Abstract: Connector assemblies for making connections to a subassembly, such as a processor card, may include signal contact tips formed of a material different than that of an associated cable conductor. The signal contact tips may be formed of a super elastic material, such as nickel titanium. The connector assembly may include ground contact tips that similarly make a pressure contact to the electrical component may be electrically connected to a shield of the cable shield Housing modules that interlock or interface with a support member may be employed to manufacture connectors with any desired quantity of signal and ground contact tips in any suitable number of columns and rows. Each module may terminate a cable and provide pressure mount connections between signal conductors and the shield of the cable and conductive pads on the subassembly, and conductive or lossy grounded structures around the conductive elements carrying signals through the module.

Abstract: An electrical connector or electrical connector assembly that has a housing, a contact carrier, one or more spring members, and an interposer or contact system. The contact carrier is movable with respect to the housing between unmated and mated electrical positions.

Abstract: Antenna units and system that has an antenna with at least one docking station, at least one radio unit; and at least one interconnect that includes first and second mating connectors. The first connector is configured to be electrically and mechanically coupled to the antenna and the second connector is configured to be electrically and mechanically coupled to the at least one radio unit. The interconnect has radial and axial float for blind mating of the first and second mating connectors. The first connector is mounted on the at least one docking station via a mounting body such that space for the radial float is provided between the mounting body and a housing of the first connector.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a dielectric substrate; first and second conductive traces disposed on the dielectric substrate; and a compensation structure disposed in the first conductive trace. The compensation structure includes a compensation segment connected in line with the first conductive trace; and a dielectric layer on all or part of the compensation segment. The first and second conductive traces may form a differential signal pair. The compensation segment may limit one or more of signal skew, mode conversion from differential mode to common mode, and impedance variations caused by a bend in the differential signal pair.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with modular components suitable for assembly into a right angle connector may also be used in forming an orthogonal connector or connector in other desired configurations. The connector modules may be configured through the user of extender modules. Those connector modules may be held together as a right angle connector with a front housing portion, which, in some embodiments, may be shaped differently depending on whether the connector modules are used to form a right angle connector or an orthogonal connector. When designed to form an orthogonal connector, the extender modules may interlock into subarrays, which may be held to other connector components through the use of an extender shell. The mating contact portions on the extender modules may be such that a right angle connector, similarly made with connector modules, may directly mate with the orthogonal connector.

Abstract: A connector that has a conductive shell that supports at least one signal contact therein. The shell comprises a front end for mating with a mating connector and a back end opposite the front end for connecting to a power or data transmission cable. A coupling member is configured to engage the conductive shell and engage a corresponding component associated with the mating connector to mechanically couple the connector and the mating connector together. A plurality of ground connections are provided at the front end of the conductive shell and the front section of the coupling member for grounding.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The connector may be assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. Modules of different sizes may be assembled into wafers, which are then assembled into a connector. Wafers may include lossy material. In some embodiments, shielding members of two mating connectors may each have compliant members along their distal portions, such that, the shielding members engage at points of contact at multiple locations, some of which are adjacent the mating edge of each of the mating shielding members.

Abstract: A connector assembly that includes a receptacle with inner and outer shells which have a front end for mating with a mating connector and a back end configured to connect to a printed circuit board. Receptacle primary and secondary ground connections are located on one of the shells. A plug with an outer shell that supports a pin contact to mate with the socket contact. The outer shell of the plug has a front end for mating with the front end of the receptacle and a back end that is configured to connect to a coaxial cable. Plug primary and secondary ground connections are located on the outer shell. When the receptacle and plug are mated, the primary ground connections form a primary grounding path through the assembly and the secondary ground connections form a secondary grounding path through the assembly, thereby electrically connecting the plug with the board.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises an insulative shell having a floor; a first plurality of contacts extending through the floor, wherein the first plurality of contacts are disposed in a plurality of columns; a second plurality of contacts extending through the floor, wherein the second plurality of contacts are interspersed with the first plurality of contacts within the plurality of columns; and a conductive member adjacent the floor. The conductive member comprises a first plurality of openings, wherein the first plurality of contacts extend through the openings of the first plurality of openings; a second plurality of openings, wherein the second plurality of contacts extend through the openings of the second plurality of openings; and a first plurality of tabs, extending into openings in the insulative shell.

Abstract: A surface mount electrical connector and methods of making and using a surface mount electrical connector. The connector includes a housing and a contact subassembly received in the housing. The contact subassembly includes interface contacts, board termination contacts, and an internal circuit board. The interface contacts and the board termination contacts are mounted to the internal circuit board to electrically connect the interface contacts and the board termination contacts through the internal circuit board. Each of surface mount tail ends of the board termination contacts has a bent portion that defines a mounting surface configured to be surface mounted to a mounting face of a main circuit board, to establish an electrical connection between the board termination contacts and the main circuit board.

