Abstract: A cable card assembly includes a circuit card and cables terminated to the circuit card. Each cable has signal conductors, an insulator, and a cable shield. The cable card includes conductor holders forward of the insulators manufactured from a dielectric material and having conductor channels that receive the signal conductors. The cable card assembly includes ground shields coupled to the circuit card providing electrical shielding for the cables. Each ground shield includes a side walls and an end wall. The end wall has an end wall connecting portion coupled to the cable shield. The first side wall has a first side wall connecting portion coupled to the cable shield. The second side wall has a second side wall connecting portion coupled to the cable shield.

Abstract: A cable card assembly includes a circuit card and cables terminated to the circuit card. Each cable has signal conductors, an insulator, and a cable shield. The cable card includes conductor holders forward of the insulators manufactured from a dielectric material and having conductor channels that receive the signal conductors. The cable card assembly includes ground shields coupled to the circuit card providing electrical shielding for the cables. Each ground shield includes a side walls and an end wall. The end wall has an end wall connecting portion coupled to the cable shield. The first side wall has a first side wall connecting portion coupled to the cable shield. The second side wall has a second side wall connecting portion coupled to the cable shield.

Abstract: A pluggable module includes a housing and cables arranged as a cable bundle extending from a module cavity of the housing. Each cable includes first and second conductors and an insulator surrounding the conductors. Each cable is obround shaped having generally flat first and second ends and semi-circular first and second sides between the first and second ends. The pluggable module includes a cable organizer coupled to the cable bundle to position the cables relative to each other. The cable organizer has cable channels receiving and holding the cables such that at least a first subset of the cables are oriented with the first and second ends non-parallel to the first and second ends of a second subset of the cables.

Abstract: A pluggable module includes a housing and cables arranged as a cable bundle extending from a module cavity of the housing. Each cable includes first and second conductors and an insulator surrounding the conductors. Each cable is obround shaped having generally flat first and second ends and semi-circular first and second sides between the first and second ends. The pluggable module includes a cable organizer coupled to the cable bundle to position the cables relative to each other. The cable organizer has cable channels receiving and holding the cables such that at least a first subset of the cables are oriented with the first and second ends non-parallel to the first and second ends of a second subset of the cables.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a cable assembly having a cable bundle of cables and a conductive cable shield surrounding and providing electrical shielding for the cable bundle. The cable assembly includes an electrical connector a housing holding contacts and a conductive backshell having a cavity that receives the electrical connector to provide electrical shielding for the electrical connector. The backshell has a cable channel at a rear of the backshell that receives the cable. A ground spring is coupled to the cable and positioned between the cable bundle and the cable shield. The ground spring includes spring members engaging the inner surface of the cable shield and biasing the cable shield radially outward. The ground spring is received in the cable channel and forces the outer surface of the cable shield outward against the backshell to electrically connect the cable shield to the backshell.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a cable assembly having a cable bundle of cables and a conductive cable shield surrounding and providing electrical shielding for the cable bundle. The cable assembly includes an electrical connector a housing holding contacts and a conductive backshell having a cavity that receives the electrical connector to provide electrical shielding for the electrical connector. The backshell has a cable channel at a rear of the backshell that receives the cable. A ground spring is coupled to the cable and positioned between the cable bundle and the cable shield. The ground spring includes spring members engaging the inner surface of the cable shield and biasing the cable shield radially outward. The ground spring is received in the cable channel and forces the outer surface of the cable shield outward against the backshell to electrically connect the cable shield to the backshell.

Abstract: A connector support assembly includes an enclosure, first and second electrical connectors, and a spacer. The enclosure includes a first panel and a second panel spaced apart from each other to define a cavity therebetween. The first and second connectors are at a front end of the enclosure and at least partially in the cavity. The spacer is interposed between the first and second electrical connectors and mechanically coupled to both the first and second panels. The spacer defines a flow channel therethrough that extends from an inlet of the spacer located at the front end of the enclosure. The flow channel of the spacer is fluidly connected to a window defined through the first panel to provide unimpeded flow through the front end of the enclosure that enters the cavity through the inlet of the spacer and exits the cavity through the window.

Abstract: A connector support assembly includes an enclosure, first and second electrical connectors, and a spacer. The enclosure includes a first panel and a second panel spaced apart from each other to define a cavity therebetween. The first and second connectors are at a front end of the enclosure and at least partially in the cavity. The spacer is interposed between the first and second electrical connectors and mechanically coupled to both the first and second panels. The spacer defines a flow channel therethrough that extends from an inlet of the spacer located at the front end of the enclosure. The flow channel of the spacer is fluidly connected to a window defined through the first panel to provide unimpeded flow through the front end of the enclosure that enters the cavity through the inlet of the spacer and exits the cavity through the window.

