Abstract: A header connector apparatus (10) is configured to receive an electronic card (11). The apparatus (10) includes a body (12) having first and second spaced apart side arms (14, 16) formed integrally with the body (12) and configured to receive the card (11) therebetween. The first side arm (14) has a longitudinally extending first dovetail member (52). The apparatus (10) also includes an actuator button (48, 70) having a longitudinally extending second dovetail member (54, 74) configured to mate with the first dovetail member (52) to allow the button (48, 70) to move longitudinally relative to the body (12), and an ejector mechanism (36) coupled to the body (12) and the button (48, 70). The ejector mechanism (36) is configured to eject the card (11) from the body (12) upon longitudinal movement of the button (48, 70) relative to the body (12).

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a first contact, a second contact spaced apart from the first contact by a given distance, and insulative material extending between the first and second contacts. The insulative material extending between the first and second contacts is configured to include a creepage maze. According to another aspect of the invention, the given distance is smaller than the minimum creepage distance specified for the material group of the insulative material and for the degree of pollution of the insulative material.

Abstract: A method for increasing the impedance of a via for providing a conductive path through a printed circuit board is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of forming a conductive pad on the printed circuit board, forming a non-threaded opening extending through the conductive pad and through the printed circuit board to form an annular conductive pad surrounding the non-threaded opening, forming a conductive metal barrel lining the inner wall of the non-threaded opening connected to the annular conductive pad, and cutting material from the metal barrel to leave at least one conductive strip extending axially along the inner wall of the opening without cutting material from the annular conductive pad so that the at least one conductive strip is connected to an undivided annular conductive pad.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for establishing signal contacts on a multilayer printed circuit board having alternating ground and signal layers in a stack-up configuration. The signal layers have signal pads and conductive traces leading away from the pads. The method comprises the steps of: a) drilling blind signal holes in the printed circuit board down to signal pads on successive signal layers, b) filling the blind signal holes with conductive material, and c) removing strips of the printed circuit board nearly down to successive signal layers to provide on each signal layer a strip of exposed signal contacts for the conductive traces thereon.

Abstract: A connector includes a plurality of horizontally-spaced contacts arranged in a row with each contact having a forwardly-extending contact portion configured to engage a corresponding contact in a mating connector, an intermediate portion and a rearwardly-extending tail portion. An insulative housing encases the intermediate portions of the contacts. The housing has horizontally-spaced, vertical slots between the contact intermediate portions. A shield is provided for each contact. Each shield has a vertical flange portion for insertion into a vertical slot and an upper horizontal portion extending along and above the intermediate portion of the adjacent contact. The insulative housings with contacts and shields assembled therein are configured to be inserted into horizontally-extending slots in a connector housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided having a first portion and a second portion for coupling a first printed circuit board to second printed circuit board. The first portion of the connector has board contacts for mechanically and electrically coupling to the first printed circuit board, electrical contacts coupled to the board contacts and a first alignment feature electrically and mechanically coupled to the first printed circuit board. The second portion of the connector has board contacts for mechanically and electrically coupling to the second printed circuit board, electrical contacts coupled to the board contacts and a second alignment feature electrically and mechanically coupled to the second printed circuit board. The first and second alignment portions cooperate to properly align the electrical contacts of the first and second board portions for electrical coupling upon mating of the connector portions. Upon mating the alignment features are electrically coupled.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of horizontal shields and connector modules configured for insertion into the housing. Each connector module includes an insulated material encasing a plurality of conductive paths, each coupled to a forwardly-extending receptacle contact. The receptacle contacts are formed to have a plurality of horizontally-extending slots to receive the horizontal shields when the connector modules are inserted into the housing.

