Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing, a contact and a compressive coupling member. The housing has a mating interface and a mounting interface on opposing sides of the housing. The mounting interface is configured to engage a first substrate when the housing is mounted to the first substrate. The mating interface is configured to mate with a mating connector that is mounted to a second substrate. The housing is configured to engage and interconnect the substrates in a parallel arrangement. The contact extends between and protrudes from the interfaces of the housing and is configured to provide an electrical connection between the substrates. The compressive coupling member is configured to extend through the substrates and the housing in a direction transverse to the interfaces. The coupling member is configured to apply a compressive force to the housing to secure the housing with the mating connector to electrically and mechanically interconnect the substrates.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing, a signal contact and a power contact. The housing has a mounting body and a mating body coupled together and separated by a gap. The gap permits air to flow between the lower and mating bodies. The mating body is configured to engage an upper substrate and the mounting body is configured to engage a lower substrate to mechanically interconnect the upper and lower substrates. The signal contact extends between and protrudes from the mating and mounting bodies and is configured to communicate a data signal between the mating and mounting bodies. The power contact extends between and protrudes from the mating and mounting bodies and is configured to communicate electrical power between the upper and lower substrates. The housing separates the upper and lower substrates by a predetermined stack height.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and substantially identical contacts. The housing is configured to mate with a mating connector. The contacts are arranged in a plurality of sets in the housing. The contacts are configured to electrically couple with the mating connector. Each set of contacts is arranged to communicate a different type of data signal with the mating connector. Optionally the contacts are formed as substantially identical pins. The different sets of contacts may concurrently communicate the different types of data signals.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and contacts. The housing is configured to mate with a mating connector. The contacts are in the housing and configured to electrically connect the connector assembly with the mating connector. The contacts are arranged in a coaxial signal contact pattern. The coaxial signal contact pattern includes a center signal contact surrounded by contacts electrically connected to an electrical ground in a manner to emulate a coaxial connection with the mating connector.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing, a contact and a compressive coupling member. The housing has a mating interface and a mounting interface on opposing sides of the housing. The mounting interface is configured to engage a first substrate when the housing is mounted to the first substrate. The mating interface is configured to mate with a mating connector that is mounted to a second substrate. The housing is configured to engage and interconnect the substrates in a parallel arrangement. The contact extends between and protrudes from the interfaces of the housing and is configured to provide an electrical connection between the substrates. The compressive coupling member is configured to extend through the substrates and the housing in a direction transverse to the interfaces. The coupling member is configured to apply a compressive force to the housing to secure the housing with the mating connector to electrically and mechanically interconnect the substrates.

Abstract: A receptacle connector includes a housing and a receptacle contact. The housing includes a cavity extending through the housing from the mating side to the mounting side. The receptacle contact is disposed within the cavity and is configured to receive a mating contact of the mating connector. The receptacle contact includes elongated shafts disposed on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis and mating tips coupled to the shafts. The mating tips have tapered shapes between the shafts and outer ends of the mating tips. The tapered shapes are wider than the shafts in a lateral direction that is transverse to the longitudinal axis. The receptacle contact is configured to receive a mating contact of a mating connector between the mating tips to electrically couple the mating connector with the receptacle connector.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing, a signal contact and a power contact. The housing has a mounting body and a mating body coupled together and separated by a gap. The gap permits air to flow between the lower and mating bodies. The mating body is configured to engage an upper substrate and the mounting body is configured to engage a lower substrate to mechanically interconnect the upper and lower substrates. The signal contact extends between and protrudes from the mating and mounting bodies and is configured to communicate a data signal between the mating and mounting bodies. The power contact extends between and protrudes from the mating and mounting bodies and is configured to communicate electrical power between the upper and lower substrates. The housing separates the upper and lower substrates by a predetermined stack height.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and contacts. The housing extends between mating and mounting interfaces. The mating and mounting interfaces have contact openings in a noise-reducing contact pattern. The contact openings in the pattern are arranged in pairs along respective contact lines. The contact lines of adjacent pairs are transverse to one another. The contacts extend through the contact openings and are arranged in the noise-reducing contact pattern through the housing between the mating and mounting interfaces to reduce at least one of electric noise and cross-talk in signals communicated by the contacts.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a contact loading end and a locking member rotatably mounted in the housing and substantially enclosed within the connector. The locking member has a circumferential edge portion that is exposed through a window of the connector to permit finger rotation of the locking member. A backshell at least partially encloses the housing. The backshell includes a chamber between the contact loading end of the housing and a back wall of the backshell. The backshell includes side walls that have windows opening to the chamber to provide access to the edge portion of the locking member.

Abstract: An electrical connector for mating with a complementary connector receptacle is provided and includes a housing configured and adapted for selective matable connection with a corresponding complementary connector receptacle; a pair of latch arms provided on opposite sides of the housing; and a pair of latch guards extending from the sides of the housing and overlying at least a portion of a respective latch arm. Each latch arm includes a hinge joint spaced a selected distance rearwardly from a forward end thereof for joining the latch arm to a respective side of the housing. Accordingly, as a latch arm is twisted about the hinge joint, at least a portion of the latch arm abuts against the respective latch guard and additional twisting of the latch arm about the hinge joint is prevented.

