Abstract: High-speed backplane connectors systems for mounting a substrate that are capable of operating at speeds of up to at least 25 Gbps, while in some implementations also providing pin densities of at least 50 pairs of electrical connectors per inch are disclosed. Implementations of the high-speed connector systems may provide ground shields and/or other ground structures that substantially encapsulate electrical connector pairs, which may be differential electrical connector pairs, in a three-dimensional manner throughout a backplane footprint, a backplane connector, and a daughtercard footprint. These encapsulating ground shields and/or ground structures prevent undesirable propagation of non-traverse, longitudinal, and higher-order modes when the high-speed backplane connector systems operates at frequencies up to at least 30 GHz.

Abstract: High-speed backplane connectors systems for mounting a substrate that are capable of operating at speeds of up to at least 25 Gbps, while in some implementations also providing pin densities of at least 50 pairs of electrical connectors per inch are disclosed. Implementations of the high-speed connector systems may provide ground shields and/or other ground structures that substantially encapsulate electrical connector pairs, which may be differential electrical connector pairs, in a three-dimensional manner throughout a backplane footprint, a backplane connector, and a daughtercard footprint. These encapsulating ground shields and/or ground structures prevent undesirable propagation of non-traverse, longitudinal, and higher-order modes when the high-speed backplane connector systems operates at frequencies up to at least 30 GHz.

Abstract: A low profile, high power electrical connector assembly is disclosed. The connector assembly includes a plug and a receptacle connector designed to be mounted on separate printed circuit boards. The plug and receptacle connectors are designed to be mated and thus allow the separate circuit boards to be electrically connected in tandem in either the same plane or perpendicular to one another. The connector assembly includes a plug contact and a receptacle contact provided with cooling slots and an at least partially open rear face configured to permit the dissipation of heat.

Abstract: A low profile, high power electrical connector assembly is disclosed. The connector assembly includes a plug and a receptacle connector designed to be mounted on separate printed circuit boards. The plug and receptacle connectors are designed to be mated and thus allow the separate circuit boards to be electrically connected in tandem in either the same plane or perpendicular to one another. The connector assembly includes a plug contact and a receptacle contact provided with cooling slots and an at least partially open rear face configured to permit the dissipation of heat.

Abstract: A socket assembly is shown as generally including a cover assembly and a base frame assembly. A low insertion force (LIF) package assembly is connectable to the socket assembly and is comprised of a pin assembly, housing a package. The cover assembly includes a socket cover frame array and the base frame assembly includes a socket contact frame array. The cover assembly is spring loadable relative to the base frame assembly to provide a low insertion force application for the package.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing (12) and circuit boards (13) carried by the housing. The circuit boards extend parallel to each other in spaced-apart relationship. The circuit boards include signal tracks (14) that provide electrical paths through the connector. The electrical paths extend from a mating interface (16) at one end of the connector to a mounting interface (17) at another end of the connector. The circuit boards include a first type (1) and a second type (2), the first type having circuitry arranged in a first pattern, and the second type having circuitry arranged in a second pattern which is different than the first pattern.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a bore having a perimeter and a total depth. An electrically conductive barrel extends around at least a portion of the perimeter of the bore and along a predetermined depth of the bore, the predetermined depth being less than the total depth of the bore. The barrel has an end that terminates at a countersunk portion of the bore. A contact includes a body having first and second ends. The first end includes a compliant section that is positioned in the barrel, thereby forming a separable interface between the contact and the circuit board. The second end extends out of the barrel and interfaces with an electrical component. Protrusion of the first end out of the barrel is minimized. The above relationships are used to decrease capacitive loading.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing (12) and circuit boards (13) carried by the housing. The circuit boards extend parallel to each other in spaced-apart relationship. The circuit boards include signal tracks (14) that provide electrical paths through the connector. The electrical paths extend from a mating interface (16) at one end of the connector to a mounting interface (17) at another end of the connector. The circuit boards include a first type (1) and a second type (2), the first type having circuitry arranged in a first pattern, and the second type having circuitry arranged in a second pattern which is different than the first pattern.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing (12) including a front housing portion (20) having a front wall (21) and a plurality of parallel apertures (22) extending through the front wall. A plurality of circuit boards (13) extend through respective ones of the apertures. Each of the circuit boards has a mating edge (42), and the mating edges are aligned forwardly of the front wall for connection with a mating electrical connector. The housing includes a separate organizer (30) attached to the front housing portion. The organizer has a plurality of slots (33) that are spaced-apart in correspondence with the plurality of apertures, and the circuit boards have mounting edges that are received in respective ones of the slots. The front housing portion comprises upper and lower grooved shrouds extending forwardly from the front wall. The circuit boards comprise a notch in the top edge which receives a corresponding projection.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing (12) that carries a plurality of circuit boards (13) in a parallel, spaced-apart array. The circuit boards are of two different types. One type has a keying recess (60) that is keyed to a land (39) in the housing, and the other type has a keying recess (62) that is keyed to a web (40) in the housing.