Abstract: An electrical header connector of the present invention includes a header body formed to include a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings. The header body having a front wall and a back wall. A plurality of signal pins are configured for insertion into the plurality of first openings. Each signal pin includes a first end extending from the front wall of the header body to form an array of pin contacts, and a second end spaced apart from the first end and extending from the back wall of the header body. A plurality of shield blades are configured for insertion into the plurality of second openings. Each of the plurality of shield blades has a first end extending from the front wall of the header body adjacent to the first end of a signal pin, a second end extending from the back wall of the header body adjacent to the second end of the signal pin, and a generally right angle shielding portion configured to be disposed adjacent to an intermediate portion of the signal pin.

Abstract: The locking device of the present invention is provided to constantly and reliably maintain the locked state even under severe environments of use, such as an application of an excessive amount of impact force, for example, and to drastically improve reliability.

Abstract: A two-part high-speed backplane electrical connector with improved electromagnetical shielding comprises a socket connector and a header connector. The socket connector includes a plurality of connector modules encasing a plurality of conductive paths. Each connector module is formed to include a plurality of laterally-extending angled passageways which are interleaved with the plurality of conductive paths. The socket connector further includes a plurality of first shields, each of which is configured to be coupled to a connector module along a first side thereof to form a paired connector unit. Each first shield is formed to include a plurality of laterally-extending angled passageways in substantial alignment with the passageways in the connector modules. A socket housing is configured to receive a plurality of paired connector units. A plurality of second shields are configured to be received in the plurality of laterally-extending angled passageways in the paired connector units.

Abstract: An electrical connector apparatus (10) includes an insulative housing (14) having an elongated slot (16) for receiving an end edge (18) of a module (12), a plurality of contacts (20) located in the slot (16) for engaging conductive pads (22) on the module (12), and at least one side arm (36). The apparatus also includes a locking apparatus (28, 80) coupled to the side arm (36). The locking apparatus (28, 80) includes a torsional member (40, 82) having a longitudinal axis (48, 94), and an ejector (38, 84) coupled to the torsional member (40, 82). The ejector (38, 84) has a head (42, 86) configured to engage a side edge (32, 34) of the memory module (12) to retain the memory module (12) in the connector (10) and an axle (46, 92) coupled to the ejector (38, 84). The locking apparatus (28, 80) also includes a clip (54, 102) coupled to the side arm (36) of the housing (14).

Abstract: An electrical interconnect device includes an elongated socket for releasably holding a module in an engaged position therein and an ejector for ejecting at least a portion of the module from the socket. The device also includes a lever arm for rotating the module ejector means about an axis of rotation extending in the direction of elongation of the socket to move the module ejector against a module held in the socket. This action causes at least a portion of the module to be disengaged from the socket means to enable a user to extract the module from the socket means. The rotatably actuated module ejector is mounted on the device to lie between two modules that are held in side-by-side relation in the socket. The lever arm is pivotable about an axis of rotation either in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to permit a technician to remove more than one module from the socket.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for locking first and second adjacent electrical connector modules which are stacked end-to-end. The first and second modules each are formed to include an insulative housing surrounding a plurality of contacts and coding slots formed in a wall of the housing. The apparatus comprises a locking key having a plurality of spaced apart tabs configured to engage a plurality of coding slots in the first and second modules when the first and second modules are stacked end-to-end.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided for receiving a daughtercard having an end edge formed to include a notch therein and having a plurality of conductive surfaces formed thereon. The connector includes a socket formed to include an elongated slot for receiving the daughtercard therein and including a plurality of electrical terminals for engaging the plurality of conductive surfaces formed on the daughtercard for electrically coupling the daughtercard to the socket. The connector also includes an ejector coupled to an end of the socket. The ejector includes first and second side panels defining a slot therebetween for receiving the end edge of the daughtercard therein, and first and second raised surfaces formed on the first and second side panels of the ejector, respectively, for engaging opposite sides of the daughtercard to apply a retention force directed normal to the daughtercard upon insertion of the daughtercard into the socket.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for locking first and second adjacent electrical connector modules which are stacked end-to-end. The first and second modules each are formed to include an insulative housing, a plurality of windows in communication with a plurality of contacts coupled to the housing, and a foot section formed to include a coding slot. The contacts have contact terminals extending beyond a rear wall of the housing in a plurality of rows. The apparatus includes a cap having an insulative body including a plurality of spaced apart divider walls configured to define a plurality of slots, each slot being configured to receive a row of the contact terminals. The insulative body of the cap extends across abutting ends of the first and second connector modules. The apparatus also includes a locking clip configured to engage adjacent abutting foot sections of the first and second connector modules to lock the abutting foot sections together.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided for receiving a daughtercard having an end edge formed to include a notch therein and having a plurality of conductive surfaces formed thereon. The connector includes a socket formed to include an elongated slot for receiving the daughtercard therein and including a plurality of electrical terminals for engaging the plurality of conductive surfaces formed the daughtercard for electrically coupling the daughtercard to the socket. The connector also includes an ejector coupled to an end of the socket. The ejector includes first and second side panels defining a slot therebetween for receiving the end edge of the daughtercard therein, and first and second raised surfaces formed on the first and second side panels of the ejector, respectively, for engaging opposite sides of daughtercard to apply a retention force directed normal to the daughtercard upon insertion of the daughtercard into the socket.

