Abstract: An electrical connector includes a plurality of contact modules and ground shields. The ground shields are interleaved with the contact modules within a housing, such that the ground shields alternate with the contact modules. The contact modules include multiple electrical signal conductors held by a dielectric body of the respective contact module. Each of the ground shields includes a plate that defines a bridge slot therethrough and a ground bridge extending from the plate. The ground bridge extends from the plate at a location that is spaced apart from the bridge slot. The ground bridges of the ground shields extend laterally across corresponding contact modules. Distal tips of the ground bridges are received within the bridge slots of adjacent ground shields disposed along opposite sides of the corresponding contact modules, and the distal tips engage edges of the bridge slots to electrically connect the ground shields together.

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 a plurality of signal conductors held within the housing. The housing includes a mating shroud protruding forward from a front wall of the housing and defining a port that receives a mating circuit card therein. Each of the signal conductors includes a mating contact disposed within the mating shroud and a mounting contact that projects beyond a bottom end of the housing to electrically connect to a circuit board. The mounting contacts are located within a termination area of the electrical connector. The housing defines a nesting cavity extending rearward from the front wall along the bottom end. The nesting cavity is disposed between the mating shroud and the termination area along a longitudinal axis of the electrical connector. The nesting cavity is configured to accommodate a discrete, second connector that is mounted to the circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a plurality of contact modules and ground shields. The ground shields are interleaved with the contact modules within a housing, such that the ground shields alternate with the contact modules. The contact modules include multiple electrical signal conductors held by a dielectric body of the respective contact module. Each of the ground shields includes a plate that defines a bridge slot therethrough and a ground bridge extending from the plate. The ground bridge extends from the plate at a location that is spaced apart from the bridge slot. The ground bridges of the ground shields extend laterally across corresponding contact modules. Distal tips of the ground bridges are received within the bridge slots of adjacent ground shields disposed along opposite sides of the corresponding contact modules, and the distal tips engage edges of the bridge slots to electrically connect the ground shields together.

Abstract: An electrical cable includes a conductor assembly having a first conductor, a second conductor and an insulator surrounding the first conductor and the second conductor. The conductor assembly extends along a longitudinal axis for a length of the electrical cable, along a lateral axis bisecting the first and second conductors, and along a transverse axis centered between the first and second conductors. The longitudinal axis, the lateral axis and the transverse axis are mutually perpendicular axes. The insulator has an outer surface. A cable shield is wrapped around the core having an inner edge and a flap covering the inner edge. The cable shield forms a void at the inner edge. The cable shield engages the outer surface entirely circumferentially around the insulator except at the void. The void is aligned with the transverse axis.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of conductors held within the housing. The conductors are configured to electrically connect to mating conductors of a mating connector. The conductors each extend a length between a mating end and a mounting end of the respective conductor. One or more of the conductors include a copper alloy core, a copper plating layer, and a protective outer layer. The copper plating layer surrounds the copper alloy core, and is composed of a different material than the copper alloy core. The protective outer layer is disposed on and surrounds the copper plating layer. The protective outer layer is composed of a non-conductive polymeric material.

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 removable module includes circuitry, a near field communication (NFC) coupler to provide a data signal to the circuitry, and a second NFC coupler to supply operating voltage to the circuitry.

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 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: 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: The present invention provides a user equipment for use in a cellular network and a method for initiating a radio link abandonment in user equipment in advance of a radio link failure. The present invention includes establishing and maintaining a communication connection between the user equipment and a cellular network via a serving cell base station in support of a data flow via a radio link. The availability of other potential serving cell base stations including the availability of preferred potential serving cell base stations is then monitored. At least one of an uplink condition and a downlink condition of the data flow via the radio link are then monitored. Based upon the determined at least one of the uplink condition and the downlink condition, any impending degradation of the radio link is then predicted. When an impending degradation of the radio link is predicted, and a preferred potential serving cell base station is available, the radio link is abandoned prior to a radio link failure.