Abstract: An interconnection system with a compliant shield between a connector and a substrate such as a PCB. The compliant shield may provide current flow paths between shields internal to the connector and ground structures of the PCB. The connector, compliant shield and PCB may be configured to provide current flow in locations relative to signal conductors that provide desirable signal integrity for signals carried by the signal conductors. In some embodiments, the current flow paths may be adjacent the signal conductors, offset in a transverse direction from an axis of a pair of conductors. Such paths may be created by tabs extending from connector shields. A compliant conductive member of the compliant shield may contact the tabs and a conductive pad on a surface of the PCB. Shadow vias, running from the surface pad to internal ground structures may be positioned adjacent the tip of the tabs.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. In some embodiments, the connector is may be assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. In some embodiments, the modules may have projecting portions, of conductive and/or dielectric material, that are shaped and positioned to reduce changes in impedance along the signal paths as a function of separation of conductive elements, when the connectors are separated by less than the functional mating range.

Abstract: An electrical connector electrically connects a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board, where the electrical connector includes: (a) an insulative housing; (b) a plurality of signal conductors, with at least a portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors disposed within the insulative housing; (c) each of the plurality of signal conductors having a first contact end, a second contact end and an intermediate portion therebetween; and (d) a passive circuit element electrically connected to the intermediate portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors, where the passive circuit element is housed in an insulative package and includes at least a capacitor or an inductor.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with modular components suitable for assembly into a right angle connector may also be used in forming an orthogonal connector or connector in other desired configurations. The connector modules may be configured through the user of extender modules. Those connector modules may be held together as a right angle connector with a front housing portion, which, in some embodiments, may be shaped differently depending on whether the connector modules are used to form a right angle connector or an orthogonal connector. When designed to form an orthogonal connector, the extender modules may interlock into subarrays, which may be held to other connector components through the use of an extender shell. The mating contact portions on the extender modules may be such that a right angle connector, similarly made with connector modules, may directly mate with the orthogonal connector.

Abstract: An interconnection system with a compliant shield between a connector and a substrate such as a PCB. The compliant shield may provide current flow paths between shields internal to the connector and ground structures of the PCB. The connector, compliant shield and PCB may be configured to provide current flow in locations relative to signal conductors that provide desirable signal integrity for signals carried by the signal conductors. In some embodiments, the current flow paths may be adjacent the signal conductors, offset in a transverse direction from an axis of a pair of conductors. Such paths may be created by tabs extending from connector shields. A compliant conductive member of the compliant shield may contact the tabs and a conductive pad on a surface of the PCB. Shadow vias, running from the surface pad to internal ground structures may be positioned adjacent the tip of the tabs.

Abstract: An electrical connector electrically connects a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board, where the electrical connector includes: (a) an insulative housing; (b) a plurality of signal conductors, with at least a portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors disposed within the insulative housing; (c) each of the plurality of signal conductors having a first contact end, a second contact end and an intermediate portion therebetween; and (d) a passive circuit element electrically connected to the intermediate portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors, where the passive circuit element is housed in an insulative package and includes at least a capacitor or an inductor.

Abstract: A high speed, high density connector has an organizer between a mounting interface of the connector and a surface of a printed circuit board to which the connector is mounted. Contact tails of the connector may pass through the organizer. The organizer may have an insulative body. Portions of the organizer may be selectively made more conductive by plating on the body. Those plated portions may electrically connect contact tails of ground conductors passing through the organizer. The plated portions may be lossy or conductive.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. In some embodiments, the connector is assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. In some embodiments, the modules have projecting portions, of conductive and/or dielectric material, that are shaped and positioned to reduce changes in impedance along the signal paths as a function of separation of conductive elements, when the connectors are separated by less than the functional mating range.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with modular components suitable for assembly into a right angle connector may also be used in forming an orthogonal connector or connector in other desired configurations. The connector modules may be configured through the user of extender modules. Those connector modules may be held together as a right angle connector with a front housing portion, which, in some embodiments, may be shaped differently depending on whether the connector modules are used to form a right angle connector or an orthogonal connector. When designed to form an orthogonal connector, the extender modules may interlock into subarrays, which may be held to other connector components through the use of an extender shell. The mating contact portions on the extender modules may be such that a right angle connector, similarly made with connector modules, may directly mate with the orthogonal connector.