Abstract: An electrical connector apparatus is provided for electrically coupling a module having an end edge including a keyway and a plurality of conductive pads to a plurality of conductive traces on a mother printed circuit board. The apparatus comprises an insulative housing formed to include an elongated slot for receiving the end edge of the module, a plurality of contacts located in the slot for engaging the conductive pads on the module, and a key formed integrally with the insulative housing. The key has first and second side walls which are formed to include first and second recessed slots, respectively. The apparatus also includes an alignment clip coupled to the key. The alignment clip includes a body portion and first and second spring beams positioned in the first and second slots of the key.

Abstract: A connector apparatus is provided for electrically coupling a module having an end edge including a plurality of conductive pads to a plurality of conductive traces on a printed circuit board. The apparatus includes an insulative housing formed to include an elongated slot for receiving the end edge of the module, a plurality of contacts located in the slot for engaging the conductive pads on the module, and a side arm having an integrally formed split peg for engaging the module to secure the module to the housing. The apparatus also includes a separate clip coupled to the side arm of the housing. The clip includes an actuator section located adjacent the split peg. The actuator section is configured to engage the split peg and to release the split peg from the module to permit removal of the module from the housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided for receiving a daughtercard having an end edge formed to include a notch therein and having a plurality of conductive surfaces formed thereon. The connector includes a socket formed to include an elongated slot for receiving the daughtercard therein and including a plurality of electrical terminals for engaging the plurality of conductive surfaces formed the daughtercard for electrically coupling the daughtercard to the socket. The connector also includes an ejector coupled to an end of the socket. The ejector includes first and second side panels defining a slot therebetween for receiving the end edge of the daughtercard therein, and first and second raised surfaces formed on the first and second side panels of the ejector, respectively, for engaging opposite sides o daughtercard to apply a retention force directed normal to the daughtercard upon insertion of the daughtercard into the socket.

Abstract: An apparatus (50) is configured to be positioned between an electrical connector (32) and a printed circuit board (14) to strengthen the printed circuit board (14). The electrical connector (32) has at least one location peg (44) extending therefrom for aligning the electrical connector (32) relative to the printed circuit board (14). The apparatus (50) includes a generally L-shaped body member having a first leg (54) configured to abut an end edge (63) of the printed circuit board (14) and a second leg (56) configured to abut a surface of the printed circuit board (14) adjacent the end edge (63). The second leg (56) is formed to include at least one aperture (60) for receiving the at least one location peg (44) of the electrical connector (32) therein to couple electrical connector (32) to the body member. Preferably, the printed circuit board (14) is formed to include a notched portion (52) adjacent the end edge (63).