Abstract: An electrical cable includes a conductor assembly having a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator structure surrounding the first conductor and the second conductor. The insulator structure has an outer surface. The first and second conductors carry differential signals. A cable shield is wrapped around the conductor assembly and engages the outer surface of the insulator structure. The cable shield has an inner edge and a flap covering the inner edge. The cable shield forms a void at the inner edge being located closer to the first conductor than the second conductor. The first conductor has a first diameter and the second conductor has a second diameter. The first diameter is less than the second diameter.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and contact modules having signal contacts with signal pins and a ground shield providing electrical shielding for the signal contacts with ground pins. The connector assembly includes a conductive gasket compressible between the bottoms of the contact modules and the circuit board. The conductive gasket has a top and a bottom facing the circuit board. The conductive gasket has signal openings extending therethrough receiving corresponding signal pins in spaced apart locations to electrically isolate the signal pins from the conductive gasket. The conductive gasket at least partially fills a space between the bottoms of the contact modules and the circuit board to provide electrical shielding for the signal pins between the bottoms of the contact modules and the circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical cable includes a conductor assembly having a first conductor, a second conductor, a first insulator surrounding the first conductor and a second insulator surrounding the second conductor. The first insulator has a first thickness between the first conductor and an outer surface. The second insulator has a second thickness between the second conductor and an outer surface. The first thickness is greater than the second thickness. A cable shield is wrapped around the conductor assembly and engages the outer surface of the first insulator along a first segment and engaging the outer surface of the second insulator along a second segment. The cable shield has an inner edge and a flap covering the inner edge. The cable shield forms a void at the inner edge located closer to the first conductor than the second conductor.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and contact modules having signal contacts with signal pins and a ground shield providing electrical shielding for the signal contacts with ground pins. The connector assembly includes a conductive gasket compressible between the bottoms of the contact modules and the circuit board. The conductive gasket has a top and a bottom facing the circuit board. The conductive gasket has signal openings extending therethrough receiving corresponding signal pins in spaced apart locations to electrically isolate the signal pins from the conductive gasket. The conductive gasket at least partially fills a space between the bottoms of the contact modules and the circuit board to provide electrical shielding for the signal pins between the bottoms of the contact modules and the circuit board.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first circuit card assembly having a first PCB and a first electrical connector with first contacts and a second circuit card assembly having a second PCB and a second electrical connector with second contacts. At least one of the PCBs include a slot configured to receive the other PCB when mated in a board mating direction. The first electrical connector is mated to the second electrical connector in a connector mating direction perpendicular to the board mating direction. The first contacts are mated to the second contacts in a contact mating direction as the first PCB and the second PCB are mated in the board mating direction and as the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are mated in the connector mating direction. The contact mating direction is non-parallel to the board mating axis and non-parallel to the connector mating axis.

Abstract: An electrical connector for a circuit card assembly including a PCB includes a mating housing having a mating end movable relative to the PCB and contact modules coupled to the mating housing including signal contacts having a mating conductor, a mounting conductor and a flexible conductor. The flexible conductor is flexible to allow relative movement of the mating conductor relative to the mounting conductor. The flexible conductor has a bent portion changing shape. The contact modules have ground contacts providing electrical shielding for the signal contacts. The ground contacts include covers extending along and providing shielding along at least one side of the bent portion of the corresponding signal contact.

Abstract: Electrical contact includes a base portion and a mating portion having a leading end of the electrical contact. The mating portion includes a contact finger coupled to the base portion and extends between the base portion and the leading end. The contact finger has an engagement surface that is shaped to define a primary contact zone. The electrical contact also includes a resonance-control protrusion shaped to define a stub-contact zone. The stub-contact zone is positioned at the base portion or between the base portion and the primary contact zone. The primary contact zone and the stub-contact zone are configured to engage another contact. The stub-contact zone is configured to impede electrical resonance along a stub portion of the other contact.

Abstract: An electrical connector for a circuit card assembly includes a receptacle housing and a mating housing movable relative to the receptacle housing in a connector mating direction. The electrical connector includes contact modules each having a leadframe having signal contacts with a mating conductor, a mounting conductor and a flexible conductor between the mating conductor and the mounting conductor. Each contact module includes an inner dielectric body and an outer dielectric body separate and discrete from the inner dielectric body. The flexible conductors extend between the inner and outer dielectric bodies to allow relative movement of the inner dielectric body in the connector mating direction relative to the outer dielectric body.

Abstract: Electrical connector includes a housing and a mating array having a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts that are coupled to the housing. The signal contacts and the ground contacts are positioned for mating with signal conductors and ground conductors, respectively, of a mating connector. The ground contacts are plated with a ground-material composition and the signal contacts are plated with a signal-material composition. The ground-material composition is configured to cause a first low-level contact resistance (LLCR) while mated with the ground conductors during operation. The signal-material composition is configured to cause a second LLCR while mated with the signal conductors during operation. The second LLCR is less than the first LLCR during operation.

