Abstract: In various embodiments, compact connector designs may be provided that have reduced board pitch (e.g., 1.80 mm, 1.50 mm, 1.27 mm, etc.), but are still capable of accommodating large electrical conductors (e.g., 1.4 mm, 1.1 mm, 0.9 mm, etc.). In this manner, PCB footprint may be reduced (e.g., by 50% when a staggered connector configuration is used), while adequate current carrying capacity may be maintained (e.g., 2 A, 3 A, 4 A, etc.). Additionally, or alternatively, one or more other advantages may be achieved, such as ruggedness (e.g., vibration endurance), error proofing, configuration flexibility, ease of manufacturing, ease of assembly, and/or lowered costs.

Abstract: A low profile wire to board connector with features that enable a height of 1 mm or less, yet sufficient robustness to preclude unintentional separation of mated connectors. A board connector, with a mounting interface configured for surface mount soldering to a PCB, may include a recess for receiving a complementary connector terminating multiple wires. The board connector may have blade-shaped terminals, which may be soldered to the PCB at two ends, with an intermediate portion engaging a portion of the board connector housing, so as to secure the housing to the PCB. The complementary connector may be inserted at an acute angle with the mounting interface, engaging a front portion of the mating connector to a front portion of the board connector. The rear of the complementary connector may then be rotated into the recess and secured near the rear.

Abstract: A sealable FFC connector includes a housing, a plurality of contacts, a sealing member, and an actuator. The housing includes a slot configured to receive a mating component. The contacts are held in the housing and are configured to be in electrical contact with the mating component when the mating component is in a mated position in the slot. The sealing member includes at least a portion supported by the housing. The actuator is coupled to the housing and is movable from an opened position, in which the mating component may be inserted in the slot, to a closed position, in which a biasing force is applied on the sealing member such that, when the mating component is in the mated position in the slot, the sealing member provides a seal to prevent moisture and debris from entering the slot.

Abstract: An I/O connector assembly configured for making a cabled connection to an interior portion of a printed circuit board for signals passing through the connector. The assembly may include a receptacle connector, a cage and cables, terminated to conductive elements of the terminal subassemblies, extending through the cage to the midboard. The terminal subassemblies may have first type conductive elements configured for mounting to the printed circuit board and second type conductive elements configured for terminating cables. Features may be included for precise positioning of the receptacle connector formed with the terminal subassemblies relative to the cage such that connector to connector variation in the positioning of the contact portions of the conductive elements in the terminal subassembly is provided. A mating plug may be designed with low wipe, which improves high frequency performance of the mated connector system.

Abstract: A connector for surface mounting with a solder reflow process with closely-spaced solder masses on mounting ends of reference contacts. The solder masses on the reference contacts may fuse for enhanced shielding. The mounting ends of signal and reference contacts may be positioned in rows, configured such that the solder masses of the reference contacts may shield solder masses attached to signal contacts in adjacent rows. The mounting ends of the signal contacts may be disposed in pockets in a surface of the connector housing. In some embodiments, solder balls may be fused to an edge of the signal contact, with the length of the edge extending beyond locations at which the solder ball is fused to. The edge may extend through a wall of the pocket, so as to set a desired impedance in the mounting region of the connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a housing and a terminal module. The housing has a top portion, a bottom portion and two side portions connecting the top portion and the bottom portion. The top portion, the bottom portion and the two side portions form an accommodating chamber and the terminal module is accommodated in the accommodating chamber. The two side portions have positioning posts preventing horizontal displacement of the housing relative to the terminal module, and the top portion and the bottom portion prevent vertical displacement of the housing relative to the terminal module. Methods of assembling the electrical connector are also provided.

Abstract: A connector (103) is provided having a plurality of leads generally arranged in columns extending substantially parallel each other in a column direction (C) and being adjacent each other in a row direction (R). At least one first column comprises at least one first pair of single leads (S) substantially parallel each other in a first pair direction (P) to form a first differential pair. In at least a portion of the connector the first pair direction extends at an acute angle (a) to the column direction. Further, an assembly, and a circuit board are provided.

Abstract: A ground shield includes a plurality of contact members configured to contact the ground contacts of a column of contacts of an electrical connector, so as to electrically common the grounds to each other.

Abstract: An adjustable lattice girder includes a first lattice girder portion having a first end and a second end positioned opposite the first end, with the first lattice girder portion having a first connection member, and a second lattice girder portion having a first end and a second end positioned opposite the first end, with the second lattice girder portion having a second connection member configured to engage the first connection member. The first connection member is slidable relative to the second connection member between a first position corresponding to a first distance between the second end of the first lattice girder portion and the first end of the second lattice girder portion, and a second position corresponding to a second distance between the second end of the first lattice girder portion and the first end of the second lattice girder portion. The first distance different than the second distance.

Abstract: An interconnection system that is safe, reliable and compact. Mating connectors include complementary projections. Terminals in each connector have opposed beams, with portions of the beams of each terminal embedded in adjacent projections. In mating connectors, the terminals are oriented 90 degrees with respect to each other, such that the terminals of one connector fit between beams of the other. Two beams of each terminal press on opposing sides of a mating terminal, creating four points of contact, for reliable operation. The projections extend beyond the distal tips of the terminals and preclude accidental contact between the terminals and a human finger. Contact force may be controlled by altering the shape of openings cut in the terminals near the base of the beams, enabling the terminals to be formed simply by stamping a sheet of metal and further enabling the beams to be short to provide a compact connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing and electrical conductor plating. The housing includes a first member and a second member. The first member is made of plastic and forms at least one first contact receiving channel therein. The second member is attached around the first member, and the first and second members form at least one second contact receiving channel therebetween. The electrical conductor plating is on the first member. The electrical conductor plating includes at least one first section along the at least one first contact receiving channel and at least one second section along an exterior side of the first member at the at least one second contact receiving channel. The first and second sections of the electrical conductor plating are electrically separate from one another.