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 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 connector brick for a cable communication system includes a header frame including end walls and side walls defining a header opening. The header frame is configured for mating with at least one circuit card. A plurality of cable connectors are received in the header opening. Each cable connector has cables extending therefrom and 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 corresponding circuit card. Cable connector mounts are coupled to the end walls and extend into the header opening. The cable connector mounts engage corresponding cable connectors to secure the cable connectors in the header opening.

Abstract: A guide pin for a connector assembly includes a guide pin body extending along a pin axis. The guide pin body has a stem extending between a root and a tip. The root has threads configured to be threadably coupled to a support frame of the connector assembly and the tip has a lead-in to guide the guide pin body into a mounting block. The stem has slots extending parallel to the pin axis from the tip to an intermediate position along the guide pin body remote from the tip. The slots are configured to receive ribs of a driver tool used to rotate the guide pin body to threadably couple the root to the support frame.

Abstract: An electrical connector system includes a panel having a plurality of connector openings and a plurality of vent openings interspersed among the connector openings. Cable connectors are coupled to the panel and extend at least partially into the connector openings. The cable connectors have mating interfaces presented at the front for mating with mating connectors and the cable connectors have cables extending from cable ends of the cable connectors and located rearward of a rear of the panel. Air funnels are coupled to the panel at corresponding vent openings. The air funnels extend rearward of the rear of the panel. The air funnels route the cables clear of the space rearward of the vent openings to define an unimpeded flow path through the vent openings.

Abstract: Cable assembly including a cable harness having insulated wires, a shielding layer that surrounds the insulated wires, and a protective jacket that surrounds the shielding layer. The shielding layer includes an exposed portion that clears an end of the protective jacket. The cable assembly also includes an assembly housing having an internal cavity and a loading passage that provides access to the internal cavity. The exposed portion of the shielding layer is positioned within the loading passage. The insulated wires extend through the internal cavity and are terminated to corresponding electrical contacts of a contact assembly. The cable harness includes an adhesive layer that is coupled to the exposed portion. The adhesive layer is engaged with an interior surface of the assembly housing along the loading passage. The adhesive layer includes a conductive thermoplastic material that electrically couples the shielding layer to the assembly housing.

Abstract: A connector brick for a cable communication system includes a header frame including end walls and side walls defining a header opening. The header frame is configured for mating with at least one circuit card. A plurality of cable connectors are received in the header opening. Each cable connector has cables extending therefrom and 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 corresponding circuit card. Cable connector mounts are coupled to the end walls and extend into the header opening. The cable connector mounts engage corresponding cable connectors to secure the cable connectors in the header opening.

Abstract: A cable assembly for a cable backplane system includes a tray having a frame and spacer assemblies coupled to the frame that hold cable tray connectors in fixed positions relative to the frame. Each cable tray connector has a housing holding a plurality of contacts and cables extending rearward from the corresponding housing. The housings are configured to be received in corresponding openings in a backplane of the cable backplane system. A flexible cable harness extends from the tray. The flexible cable harness has a flexible shield electrically coupled to the frame and a harness connector electrically connected to at least one corresponding cable tray connector. At least some of the cables are routed from the tray through the flexible shield to the harness connector. The flexible shield provides electrical shielding for the cables. The harness connector is variably positionable relative to the tray.

Abstract: A cable header connector includes a contact module having a support body and a plurality of cable assemblies held by the support body and arranged in a column. The cable assemblies each have a contact terminated to a cable and a ground shield coupled to and providing electrical shielding for the contact sub-assembly. The support body has contact channels extending along respective contact channel axes which are parallel to each other, and at least one cable channel intersecting the contact channels. The cables extend through the contact channels and through the at least one cable channel to an outside of the support body. The cables emerging from the support body at corresponding cable exits at respective angles to the contact channel axes.

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: Communication system including a support frame having a pair of spacer walls that oppose each other. The spacer walls defines a receiving gap directly therebetween. The communication system also includes a floatable connector assembly including a connector module and a communication cable coupled to the connector module. The connector module is configured to engage a mating module along a central axis to establish a communicative connection. At least a portion of the connector assembly is disposed between the spacer walls within the receiving gap. The communication system also includes a positioning gasket having a plurality of alignment members that directly engage at least one of the connector assembly or the support frame. The alignment members permit the connector assembly to float with respect to the support frame during the mating operation in a direction that is transverse to the central axis.

Abstract: Cable assembly including a cable harness having insulated wires, a shielding layer that surrounds the insulated wires, and a protective jacket that surrounds the shielding layer. The shielding layer includes an exposed portion that clears an end of the protective jacket. The cable assembly also includes an assembly housing having an internal cavity and a loading passage that provides access to the internal cavity. The exposed portion of the shielding layer is positioned within the loading passage. The insulated wires extend through the internal cavity and are terminated to corresponding electrical contacts of a contact assembly. The cable harness includes an adhesive layer that is coupled to the exposed portion. The adhesive layer is engaged with an interior surface of the assembly housing along the loading passage. The adhesive layer includes a conductive thermoplastic material that electrically couples the shielding layer to the assembly housing.