Abstract: A cable card assembly includes a circuit card having cable conductors at a cable end and cables terminated to the circuit card having signal conductors and ground shields surrounding the corresponding signal conductors to provide electrical shielding for the signal conductors. The signal conductors include exposed portions terminated to corresponding cable conductors. The cable card assembly includes a ground bus electrically connected to the ground shields. The ground bus includes a molded body having tunnels receiving the exposed portions of corresponding signal conductors. The molded body is contoured to control impedance along the exposed portions of the signal conductors.

Abstract: A cable card assembly includes a circuit card having mating conductors at a mating end for mating with a mating electrical connector and circuit conductors at s cable end. The cable card assembly includes cables having signal conductors and cable shields. The cable card assembly includes a contact assembly coupled to the circuit card and coupled to the cables and a contact holder holding signal contacts. Each signal contact includes a base tab terminated to the corresponding circuit conductor and a mating tab terminated to the corresponding signal conductor. The cable card assembly includes a ground bus separate and discrete from the contact assembly and coupled to the contact assembly. The ground bus is electrically connected to the cable shields to electrically connect the cable shields of the cables.

Abstract: A cable card assembly includes a circuit card having cable conductors at a cable end and cables terminated to the circuit card having signal conductors and ground shields surrounding the corresponding signal conductors to provide electrical shielding for the signal conductors. The signal conductors include exposed portions terminated to corresponding cable conductors. The cable card assembly includes a ground bus electrically connected to the ground shields. The ground bus includes a molded body having tunnels receiving the exposed portions of corresponding signal conductors. The molded body is contoured to control impedance along the exposed portions of the signal conductors.

Abstract: A cable card assembly for an electrical connector includes a circuit card having upper and lower surfaces and extending between a cable end and a mating end with mating conductors at the mating end and cable conductors at the cable end. Cables are terminated to the circuit card that include signal conductors, ground shields surrounding the corresponding signal conductors, and drain wires electrically connected to the corresponding ground shields. The signal conductors are terminated to corresponding cable conductors. The cable card assembly includes a ground block separate and discrete from the circuit card and coupled to the circuit card. The ground block includes drain wire channels receiving corresponding drain wires. The ground block is electrically conductive to electrically connect the drain wires.

Abstract: A cable card assembly for an electrical connector includes a circuit card having upper and lower surfaces and extending between a cable end and a mating end with mating conductors at the mating end and cable conductors at the cable end. Cables are terminated to the circuit card that include signal conductors, ground shields surrounding the corresponding signal conductors, and drain wires electrically connected to the corresponding ground shields. The signal conductors are terminated to corresponding cable conductors. The cable card assembly includes a ground block separate and discrete from the circuit card and coupled to the circuit card. The ground block includes drain wire channels receiving corresponding drain wires. The ground block is electrically conductive to electrically connect the drain wires.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing, electrical signal contacts, and biasing elements. The signal contacts are terminated to one or more electrical cables. The signal contacts are held by one or more contact units within the housing. The signal contacts are movable relative to the housing between an extended position and a retracted position. The retracted position is disposed closer to a back end of the housing than the extended position. The biasing elements are configured to bias the signal contacts toward the extended position. The signal contacts are pins with an end face at a distal end of each respective pin. The end faces of the signal contacts are configured to abut against end faces of corresponding mating signal contacts of a mating connector.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing having a base having signal contact channels and ground contact channels extending therethrough having ground contact channel walls defining the ground contact channels. The connector assembly includes signal contacts held in signal contact channels having mating ends for mating with mating signal contacts. The connector assembly includes ground contacts held in ground contact channels having mating ends for mating with mating ground contacts. The connector assembly includes ground commoning conductors within the housing including metal surface coverings deposited on the corresponding ground contact channel walls. Each ground commoning conductor extends into at least two ground contact channels and is oriented for direct electrical contact with at least two of the ground contacts or the mating ground contacts for electrically commoning the corresponding ground contacts or the mating ground contacts.

Abstract: A card edge cable connector assembly includes a cable connector having a cable connector housing having a top, a bottom, a front, and a rear. The cable connector has a mating end and a cable end. The cable connector housing holds signal contacts and ground contacts. Cables are electrically connected to corresponding signal and ground contacts and extend from the cable end. The card edge cable connector assembly includes cable connector holder extending from the cable connector having a support wall with a support surface configured to engage a planar surface of a circuit card proximate to an edge slot at an edge of the circuit card to support the cable connector on the circuit card such that the cable connector and the cables are located in the edge slot of the circuit card.

Abstract: A cable assembly includes a cable including a wire and an insulator surrounding the wire extending a length between a first end and a second end and being conductive, where the wire having a first stiffness. The cable assembly includes a sleeve surrounding the cable between the first end and the second end having an interior surface facing the cable and an exterior surface facing an exterior environment of the cable assembly. The cable assembly includes a cable stiffener coupled to the sleeve extending along at least a portion of the length of the cable. The cable stiffener is formable into shape retaining shape and has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness to hold the cable in the shape retaining shape.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing having a base having signal contact channels and ground contact channels extending therethrough having ground contact channel walls defining the ground contact channels. The connector assembly includes signal contacts held in signal contact channels having mating ends for mating with mating signal contacts. The connector assembly includes ground contacts held in ground contact channels having mating ends for mating with mating ground contacts. The connector assembly includes ground commoning conductors within the housing including metal surface coverings deposited on the corresponding ground contact channel walls. Each ground commoning conductor extends into at least two ground contact channels and is oriented for direct electrical contact with at least two of the ground contacts or the mating ground contacts for electrically commoning the corresponding ground contacts or the mating ground contacts.