Abstract: A contact module includes a dielectric holder having right and left sides holding signal contacts. A shield structure is coupled to the dielectric holder providing electrical shielding for the signal contacts. The shield structure has a first ground shield provided at the right side of the dielectric holder and a second ground shield provided at the left side of the dielectric holder. The first and second ground shields are electrically connected together between corresponding pairs of the signal contacts and providing electrical shielding between corresponding signal contacts along a majority of a length of the transition portions.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and contact assemblies. The housing includes shroud walls and a base having a front side and a rear side. The front side of the base and the shroud walls define a cavity configured to receive a mating connector. The base is electrically conductive and has chambers extending therethrough that are defined by chamber walls. The contact assemblies are received in the chambers. Each contact assembly has a signal pod surrounded on at least two sides by a ground shield. The signal pod includes a dielectric body holding a pair of signal contacts. The dielectric body engages interior sides of the ground shield to electrically insulate the signal contacts from the ground shield. Exterior sides of the ground shield engage the chamber walls of the base to electrically connect the ground shield to the base.

Abstract: A contact module includes a dielectric holder holding signal contacts and guard traces. The guard traces are electrically commoned and provide electrical shielding between the corresponding signal contacts. A ground shield is coupled to a first side of the dielectric holder and provides electrical shielding for the signal contacts. The ground shield is electrically connected to each guard trace and has a plurality of rails. Each rail has side strips aligned with the signal contacts and connecting strips extending inward from a first edge of the side strip into the dielectric holder to directly engage the corresponding guard traces. The rails are generally L-shaped defined by the side strips and corresponding connecting strips.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first circuit card assembly having a first PCB including a first slot and a first electrical connector mounted to the first PCB along the first slot and having a first mating end. The communication system includes a second circuit card assembly having a second PCB and a second electrical connector mounted to the second PCB and having a second mating end. The first and second circuit card assemblies are mated along a board mating axis parallel to the first slot with the first PCB oriented perpendicular to the second PCB. The first and second mating ends are oriented parallel to the board mating axis. The second PCB is received in the first slot to align the second mating end with the first mating end.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and both signal conductors and ground conductors held by the housing. The ground conductors are arranged in an array with the signal conductors and provide electrical shielding between the signal conductors. The ground conductors have an electrically conductive metal body extending a length between a terminating end and a mating distal end. The ground conductors are configured to engage corresponding mating ground conductors of a mating connector at a contact location of the respective ground conductor. The ground conductors further include a damping segment disposed between the contact location and the mating distal end. The damping segment is characterized by a lossy coating at least partially covering the metal body to dissipate electrical energy.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and both signal conductors and ground conductors held by the housing. The ground conductors are arranged in an array with the signal conductors and provide electrical shielding between the signal conductors. The ground conductors have an electrically conductive metal body extending a length between a terminating end and a mating distal end. The ground conductors are configured to engage corresponding mating ground conductors of a mating connector at a contact location of the respective ground conductor. The ground conductors further include a damping segment disposed between the contact location and the mating distal end. The damping segment is characterized by a lossy coating at least partially covering the metal body to dissipate electrical energy.

Abstract: A contact module includes a dielectric holder holding signal contacts and guard traces. The guard traces are electrically commoned and provide electrical shielding between the corresponding signal contacts. A ground shield is coupled to a first side of the dielectric holder and provides electrical shielding for the signal contacts. The ground shield is electrically connected to each guard trace and has a plurality of rails. Each rail has side strips aligned with the signal contacts and connecting strips extending inward from a first edge of the side strip into the dielectric holder to directly engage the corresponding guard traces. The rails are generally L-shaped defined by the side strips and corresponding connecting strips.

Abstract: A contact module includes a dielectric holder having right and left sides holding signal contacts. A shield structure is coupled to the dielectric holder providing electrical shielding for the signal contacts. The shield structure has a first ground shield provided at the right side of the dielectric holder and a second ground shield provided at the left side of the dielectric holder. The first and second ground shields are electrically connected together between corresponding pairs of the signal contacts and providing electrical shielding between corresponding signal contacts along a majority of a length of the transition portions.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and contact modules having signal contacts with signal pins and a ground shield providing electrical shielding for the signal contacts with ground pins. The connector assembly includes a conductive pin organizer coupled to the contact modules having a plurality of ground pin holes receiving ground pins and signal openings receiving signal pins. The conductive pin organizer substantially fills a space between the bottoms of the contact modules and the circuit board to provide electrical shielding for the signal pins between the bottoms of the contact modules and the circuit board.

Abstract: Printed circuit includes a planar substrate having opposite sides and a thickness extending therebetween. The sides extend parallel to a lateral plane. The printed circuit also includes a plurality of conductive vias extending through the planar substrate in a direction that is perpendicular to the lateral plane. The conductive vias include ground vias and signal vias. The signal vias form a plurality of quad groups in which each quad group includes a two-by-two array of the signal vias. Optionally, the printed circuit also includes signal traces that electrically couple to the signal vias. The signal traces may form a plurality of quad lines in which each quad line includes four of the signal traces. The four signal traces of each quad line may extend parallel to one another and be in a two-by-two formation.

Abstract: A PCB includes a substrate having a connector surface with a PCB connector footprint defined along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis and subdivided into PCB column grouping footprints extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The PCB includes signal vias arranged in pairs along a signal pair axis with a plurality of pairs of signal vias in each PCB column grouping footprint. The signal pair axis is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis, non-parallel to the lateral axis and intersects the longitudinal axis at a lesser angle than the signal pair axis intersects the lateral axis. The PCB includes ground vias at least partially through the substrate. The ground vias are arranged around each of the pairs of signal vias to provide electrical shielding around each of the pairs of signal vias.