Abstract: A connector assembly is provided with opposing and interengageable first and second connector components. Each of the two components preferably includes upper and lower housing formed from an insulative material coated with electrically-conductive material, with cavities formed therein that receive terminal assemblies. The upper and lower housings are formed with internal cavities that extend in orthogonal directions. Each cavity contains a terminal assembly of either plug or receptacle structure and may further include either a plurality of power terminals or differential signal terminals. The terminals have contact portions, tail portions and interconnecting portions that are partially encapsulated by an insulative outer shell. In assembling the first and second components, multiple ground connections are made in sequence before any signal or power supply connections are made.

Abstract: An antenna system utilizing a pair of antenna modules each having an antenna and a dielectric frame embracing the antenna. A complementary interengaging structure is provided between the frames of the pair of antenna modules to hold the modules together and to maintain the respective pair of antennas in a predetermined relative orientation. The attachment structure is on exterior walls of the frames, whereby the walls and attachment structure provide a dual function of an isolation barrier between the antennas.

Abstract: A connector for connecting cables to a pin header has a connector body portion that incorporates a strain relief member applied to the cables as part of the connector body portion. The strain relief member includes a cable clamp having a series of grooves that are separated by intervening land portions. The grooves receive the cables and particularly space them. A stop is formed in the clamp to isolate the cable end. The leads of the cable are terminated to corresponding tail portions of contacts of the connector. These tail portions are maintained in the same plane to enhance the electrical performance of the connector. An insulative material is molded over the tail portions and the cable clamp to form a connector with a cable clamp formed integrally with the body of the connector.

Abstract: A connector assembly is provided with opposing and interengageable first and second connector components. Each of the two components has internal cavities that contain terminal assemblies of either plug or receptacle structure and may further include either a plurality of power terminals or differential signal terminals. The terminals have contact portions, tail portions and interconnecting portions that are partially encapsulated by an insulative outer support frames. The shell forms a wafer and two such wafers are combined together to form a terminal assembly. The terminal assemblies are identical in shape, other than for an engagement means that serves to hold two subframes together as a single assembly.

Abstract: Systems for power delivery to an integrated circuit include a decoupling capacitance located in a connector that is formed as a socket, or frame for the IC. The power delivery system delivers power to the IC along various surfaces thereof by way of a plurality of discrete capacitors that are supported by a socket-style connector. The socket-style connector has an insulative body portion that is mounted to a circuit board and has a recess defined thereon that receives the IC therein. A plurality of capacitors are integrated with the body portion and, each of the capacitors supplies a desired amount of power to the IC. The capacitors are charged by way of leads on the circuit board that bring power to current to the capacitors and then are discharged as the IC draws power from the socket such that the capacitors form a power reservoir integrated with the socket, thereby eliminating the need for mounting such capacitors on the circuit board near the IC and freeing up space on the circuit board.

Abstract: Systems for power delivery, signal transfer, package design, thermal management, and electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) control are provided to support an integrated circuit (“IC”). The power delivery system includes a power supply, a voltage regulator module and a decoupling capacitance in the form of discrete and/or integral capacitors. The voltage regulator module and decoupling capacitance are located in a connector that may be formed as a cover, socket or a frame for the IC. The power delivery system delivers power to the IC along top, bottom or sides of the IC. The signal transfer system couples signals from the IC to one or more circuits on a circuit board. The package design system for the IC permits signals and/or power to be coupled to selected sides of the IC at connections outside, flush with, recessed or inside the IC package.

Abstract: An electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding cage for an electronic module is comprised an electrically-conductive bottom, an electrically-conductive rear panel electrically coupled to said bottom, an electrically-conductive, elongated cover electrically coupled to said bottom and first and second side walls that are electrically and mechanically coupled to said bottom, said rear panel and said elongated cover. Numerous ground lugs, electrically coupled to at least one of: said bottom; rear panel; and first and second side walls provide an electrical pathway for EMI signals to a reference potential. An electrically-conductive, compressible gasket encircling the bottom, top and side walls provides an electrical connection to a front panel, providing additional EMI suppression. Gasket engagement tabs in the top and bottom provide electrical connection between the gasket and panels.