Abstract: A card edge cable connector assembly includes a cable connector having a cable connector housing having a top, a bottom, a front, and a rear. The cable connector has a mating end and a cable end. The cable connector housing holds signal contacts and ground contacts. Cables are electrically connected to corresponding signal and ground contacts and extend from the cable end. The card edge cable connector assembly includes cable connector holder extending from the cable connector having a support wall with a support surface configured to engage a planar surface of a circuit card proximate to an edge slot at an edge of the circuit card to support the cable connector on the circuit card such that the cable connector and the cables are located in the edge slot of the circuit card.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing, electrical signal contacts, and biasing elements. The signal contacts are terminated to one or more electrical cables. The signal contacts are held by one or more contact units within the housing. The signal contacts are movable relative to the housing between an extended position and a retracted position. The retracted position is disposed closer to a back end of the housing than the extended position. The biasing elements are configured to bias the signal contacts toward the extended position. The signal contacts are pins with an end face at a distal end of each respective pin. The end faces of the signal contacts are configured to abut against end faces of corresponding mating signal contacts of a mating connector.

Abstract: A cable assembly includes a cable including a wire and an insulator surrounding the wire extending a length between a first end and a second end and being conductive, where the wire having a first stiffness. The cable assembly includes a sleeve surrounding the cable between the first end and the second end having an interior surface facing the cable and an exterior surface facing an exterior environment of the cable assembly. The cable assembly includes a cable stiffener coupled to the sleeve extending along at least a portion of the length of the cable. The cable stiffener is formable into shape retaining shape and has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness to hold the cable in the shape retaining shape.

Abstract: An integrated securing guide pin is configured to guide and securely connect an electrical connector assembly with respect to an electrical component device. The integrated securing guide pin includes a guiding member configured to guide the integrated securing guide pin into a receiving channel of a guiding connection module, and a securing member configured to securely connect to a securing surface of the guiding connection module. The securing member may be spaced from the guiding member and may be closer to an engagement head than the guiding member. The securing member may be positioned back from the distal tip at least a quarter of a length of the integrated securing guide pin.

Abstract: A connector assembly for terminating a cable having a cable shield is provided including an electrically conductive backshell and a shield assembly. The backshell includes a body that extends from a mating end to a cable end along a mating axis. The cable end includes a cable channel that extends through the body and holds an end segment of the cable therein. The connector assembly includes a shield assembly having a clamp system that is held within the cable end of the backshell and includes front and rear clamping members. The cable shield is terminated to the clamp system between the front and the rear clamping members. The connector assembly includes an EMI gasket that is electrically coupled to the backshell and held within the cable end of the backshell. The EMI gasket includes a backshell interface that engages the backshell and a clamp interface that engages the clamp system.

Abstract: A connector brick for a cable communication system includes a header frame including end spacers and side spacers defining a header opening. The header frame is configured for mating with a circuit card. A plurality of cable connectors are received in the header opening and connected to the header frame. Each cable connector has cables extending therefrom. Each cable connector has a header holding signal contacts at a mating end of the header and configured for mating with a corresponding card connector of the circuit card. Float mechanisms extend from the header frame. The float mechanisms allow limited movement in at least two directions of the header frame. The float mechanisms allow alignment of the header frame with the circuit card. The cable connectors float with the header frame as a unit for mating with the corresponding card connectors.

Abstract: Cable assembly includes an assembly housing having an interior cavity and a loading passage that provides access to the interior cavity. The assembly housing has an inner housing surface that defines the loading passage. The cable assembly also includes a cable harness having insulated wires and a conductive shielding layer. The insulated wires extend through a cable passage defined by the shielding layer. The cable harness also includes a discrete ferrule positioned within the cable passage at an end of the cable passage. The discrete ferrule has an outer ferrule surface that is surrounded by the shielding layer. The inner housing surface and the outer ferrule surface interface each other along a harness-housing seam. The harness-housing seam includes a projection and a recess that receives the projection. The shielding layer is stretched by the projection within the harness-housing seam and electrically grounds the cable harness to the assembly housing.

Abstract: A connector brick for a cable communication system includes a header frame including end spacers and side spacers defining a header opening. The header frame is configured for mating with a circuit card. A plurality of cable connectors are received in the header opening and connected to the header frame. Each cable connector has cables extending therefrom. Each cable connector has a header holding signal contacts at a mating end of the header and configured for mating with a corresponding card connector of the circuit card. Float mechanisms extend from the header frame. The float mechanisms allow limited movement in at least two directions of the header frame. The float mechanisms allow alignment of the header frame with the circuit card. The cable connectors float with the header frame as a unit for mating with the corresponding card connectors.

Abstract: A backshell includes upper and lower shells defining a cavity. The upper shell includes a top wall and a side wall and the lower shell includes a bottom wall and a side wall. An actuator is coupled to the shells to change the relative positions of the shells between an open position and a closed position. A top of the lower shell engages a bottom of the upper shell in the closed position. The actuator is operable to move at least one of the upper shell and the lower shell such that the top of the lower shell is spaced-apart from the bottom of the upper shell in the open position, thereby increasing a size of the cavity to allow insertion and removal of the electrical connector into or out of the cavity in the open position.

Abstract: A cable backplane system includes a backplane having connector openings receiving corresponding cable connectors therein and a cable tray coupled to the backplane. The cable tray has side walls surrounding a cavity defining a raceway for cables interconnecting corresponding cable connectors. A cable connector grid frame supports the cable connectors and the cable connector grid frame is loaded into the cable tray to position the cable connectors and corresponding cables in the cable tray as a unit. The cable connector grid frame includes side rails and center rails held between the side rails and forming a grid of cable connector openings between the side rails and center rails. The cable connector openings receive corresponding headers of the cable connectors and hold the positions of the headers relative to one another.