Abstract: An electrical connector has a first wafer having a first housing with a first plurality of contact beams extending from the first housing in a first plane. A second wafer has a second housing with a second plurality of contact beams extending from said second housing in a second plane substantially parallel to the first plane. A dividing panel member extends from the insulative housing between the first plurality of contact beams and the second plurality of contact beams. Each of the contact beams extending from the wafer pair is configured to mate with a corresponding backplane contact in a backplane connector. The contact beams extending from the wafer pair and the backplane contacts are configured such that each pair of corresponding contacts includes a first contact point and a second contact point. When the wafer pair is fully received by the backplane connector, contact between the contact beam and the backplane contact is maintained at both the first and second contact points.

Abstract: An electrical connector for high speed signals. The connector has multiple conductive elements that may serve as signal or ground conductors. A member formed with lossy material and conductive compliant members may be inserted in the connector. The conductive compliant members may be aligned with conductive elements of the connector configured as ground conductors. For a connector configured to carry differential signals, the ground conductors may separate pairs of signal conductors. The member may further include a conductive web, embedded within the lossy material, that interconnects the conductive compliant members. For a receptacle connector, the conductive elements may have mating contact portions aligned along opposing surfaces of a cavity. The conductive elements may have contact tails for attachment to a printed circuit board and intermediate portions connecting the mating contact portions and the contact tails. The conductive compliant members may press against the intermediate portions.

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: 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 printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including conductive layers separated by dielectric layers, the conductive layers including a signal layer; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns comprising first and second signal vias extending from a first surface of the printed circuit board to the signal layer, the signal layer including first and second signal traces connected to the first and second signal vias, respectively, the signal layer further including a ground conductor located between the signal traces and adjacent signal-carrying elements.

Abstract: A short, high density interposer. The interposer has multiple contacts, with upwards and downwards-facing contact surfaces. Each of the contacts may be formed as a beam stamped from a sheet of metal. Two sheets of metal may be used in forming the interposer. A first sheet may be stamped with upwards facing contacts. A second sheet may be stamped with downwards facing contacts. Bases of the beams on the first sheet may be fused with bases of the beams on the second sheet, creating a conducting path through the interposer, with compliant contacts at each end. The joined contacts may be separated from the sheets from which they are stamped and held together with an insulative base of the interposer. Beams shaped to form contacts in the interposer may be closely spaced when stamped in a sheet of metal and may have a low height.

Abstract: A cable termination assembly configured for mounting to an interior portion of a printed circuit board. The cable termination assembly has a frame shaped to receive a paddle card to which a plurality of cables are terminated. A lid, when closed, may force the paddle card into contact with an interposer, which in turn may be pressed into a printed circuit board on which the cable termination assembly is mounted. Electrical signals may pass between the cables and traces in the printed circuit board via the paddle card and interposer. The termination assembly may be mounted near a processor or other high speed component on the printed circuit board, enabling high speed signals to be coupled with low loss between a periphery of the printed circuit board, or even a location off the printed circuit board, and the high speed component.

Abstract: A branch fiber optic cable assembly includes a main fiber optic cable and a plurality of stub cables. The main fiber optic cable has a plurality of branching sites which are spaced apart from each other along an axial direction of the main fiber optic cable. Each of the stub cables has a first end integrally connected to the main fiber optic cable at one of the branching sites, and a second end extending away from the main fiber optic cable. A method of making the branch fiber optic cable assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A shielded I/O connector that supports high density connections. The shielded connector has a cage with channels. At least a first channel is configured to receive a transceiver such that it may be plugged into a port in a connector housing at an end of the cage. At least a second channel is configured to dissipate heat by enabling air to flow adjacent the transceiver. The rate of air flow in the second channel is increased with a channel in the connector housing that connects with the second channel. Air may exit the housing channel through openings in rear surfaces of the cage or through openings that bound the housing channel.

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: An electrical connector module with openings in an insulative support selectively positioned to limit dielectric loss in a signal. The connector may include a first and second conductor including first and second sides between first and second edges. An insulative support holds the first conductor adjacent the second conductor and may have at least five pedestal portions, wherein the first pedestal portion contacts the first side of the first conductor, the second pedestal portion contacts the second side of the first conductor, the third pedestal portion contacts the first side of the second conductor, the fourth pedestal portion contacts the second side of the second conductor, and at least a portion of the fifth pedestal portion is disposed between two edges of the first and second conductors. The pedestal portions may have widths less than the widths of the first and second sides of the first and second conductors.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises an insulative shell having a floor; a first plurality of contacts extending through the floor, wherein the first plurality of contacts are disposed in a plurality of columns; a second plurality of contacts extending through the floor, wherein the second plurality of contacts are interspersed with the first plurality of contacts within the plurality of columns; and a conductive member adjacent the floor. The conductive member comprises a first plurality of openings, wherein the first plurality of contacts extend through the openings of the first plurality of openings; a second plurality of openings, wherein the second plurality of contacts extend through the openings of the second plurality of openings; and a first plurality of tabs, extending into openings in the insulative shell.

Abstract: A cable assembly comprising a connector with a termination that enables high density and high signal integrity. Shields of cables are terminated to a paddle card via a conductive structure attached to a surface of the paddle card. The signal conductors of the cables are terminated to pads on the paddle card that are exposed within openings of the conductive structure. Such a structure creates a ground structure per cable that provides low insertion loss and low crosstalk, even when multiple cables are aligned side by side and terminated in one or more rows. The cables may be drainless, enabling a large number of cables, such as eight cables, to be packed within the width of a paddle card specified in high density standards such as QSFP-DD or OSFP. The cables may nonetheless have large diameter signal conductors, enabling 2.5 or 3 meter assemblies with less than 17 dB insertion loss.

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 connector module for an electrical connector that has at least one wafer assembly with at least one conductive member and at least one contact wafer. The contact wafer includes a plurality of contacts including at least one signal contact and at least one ground contact. Each of the contacts has a board engagement end configured to engage a printed circuit board and a mating interface end opposite thereof and configured to connect with a contact of a mating connector module. A grounding gasket receives the board engagement ends of the contacts of the wafer assembly. The grounding gasket has at least one portion in electrical contact with the ground contact of the plurality of contacts. The ground contact of the contact wafer is in electrical contact with both the conductive member and the grounding gasket, thereby defining a grounding path through the connector module to the board.

Abstract: A float connector for interconnecting printed circuit boards that has a contact assembly that includes one or more contacts and a holder therefor such that opposite ends of the contact are exposed outside of the holder. The holder supports each contact in a clearance fit inside thereof, thereby allowing each contact to radially tilt. One or more guide members has a one or more guide features corresponding to the ends of the contacts, respectively, for aligning the contact ends for electrical connection with a board. The contact assembly is axially moveable with respect to the one or more guide member.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including conductive layers separated by dielectric layers, the conductive layers including a signal layer; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns comprising first and second signal vias extending from a first surface of the printed circuit board to the signal layer, the signal layer including first and second signal traces connected to the first and second signal vias, respectively, the signal layer further including a ground conductor located between the signal traces and adjacent signal-carrying elements.

Abstract: An antenna unit that includes an antenna, at least one radio unit, and an interconnect that includes first and second mating connectors. The first connector is configured to be electrically and mechanically coupled to the antenna and the second connector is configured to be electrically and mechanically coupled to the at least one radio unit. The first connector has lead-in geometry, and radial and axial float for blind mating of the first and second mating connectors.

Abstract: An electrical connector or electrical connector assembly that has a housing, a contact carrier, one or more spring members, and an interposer. The contact carrier is movable with respect to the housing between unmated and mated electrical positions.