Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing, signal contacts, and ground shields. The housing extends between a front end and a rear end and defines a cavity at the front end. The signal contacts are held by the housing and are arranged in pairs carrying differential signals. The signal contacts have mating ends in the cavity for mating with a mating connector. The ground shields are held by the housing and extend along the signal contacts in the cavity. The ground shields have center walls and side walls surrounding associated pairs of the signal contacts on at least two sides thereof. The ground shields each have a commoning feature extending outward from a corresponding side wall. The commoning feature mechanically engages another ground shield in a group of ground shields to electrically join the ground shields of the group within the cavity.

Abstract: A header assembly of a mezzanine connector system may include a main housing defining signal channels extending through the main housing and ground channels extending into a first surface of the main housing, a plurality of signal modules, and a plurality of ground shields. At least a portion of each of the plurality of signal modules is retained within a respective one of the signal channels. At least a portion of each of the plurality of ground shields is retained within at least one of the ground channels.

Abstract: A mezzanine header connector includes a contact assembly having a pair of contact modules arranged back-to-back. The contact modules each have a dielectric holder holding a plurality of header contacts. The dielectric holder extends between a mating end and a mounting end and has an inner side and an outer side. The header contacts have mating segments exposed along the outer side at the mating end for termination to corresponding receptacle contacts of a mezzanine receptacle connector. The header contacts have terminating segments extending from the mounting end of the dielectric holder for termination to a circuit board. Each of the header contacts extend along a linear path between the corresponding mating segment and the corresponding terminating segment. The inner sides of the dielectric holders of the pair of contact modules abut against each other such that the header contacts face away from each other.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing, signal contacts, and ground shields. The housing extends between a front end and a rear end and defines a cavity at the front end. The signal contacts are held by the housing and are arranged in pairs carrying differential signals. The signal contacts have mating ends in the cavity for mating with a mating connector. The ground shields are held by the housing and extend along the signal contacts in the cavity. The ground shields have center walls and side walls surrounding associated pairs of the signal contacts on at least two sides thereof. The ground shields each have a commoning feature extending outward from a corresponding side wall. The commoning feature mechanically engages another ground shield in a group of ground shields to electrically join the ground shields of the group within the cavity.

Abstract: A mezzanine connector assembly includes a mezzanine receptacle connector having a plurality of receptacle contacts arranged in pairs for carrying differential pair signals and each having a mating interface. The mezzanine receptacle connector has a plurality of receptacle ground shields surrounding each pair of receptacle contacts and providing electrical shielding from each other pair. The mezzanine connector assembly includes a mezzanine header connector having a plurality of header contacts arranged in pairs. Each header contact has a mating segment mated to the mating interface of the corresponding receptacle contact. The mezzanine header connector has a plurality of header ground shields surrounding each pair of header contacts and providing electrical shielding from each other pair of header contacts. The header ground shields are mechanically and electrically connected to associated receptacle ground shields to create shield boxes around the various mated pairs of header and receptacle contacts.

Abstract: A header assembly of a mezzanine connector system may include a main housing defining signal channels extending through the main housing and ground channels extending into a first surface of the main housing, a plurality of signal modules, and a plurality of ground shields. At least a portion of each of the plurality of signal modules is retained within a respective one of the signal channels. At least a portion of each of the plurality of ground shields is retained within at least one of the ground channels.

Abstract: A mezzanine receptacle connector includes a housing having a mating end configured to be mated with a mezzanine header connector and a mounting end configured to be mounted to a circuit board. The mating end is opposite the mounting end and includes a plurality of contact cavities configured to receive associated header contacts of the mezzanine header connector. Receptacle contacts are received in corresponding contact cavities of the housing. Each receptacle contact has a main contact and a sub-contact extending from the main contact. The main contact defines a first mating interface and the sub-contact defines a second mating interface. The first and second mating interfaces of each receptacle contact are configured to directly engage the same header contact of the mezzanine header connector at different points of contact.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a contact module having a leadframe and a dielectric frame surrounding the leadframe. The leadframe has signal conductors having transition contacts encased in the dielectric frame. The transition contacts are coplanar such that the transition contacts are arranged within a contact plane of the leadframe. The signal conductors have mating contacts extending from the corresponding transition contacts. Each of the mating contacts have a mating interface configured to be electrically connected to a corresponding mating contact of a mating connector. The mating contacts are arranged in pairs with the corresponding mating interfaces aligned in rows along corresponding row axes. Each of the pairs of mating contacts are arranged in different rows.

