Abstract: A termination structure for a cable connector having a pair of differential wire pairs and an associated ground wire utilizes a series of nests, or solder cups, that have their dimensions tailored to maintain a desired level of electrical performance. These nests are also arranged in a configuration to maintain the aforementioned electrical performance, and also position the ground and signal conductors of the cable in the termination area in the same position and orientation as they take in the cable.

Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the terminals in the connector. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a plurality of terminal-receiving passages. A plurality of terminals are shaped from sheet metal material, with each terminal having a contact portion at one end and a terminating portion at an opposite end. The contact portion has a contact area which engages a mating terminal of a complementary mating connecting device. The contact portion, except for the contact thereof, or the tail portion, is selectively trimmed to a given size to vary the plate area of the contact portion or the tail portion to adjust the impedance of the terminal. This may be done by removing sections of the contact portion from the contact edges or by forming holes in the contact portions. Alternatively, to adjust impedance, a drive shoulder of the terminal may be located at a position to lengthen or shorten the contact portion or tail portion.

Abstract: A connector having reduced noise characteristics is provided having an electronic component, such as a capacitor, electrically connecting together the power ground and power voltage terminals of the connector, with the electronic component being located within the connector housing. Such a structure reduces any induced electrical noise from occurring in the signal terminals of the connector due to the power terminals.

Abstract: A connector that is particularly suitable for use in high speed data transmission is provided in the form of a plug connector that may be terminated to the end of a high speed cable. The connector has a plurality of terminals for terminating to respective signal wires, ground wires and power wires of the cable, and also has an additional terminal that serves to detect and identify status information about the cable to circuits on a circuit board to which the cable is connected thorough the plug connector and a mating receptacle connector. This detection terminal is shorted to another terminal of the connector, preferably a power ground, or return, terminal. The shorting is done with an electronic component that modifies the voltage passing from the shorted terminal through the detection terminal. The modified voltage may be easily read on the circuit board to determine the status of the cable (such as the speed of the cable) or an electronic device attached thereto.

Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the terminals in the connector. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a plurality of terminal-receiving passages. A plurality of terminals are shaped from sheet metal material, with each terminal having a contact portion at one end and a terminating portion at an opposite end. The contact portion has a contact area which engages a mating terminal of a complementary mating connecting device. The contact portion, except for the contact thereof, or the tail portion, is selectively trimmed to a given size to vary the plate area of the contact portion or the tail portion to adjust the impedance of the terminal.

Abstract: A shielded connector has an outer metal shield that is formed from a metal shell. One or both free ends of the shell are upturned and abutted together so as to form an inner shielding wall. This inner shielding wall extends into the receptacle portion of the connector between pairs of designated terminals. The connector housing is molded over the free ends in order to hold them together. The inner shield wall increases capacitive coupling with the connector terminals which decreases the impedance of the connector.

Abstract: A flexible circuit member includes first and second pseudo-twisted flexible conductors on a flexible dielectric substrate. The first pseudo-twisted conductor is on a first side of the substrate and the second pseudo-twisted conductor is on a second side of the substrate. Each pseudo-twisted conductor includes a periodic pattern with the first pseudo-twisted conductor being shifted longitudinally relative to the second pseudo-twisted conductor by one half of a period of the periodic pattern. A set of first and second additional conductors are also provided on the dielectric substrate. The first additional conductor is on the first side of the substrate and is spaced from and generally follows the shape of the first pseudo-twisted conductor. The second additional conductor is on the second side of the substrate and is spaced from and generally follows the shape of the second pseudo-twisted conductor.

Abstract: A connector having an improved impedance aspect is provided with a triplet of conductive terminals for mating with opposing ground and signal terminals. Each triplet of the connector includes a pair of signal terminals and an associated ground terminal, with each terminal having a contact portion, a body portion and a mounting portion. The contact portion of the ground terminal overlies the contact portions of the signal terminals to provide an increased ground plane surface area. The body portion of the ground terminal is aligned with and extends between the body portions of the two signal terminals. With this arrangement, the impedance of the connector may be tuned to obtain an impendance with a reduced discontinuity through the connector as compared to similar connectors.

Abstract: An electromagnetic shield is provided for at least one electronic component such as an electrical connector. The shield includes an electrically conductive enclosure having walls defining an open end at a mating face of the component. The walls include an end wall extending generally transversely of a second wall and a first wall. A flexible ground arm is integrally formed from both the end and second walls and include a contact portion for engaging a conductive ground portion of a complementary mating electronic component.

