Abstract: A cable backplane system includes a backplane having a plurality of openings extending between a front and a rear of the backplane. The backplane has mounting locations proximate the openings. Mounting blocks are coupled to the front of the backplane at corresponding mounting locations. The mounting blocks are secured to the backplane by fasteners. A cable rack is coupled to the rear of the backplane and has a tray with a frame surrounding a raceway and spacers coupled to the tray. The spacers hold corresponding cable connectors and are secured to corresponding mounting blocks to position the spacers and cable connector assemblies relative to the backplane. The cable connectors are received in corresponding openings in the backplane and are held in position relative to the backplane by the spacers and mounting blocks.

Abstract: A cable backplane system includes a backplane having a plurality of openings and mounting locations with guide holes and a datum surface. A cable rack is coupled to the backplane. The cable rack includes a tray having a frame and spacer assemblies coupled to the tray. The spacer assemblies are coupled to the backplane at corresponding mounting locations. Each spacer assembly has a floating spacer and a spring pressing the floating spacer in a biasing direction. The floating spacer is allowed to float relative to the frame in the biasing direction. The floating spacer has a guide pin extending from a front thereof. The spring presses the floating spacer in the biasing direction such that the guide pin is received in the guide hole and the front of the floating spacer abuts against the datum surface.

Abstract: A cable backplane system includes a backplane having a plurality of openings and mounting blocks proximate the openings. A cable rack is coupled to a rear of the backplane that includes a tray, spacers coupled to the tray and cable connector assemblies held by corresponding spacers. Each cable connector assembly has a plurality of cables extending between cable connectors. The cable connectors are received in corresponding openings and held in position relative to the backplane by the spacers. Locking assemblies are held by the tray and have a latch proximate to a front edge of the tray configured to interact with a corresponding one of the mounting blocks to lockably couple the tray to the backplane. The locking assemblies each have an actuator at a rear of the tray that is actuated by an installer to lock and unlock the latch with the mounting block.

Abstract: A cable backplane system includes a backplane and a chassis supporting the backplane. A cable rack is coupled to the chassis and backplane. The cable rack includes upper trays and lower trays each having a frame and cable connector assemblies held by the corresponding frame. The upper trays have upper tray guides configured to interact with corresponding upper chassis guides on the upper support for supporting the upper trays relative to the backplane. The lower trays have lower tray guides configured to interact with corresponding lower chassis guides on the lower support for aligning the lower trays to the backplane. The upper trays have upper hanging guides and the lower trays have lower hanging guides coupled to corresponding upper hanging guides to support the lower trays with the corresponding upper trays relative to the backplane.

Abstract: A cable backplane system includes a backplane having a plurality of openings therethrough and a plurality of mounting blocks. A cable rack is coupled to a rear of the backplane and includes a tray having a frame surrounding a raceway. Spacers are coupled to the tray that are secured to corresponding mounting blocks to position the spacers relative to the backplane. Cable connector assemblies are held by the tray. Each cable connector assembly has a plurality of cables extending between at least two cable connectors. The cables are routed in the raceway. Each cable connector assembly is positioned between and supported by corresponding spacers on opposite sides of the cable connector assemblies. The spacers allow limited movement of the cable connectors in at least two directions to allow alignment of the cable connectors within corresponding openings in the backplane.

Abstract: A cable backplane system includes a backplane having a plurality of openings therethrough. A cable rack is coupled to a rear of the backplane, which includes a tray and spacers coupled to the tray that have guide pins. Cable connector assemblies are held by the tray. Removable dust caps are coupled to corresponding cable connectors each having a distal end and guide walls extending therefrom that guide mating of the cable rack with the backplane. The distal end of each dust cap is received in a corresponding opening in the backplane. The guide walls guide the cable rack relative to the backplane such that the guide pins of the spacers are aligned with guide holes of the backplane and such that the cable connectors are aligned with the openings of the backplane. The removable dust caps are removed after the cable rack is coupled to the backplane.

Abstract: A cable backplane system includes a backplane having a plurality of openings therethrough and a cable rack coupled to a rear of the backplane. The cable rack includes a tray having a frame surrounding a raceway and a brick held by the tray. The brick has side spacers at opposite sides of the brick and plates coupled to the side spacers that support a plurality of cable connector assemblies. Each cable connector assembly is positioned between and supported by corresponding plates on opposite sides of the cable connectors with the cable connectors positioned in corresponding openings in the backplane. The plates each include a hem folded over at a rear of the plate. The hem has an edge positioned rearward of the cable connectors and supporting the cable connectors from retreating from the openings in the backplane.

