Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the connector according to a given impedance of an electrical circuit in which the connector is interconnected. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle for receiving a complementary electrical component. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing. The terminals include body portions located in the housing and contact portions for engaging respective contacts on the electrical component. The body portions include mechanically non-functional sections of a given area which effect a given capacitance. The mechanically non-functional sections are selectively trimmable to selectively vary the area thereof and thereby vary the capacitance of the terminals and, therefore, the impedance of the connector to match the given impedance of the electrical circuit. The connector includes a plurality of signal terminals and a plurality of ground terminals.

Abstract: A shielded electrical connector assembly includes a conductive housing having receptacle means for receiving a complementary mating connector. A terminal module includes a dielectric terminal block mounted in the conductive housing at the receptacle. The terminal block mounts a plurality of spaced terminals having contact portions projecting into the receptacle and adapted for electrical interconnection with appropriate contacts of the complementary mating connector. The terminal block has openings between the spaced terminals. The conductive housing includes integral shield portions projecting into the openings in the terminal block between the spaced terminals. The housing also includes integral ground portions in the receptacle and adapted for interconnection with appropriate ground contacts of the mating connector.

Abstract: A right-angled electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a front mating face and rear face with a plurality of terminal-receiving passages extending therebetween. A plurality of terminals have forwardly projecting contact portions in the passages and right-angled tail portions projecting rearwardly from the housing. At least a first tail portion is longer than a second tail portion, whereby their respective terminals have circuit paths of different lengths. A ground plate extends alongside of and spaced from the first and second tail portions. A dielectric member is located between the ground plate and one of the first and second tail portions for controlling a circuit characteristic of the circuit path through the terminal of which the one tail portion is a part.

Abstract: A shielded electrical connector is disclosed for mating with a complementary electrical connector. The shielded connector includes a dielectric housing. A first region of the housing has a plurality of first terminals mounted therein in a first given array for interconnection with a plurality of first terminals of the complementary connector. A second region of the housing has a plurality of second terminals mounted therein in a second given array for interconnection with a plurality of second terminals of the complementary connector. An air gap is provided in the dielectric housing between the first and second arrays of terminals to form a barrier to reduce the capacitive coupling and crosstalk between the terminals in the first and second arrays thereof.

Abstract: A jack assembly is provided with a contact switching system for receiving a coaxial plug. The assembly includes an insulative housing having a terminal-receiving chamber and an aperture communicating with the chamber for insertion therethrough of the coaxial plug. The housing includes a terminal pivot support in the chamber. A fixed terminal is mounted on the housing and includes a fixed contact portion located in the chamber. A movable terminal is mounted on the housing and includes a cantilevered spring contact arm projecting from the terminal pivot support for pivoting thereabout. The cantilevered spring contact arm includes a first contact portion for contacting the contact portion of the fixed terminal and a second contact portion for contacting the coaxial plug when inserted into the chamber. The spring contact arm is resiliently preloaded to bias the first contact portion against the contact portion of the fixed terminal.

Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the connector according to a given impedance of an electrical circuit in which the connector is interconnected. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle for receiving a complementary mating connector. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing. The terminals include body portions located in the housing and contact portions located at the receptacle for engaging appropriate terminals of the mating connector when inserted into the receptacle. The areas of the body portions of the terminals are selectively varied to vary the capacitance of the terminals and, therefore, the impedance of the connector to match the given impedance of the electrical circuit.

Abstract: A grounding electrical connector system includes first and second mateable connector modules each having dielectric blocks mounting a plurality of terminals and a ground plate. The ground plates of the connector modules interengage with one another in a cross-shaped grounding configuration therebetween. The terminals of the connector modules are located in spaced dispositions such that a pair of mating terminals from each connector module is located in each of four quadrants defined by the cross-shaped grounding structure of the interengaging ground plates.

Abstract: A backplane signal connector assembly includes a header connector adapted for mounting on a backplane and a receptacle connector adapted for mounting on a daughter printed circuit board. Each connector includes a conductive housing having a cavity for receiving at least two signal terminals and at least one ground terminal. The signal terminal has an insert molded insulating mounting body about a portion thereof to provide a module for mounting in the cavity to insulate the terminal from the conductive housing. The ground terminal is in direct conductive engagement with the housing. The terminals are stamped and formed metal components. At least one ground clip is mounted on each conductive housing in direct conductive engagement therewith and is adapted for commoning to a ground on the respective backplane and daughter printed circuit board, whereby the housing establishes a primary ground reference for the connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for mounting on a surface of a printed circuit board. The assembly includes a generally rectangular dielectric housing. A front of the housing defines a mating end for receiving a projecting portion of a mating connector. A generally rectangular conductive shield is disposed about portions of the housing and combines therewith to define a peripheral envelope of the connector assembly. The shield includes outside walls for covering at least some of the outside surfaces of the housing. At least one surface mounting foot is integral with at least one of the outside walls of the shield for securing the connector assembly to the surface of the printed circuit board. The surface mounting foot is located within the peripheral envelope of the connector assembly. The foot is formed at an opening in the shield which provides access through which visual observation can be made of the integrity of the surface mounting interface between the foot and the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the connector according to a given impedance of an electrical circuit in which the connector is interconnected. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle for receiving a complementary electrical component. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing. The terminals include body portions located in the housing and contact portions for engaging respective contacts on the electrical component. The body portions include mechanically nonfunctional sections of a given area which effect a given capacitance. The mechanically non-functional sections are selectively trimmable to selectively vary the area thereof and thereby vary the capacitance of the terminals and, therefore, the impedance of the connector to match the given impedance of the electrical circuit. The connector includes a plurality of signal terminals and a plurality of ground terminals.