Abstract: A connector assembly for connecting differential signal circuits on two different circuit boards has a connector housing formed from an insulative material with a conductive coating on the surfaces thereof and with cavities formed therein to receive terminal assemblies. Each internal cavity may have an elongated portion that extends transversely across the housing and a plurality of leg portions in communication with the elongated portion to define passages between opposite sides of the connector. Each cavity is suited for holding a terminal assembly having at least one pair of differential signal terminals. The terminals have opposing compliant tail portions, and interconnecting portions that are partially encapsulated by an insulative outer shell. Two shells are combined together to form a single terminal assembly. The terminal assemblies are identical in shape so that they may be inserted into any of the cavities of the housings, thereby imparting a measure of modularity to the connectors.

Abstract: A terminal contact arrangement for a connector promotes reduction in deviation of the impedance of the connector when mated to an opposing connector and energized. The connector has an insulative housing with a plurality of terminal-receiving passages disposed in it. Conductive terminals are supported in some, but not all of the passages. The terminal contain distinct terminal sets that include a pair of differential signal terminals and at least two associated ground reference terminals. The two associated ground reference terminals are interconnected together so that electrically, they act as a single ground terminal having a width equal to the sum of the widths of the two connected ground reference terminals. The ground reference terminals of the sets are disposed in a single row of terminals, while the differential signal terminals of the same terminal set are disposed in another row of terminals spaced apart from the row of ground reference terminals.

Abstract: A conductive enclosure for a connector mounted to a circuit board is disclosed, and the enclosure is made in the form of a shroud having an enclosure portion that receives one connector therein and a receptacle portion for receiving a second connector therein that is mateable with the one connector. The enclosure portion includes an internal cavity that is defined by a plurality of walls, two of the walls have retaining members formed thereon that engage the one connector and fix a position of the one connector within the internal cavity, while a third wall of the enclosure portion includes a press member that is biased to exert a force upon the one connector when enclosed in the shroud. The retaining members provide reaction surfaces that at least partially resist the force exerted on the one connector by the press member.

Abstract: A connector assembly is suitable for connecting circuit boards together. The connector assembly includes a series of ground and signal terminal sets assembled in composite wafers that may be held within a housing. The ground terminals include pairs of flat contact blades that are aligned together in abutting contact to form a column of ground contacts blades of double width, and the signal terminals are arranged in sets on opposite sides of the ground terminal blades and the signal terminals have general L-shapes that are arranged in sets of two pairs of contacts to form a cruciform pattern. One of the two connectors has solid L-shaped contacts, while the other of the two connectors has a pair of split contact arms that lie and extend in two different planes project from an associated terminal body in a manner so as to mate with the contact portions of the solid L-shaped contacts. The use of L-shaped contacts provides a redundant contact mating arrangement.

Abstract: A system for delivering power to an integrated circuit includes a decoupling capacitance located in a connector that is formed as a socket, or frame for the IC. The power delivery system takes the form of a power reservoir that is integrated into a connector, thereby eliminating the need for complex and expensive power traces to be formed in or discrete capacitors mounted on a circuit board to which the IC is connected. The power reservoir is integrated into a cover member that fits over the IC and which contains a recess that accommodates a portion of the IC therein. The cover member includes at least one opening that opens up to a operational surface of the integrated circuit. A heat-dissapating device, such as a finned heat sink or the like is supported by the cover member and extends through its opening into contact with a heat-generating surface of the integrated circuit to cool it during operation.

Abstract: Blocks of wafer or plug connectors are held together by retainer members and are secured within a backplane connector by a latching assembly. The latching assembly includes a latching lever that has an engagement end extending to the base of the backplane connector. The lever is movably connected to the retainer member so that it may pivot, or rock, about an inflection point. The lever also includes a biasing member that constantly biases the lever into a latching position.

