Surface-Contact Ethernet Connector, Network Equipment Chassis Including the Same and Operating Method Thereof

Abstract

A system and method includes stacking a first network node and a second network node on each other, making a surface contact between the network nodes using a first surface connector disposed on an upper surface of a first chassis of the first network node and a second surface connector on a lower surface of the second network node, directly connecting one of the first network node and the second network node to a computer network, and controlling another of the first network node and the second network node to connect the computer network through the surface contact made using the first surface connector and the second surface connector.

1 . A first network node, comprising:
 a chassis having a first surface and a second surface;   a computing device positioned in the chassis;   a first surface connector configured to provide a first electrical connection for at least one of data or power, the first surface connector positioned on the first surface of the chassis; and   a second surface connector configured to provide a second electrical connection for at least one of data or power, the second surface connector positioned on the second surface of the chassis,   wherein the first network node is in electrical communication with a second network node stacked vertically above or vertically below and in contact with the first network node via the first surface connector or the second surface connector of the first network node and a corresponding surface connector positioned on the second network node.