Abstract: An electrical edge connector and a terminal therefore for connecting a first electrical circuit board to a second electrical circuit board, the first electrical circuit board having an insertion edge and two sides, the connector comprising an elongated dielectric housing having therein a longitudinal slot for receiving the insertion edge of the first electrical circuit board and a plurality of transverse terminal receiving cavities adjoining the slot on each side of the slot, and a plurality of signal terminals disposed within some of the terminal retention cavities on each side of the slot and a plurality of ground terminals disposed within others of the terminal retention cavities on each side of the slot, the signal and ground terminals each having a base portion, a retention portion extending from the base portion and retaining the terminal in one of the retention cavities, a tail portion extending from the base portion for electrically connecting the terminal to the second electrical circuit, and a sprin

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes an electrical connector mounting a plurality of terminals and including an outer conductive shell. A dielectric insert defines a receptacle for the electrical connector. An outer shielding shell surrounds a substantial portion of the dielectric insert. A electrical element is captured by the dielectric insert and is held in contact between the outer conductive shell of the connector and the outer shielding shell to establish an electrical coupling therebetween.

Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the connector according to a given impedance of an electrical circuit in which the connector is interconnected. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle for receiving a complementary electrical component. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing. The terminals include body portions located in the housing and contact portions for engaging respective contacts on the electrical component. The body portions include mechanically non-functional sections of a given area which effect a given capacitance. The mechanically non-functional sections are selectively trimmable to selectively vary the area thereof and thereby vary the capacitance of the terminals and, therefore, the impedance of the connector to match the given impedance of the electrical circuit. The connector includes a plurality of signal terminals and a plurality of ground terminals.

Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the connector according to a given impedance of an electrical circuit in which the connector is interconnected. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle for receiving a complementary mating connector. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing. The terminals include body portions located in the housing and contact portions located at the receptacle for engaging appropriate terminals of the mating connector when inserted into the receptacle. The areas of the body portions of the terminals are selectively varied to vary the capacitance of the terminals and, therefore, the impedance of the connector to match the given impedance of the electrical circuit.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided for mating with a complementary connector. The electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a mating portion. A cross-shaped ground plate structure is disposed in the mating portion of the housing when the electrical connector is mated with the complementary connector. The cross-shaped ground plate structure defines four plate edges and four quadrants. At least one terminal is mounted in the mating portion of the housing in at least some of the quadrants defined by the cross-shaped ground plate structure. A pair of outboard terminals are mounted in the mating portion of the housing outside a pair of the plate edges of the cross-shaped ground plate structure.

Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the connector according to a given impedance of an electrical circuit in which the connector is interconnected. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle for receiving a complementary electrical component. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing. The terminals include body portions located in the housing and contact portions for engaging respective contacts on the electrical component. The body portions include mechanically non-functional sections of a given area which effect a given capacitance. The mechanically non-functional sections are selectively trimmable to selectively vary the area thereof and thereby vary the capacitance of the terminals and, therefore, the impedance of the connector to match the given impedance of the electrical circuit. The connector includes a plurality of signal terminals and a plurality of ground terminals.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for terminating the metallic shield of a high speed cable which includes an inner dielectric inside the metallic shield, as well as a system for effecting the method. At least a portion of the outer jacket of the cable is removed to expose a portion of the metallic shield. An insulating member is positioned between the metallic shield and the inner dielectric of the cable. The cable then is positioned on a conductive terminating member having a portion in registry with the exposed portion of the metallic shield outside the insulating member. The metallic shield is soldered to the portion of the terminating member, as the insulating member protects the inner dielectric from the heat of the soldering step.

Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the connector according to a given impedance of an electrical circuit in which the connector is interconnected. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle for receiving a complementary mating connector. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing. The terminals include body portions located in the housing and contact portions located at the receptacle for engaging appropriate terminals of the mating connector when inserted into the receptacle. The areas of the body portions of the terminals are selectively varied to vary the capacitance of the terminals and, therefore, the impedance of the connector to match the given impedance of the electrical circuit.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for terminating the shield a high speed cable having an outer jacket, an inner metallic shield with a portion of the outer jacket removed to expose a portion of the metallic shield, and an inner dielectric inside the metallic shield. The system includes a conductive two-part terminating member having a shield management part and a shield terminating part. The shield management part is adapted for allowing separation of the metallic shield from the inner dielectric and soldering of the shield to the shield management part, while protecting the inner dielectric from the heat of soldering. The shield terminating part is adapted for grounding the metallic shield and includes a receptacle for receiving the shield management part in conductive engagement therewith.

Abstract: A shielded electrical connector includes an elongated dielectric housing having opposite ends and a plurality of transverse extending terminal-receiving cavities. A pair of elongated metal shells have narrow elongated flanges interfacing at a longitudinal seam. At least one shell includes a tab projecting from the flange thereof into an opening in the flange of the other shell. The tab is are bent in the longitudinal direction behind the flange of the other shell.

Abstract: A grounding electrical connector system includes first and second mateable connector modules each having dielectric blocks mounting a plurality of terminals and a ground plate. The ground plates of the connector modules interengage with one another in a cross-shaped grounding configuration therebetween. The terminals of the connector modules are located in spaced dispositions such that a pair of mating terminals from each connector module is located in each of four quadrants defined by the cross-shaped grounding structure of the interengaging ground plate.