Abstract: A mezzanine header connector includes header modules stacked side-by-side having housing frames holding contact assemblies. Each contact assembly includes header contacts held by at least one dielectric holder. The header contacts have mating segments for termination to corresponding receptacle contacts of a mezzanine receptacle connector and terminating segments for termination to a circuit board. Each of the header contacts extend along a linear path between the corresponding mating segment and the corresponding terminating segment. Each housing frame has walls defining pockets receiving corresponding header contacts of the contact assembly. The housing frame is conductive and provides shielding around the associated header contacts of the contact assemblies. The header contacts face associated walls with air separating the header contacts and the walls along a majority of the header contacts.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a contact module having a leadframe and a dielectric frame surrounding the leadframe. The leadframe has signal conductors having transition contacts encased in the dielectric frame. The transition contacts are coplanar such that the transition contacts are arranged within a contact plane of the leadframe. The signal conductors have mating contacts extending from the corresponding transition contacts. Each of the mating contacts have a mating interface configured to be electrically connected to a corresponding mating contact of a mating connector. The mating contacts are arranged in pairs with the corresponding mating interfaces aligned in rows along corresponding row axes. Each of the pairs of mating contacts are arranged in different rows.

Abstract: A mezzanine connector assembly includes a mezzanine receptacle connector having a plurality of receptacle contacts arranged in pairs for carrying differential pair signals and each having a mating interface. The mezzanine receptacle connector has a plurality of receptacle ground shields surrounding each pair of receptacle contacts and providing electrical shielding from each other pair. The mezzanine connector assembly includes a mezzanine header connector having a plurality of header contacts arranged in pairs. Each header contact has a mating segment mated to the mating interface of the corresponding receptacle contact. The mezzanine header connector has a plurality of header ground shields surrounding each pair of header contacts and providing electrical shielding from each other pair of header contacts. The header ground shields are mechanically and electrically connected to associated receptacle ground shields to create shield boxes around the various mated pairs of header and receptacle contacts.

Abstract: A mezzanine header connector includes a contact assembly having a pair of contact modules arranged back-to-back. The contact modules each have a dielectric holder holding a plurality of header contacts. The dielectric holder extends between a mating end and a mounting end and has an inner side and an outer side. The header contacts have mating segments exposed along the outer side at the mating end for termination to corresponding receptacle contacts of a mezzanine receptacle connector. The header contacts have terminating segments extending from the mounting end of the dielectric holder for termination to a circuit board. Each of the header contacts extend along a linear path between the corresponding mating segment and the corresponding terminating segment. The inner sides of the dielectric holders of the pair of contact modules abut against each other such that the header contacts face away from each other.

Abstract: A mezzanine receptacle connector includes a housing having a mating end configured to be mated with a mezzanine header connector and a mounting end configured to be mounted to a circuit board. The mating end is opposite the mounting end and includes a plurality of contact cavities configured to receive associated header contacts of the mezzanine header connector. Receptacle contacts are received in corresponding contact cavities of the housing. Each receptacle contact has a main contact and a sub-contact extending from the main contact. The main contact defines a first mating interface and the sub-contact defines a second mating interface. The first and second mating interfaces of each receptacle contact are configured to directly engage the same header contact of the mezzanine header connector at different points of contact.