Abstract: To support a large current, a circuit board may be a hybrid card, with a signal portion formed using a conventional PCB manufacturing techniques and a power portion formed with one or more blades mechanically coupled to the signal portion. The blade (s) may be metal plates. The hybrid card may be usable with a hybrid edge connector that includes an insulative housing with a slot lined with signal terminals, in a signal portion, and power terminals in a power portion. The power terminals may be made with multiple layers, with each layer formed into one or more fingers. Each finger may be configured to make contact with an edge of a blade inserted in the slot such that each terminal has multiple contact points to the blade and can carry a large current. The slot in the connector housing may have different widths in the signal and power portions and the center lines of those portions may be offset with respect to each other.

Abstract: In various embodiments, compact connector designs may be provided that have reduced board pitch (e.g., 1.80 mm, 1.50 mm, 1.27 mm, etc.), but are still capable of accommodating large electrical conductors (e.g., 1.4 mm, 1.1 mm, 0.9 mm, etc.). In this manner, PCB footprint may be reduced (e.g., by 50% when a staggered connector configuration is used), while adequate current carrying capacity may be maintained (e.g., 2 A, 3 A, 4 A, etc.). Additionally, or alternatively, one or more other advantages may be achieved, such as ruggedness (e.g., vibration endurance), error proofing, configuration flexibility, ease of manufacturing, ease of assembly, and/or lowered costs.

Abstract: A hybrid edge connector includes an insulative housing with a slot lined with signal terminals, in a signal portion, and power terminals in a power portion. The power terminals may be made with multiple layers, with each layer formed into one or more fingers. Each finger may be configured to make contact with an edge of a card inserted in the slot such that each terminal has multiple contact points to the card and can carry a large current. To support a large current, the card may be a hybrid card, with a signal portion formed using a conventional PCB manufacturing techniques and a power portion formed with one or more blades mechanically coupled to the signal portion. The slot in the connector housing may have different widths in the signal and power portions and the center lines of those portions may be offset with respect to each other.

Abstract: A mine bolt bending system includes a frame comprising a plurality of bolt receiving portions each configured to receive and hold a mine roof bolt, a bolt contact member secured to the frame, with the bolt contact member rotatable relative to the frame between a first position and second position, and an actuator secured to the frame, with the actuator configured to move the bolt contact member between the first and second positions. The bolt contact member is configured to bend a mine bolt when rotating from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: An I/O connector assembly configured for making a cabled connection to an interior portion of a printed circuit board for at least some signals passing through the I/O connector. The I/O connector assembly may be assembled by mounting a cage to a printed circuit board. A receptacle connector, including cables extending from a rear of the connector, may be inserted through an opening in the top or rear of the cage. The receptacle connector may be positioned in the cage by at least one retention member on the cage. A plug, mating to the receptacle connector, also may be positioned by a retention member on the cage. Positioning both the plug and receptacle relative to the cage reduces the tolerance stackup of the assembly and enables the connectors to be designed with shorter wipe length, which enables higher frequency operation.

Abstract: High speed waveguide-based data communication systems are disclosed. Such systems may include separable electrical connectors, forming signal propagation paths between electronic assemblies with one or more waveguides.

Abstract: An I/O connector assembly configured for making a cabled connection to an interior portion of a printed circuit board for signals passing through the connector. The assembly may include a receptacle connector, a cage and cables, terminated to conductive elements of the terminal subassemblies, extending through the cage to the midboard. The terminal subassemblies may have first type conductive elements configured for mounting to the printed circuit board and second type conductive elements configured for terminating cables. Features may be included for precise positioning of the receptacle connector formed with the terminal subassemblies relative to the cage such that connector to connector variation in the positioning of the contact portions of the conductive elements in the terminal subassembly is provided. A mating plug may be designed with low wipe, which improves high frequency performance of the mated connector system.

Abstract: A compact connector that mates with a complementary connector at high mating force. The connector (100) may have a housing (102) with a member (104) having a plurality of sides (106) and an opening (108) at a first side (110), and a frame (114) mounted to the member (104) from the first side (110) and having a plurality of walls (116) so as to bound the opening (108). The frame (114) may be made of a material that withstands forces to which the connector (100) may be exposed during mating. The member (104) may be made of a less robust material, such as plastic with thin walls (116) so as to enable a compact connector. The frame (114) and the member (104) may have engagement features, including latches, complementary chamfer and bevel features that may aid in mounting the frame (114) to the member (104) and locking features that resist dis-engagement of the frame (114) and the member (104).

Abstract: An electronic assembly with a first substrate and electrical connector terminals mounted on the first substrate. The electrical connector terminals have contact fingers and tracks. A bus bar may be aligned by the tracks such that contact surfaces on the contact fingers press against contact surfaces on the bus bar. The bus bar may slide in the tracks such that, when the bus bar is mounted in an electronic system including the electronic assembly, the electrical connector terminals enable the electronic assembly to slide relative to the bus bar. The electronic system may be implemented as a rack, and the electronic assembly may be or include a printed circuit board on which the electrical connector terminals are mounted. The printed circuit board may be slid in and out of the rack while power is supplied from the bus bar to components on the printed circuit board.