Abstract: Mating plug and receptacle connectors each include electrically insulating housings and plural rows of electrical terminals. The plug connector includes two terminal supporting walls or platforms extending outwardly from the housing with terminal contact portions positioned in channels on the terminal support platforms. Each platform includes at an end thereof a groove which receives a grounding strip in the form of a drain wire, commoned to an outer shielding shell. The receptacle connector has an insulating housing having two elongate slots thereacross, adapted for receiving the terminal support walls of the plug connector, and receptacle contacts for mating engagement with the plug connector terminals. The receptacle housing includes a groove in the front face carrying a grounding strip commoned to an outer shielding shell. The plug and receptacle are matable with their respective shielding shells in mating contact with each other.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge conductor to shell continuity system is disclosed for an electrical connector. The connector (20, 120) has a dielectric housing (24) with a recess (68, 74) for receiving an electrostatic discharge conductor (70). The electrostatic discharge conductor (70) extends along a forward face of the housing (24) and extends into the recess. The portion of the electrostatic discharge conductor extending into the recess (74) engages a surface of an electrically conductive shell (44, 144) securable to the housing (24), thereby providing electrical continuity between the shell (44, 144) and the electrostatic discharge conductor (70).

Abstract: An electrical connector (20) having a housing member has a latch (28 or 30) pivotably secured to the housing. The latch (28 or 30) has a latch arm (102) defining a plane and a cam arm (106). The latch (28 or 30) is pivotably actuable in the plane of the latch arm (102) upon applying a force to the cam arm (106) to rotate the latch (28 or 30) from a latched first position to an unlatched second position. The force is applied by moving a boot (38) axially along the connector housing through a limited distance from a forward position to a rearward position. Upon removal of the force from the cam arm (102), the cam arm (102) will return from the second position to the lower energy state of the first position due to the action of a spring (98). In returning to the first position, the cam arm (102) returns the boot to a forward position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a panel providing a polarization feature to a connector proximate thereto. The panel has a face plate with opposed major surfaces. A complementary connector receiving aperture extends between the major surfaces. The aperture has a wider first region and a narrower second region. The narrower second region defines a portion of the panel adjacent thereto as a polarization feature that is adapted to be engaged by a portion of the complementary connector when the complementary connector is not properly oriented for passing through the aperture. In this manner, a complementary connector having a mating face profile corresponding to the profile of the connector receiving aperture can pass through the aperture in one orientation but not in other orientations.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hardwareless panel retention system in which an electrically conductive panel has opposed major surfaces with a mating connector aperture extending therebetween. The panel has opposed edges formed into a pair of channels. A connector having a housing with contacts secured therein is secured to the panel. A shield secured to the connector housing has a flange along opposed edges for receipt in respective opposed channels of the panel to secure the connector to the panel.

Abstract: A dielectric housing (4) of a circular, shielded DIN electrical connector (2) comprises a central block (26) with terminal receiving cavities (18) extending axially therethrough and which cooperates with a hood (30) and a base (28) of the housing (4) to define a circular chamber receiving a circular, stamped and formed metal shield (8). The shield (8) has projecting therefrom a uniplanar latch arm (80) having a head (81) which latches positively against a latching shoulder (88) in a slot in the base. The latch arm (80) is deflected in its own plane by a cam surface in the slot as the latch arm (80) is inserted thereinto and then resiles to allow the head (81) to latch against the shoulder (88).

Abstract: A circular cross section dielectric housing (4) of a circular DIN shielded electrical connector (2, 2') for mounting in a vertical position on a circuit board, is provided on its bottom face (16) with angular orienting lugs (54). An outer shield (10) which defines a circular seat for the dielectric housing (4) has a bottom wall (106) defining a hole (108) for receiving contact tails (44) on electrical terminals (12) in the housing (4). The bottom wall (106) of the shield (110) has notches (122, 124) therein for receiving the orienting lugs (54). The angular orientation of the housing (4) with respect to the shield (10) can be selected by aligning each lug (54) with a chosen notch (122, 124) in the bottom wall (106) of the shield when assembling the housing (4) to the shield (10).

Abstract: An electrical connector (10) has a housing (12) containing multiple electric terminals (18). A multiple conductor cable (36) passes through an opening in the housing with each of the conductors terminated to the conductor terminating portion (19) of a respective one of the terminals (18). A strain relief region (20) is bounded by two sides (42,44) and a bottom abutment surface (32). Each of the sides has spaced mutually facing engagement surfaces (42,44). A U-shaped staple (30) has a bight (52) and two legs (54,56) extending therefrom to respective free ends (55,57). Each leg (54,56) is of an appropriate cross section, having large edges (62) and small edges (64), the small edges (64) include a plurality of barbs (66) spaced therealong in penetrating contact with the engagement surfaces (42,44).

Abstract: An electronic key assembly comprising an insulating plug body having a front mating end for receipt in a jack and a rearwardly spaced, chip carrier receiving cavity. A series of contacts having first contact portions are mounted in body recesses at the mating end for engagement with spring contacts of a complementary jack and second spring contact portions which extend into the cavity are for engagement with respective leads of a chip carrier received therein. Releasable latch arms extend rearwardly from the mating end and, in some examples, a sleeve-form shield moulded or latched in the fingerpiece is received on the body to surround a rear end and the chip carrier. Anti-overstress hooks or eyes extending from the fingerpiece hook over the latch arms to prevent excessive movement of the latch arms away from the body.

Abstract: An electronic key assembly (10) comprising an insulating plug body (11) having a front mating end (17) for receipt in a jack and a rearwardly spaced, chip carrier receiving cavity (19). A series of contacts (12) having first contact portions (34) are mounted in body recesses (32) at the mating end for engagement with spring contacts of a complementary jack and second spring contact portions (36) which extend into the cavity (19) are for engagement with respective leads of a chip carrier (15) received therein. Releasable latch arms (41) extend rearwardly from the mating end (17) and a sleeve-form shield (12) moulded in the fingerpiece (14) is received on the body (11) to surround a rear end and the chip carrier (15). Anti-overstress arms (64) extending from the fingerpiece (14) hook over the latch arms (41) to prevent excessive movement of the latch arms (41) away from the body (11).