Abstract: An electrical connector is provided having a housing. Contact modules are positioned within the housing. The contact modules each have a dielectric body holding at least one conductive lead. The at least one conductive lead extends between a mating end and a mounting end. The mating end is configured to be electrically connected to an electrical component. The mounting end is configured to be electrically connected to a circuit board. Ground plates are positioned within the housing between corresponding contact modules. The contact modules and the ground plates form a contact assembly held by the housing. A conductive elastomeric material extends through the contact modules and engages the ground plates to electrically interconnect the ground plates.

Abstract: Pluggable module that includes a module housing having mating and trailing ends and a sidewall that extends therebetween. The sidewall extends along a longitudinal axis. The pluggable module further comprises a latch mechanism that is attached to the trailing end of the module housing. The latch mechanism includes a coupling arm that extends along the sidewall toward the mating end and also an operator handle that is operatively connected to the coupling arm at a latch joint. The operator handle projects away from the trailing end of the module housing. The operator handle is configured to be pressed by an actuating force to move the coupling arm into a flexed position. The latch joint moves when the operator handle is pressed and the coupling arm moves away from the sidewall to the flexed position. The coupling arm returns toward the sidewall when the actuating force is removed.

Abstract: A connector assembly that includes a receptacle connector and a light pipe. The connector is configured to receive a removable device inserted along a longitudinal axis. The connector has a side surface that extends along a plane defined by the longitudinal axis and a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The connector includes a ledge and a positive stop that project laterally outward from the side surface. The ledge has a ledge surface that joins the side surface. The light pipe extends substantially along the longitudinal axis. The light pipe has an inward-facing surface that is substantially flat throughout and abuts the side surface of the connector. The light pipe rests upon the ledge surface and the positive stop is positioned on the side surface to block the light pipe from moving in at least one direction along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided having a housing. Contact modules are positioned within the housing. The contact modules each have a dielectric body holding at least one conductive lead. The at least one conductive lead extends between a mating end and a mounting end. The mating end is configured to be electrically connected to an electrical component. The mounting end is configured to be electrically connected to a circuit board. Ground plates are positioned within the housing between corresponding contact modules. The contact modules and the ground plates form a contact assembly held by the housing. A conductive elastomeric material extends through the contact modules and engages the ground plates to electrically interconnect the ground plates.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a top and a bottom. An upper connector portion is formed at the top of the housing. The upper connector portion has upper contacts. A lower connector portion is formed at the bottom of the housing. The lower connector portion has lower contacts. A card slot is formed between the upper connector portion and the lower connector portion. The card slot is configured to receive a substrate having upper plug contacts and lower contacts. The upper contacts of the upper connector portion are configured to engage the upper plug contacts of the substrate. The lower contacts of the lower connector portion configured to engage the lower contacts of the substrate. A biasing member is coupled to the lower connector portion. The biasing member is configured to bias the substrate toward the upper connector portion to align the upper plug contacts of the substrate with the upper contacts of the upper connector portion.

Abstract: A connector assembly configured to be positioned relative to a light-emitting element. The connector assembly includes a receptacle connector that has a member cavity and a base. The connector assembly also includes a light pipe (LP) structure that has input and output ends. The input end is configured to capture light emitted from the light-emitting element. The connector assembly also includes an alignment member that is received within the member cavity of the receptacle connector and is coupled to the LP structure. The alignment member is sized to float within the member cavity to control a relative position of the input end of the LP structure with respect to the base.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a top and a bottom. An upper connector portion is formed at the top of the housing. The upper connector portion has upper contacts. A lower connector portion is formed at the bottom of the housing. The lower connector portion has lower contacts. A card slot is formed between the upper connector portion and the lower connector portion. The card slot is configured to receive a substrate having upper plug contacts and lower contacts. The upper contacts of the upper connector portion are configured to engage the upper plug contacts of the substrate. The lower contacts of the lower connector portion configured to engage the lower contacts of the substrate. A biasing member is coupled to the lower connector portion. The biasing member is configured to bias the substrate toward the upper connector portion to align the upper plug contacts of the substrate with the upper contacts of the upper connector portion.

Abstract: A connector assembly configured to be positioned relative to a light-emitting element. The connector assembly includes a receptacle connector that has a member cavity and a base. The connector assembly also includes a light pipe (LP) structure that has input and output ends. The input end is configured to capture light emitted from the light-emitting element. The connector assembly also includes an alignment member that is received within the member cavity of the receptacle connector and is coupled to the LP structure. The alignment member is sized to float within the member cavity to control a relative position of the input end of the LP structure with respect to the base.

Abstract: A connector assembly that includes a receptacle connector and a light pipe. The connector is configured to receive a removable device inserted along a longitudinal axis. The connector has a side surface that extends along a plane defined by the longitudinal axis and a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The connector includes a ledge and a positive stop that project laterally outward from the side surface. The ledge has a ledge surface that joins the side surface. The light pipe extends substantially along the longitudinal axis. The light pipe has an inward-facing surface that is substantially flat throughout and abuts the side surface of the connector. The light pipe rests upon the ledge surface and the positive stop is positioned on the side surface to block the light pipe from moving in at least one direction along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a shielding cage and a center plate. The shielding cage includes side walls with ports disposed between the side walls. The ports are configured to receive a mating connector through a mating interface of the shielding cage. The center plate is disposed between and couples the side walls to one another. The center plate separates the ports and includes dividing plates and a connecting plate formed with the dividing plates. The dividing plates include spring members extending into the ports to engage the mating connectors received in the ports. The connecting plate extends along the mating interface to interconnect the dividing plates at a location proximate to the mating interface.

