Abstract: A method is provided for removing a fastener having a longitudinal shank from a workpiece using electro-discharge machining, EDM, the method comprising: contacting a portion of the fastener or workpiece with an EDM fixture, thereby: locating the EDM fixture and an EDM electrode relative to the fastener in a lateral direction; and establishing an electrical ground connection to the fastener via the EDM fixture; and eroding the fastener using the EDM electrode.

Abstract: A connector system includes an adapter with a first mating portion, a second mating portion and a transition portion. A continuous outer wall extends across the first mating portion, the transition portion and the second mating potion. A first terminal positioned in the adapter. At least one receptacle has a receptacle mating section and a receptacle transition section. A continuous receptacle outer conductive wall extends across the receptacle mating section and the receptacle transition section. A receptacle inner wall extends perpendicular to the receptacle outer wall. A second terminal is positioned in the at least one receptacle. A retention member is provided in the receptacle mating section. The continuous outer wall and the continuous receptacle outer wall form a grounding shield minimizing signal leakage from the first terminal and the second terminal.

Abstract: An electrical connector of an electrical connector assembly. The electrical connector includes a housing with a mating face for mating with a mating electrical connector. Contact receiving cavities extend into the housing from the mating face. Contacts are provided in the contact receiving cavities. Mating portions of the contacts extend from the mating face in a direction away from the housing. Protrusions extend from the mating face in a direction away from the housing. The protrusions extend proximate edges of the mating portions of the contacts. The protrusions form reverse chamfers which cooperate with lead-in chamfers provided in a surface of the mating electrical connector. The positioning of the protrusions in the lead-in chamfers fills in air gaps provided by the lead-in chamfers to provide an impedance match along the mating portions of the contacts when the electrical connector is mated with the mating electrical connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector of an electrical connector assembly. The electrical connector includes a housing with a mating face for mating with a mating electrical connector. Contact receiving cavities extend into the housing from the mating face. Contacts are provided in the contact receiving cavities. Mating portions of the contacts extend from the mating face in a direction away from the housing. Protrusions extend from the mating face in a direction away from the housing. The protrusions extend proximate edges of the mating portions of the contacts. The protrusions form reverse chamfers which cooperate with lead-in chamfers provided in a surface of the mating electrical connector. The positioning of the protrusions in the lead-in chamfers fills in air gaps provided by the lead-in chamfers to provide an impedance match along the mating portions of the contacts when the electrical connector is mated with the mating electrical connector.

Abstract: A connector system includes an adapter with a first mating portion, a second mating portion and a transition portion. A continuous outer wall extends across the first mating portion, the transition portion and the second mating potion. A first terminal positioned in the adapter. At least one receptacle has a receptacle mating section and a receptacle transition section. A continuous receptacle outer conductive wall extends across the receptacle mating section and the receptacle transition section. A receptacle inner wall extends perpendicular to the receptacle outer wall. A second terminal is positioned in the at least one receptacle. A retention member is provided in the receptacle mating section. The continuous outer wall and the continuous receptacle outer wall form a grounding shield minimizing signal leakage from the first terminal and the second terminal.

Abstract: A cable connector includes a cable having wire pairs and contacts in contact pairs. The contacts of the contact pairs may be simultaneously crimped to the corresponding wires by a crimp tool. Pair holders hold the contact pairs with an overmolded body molded around supporting bases of the contacts of the contact pair to fix relative positions of the contacts. The cable connector includes a pair shield having shield elements forming shield pockets receiving wire pairs, contact pairs, and pair holders. The cable connector includes a retainer having a retainer cavity that receives the wire pairs and the pair shield. The retainer includes a contact support to support the pair holders and the contact pairs. The cable connector includes an outer shell having an outer shell cavity that receives the retainer and provides electrical shielding for the contact pairs.

Abstract: An electrical contact includes a main body extending along a longitudinal axis between a mating end and a terminating end of the socket contact. The main body has a first side, a second side, a front, and a rear. The electrical contact includes a mating contact extending from the main body at the mating end including a mating interface configured for mating with a mating electrical contact. The electrical contact includes a contact tail extending from the main body at the terminating end.

Abstract: A cable connector includes a cable having wire pairs and contacts in contact pairs. The contacts of the contact pairs may be simultaneously crimped to the corresponding wires by a crimp tool. Pair holders hold the contact pairs with an overmolded body molded around supporting bases of the contacts of the contact pair to fix relative positions of the contacts. The cable connector includes a pair shield having shield elements forming shield pockets receiving wire pairs, contact pairs, and pair holders. The cable connector includes a retainer having a retainer cavity that receives the wire pairs and the pair shield. The retainer includes a contact support to support the pair holders and the contact pairs. The cable connector includes an outer shell having an outer shell cavity that receives the retainer and provides electrical shielding for the contact pairs.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having contact channels. The housing has a mounting end configured to be mounted to a circuit board. The electrical connector includes signal contacts received in corresponding contact channels. The signal contacts have mating ends and terminating ends configured to be terminated to the circuit board. Each terminating end has a shoulder, a neck extending from the shoulder and a pin extending from the neck. The neck is narrower than the complaint pin and the shoulder. The electrical connector includes conformal pin organizers coupled to the mounting end of the housing. Each conformal pin organizer has a signal opening receiving the terminating end of the corresponding signal contact. The conformal pin organizer has opening edges extending along the signal opening. The conformal pin organizers are positioned along the terminating ends such that the opening edges engage the necks of the corresponding terminating ends.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having contact channels. The housing has a mounting end configured to be mounted to a circuit board. The electrical connector includes signal contacts received in corresponding contact channels. The signal contacts have mating ends and terminating ends configured to be terminated to the circuit board. Each terminating end has a shoulder, a neck extending from the shoulder and a pin extending from the neck. The neck is narrower than the complaint pin and the shoulder. The electrical connector includes conformal pin organizers coupled to the mounting end of the housing. Each conformal pin organizer has a signal opening receiving the terminating end of the corresponding signal contact. The conformal pin organizer has opening edges extending along the signal opening. The conformal pin organizers are positioned along the terminating ends such that the opening edges engage the necks of the corresponding terminating ends.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a mounting end mounted to a circuit board and contact channels receiving signal contacts. The signal contacts have mating ends and terminating ends. Each terminating end has a shoulder, a neck extending from the shoulder and a pin extending from the neck. The neck is narrower than the complaint pin and the shoulder. A conformal pin organizer is coupled to the mounting end of the housing. The conformal pin organizer has signal openings receiving the terminating ends and deflecting portions extending into the signal openings. The conformal pin organizer is positioned along the terminating ends such that the deflecting portions engage the necks of the corresponding terminating ends.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a conductive shell, a dielectric holder, and electrical contacts. The conductive shell defines a cavity. The dielectric holder is disposed within the cavity. The electrical contacts are mounted to the dielectric holder within the cavity and are arranged in pairs. The pairs include multiple pairs in a cancellation arrangement and an isolated pair spaced apart from the pairs in the cancellation arrangement. A separation distance from the isolated pair to a closest neighboring electrical contact of the electrical contacts is greater than respective separation distances from each of the pairs in the cancellation arrangement to corresponding closest neighboring electrical contacts of the electrical contacts.