Abstract: A cable backplane system includes a backplane and a cable rack coupled to the backplane. The cable rack includes first and second trays having first and second frames. A plurality of cable connector assemblies are held by the cable rack each having a plurality of cables extending between a first cable connector and a second cable connector. The first cable connector is coupled to the first frame and the second cable connector is coupled to the second frame with the cables routed in first and second raceways of the first and second trays. Float mechanisms are connected between the first and second frames that allow limited movement between the first and second trays. The float mechanisms allow alignment of the cable connectors with corresponding openings in the backplane.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a front housing that has a mating interface. Contact modules are loaded into the front housing and extend rearward from the front housing. Each contact module has a plurality of conductors that are held by a dielectric contact module body. The conductors have mating portions that extend from the contact module body and mounting portions that extend from the contact module body. The contact modules have channels formed therein. An organizer bar is received in the channels of the contact modules. The organizer bar is manufactured from a dielectric material. The organizer bar holds the positions of the contact modules relative to one another.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a front housing that has a mating interface. Contact modules are loaded into the front housing and extend rearward from the front housing. Each contact module has a plurality of conductors that are held by a dielectric contact module body. The conductors have mating portions that extend from the contact module body and mounting portions that extend from the contact module body. The contact modules have channels formed therein. An organizer bar is received in the channels of the contact modules. The organizer bar is manufactured from a dielectric material. The organizer bar holds the positions of the contact modules relative to one another.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules each having a dielectric frame and contacts held by the dielectric frame. The contacts are arranged along a contact plane within the frame. The dielectric frame includes frame members connected by connecting segments. The frame has windows between the frame members located between adjacent contacts. Holders support corresponding contact modules. The holders are electrically grounded. The holders each have a support wall and tabs that extend outward from the support wall. The contact modules are coupled to the holders such that the tabs are received in the windows to provide shielding within the contact modules. The holders are coupled together such that the contact modules are stacked together with the tabs of at least some of the holders that extend into the contact module held by the adjacent holder and across the contact plane defined by the contact module of the adjacent holder.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules having dielectric bodies holding contacts having mating portions extending from the dielectric body. The connector assembly includes a conductive shield body holding the contact modules in a stacked configuration. The shield body provides shielding around the contact modules and the shield body has a mating end configured to be mated to a mating connector assembly. The mating end has one or more exposed surfaces between corresponding contacts. The shield body extends between selected contact modules. The connector assembly includes a conductive gasket positioned along the mating end of the shield body. The conductive gasket engages the exposed surfaces of the shield body to define a ground path between the conductive shield body and the mating connector assembly.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules having dielectric bodies holding contacts having mating portions extending from the dielectric body. The connector assembly includes a conductive shield body holding the contact modules in a stacked configuration. The shield body provides shielding around the contact modules and the shield body has a mating end configured to be mated to a mating connector assembly. The mating end has one or more exposed surfaces between corresponding contacts. The shield body extends between selected contact modules. The connector assembly includes a conductive gasket positioned along the mating end of the shield body. The conductive gasket engages the exposed surfaces of the shield body to define a ground path between the conductive shield body and the mating connector assembly.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules each having a dielectric frame and contacts held by the dielectric frame. The contacts are arranged along a contact plane within the frame. The dielectric frame includes frame members connected by connecting segments. The frame has windows between the frame members located between adjacent contacts. Holders support corresponding contact modules. The holders are electrically grounded. The holders each have a support wall and tabs that extend outward from the support wall. The contact modules are coupled to the holders such that the tabs are received in the windows to provide shielding within the contact modules. The holders are coupled together such that the contact modules are stacked together with the tabs of at least some of the holders that extend into the contact module held by the adjacent holder and across the contact plane defined by the contact module of the adjacent holder.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a contact module comprising a lead frame having contacts defining separate conductive paths. The contact module also includes a compensation component coupled to selected contacts and affecting signals transmitted along the conductive paths of the selected contacts. The contact module also includes a body overmolded over the contacts and the compensation component.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing extending along a housing axis between a front and a rear and contact modules loaded into the housing along the housing axis through the rear. The contact modules have a body holding contacts arranged along contact planes. A stabilizer is coupled to the housing and is coupled to the contact modules to hold the contact modules such that the contact planes are parallel to the housing axis.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a connector having a connector housing holding contacts, with the contacts being configured to be terminated to cables extending rearward from the connector housing. The connector assembly also includes a backshell having walls defining a cavity receiving the connector housing and cables. The backshell is electrically connected to cable shields of the cables. The backshell has fingers extending from the walls that are configured to engage a grounded component exterior of the cavity. Distal ends of the fingers are captured interior of the cavity.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing extending along a housing axis between a front and a rear and contact modules loaded into the housing along the housing axis through the rear. The contact modules have a body holding contacts arranged along contact planes. A stabilizer is coupled to the housing and is coupled to the contact modules to hold the contact modules such that the contact planes are parallel to the housing axis.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a contact module comprising a lead frame having contacts defining separate conductive paths. The contact module also includes a compensation component coupled to selected contacts and affecting signals transmitted along the conductive paths of the selected contacts. The contact module also includes a body overmolded over the contacts and the compensation component.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing having a front and a rear and openings in an outer periphery of the housing. Contact modules are received in the housing through the rear. The contact modules extend from the rear of the housing. The contact modules have grooves in an outer periphery of the contact modules. A back shell is coupled to the housing and the contact modules. The back shell has housing tabs extending therefrom being received in the openings of the housing to secure the back shell to the housing. The back shell also has contact module tabs extending therefrom being received in corresponding grooves of the contact modules to secure the back shell to the contact modules. The back shell peripherally surrounds the contact modules.