Abstract: A mezzanine header connector includes header modules stacked side-by-side having housing frames holding contact assemblies. Each contact assembly includes header contacts held by at least one dielectric holder. The header contacts have mating segments for termination to corresponding receptacle contacts of a mezzanine receptacle connector and terminating segments for termination to a circuit board. Each of the header contacts extend along a linear path between the corresponding mating segment and the corresponding terminating segment. Each housing frame has walls defining pockets receiving corresponding header contacts of the contact assembly. The housing frame is conductive and provides shielding around the associated header contacts of the contact assemblies. The header contacts face associated walls with air separating the header contacts and the walls along a majority of the header contacts.

Abstract: A mezzanine receptacle connector includes a housing having a mating end mated with a mezzanine header connector and a mounting end mounted to a circuit board. Receptacle contacts are held by the housing having mating ends with deflectable spring beams and terminating ends for termination to the circuit board. A ground lattice is held by the housing that includes longitudinal receptacle ground shields extending longitudinally within the housing generally parallel to a longitudinal axis. The ground lattice includes lateral receptacle ground shields extending laterally within the housing generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The longitudinal receptacle ground shields are mechanically and electrically connected to the lateral receptacle ground shields to form the ground lattice. The ground lattice provides electrical shielding for the receptacle contacts.

Abstract: A mezzanine receptacle connector includes a housing having a mating end mated with a mezzanine header connector and a mounting end mounted to a circuit board. Receptacle contacts are held by the housing having mating ends with deflectable spring beams and terminating ends for termination to the circuit board. A ground lattice is held by the housing that includes longitudinal receptacle ground shields extending longitudinally within the housing generally parallel to a longitudinal axis. The ground lattice includes lateral receptacle ground shields extending laterally within the housing generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The longitudinal receptacle ground shields are mechanically and electrically connected to the lateral receptacle ground shields to form the ground lattice. The ground lattice provides electrical shielding for the receptacle contacts.

Abstract: A receptacle assembly includes a contact module having a conductive holder has a first side and an opposite second side. The conductive holder has a chamber between the first and second sides. A frame assembly is received in the chamber of the conductive holder. The frame assembly includes a plurality of contacts and a dielectric frame supporting the contacts. The contacts extend from the conductive holder for electrical termination. A ground lead frame is received in the chamber between the frame assembly and the conductive holder. The ground leadframe has grounding members that extend from the conductive holder for electrical termination to header shields of the header assembly.

Abstract: A substrate is disclosed that is configured to receive an electrical component. The substrate comprises a plurality of first vias and a plurality of second vias. The plurality of first vias is arranges in the substrate in a matrix of rows and columns and is configured to provide mounting of the electric component, each first via associated with one of its closest neighbor first via to form a pair. The plurality of second vias is capable of being electrically commoned to one another and is positioned amongst the plurality of first vias such that there is at least one second via positioned directly between each first via and any of the closest non-pair first via neighbors.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a contact module that has a lead frame and a dielectric frame that encases the lead frame. The dielectric frame includes opposite sides and a mating edge and a mounting edge. The dielectric frame has voids that extend from the sides to expose the lead frame. The lead frame has a plurality of contacts that have transition portions that extend between mating portions that extend from the mating edge and mounting portions that extend from the mounting edge. The transition portions have compensation segments and intermediate segments between the compensation segments. The intermediate segments are encased in the dielectric frame. The compensation segments are exposed by the voids. The compensation segments have a geometry that differs from a geometry of the intermediate segments.

Abstract: High-speed backplane connectors systems for mounting a substrate that are capable of operating at speeds of up to at least 25 Gbps, while in some implementations also providing pin densities of at least 50 pairs of electrical connectors per inch are disclosed. Implementations of the high-speed connector systems may provide ground shields and/or ground structures that substantially encapsulate electrical connector pairs, which may be differential electrical connector pairs, in a three-dimensional manner throughout a backplane footprint, a backplane connector, and a daughtercard footprint. These encapsulating ground shields and/or ground structures prevent undesirable propagation of non-traverse, longitudinal, and higher-order modes when the high-speed backplane connector systems operates at frequencies up to at least 30 GHz.