Abstract: A board to board contactless interconnect system includes a first circuit board for launching at st one microwave signal into a cavity of a first waveguide secured thereto. A second waveguide, secured to a second circuit board, is coupleable to the first waveguide to receive the at least one microwave signal in a cavity of the second waveguide and conduct the at least one microwave signal onto a microwave receiver aligned with the cavity on the second circuit board. The waveguides may be separable and may include additional waveguides. Conductive gaskets with apertures for microwave signals to pass through are positioned between the waveguides and between each circuit board and a waveguide to prevent leakage of microwave energy therebetween. Some embodiments may pass signals through a sealed boundary and maintain integrity of the seal. Such embodiments may have a third waveguide interposed between the first and second waveguides.

Abstract: An electrical contact includes a base that includes first and second side edges, and a forward edge that extends between the first and second side edges. At least one contact arm extends from the forward edge of the base for making electrical contact with a contact pad. Each of the first and second side edges defines one or more protrusions configured to engage an interior portion of a connector housing for securing the electrical contact within the connector housing. The one or more protrusions on the first side edge are asymmetrically arranged with respect to the one or more protrusions on the second side edge such that respective centers of each of the one or more protrusions on the first side edge are misaligned with respective centers of each of the one or more protrusions on the second side edge.

Abstract: An electrical contact pad for electrically contacting a connector includes a first region having a first length in a longitudinal direction, and a second region having a second length in the longitudinal direction that is greater than the first length. The first region is arranged to contact a first arm of the connector and the second region is arranged to contact a second arm of the connector. The first length being smaller than the second length results in a beneficial increases the impedance of the electrical contact pad. A chamfered edge of the contact pad results in an additional beneficial increase in the impedance of the electrical contact pad.

Abstract: A plant nutrient delivery system comprises a sensor, an electronically actuated valve and an electronic controller. The sensor is positionable in plant growing media and operable to detect a condition of the plant growing media. The electronically actuated valve has a connection to a liquid nutrient source. The electronic controller is linked to the sensor and to the electronically actuated valve. The controller is programmed to carry out automatic demand-based nutrient delivery to the plant growing media by controlling the electronically actuated valve to turn on and off based on signals received from the sensor regarding a condition of the plant growing media, thereby causing a flow of the liquid nutrient into the plant growth media to start and to stop. Methods are also described.

Abstract: An electrical contact pad for electrically contacting a connector includes first, second and third regions. The first region is connected to a trace. The second region is adjacent to the first region and has a width less than the first region. The third region is adjacent to the second region and has a width that is greater than the second region. The third region is sized to make contact with a connector. Having the width of the second region be smaller than the width of the first and third regions increases an impedance of the electrical contact pad.

Abstract: A press-fit circuit board connector including a housing and mating and mounting contact assemblies received in the housing. The mating contact assembly having mating contacts having mating pins defining a pin mating interface. The mounting contact assembly having an interposer circuit board and mounting contacts electrically connected to the interposer circuit board. The mounting contacts have press-fit mounting pins at mounting ends of the mounting contacts. The interposer circuit board is received in the cavity with the press-fit mounting pins of the mounting contacts arranged at the mounting end for press-fit termination to the host circuit board.

Abstract: A shroud that forms part of an electrical connector for securing a plurality of circuit wafers within the electrical connector includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a plurality of vertical members extending between the top and bottom walls that define a plurality of slots for receiving the plurality of circuit wafers. Each vertical member includes a first side that faces a second side of an adjacent vertical member. The first side defines top, middle, and bottom surface regions that are spaced apart from the second side of the adjacent vertical member by a first distance, and first and second recessed surface regions between the top, middle, and bottom surface regions that are spaced apart from the second side of the adjacent vertical member by a second distance that is greater than the first distance. The first and second recessed surface regions are positioned so as to prevent direct contact between the vertical members and one or more high-frequency traces disposed on the plurality of circuit wafers.

Abstract: An electrical contact pad for electrically contacting a connector includes a first region having a first length in a longitudinal direction, and a second region having a second length in the longitudinal direction that is greater than the first length. The first region is arranged to contact a first arm of the connector and the second region is arranged to contact a second arm of the connector. The first length being smaller than the second length results in an increase in the impedance of the electrical contact pad as compared to typical contact pads which tend to correspond to low impedance regions.