Abstract: A connector assembly for connecting to differential signal circuits on at least one circuit board may be of the docking type or the interposer type. A housing of the connector has transversely and longitudinally extending walls that define a plurality of cavities that extend completely through the housing. Terminal assemblies with at least one differential signal pair are received in the cavities with tail portions on at least one end of the differential pairs to connect to a circuit board. The connector housing has conductive surfaces and a plurality of ground terminal members are disposed along the transverse walls or the longitudinal walls, or both, for connecting to ground circuits in the circuit board. The ground terminal members each have a plurality of ground terminals, which are disposed along the walls at intermediate or diagonal positions relative to the differential signal pairs, such as adjacent to four differential signal pairs.

Abstract: A high-density connector utilizes a plurality of terminal assemblies that are assembled together into a block, or single unit, to form a connector. Each terminal assembly of the connector utilizes a plurality of conductive terminals having contact portions for mating with an opposing connector, tail portions for mounting to a circuit substrate and body portions held within an insulative body portion of the assembly. The body portions are supported within a housing in the form of a wafer which is plated with a conductive material so as to provide an all encompassing ground structure that surrounds the terminals and their insulative supporting terminal assemblies. In this manner a reference ground is provided around each signal terminal between its contact and tail portions that emulates a coaxial cable.

Abstract: Termination assemblies for terminating high-frequency data signal transmission lines include housings with one or more cavities that receive ends of the transmission line therein. The transmission line typically includes a dielectric body and a plurality of conductive elements disposed thereon, with the plurality of conductive elements being arranged in pairs for differential signal transmission. The termination assemblies, in one embodiment include hollow end caps that are formed from a dielectric and which have one or more conductive contacts or plated surfaces disposed on or within the cavity so that they will frictionally mate with the conductive traces on the transmission line. In another embodiment, a connector housing is provided with a center slot and a plurality of dual loop contacts to provide redundant circuit paths and low inductance to the termination assembly. A coupling element may be utilized in the slot to achieve a desired level of coupling between the termination contacts.

Abstract: A substrate carries a voltage regulator module and a connector. By co-locating a voltage regulator to a processor or other circuit requiring a regulated power supply, distributed inductance associated with conventional circuit traces is reduced, thereby lessening demands on a voltage regulator and improving regulated voltage. A connector on the substrate can include internal filter capacitors to stabilize the output voltage from a voltage regulator. When the substrate is mounted to a circuit board, addition capacitors can be provided above and/or below the circuit board to which the substrate can be connected attached.

Abstract: A connector for mounting to a circuit board, includes a housing and a plurality of terminals arranged side by side at the predetermined pitch. Each terminal includes a flat base portion, a pair of contact members formed from a continuous folded-back portion that is folded back to one side of the flat base portion, and a carrier coupling section that is bent at substantially right angle to the opposite side of the flat base portion. The housing holds the terminals by an over-molding of the housing around the flat base portions of the terminals to form a generally flat plate-like housing. The pair of contact members of the terminal extends toward one surface of the dielectric housing and the carrier coupling section extends toward the other surface of the housing.

Abstract: A connector-transport assembly for holding and transporting a electronic component includes a socket connector having a receptacle sized to receive the component therein and a transport carrier member. The socket receptacle includes two engagement arms formed therewith which are deflectable between first and second operative positions. In the first operative position, the engagement arms extend into the receptacle for contacting opposing exterior surfaces of the component, and in the second position the engagement arms are deflected away from the receptacle so as to not engage exterior surfaces of the component. The engagement arms have cam portions disposed thereon, and the carrier member includes actuating members disposed thereon in opposition to the socket connector engagement arm cam portions so that movement of either the socket connector or the carrier member will move the engagement arms between their first and second operative positions to release or engage the electronic component.

Abstract: A high-density connector utilizes a plurality of terminal assemblies that are assembled together into a block, or single unit, to form a connector. Each terminal assembly of the connector utilizes a plurality of conductive terminals having contact portions for mating with an opposing connector, and body portions held within an insulative body portion of the assembly. The assemblies have groups of terminals, or arrays of terminals arranged in a signal-ground-signal order. Flexing portions formed with the terminals are disposed between the contact and body portions. Dielectric spacer elements are disposed between adjacent signal and ground terminal arrays to increase the electrical affinity that the terminals have for each other in their flexing portions. The spacers in one embodiment, engage the signal terminals in their flexing portions, and in another embodiment, they engage individual terminal support bars.