Abstract: The inventors describe various exemplary connectors and connector assemblies that allow for design flexibility and cost savings. Some embodiments of an electrical connector assembly include a housing member having a plurality of outer surfaces. They also include multiple wafers supported by the housing member, each wafer including a plurality of electrically conductive terminals and an insulative support member supporting the electrical terminals, each terminal having a contact configured to electrically connect the terminal to another electrical component. Some embodiments also include a satellite connector disposed along one of the outer surfaces of the housing member, the satellite connector including an insulative satellite housing and a plurality of connections supported by the satellite housing, each connection having a termination section, the termination section being operatively connected to a cable.

Abstract: The inventors describe various exemplary connectors and connector assemblies that allow for design flexibility and cost savings. Some embodiments of an electrical connector assembly include a housing member having a plurality of outer surfaces. They also include multiple wafers supported by the housing member, each wafer including a plurality of electrically conductive terminals and an insulative support member supporting the electrical terminals, each terminal having a contact configured to electrically connect the terminal to another electrical component. Some embodiments also include a satellite connector disposed along one of the outer surfaces of the housing member, the satellite connector including an insulative satellite housing and a plurality of connections supported by the satellite housing, each connection having a termination section, the termination section being operatively connected to a cable.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: A transmission line for high-frequency differential signals and having a transforming impedance is formed into a substrate. The transmission line is comprised of a slot, the opposing surfaces of which carry a conductive surface capable of carrying electrical signals. The conductive surface on the opposing surfaces is gradually receded along a length of the slot. An equivalent amount of metallization is applied on the substrate's surface and electrically continuous with conductive surfaces on the slot's opposing sidewalls. The metallization on the substrate's surface provide solder lands. Dielectric in the slot prevents solder wicking.

Abstract: An electro-magnetically shielded slot-transmission line is formed by metallizing the opposing sides of a slot cut through a dielectric substrate. A ground plane is deposited on the bottom of the substrate. Conductive vias through the substrate and that contact the ground plane are located on both sides of the metallized slot surfaces. Conductive pads on the upper surface and which contact the vias provide additional shielding.

Abstract: Slot transmission lines are formed in dielectric substrates. Several of such substrates can be stacked together. When stacked together, the conductive surfaces that form the transmission lines can be terminated in the same plane whereat the conductive surfaces form contact terminals. The co-planar contact terminals can be coupled to contact points on a circuit board. Signals on the circuit board can thereby be coupled into the slot transmission lines that extend through the dielectric substrates.

Abstract: A termination structure for mating a cable connector to a circuit board has a ground terminal and two signal terminals arranged in triangular pattern through the connector in order to reduce the impedance through the connector. The width of the ground terminal increases along its extent with respect to the signal terminals. This increase occurs along either a transition or contact portion of the ground terminal.

Abstract: Termination assemblies for terminating high-frequency data signal transmission lines include housings with one or more cavities that receive ends of the transmission line therein. The transmission line typically includes a dielectric body and a plurality of conductive elements disposed thereon, with the plurality of conductive elements being arranged in pairs for differential signal transmission. The termination assemblies, in one embodiment include hollow end caps that are formed from a dielectric and which have one or more conductive contacts or plated surfaces disposed on or within the cavity so that they will frictionally mate with the conductive traces on the transmission line. In another embodiment, a connector housing is provided with a center slot and a plurality of dual loop contacts to provide redundant circuit paths and low inductance to the termination assembly. A coupling element may be utilized in the slot to achieve a desired level of coupling between the termination contacts.

Abstract: A circuit board design is disclosed that is useful in high-speed differential signal applications uses either a via arrangement or a circuit trace exit structure. In the via arrangement, sets of differential signal pair vias and an associated ground are arranged adjacent to each other in a repeating pattern. The differential signal vias of each pair are spaced closer to their associated ground via than the spacing between the adjacent differential signal pair associated ground so that differential signal vias exhibit a preference for electrically coupling to their associated ground vias. The circuit trace exit structure involves the exit portions of the circuit traces of the differential signal vias to follow a path where they meet with and join to the transmission lines portions of the traces.

Abstract: A circuit board design is disclosed that is useful in high-speed differential signal applications uses either a via arrangement or a circuit trace exit structure. A pair of differential signal vias in a circuit board are surrounded by an opening that is formed within a ground plane disposed on another layer of the circuit board. The vias are connected to traces on the circuit board by way of an exit structure that includes two flag portions and associated angled portions that connect the flag portions to circuit board traces. In an alternate embodiment, the circuit board traces that leave the differential signal vias are disposed in one layer of the circuit board above a wide ground strip disposed on another layer of the circuit board.

Abstract: A transmission line for high-frequency differential signals and having a transforming impedance is formed into a substrate. The transmission line is comprised of a first slot, the opposing surfaces of which carry a conductive surface capable of carrying electrical signals. By virtue of their dimensions, spacing and dielectric filler, the conductive surfaces constitute a transmission line. A second slot, also with opposing surfaces, each of which also carry a conductive surface but which are spaced differently than the opposing surfaces of the first slot, provide a second transmission line but with a different impedance. The impedances between the two transmission lines are transformed by an impedance transition section of transmission line that is slot section the dimensions of which are tapered to meet the different slot dimensions of the two different transmission line segments.

Abstract: A pedestal connector that incorporates one or more grouped element channel link transmission lines is seen to have a dielectric body and two opposing contact ends that are intended to contact opposing contacts or traces. The dielectric body has an S-shaped configuration such that the transmission lines supported thereon make at least one change in direction, thereby permitting the use of such connector to interconnect elements lying in two different planes. The transmission lines include slots that extend within the frame and which define opposing, conductive surfaces formed on the dielectric body which are separated by an intervening air gap.

Abstract: A slot transmission line patch connector, capable of bridging one or more slot transmission lines is comprised of an elongated dielectric connector body. The dielectric connector body is formed to have one or more slot transmission lines. Each transmission line formed in the dielectric body has first and second ends, each of which mates with corresponding first and second slot transmission lines. Alternate embodiments contemplate a dielectric body to which is attached one or more slot transmission line substrates, each of which supports one or more slot transmission lines. Each of the slot transmission line substrates provide one or more slot transmission lines that each bridge or “patch” together two, separate slot transmission lines together.

Abstract: A terminal contact arrangement for a connector promotes reduction in deviation of the impedance of the connector when mated to an opposing connector and energized. The connector has an insulative housing with a plurality of terminal-receiving passages disposed in it. Conductive terminals are supported in some, but not all of the passages. The terminal contain distinct terminal sets that include a pair of differential signal terminals and at least two associated ground reference terminals. The two associated ground reference terminals are interconnected together so that electrically, they act as a single ground terminal having a width equal to the sum of the widths of the two connected ground reference terminals. The ground reference terminals of the sets are disposed in a single row of terminals, while the differential signal terminals of the same terminal set are disposed in another row of terminals spaced apart from the row of ground reference terminals.

Abstract: An electro-magnetically shielded slot-transmission line is formed by metallizing the opposing sides of a slot cut through a dielectric substrate. A ground plane is deposited on the bottom of the substrate. Conductive vias through the substrate and that contact the ground plane are located on both sides of the metallized slot surfaces. Conductive pads on the upper surface and which contact the vias provide additional shielding.