Abstract: A cable connector includes a housing having a mating end and a cable exit end. A ferrule is rotatably retained in the housing proximate the cable exit end. The ferrule is rotatable within a predetermined range with respect to the housing. The housing includes an arcuate slot having end edges and the ferrule includes a protrusion received in the slot. The protrusion is movable between the end edges to define the predetermined range of rotation of the ferrule. The ferrule includes an inlet end defining an inlet centerline and a body bent at an acute angle with respect to the inlet centerline.

Abstract: A cable connector assembly includes a ferrule assembly configured for attachment to a cable braid, and a resilient contact element surrounding an end of the ferrule assembly. A retaining band clamps the cable braid to the ferrule assembly. A conductive shell is configured to compress the resilient contact element.

Abstract: An electrical contact for a ball grid array connector includes a platform for holding a solder ball and a body having a first end frictionally coupled to the platform and an opposite second end that includes a separable interface configured to mate with a mating contact. The body is separable from the platform when the platform is mounted to a circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical contact for a ball grid array connector includes a plate for holding a solder ball and a contact body having a first end and a second end. The plate is removably coupled to the body first end. A separable interface extends from the body second end. The separable interface is configured to receive a mating contact.

Abstract: A double ended guide pin includes an elongated body having first and second opposite ends extending along a longitudinal axis of the body and an attachment portion centrally located between the first and second ends. Each of the first and second ends includes at least one keying surface and each of the first and second ends is receivable in a guide that has a channel corresponding to the at least one keying surface.

Abstract: A low profile contact includes a resilient spring portion having a first end and a second end, and a first contact beam and a second contact beam extending from the respective first and second ends of the spring portion. The first contact beam and the second contact beam have substantially parallel distal end portions, and at least one of the distal end portions includes an upstanding guide surface configured to receive and align a connection pin between the distal end portions. The guide surface extends from an upper edge of the contact beam and has a flared tip to receive a pin therebetween as the pin is inserted along an insertion axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first and second distal end portions.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a base and first and second parallel walls which are connected to the base. The first and second walls are spaced-apart to define a slot therebetween. The first wall has a thickness and an open portion which exposes the slot through the thickness of the first wall. The second wall has a thickness and an apertured portion which exposes the slot through the thickness of the second wall. The open portion is complementary to non-apertured portions of the second wall, and the apertured portion is complementary to non-open portions of the first wall. Multiple electrical connectors can be stacked by nesting the non-apertured portions of each connector in the open portion an adjacent connector, and nesting the non-open portions of each connector in the apertured portion of another adjacent connector.

Abstract: A power receptacle 10 includes a housing 12 having a cover plate 46 therefore and securable thereto, an associated pair of receptacle contacts 70 mounted within the housing 12, the contacts 70 each having pair of arms 74 having openings 78 therethrough to define a beam receiving passage 80 completely through the receptacle contacts 70, means for directing a beam of light through the beam receiving passage and including at least a light emitting component 58, and means for detecting a beam of light passing through the beam receiving passage at least including a light receiving component 60, at least one of the components 58, 60 being electrically connected ultimately to a microprocessor. Upon entry of complementary blades 84 of a plug of an electrically powered device into the receptacle contacts, the beam receiving passage 80 is blocked, thereby breaking transmission of light between the emitter 58 and receiver 60, which is ultimately detected by the microprocessor.

Abstract: A system for distributing electrical power to side edges (108, 112) of a daughter card (102) upon insertion into a card cage (10) includes a pair of source and return bus bars (118, 116) mounted on at least one of the side edges and electrically connected by arrays of terminals (172) to power circuits of the card, insulated by a cover (120) having a rail (126) for following the guide channels (18, 20) of the card cage at each card location. Rearward ends of the bus bars have blades (122, 124) which are received into receptacle contacts (46, 44) mounted in the card cage above and below the backplane (14), which are mounted at each card location and electrically connected to source and return busses (68, 58) of the card cage.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly including integral means for self-alignment and adapted to be used with flat power cable having relatively wide terminals terminated thereonto. A polarizing system is provided complementary to said self-alignment which provides assured mating prevention upon improper connector polarizing orientation. One embodiment is adapted for rack and panel applications where one of the connectors is float mounted. Another embodiment is adapted for delatchably latching together of the connectors with low profile latch arms. A system of polarizing the assembly of terminated dual conductor cables in a housing is provided for control of the electrical connections of the two conductors of each flat cable, by using a polarizing projection on one of the two terminals on each cable, and a corresponding channel along the appropriate one the terminal-receiving cavities of the housing for passing of the projection upon proper cable orientation.