Abstract: A cable assembly comprising a connector with a termination that enables high density and high signal integrity. Shields of cables are terminated to a paddle card via a conductive structure attached to a surface of the paddle card. The signal conductors of the cables are terminated to pads on the paddle card that are exposed within openings of the conductive structure. Such a structure creates a ground structure per cable that provides low insertion loss and low crosstalk, even when multiple cables are aligned side by side and terminated in one or more rows. The cables may be drainless, enabling a large number of cables, such as eight cables, to be packed within the width of a paddle card specified in high density standards such as QSFP-DD or OSFP. The cables may nonetheless have large diameter signal conductors, enabling 2.5 or 3 meter assemblies with less than 17 dB insertion loss.

Abstract: An electrical connector module with openings in an insulative support selectively positioned to limit dielectric loss in a signal. The connector may include a first and second conductor including first and second sides between first and second edges. An insulative support holds the first conductor adjacent the second conductor and may have at least five pedestal portions, wherein the first pedestal portion contacts the first side of the first conductor, the second pedestal portion contacts the second side of the first conductor, the third pedestal portion contacts the first side of the second conductor, the fourth pedestal portion contacts the second side of the second conductor, and at least a portion of the fifth pedestal portion is disposed between two edges of the first and second conductors. The pedestal portions may have widths less than the widths of the first and second sides of the first and second conductors.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with broad-side coupled signal conductors in a right angle intermediate portion. Broadside coupling provides balanced pairs for very high frequency operation. The connector is assembled with multiple subassemblies, each of which has multiple pairs of signal conductors. The subassemblies are formed from an insulative portion having grooves in opposite sides into which the intermediate portions of signal conductors. Covers, holding the signal conductors in the grooves, establish the position of the signal conductors relative to reference conductors at the exterior of subassembly, so as to provide a controlled impedance. Lossy material is positioned between the pairs in a subassembly and/or contacts the reference conductors of the subassemblies, and the lossy material of the subassemblies is in turn connected with a conductive structure.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printed electrical connector includes an insert component, at least a first sealing member, and a shell. The insert component includes a body adapted for 3D printing. The body has first and second ends and includes a cavity penetrating the body along a longitudinal axis of the body. The first sealing member is associated with the insert component and is adapted for 3D printing. The shell at least partially encloses the insert component.

Abstract: A dense, high-speed interconnection may be formed with a mating header and receptacle connector. The header connector may have groups of mating contact portions extending from the connector housing. Structural projections may extend from the housing adjacent some or all of the groups of mating contact portions. The groups of mating contact portions may be signal and ground mating contact portions associated with a signal pair. The groups may be arranged in an array and the structural projections may be arranged in an array intercalated with the array of the groups of mating contact portions. A receptacle connector may include an array of apertures configured to receive the structural projections. The structural projections may be shaped and positioned to reduce damage to the mating contact portions of the header connector, enable reliable manufacture, and to provide a high-density mating interface.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a dielectric substrate; first and second conductive traces disposed on the dielectric substrate; and a compensation structure disposed in the first conductive trace. The compensation structure includes a compensation segment connected in line with the first conductive trace; and a dielectric layer on all or part of the compensation segment. The first and second conductive traces may form a differential signal pair. The compensation segment may limit one or more of signal skew, mode conversion from differential mode to common mode, and impedance variations caused by a bend in the differential signal pair.

Abstract: An interposer configured for connecting offset arrays of signal pads on parallel surfaces. Contacts of the interposer have mating portions with multiple beams. One of the beams makes contact with a pad on a first of the surfaces and is deflected when the surfaces are pressed together with the interposer between them. A second of the beams is positioned so that the first beam presses into that second beam as the first beam deflects. The second beam may contact a central location on the first beam. An electrical path through the contact from a pad on the first surface to a pad on the second surface may be shorter when the first beam is pressed into the second beam than through the first beam alone. A shorter path may improve signal integrity. Moreover, the spring force of the contact may be set by the second beam.

Abstract: An interposer configured for connecting arrays of signal pads on parallel surfaces is described. Contacts of the interposer are configured to provide multiple conductive paths. A first conductive path extends through the body of the contact. A second conductive path is formed in parallel to the first conductive path when the contact is compressed between opposed substrates. The contact includes an intermediate portion, a rigid portion laterally extending from the intermediate portion, and a pair of compliant arms extending from the intermediate portion in opposite directions along the mating axis. When the contact is compressed, both arms touch and form an electrical connection with the rigid portion. The presence of the rigid portion allows for a reduction in the length of the beams in tall contacts.

Abstract: An electrical connector for high speed signals. The connector has multiple conductive elements that may serve as signal or ground conductors. A member formed with lossy material and conductive compliant members may be inserted in the connector. The conductive compliant members may be aligned with conductive elements of the connector configured as ground conductors. For a connector configured to carry differential signals, the ground conductors may separate pairs of signal conductors. The member may further include a conductive web, embedded within the lossy material, that interconnects the conductive compliant members. For a receptacle connector, the conductive elements may have mating contact portions aligned along opposing surfaces of a cavity. The conductive elements may have contact tails for attachment to a printed circuit board and intermediate portions connecting the mating contact portions and the contact tails. The conductive compliant members may press against the intermediate portions.