Guide rail and cam system with integrated connector for removable transceiver

Claim 2

An electronic interface module, comprising: a body elongated along an axis and having a plurality of faces and two ends; a signal connector disposed at one of said ends of said body; a plurality of elongated electrical contact pads disposed in a planar array on one of said faces of said body, said electrical contact pads elongated in a direction parallel to said axis and arrayed in a plurality of rows oriented perpendicularly to said axis, a first contact pad in one of said rows aligned end-to-end with a second contact pad in said one of said rows, wherein a combined length of said first and second contact pads is not greater than a length of a third contact pad laterally spaced from said first and second contact pads in said one of said rows; and module electronics communicating signals between at least some of said electrical contact pads and said signal connector.

Claim 3

The electronic interface module claimed in claim 1, wherein said second contact pad is a dummy pad having no electrical connection to said transceiver electronics.

Claim 4

A signal sequencing method for plugging an electronic interface module into an electrical connector in a computer system, the electrical connector mounted on a circuit board within a computer enclosure and having a plurality of electrical contacts, the module having a body elongated along an axis and having a plurality of faces, the electrical contact pads disposed in a planar array on one of the faces, the electrical contact pads elongated in a direction parallel to the axis and laterally arrayed in at least one row oriented perpendicularly to the axis, the method comprising the steps of: sliding said module into engagement with said electrical connector in a direction along said axis until a first electrical contact of said electrical connector makes contact with a first contact pad in one of said rows; and continuing to slide said module into engagement with said electrical connector until a second electrical contact of said electrical connector makes contact with a second contact pad laterally spaced from said first contact pad in said one of said rows while said first electrical contact remains in contact with said first contact pad.

Claim 5

A signal sequencing method for plugging an electronic interface module into an electrical connector in a computer system, the electrical connector mounted on a circuit board within a computer enclosure and having a plurality of electrical contacts, the module having a body elongated along an axis and having a plurality of faces, the electrical contact pads disposed in a planar array on one of the faces, the electrical contact pads elongated in a direction parallel to the axis and laterally arrayed in at least one row oriented perpendicularly to the axis, the method comprising the steps of: sliding said module into engagement with said electrical connector in a direction along said axis until a first electrical contact of said electrical connector makes contact with a first contact pad in one of said rows; and continuing to slide said module into engagement with said electrical connector until a second electrical contact of said electrical connector makes contact with a second contact pad laterally spaced from said first contact pad in said one of said rows while said first electrical contact remains in contact with said first contact pad.

Claim 6

The method claimed in claim 3, wherein said first electrical contact initially makes contact with said first contact pad at the same time said second electrical contact initially makes contact with a dummy contact pad aligned end-to-end with said second contact pad.

Claim 7

The method claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of further continuing to slide said module into engagement with said electrical connector until a third electrical contact of said electrical connector makes contact with a third contact pad laterally spaced from said first and second contact pads in said one of said rows while said first electrical contact remains in contact with said first contact pad and said second electrical contact remains in contact with said second contact pad.

Claim 8

The method claimed in claim 3, wherein said first electrical contact is coupled to a power supply signal of said computer system, and said second electrical contact is coupled to a data signal of said computer system.

Claim 9

The method claimed in claim 3, wherein said step of sliding said module into engagement with said electrical connector comprises sliding said module into engagement with said electrical connector along a guide rail of said electrical connector until a camming element of said electrical connector, in response to a force experienced by said camming element along said axis, redirects said force to draw said one of said faces of said module toward said electrical contacts.

Claim 10

A computer system, comprising: a computer enclosure; a circuit board mounted within said enclosure; and an electrical connector, comprising: a guide member elongated along a first axis; a connector block at an end of said guide member; a plurality of electrical contacts retained in said connector block; and a spring clip at said end of said guide member coupled to electrical ground potential of said computer system; and a module removably engageable with said electrical connector, comprising: a body elongated along said first axis and slidable along said guide rail, said body having a plurality of electrical contacts; a signal connector at an end of said body; and module electronics communicating signals between at least some of said electrical contacts of said module and said signal connector; wherein a portion of said module makes electrical and mechanical contact with said spring clip when said module is fully engaged with said electrical connector, whereby electrical ground potential of said computer system is coupled to electrical ground potential of said module.

Claim 11

A computer system, comprising: a computer enclosure; a circuit board mounted within said enclosure; and an electrical connector, comprising: a guide member elongated along a first axis; a connector block at an end of said guide member; a plurality of electrical contacts retained in said connector block; and a spring clip at said end of said guide member coupled to electrical ground potential of said computer system; and a module removably engageable with said electrical connector, comprising: a body elongated along said first axis and slidable along said guide rail, said body having a plurality of electrical contacts; a signal connector at an end of said body; and module electronics communicating signals between at least some of said electrical contacts of said module and said signal connector; wherein a portion of said module makes electrical and mechanical contact with said spring clip when said module is fully engaged with said electrical connector, whereby electrical ground potential of said computer system is coupled to electrical ground potential of said module.

Claim 14

The method claimed in claim 9, wherein said portion of said module is a printed circuit board.

Claim 15

The method claimed in claim 9, wherein said sliding step comprises sliding an elongated body of said module along an elongated guide rail of said electrical connector, said guide rail guiding said body.

Claim 16

The method claimed in claim 9, wherein said sliding step comprises sliding said module until a camming element of said electrical connector, in response to a force experienced by said camming element along said axis, redirects said force to draw said module toward said electrical contacts.