. The cable includes a cable shield surrounding the cable core providing electrical shielding along a length of the cable and having an exposed segment proximate to the end of the cable. A conductive film is wrapped around the exposed segment of the cable shield being electrically connected to the cable shield. A cable ferrule is coupled to the end of the cable being wrapped around the conductive film and being electrically connected to the conductive film.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a header connector having a header housing with a cavity and header signal and ground contacts held in the header housing. The assembly includes a mating adapter having first and second mating ends and an adapter housing holding adapter signal and ground contacts. The adapter signal contacts have receptacles. The first mating end and the second mating end are configured to be selectively received in the cavity of the header housing. The first receptacles are mated to corresponding mating pins of the deader signal contacts when the first mating end is received in the cavity and the second receptacles are mated to corresponding mating pins when the second mating end is received in the cavity.

Abstract: A connector brick for a cable communication system includes a header frame including end spacers and side spacers defining a header opening. The header frame is configured for mating with a circuit card. A plurality of cable connectors are received in the header opening and connected to the header frame. Each cable connector has cables extending therefrom. Each cable connector has a header holding signal contacts at a mating end of the header and configured for mating with a corresponding card connector of the circuit card. Float mechanisms extend from the header frame. The float mechanisms allow limited movement in at least two directions of the header frame. The float mechanisms allow alignment of the header frame with the circuit card. The cable connectors float with the header frame as a unit for mating with the corresponding card connectors.

Abstract: A connector brick for a cable communication system includes a header frame including end spacers and side spacers defining a header opening. The header frame is configured for mating with a circuit card. A plurality of cable connectors are received in the header opening and connected to the header frame. Each cable connector has cables extending therefrom. Each cable connector has a header holding signal contacts at a mating end of the header and configured for mating with a corresponding card connector of the circuit card. Float mechanisms extend from the header frame. The float mechanisms allow limited movement in at least two directions of the header frame. The float mechanisms allow alignment of the header frame with the circuit card. The cable connectors float with the header frame as a unit for mating with the corresponding card connectors.

Abstract: Daughter card assembly including a circuit board and leading and trailing connectors mounted to the circuit board. The leading and trailing connectors have mating ends that face in different directions along a board plane. The daughter card assembly also includes a support wall that is coupled to the circuit board and extends orthogonal to the circuit board. The support wall has a wall opening therethrough. The trailing connector is positioned on the circuit board such that the mating end substantially aligns with the wall opening. The daughter card assembly also includes a retention shroud that projects from an exterior surface of the support wall. The retention shroud defines a shroud passage that aligns with the wall opening. The shroud and wall openings form a receiving passage for receiving at least one of the trailing connector or a corresponding cable connector that mates with the trailing connector.

Abstract: Connector adapter includes an adapter body having a mating side and a mounting side. The mating side includes signal cavities that open to the mating side. The connector adapter also includes signal conductors extending through the adapter body. Each of the signal conductors has and extends between a pin socket positioned at the mating side and a signal tail positioned at the mounting side. The pin sockets are positioned within corresponding signal cavities. Each of the pin sockets includes first and second arms that oppose each other and define a thru-hole therebetween. The first and second arms engage a signal tail of an electrical connector when the signal tail of the electrical connector is inserted into the thru-hole.

Abstract: An electrical connector system includes a panel having a plurality of connector openings and a plurality of vent openings interspersed among the connector openings. Cable connectors are coupled to the panel and extend at least partially into the connector openings. The cable connectors have mating interfaces presented at the front for mating with mating connectors and the cable connectors have cables extending from cable ends of the cable connectors and located rearward of a rear of the panel. Air funnels are coupled to the panel at corresponding vent openings. The air funnels extend rearward of the rear of the panel. The air funnels route the cables clear of the space rearward of the vent openings to define an unimpeded flow path through the vent openings.