Abstract: An electrical connector for mounting to a panel includes a connector housing having a forward mating end and a first side. The housing is configured to be inserted into a panel opening that has an inner edge. The housing is inserted into the panel opening in a loading direction and is movable laterally relative to the panel opening in a latching direction to a latched position. The latching direction differs from the loading direction. A latch member includes a latch beam extending from the first side of the housing and a latch element is positioned on a forward facing surface of the latch beam. The latch element engages the inner edge of the panel opening when the housing is in the latched position to hold the housing in the latched position. A stop member is formed on the first side of the housing. The stop member is positioned to engage a rearward facing surface of the latch beam to inhibit removal of the housing from the panel opening while in the latched position.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a forward mating end and a rearward contact loading end. The housing includes first and second opposite sides. The housing is configured for insertion into a panel opening that has an inner edge. The housing is inserted into the panel opening in a first direction in an insertion position and is movable within the panel opening in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction from the insertion position to a latched position. A latch member extends from the first side of the housing and has first and second ends attached to first and second opposite ends of the first side of the housing. An arcuate latch beam joins the first and second ends of the latch member, and a latch element positioned on a forward facing surface of the latch beam engages the inner edge of the panel opening to hold the housing in the latched position.

Abstract: A connector family that has a central housing having a connector mating face and a board mounting interface. An outer shell is shaped to fit over the central housing. The outer shell at least partially encloses the board mounting interface and exposes the connector mating interface of the central housing. The outer shell has a cable interface that is configured to be joined to a cable. Contacts are held in the central housing. The contacts, central housing and outer shell are used in different configurations depending upon the application. In a first application, the outer shell is mounted over the central housing to form a first configuration. In a second application, the outer shell is removed to expose the board mounting interface on the central housing to form a second configuration.

Abstract: A socket connector for an electronic package includes a socket housing and a loading caddy having a forward end and a rearward end. The forward end includes an opening dimensioned to receive the electronic package. The loading caddy is coupled to the housing for linear and rotational movement therewith. The loading caddy rotates through a first range of motion adapted to align the electronic package with respect to the housing, and descends linearly through a second range of motion to load the electronic package into the housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a connector housing holding a plurality of electrical contacts and a backshell including a backshell housing having a connector receiving end and a cable exit end. The connector housing is coupled to the connector receiving end of the backshell housing. A plurality of organizing elements are within the backshell housing. The organizing elements are arranged in a transverse row within the backshell housing. The organizing elements are configured to receive and support a plurality of electrical cables arranged in first and second transverse rows. The first and second rows are in a tiered relationship with one another and the electrical cables are transversely offset from one another.

Abstract: A socket is provided for an electronic package. The socket includes a cover and base that are slidably joined with one another. An actuator drives the cover and base between open and closed positions or states as the actuator is rotated through a range of motion between open and closed positions, respectively. The socket further includes a socket state indicator provided on the base and located proximate one of the actuator and the cover. The socket state indicator is positioned, such that a relative spacing between the socket state indicator and one of the actuator and cover indicates when the cover and base are in the open state. The socket state indicator may include a ramped detent provided within the actuator's range of motion. Alternatively, the socket state indicator may include posts formed on the base. The cover moves relative to the posts as the state of the socket changes.

Abstract: A terminal for use with a zero insertion force socket is disclosed which electrically connects a mating connector to a printed circuit board or the like. The terminal has a pin engaging portion which has a pair of nonsymmetrical contact arms which are positioned to make electrical engagement with the mating pin. A first contact arm of the pair of contact arms is configured to have a longer electrical path across which signals are transmitted than a second contact arm. The first contact arm also has a reduced cross section compared to the second contact arm, such that the first contact arm is configured to have a matched inductance to the second contact arm. A retention portion extends from the pin engaging portion. Side edges of the retention portion are dimensioned to create a frictional interference with side wall of a cavity of the socket. A mounting portion extends from the retention portion in an opposite direction from the pin engaging portion.

Abstract: A zero insertion force socket includes a cover which is movable along a longitudinal axis relative to a base housing. An actuation member is mounted for rotation about a rotation axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis. The actuation member is operably connected for moving the cover along the longitudinal axis when the actuation member is rotated about the rotation axis. The actuation member may include a leg that extends along the rotation axis, and a handle that extends perpendicular to the leg. The leg includes at least one thread that is received in a recess in the cover.

Abstract: A socket is provided for an electronic package. The socket includes a cover and base that are slidably joined with one another. An actuator drives the cover and base between open and closed positions or states as the actuator is rotated through a range of motion between open and closed positions, respectively. The socket further includes a socket state indicator provided on the base and located proximate one of the actuator and the cover. The socket state indicator is positioned, such that a relative spacing between the socket state indicator and one of the actuator and cover indicates when the cover and base are in the open state. The socket state indicator may include a ramped detent provided within the actuator's range of motion. Alternatively, the socket state indicator may include posts formed on the base. The cover moves relative to the posts as the state of the socket changes.

Abstract: A zero insertion force socket includes a cover which is movable along a longitudinal axis relative to a base housing. An actuation member is mounted for rotation about a rotation axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis. The actuation member is operably connected for moving the cover along the longitudinal axis when the actuation member is rotated about the rotation axis. The actuation member may include a leg that extends along the rotation axis, and a handle that extends perpendicular to the leg. The leg includes at least one thread that is received in a recess in the cover.