Abstract: A backplane signal connector assembly includes a header connector adapted for mounting on a backplane and a receptacle connector adapted for mounting on a daughter printed circuit board. Each connector includes a conductive housing having a cavity for receiving at least two signal terminals and at least one ground terminal. The signal terminal has an insert molded insulating mounting body about a portion thereof to provide a module for mounting in the cavity to insulate the terminal from the conductive housing. The ground terminal is in direct conductive engagement with the housing. The terminals are stamped and formed metal components. At least one ground clip is mounted on each conductive housing in direct conductive engagement therewith and is adapted for commoning to a ground on the respective backplane and daughter printed circuit board, whereby the housing establishes a primary ground reference for the connector.

Abstract: An edge connector is provided for a printed circuit board having a mating edge and a plurality of contact pads adjacent the edge. The connector includes an elongated dielectric housing having a board-receiving slot for receiving the mating edge of the printed circuit board. A plurality of spring contact elements are mounted in the housing along at least one side of the slot. The spring contact elements have spring contact portions extending into the slot for contacting respective ones of the contact pads on the printed circuit board. A surface on the housing at the one side of the slot defines a datum plane beyond which the spring contact portion of at least one of the spring contact elements extends into the slot. A biasing spring on the housing biases the printed circuit board against the surface, thereby deflecting the spring contact portion of the at least one spring contact element a predetermined amount.

Abstract: In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the miniature coaxial contact terminates a coaxial cable which includes a signal wire, an insulating jacket surrounding the signal wire, ground means surrounding the insulating jacket and an outer insulating sheath surrounding the ground means. The contact includes a signal pin having a contact end for mating with an appropriate receptacle contact and a terminating end having a coined portion for termination to the signal wire. Insulator means is provided about at least a portion of the signal pin. A grounding shield tube is provided about the insulator means. The tube has an inner surface for termination to the ground means of the cable.

Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed for interconnection to a printed circuit board having signal traces and ground circuitry thereon. The connector includes signal contacts for termination to the signal traces on the printed circuit board. A conductive housing has receptacles, including insulators, for mounting the signal contacts therein. A plurality of ground projections are formed integral with the housing for interconnection to the ground circuitry on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A multi-conductor hybrid cable construction includes a plurality of inner signal conductors. A unitary dielectric member surrounds, insulates, spaces and joins the inner signal conductors in a circular array about the axis of the cable. An inner conductive shield is disposed about the unitary dielectric member and the surrounded inner conductors. A plurality of outer data conductors are arranged circumferentially about the inner conductive shield. An outer conductive shield is disposed about the outer data conductors. A central dielectric filler is disposed inside the unitary dielectric member, and an insulating jacket is disposed about the outer conductive shield forming the outside of the cable.

Abstract: A connector assembly for terminating a shielded insulated wire having a conductor core with a sheath of insulation therearound, an outer insulating jacket and a shield between the sheath and the jacket. The assembly includes a dielectric housing mounting an electrically conductive signal terminal for termination to the conductor core of the wire. A conductive grounding terminal is disposed outside the dielectric housing and has an insulation piercing section for displacing the outer insulating jacket of the wire to engage the shield thereof, in response to the application of a force on the grounding terminal generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wire. The assembly is applicable for terminating a series of shielded insulated wires, with a plurality of conductive separator plates insert molded to the dielectric housing and individually disposed between adjacent individual signal terminals.

Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed which includes a dielectric housing with passages for receiving a plurality of signal terminals. A common ground member is disposed in the dielectric housing with portions thereof disposed between the individual signal terminals. The ground member has a passage for receiving a ground terminal.

Abstract: A miniature DIN connector is provided for mounting to a circuit board. The miniature DIN connector comprises a molded nonconductive housing having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving electrically conductive terminals. The housing includes an array of channels for positively positioning the board contact portions extending from the terminals and preventing lateral movement thereof. An internal shield is mountable in the housing to substantially surround pin-receiving portions of the terminals. The housing is lockingly engageable with a base, which in turn is mountable to the circuit board. The base includes apertures through which the board contact portions of the terminals may be directed. An external shield is disposed around four sides of the miniature DIN connector. The external and internal shields may include extensions into recesses in the front of the housing that provide ground contact to a conductive chassis panel abutting the front of the miniature DIN connector.

Abstract: An improved fiber optic connector assembly for connecting the ends of optical fibers to OED lenses is provided by a plug connector including a front mating end and a corresponding number of fiber receiving channels. Each channel includes an enlarged generally cylindrical portion adjacent the front end wherein the optical fiber end is coaxially positioned. The plug connector is mateable with a receptacle connector including a housing having a plug receiving socket with a front opening and a rear wall. The rear wall includes a corresponding number of spaced interface apertures aligned with each OED lens. A plurality of tubular projections coaxially aligned with and surrounding each aperture extend forwardly into the plug-receiving socket.

Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed which includes a dielectric housing with passages for receiving a plurality of signal terminals. A common ground member is disposed in the dielectric housing with portions thereof disposed between the individual signal terminals. The ground member has a passage for receiving a ground terminal.