Abstract: A connector assembly includes a cable bundle, a backshell, and a conductive gasket. The cable bundle includes a plurality of cables. The cables each have at least one inner conductor, a grounding element, and a cover layer that surrounds the at least one inner conductor and the grounding element. The backshell has walls defining a cavity. The cavity receives a terminating end of the cable bundle. The backshell has a cable end. The cable bundle extends from the backshell through a cable opening at the cable end. The conductive gasket is held within the cavity of the backshell at least proximate to the cable opening. The conductive gasket is electrically connected to the backshell. The conductive gasket extends between the cables of the cable bundle. The conductive gasket engages the grounding elements of the cables to provide electrical current paths between each of the cables and the backshell.

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: 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 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: 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: An electrical connector including a dielectric body and electrical contacts held by the dielectric body. The electrical contacts have a pair of signal contacts with respective mating ends configured to engage a communication connector and also with respective wire-terminating ends. The wire-terminating ends are located proximate to each other in a cable-termination region and are configured to mechanically and electrically couple to corresponding signal conductors of a cable. The electrical connector also includes a ground shield having a cover extension that extends over the cable-termination region. The cover extension is configured to shield the cable-termination region.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a dielectric body and electrical contacts held by the dielectric body. The electrical contacts have a pair of signal contacts with respective mating ends configured to engage a communication connector and also with respective wire-terminating ends. The wire-terminating ends are located proximate to each other in a cable-termination region and are configured to mechanically and electrically couple to corresponding signal conductors of a cable. The electrical connector also includes a ground shield having a cover extension that extends over the cable-termination region. The cover extension is configured to shield the cable-termination region.