Abstract: An adapter has two conductors each with a U-shaped bend forming upper longer legs and lower shorter legs. The conductors face each other with the longer legs linearly aligned with each other and the shorter legs aligned with each other, thereby forming a first gap between the longer legs and a second gap between the shorter legs. The first gap is substantially smaller than the second gap, so that an electrical package can be placed across the first gap to contact the two upper longer legs, while the two shorter legs are spaced further apart to span a larger gap between conductors of a connector. Thus, the adapter enables the electrical package to be connected to conductors having a gap that is larger than the electrical package.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns including first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias extending through at least the attachment layers; ground vias extending through at least the attachment layers, the ground vias including ground conductors; and shadow vias located adjacent to each of the first and second signal vias, wherein the shadow vias are free of conductive material in the attachment layers. The printed circuit board may further include slot vias extending through the attachment layers and located between via patterns.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting a conductor of a daughter card connector wafer with a blade in the housing of a backplane connector. The daughter card conductor has a body with two elongated beams extending outward from the body. The two elongated beams each have an outer edge and an inner edge, whereby an opening is defined between the inner edges. The backplane conductor has a body with a narrowed tab portion extending outward from said second conductor body. The narrowed tab portion having outer opposite edges and is sized so that the narrowed tab portion fits between at least a portion of the outer edges of the two elongated beams, and in some cases between at least a portion of the inner edges of the two elongated beams.

Abstract: An electrical connector designed for high speed signals. The connector includes one or more features that, when used alone or in combination, extend performance to higher speeds. These features may include compensation for tie bars that are used to hold conductive members in place for molding a housing around the conductive members. Removal of the tie bars during manufacture of the connector may leave artifacts in the conductive members and/or housing, which may be addressed by the features. The conductive members, for example, may include regions, adjacent tie bar locations, that compensate for portions of the tie bar that are not fully removed. Alternatively or additionally, a housing may include openings around tie bar locations such that a punch may be used to sever the tie bars. These openings may be filled to avoid performance-affecting artifacts.

Abstract: Embodiments related to electrical connectors including superelastic components are described. The high elastic limit of superelastic materials compared to conventional connector materials may allow for designs which provide reliable connections and high frequency operation. Superelastic components also may enable connector designs with higher densities of connections. In some embodiments, a connector includes one or more superelastic elongated members forming the mating contacts of the connector. The superelastic elongated members deform within one or more conductive receptacles to generate a suitable contact force. The conductive receptacles may include a plurality of protrusions arranged to deflect the superelastic elongated members during mating. A superelastic component may also be provided in a receiving portion of a connector, and may form a portion of a conductive receptacle.

Abstract: A broadside coupled connector assembly has two sets of conductors, each separate planes. By providing the same path lengths, there is no skew between the conductors of the differential pair and the impedance of those conductors is identical. The conductor sets are formed by embedding the first set of conductors in an insulated housing having a top surface with channels. The second set of conductors is placed within the channels so that no air gaps form between the two sets of conductors. A second insulated housing is filled over the second set of conductors and into the channels to form a completed wafer. The ends of the conductors are received in a blade housing. Differential and ground pairs of blades have one end that extends through the bottom of the housing having a small footprint. An opposite end of the pairs of blades diverge to connect with the wafers.

Abstract: An electrical connector designed for high speed signals. The connector includes one or more features that, when used alone or in combination, extend performance to higher speeds. These features may include compensation for tie bars that are used to hold conductive members in place for molding a housing around the conductive members. Removal of the tie bars during manufacture of the connector may leave artifacts in the conductive members and/or housing, which may degrade electrical performance. However, that degradation may be avoided by features that compensate for the artifacts. The conductive members, for example, may include regions, adjacent tie bar locations, that compensate for portions of the tie bar that are not fully removed.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with broad-side coupled signal conductors in a right angle intermediate portion and edge coupled end portions. Broadside coupling provides balanced pairs for very high frequency operation, while edge coupling provides a high density interconnection system at low cost. Each module has separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The shielding is shaped to avoid or suppress undesirable propagation modes within an enclosure formed by shielding per module. Lossy material is selectively placed within and outside the shielding per module to likewise avoid or suppress unwanted signal propagation.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The connector may be assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. Modules of different sizes may be assembled into wafers, which are then assembled into a connector. Wafers may include lossy material. In some embodiments, shielding members of two mating connectors may each have compliant members along their distal portions, such that, the shielding members engage at points of contact at multiple locations, some of which are adjacent the mating edge of each of the mating shielding members.

Abstract: An adapter has two conductors each with a U-shaped bend forming upper longer legs and lower shorter legs. The conductors face each other with the longer legs linearly aligned with each other and the shorter legs aligned with each other, thereby forming a first gap between the longer legs and a second gap between the shorter legs. The first gap is substantially smaller than the second gap, so that an electrical package can be placed across the first gap to contact the two upper longer legs, while the two shorter legs are spaced further apart to span a larger gap between conductors of a connector. Thus, the adapter enables the electrical package to be connected to conductors having a gap that is larger than the electrical package.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns including first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias extending through at least the attachment layers; ground vias extending through at least the attachment layers, the ground vias including ground conductors; and shadow vias located adjacent to each of the first and second signal vias, wherein the shadow vias are free of conductive material in the attachment layers. The printed circuit board may further include slot vias extending through the attachment layers and located between via patterns.