Abstract: An electrical connector assembly can include a plug connector mountable to a planar substrate and a receptacle connector configured to receive a plurality of cables and that can mate with the plug connector. The plug connector may include a first inline terminal row and a second inline terminal row exposed on a mounting face to conductively contact the planar substrate. The receptacle connector can include a plurality of terminals having termination ends aligned in common wafer plane that can be conductively terminated with the plurality of cables. The plug connector and the electrical connector are configured to establish electrical channels from the termination ends coplanar with the common wafer plan to the first and second inline terminal rows.

Abstract: High-speed, hermaphroditic electrical connectors may be connected to form a hermaphroditic connector assembly that uses less space than existing connector assemblies. A housing can provide a first and second engagement feature that are intended to engage each other so that when two such connectors are rotated 180 degrees the engagement features allow two such connectors to mate together. Cables can be connected directly to the terminals so as to provide for improved electrical performance.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes an insulative housing, first and second conductive ground wafers (see e.g., 661 and 663) and a plurality of grounding links. The insulative housing has a plurality of conductive signal terminals disposed therein (see e.g., 662). The insulative housing has opposite side surfaces and a plurality of openings therein extending between the side surfaces. The second ground wafer is spaced from and parallel to the first ground wafer. The grounding links are electrically connected to one of the ground wafers and extend towards another of the ground wafers and extend through the openings in the housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly can include a plug connector mountable to a planar substrate and a receptacle connector configured to receive a plurality of cables and that can mate with the plug connector. The plug connector may include a first inline terminal row and a second inline terminal row exposed on a mounting face to conductively contact the planar substrate. The receptacle connector can include a plurality of terminals having termination ends aligned in common wafer plane that can be conductively terminated with the plurality of cables. The plug connector and the electrical connector are configured to establish electrical channels from the termination ends coplanar with the common wafer plan to the first and second inline terminal rows.

Abstract: A backplane connector includes a shielded design that has wafers with signal terminals supported as edge-coupled terminal pairs for differential signaling. A ground shield is mounted on each wafer and provides a U-channel that partially shields each terminal pair. An insert can be provided to help connect the ground shield to a U-shield to provide U-shaped shielding structure substantially the entire way from a tail to a contact.

Abstract: A backplane connector includes a shielded design that has wafers with signal terminals supported as edge-coupled terminal pairs for differential signaling. A ground shield is mounted on each wafer and provides a U-channel that partially shields each terminal pair. An insert can be provided to help connect the ground shield to a U-shield to provide U-shaped shielding structure substantially the entire way from a tail to a contact.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly can include a plug connector mountable to a planar substrate and a receptacle connector configured to receive a plurality of cables and that can mate with the plug connector. The plug connector may include a first inline terminal row and a second inline terminal row exposed on a mounting face to conductively contact the planar substrate. The receptacle connector can include a plurality of terminals having termination ends aligned in common wafer plane that can be conductively terminated with the plurality of cables. The plug connector and the electrical connector are configured to establish electrical channels from the termination ends coplanar with the common wafer plan to the first and second inline terminal rows.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes an insulative housing, first and second conductive ground wafers (see e.g., 661 and 663) and a plurality of grounding links. The insulative housing has a plurality of conductive signal terminals disposed therein (see e.g., 662). The insulative housing has opposite side surfaces and a plurality of openings therein extending between the side surfaces. The second ground wafer is spaced from and parallel to the first ground wafer. The grounding links are electrically connected to one of the ground wafers and extend towards another of the ground wafers and extend through the openings in the housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly can include a plug connector and a receptacle connector that can mate together. Conductive communication between the plug and receptacle connectors is established by mating signals terminals and mating ground terminals contained in terminal subassemblies accommodated in each connector. To align and support the signal and ground terminals, the terminals may be part of a terminal wafer and the terminal subassembly can be assembled from one or more wafers. The terminal wafer may include grounding features to improve the electrical characteristics and data transmission through the electrical connector assembly.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly can include a plug connector mountable to a planar substrate and a receptacle connector configured to receive a plurality of cables and that can mate with the plug connector. The plug connector may include a first inline terminal row and a second inline terminal row exposed on a mounting face to conductively contact the planar substrate. The receptacle connector can include a plurality of terminals having termination ends aligned in common wafer plane that can be conductively terminated with the plurality of cables. The plug connector and the electrical connector are configured to establish electrical channels from the termination ends coplanar with the common wafer plan to the first and second inline terminal rows.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes an insulative housing, first and second conductive ground wafers (see e.g., 661 and 663) and a plurality of grounding links. The insulative housing has a plurality of conductive signal terminals disposed therein (see e.g., 662). The insulative housing has opposite side surfaces and a plurality of openings therein extending between the side surfaces. The second ground wafer is spaced from and parallel to the first ground wafer. The grounding links are electrically connected to one of the ground wafers and extend towards another of the ground wafers and extend through the openings in the housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly can include a plug connector and a receptacle connector that can mate together. Conductive communication between the plug and receptacle connectors is established by mating signals terminals and mating ground terminals contained in terminal subassemblies accommodated in each connector. To align and support the signal and ground terminals, the terminals may be part of a terminal wafer and the terminal subassembly can be assembled from one or more wafers. The terminal wafer may include grounding features to improve the electrical characteristics and data transmission through the electrical connector assembly.

Abstract: A backplane connector includes a shielded design that has wafers with signal terminals supported as edge-coupled terminal pairs for differential signaling. A ground shield is mounted on each wafer and provides a U-channel that partially shields each terminal pair. An insert can be provided to help connect the ground shield to a U-shield to provide U-shaped shielding structure substantially the entire way from a tail to a contact.

Abstract: A backplane connector includes a shielded design that has wafers with signal terminals supported as edge-coupled terminal pairs for differential signaling. A ground shield is mounted on each wafer and provides a U-channel that partially shields each terminal pair. The wafers omit a ground terminal between adjacent terminal pairs. An insert can be provided to help connect the ground shield to a U-shield to provide U-shaped shielding structure substantially the entire way from a tail to a contact.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly can include a plug connector mountable to a planar substrate and a receptacle connector configured to receive a plurality of cables and that can mate with the plug connector. The plug connector may include a first inline terminal row and a second inline terminal row exposed on a mounting face to conductively contact the planar substrate. The receptacle connector can include a plurality of terminals having termination ends aligned in common wafer plane that can be conductively terminated with the plurality of cables. The plug connector and the electrical connector are configured to establish electrical channels from the termination ends coplanar with the common wafer plan to the first and second inline terminal rows.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly can include a plug connector and a receptacle connector that can mate together. Conductive communication between the plug and receptacle connectors is established by mating signals terminals and mating ground terminals contained in terminal subassemblies accommodated in each connector. To align and support the signal and ground terminals, the terminals may be part of a terminal wafer and the terminal subassembly can be assembled from one or more wafers. The terminal wafer may include grounding features to improve the electrical characteristics and data transmission through the electrical connector assembly.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes an insulative housing, first and second conductive ground wafers (see e.g., 661 and 663) and a plurality of grounding links. The insulative housing has a plurality of conductive signal terminals disposed therein (see e.g., 662). The insulative housing has opposite side surfaces and a plurality of openings therein extending between the side surfaces. The second ground wafer is spaced from and parallel to the first ground wafer. The grounding links are electrically connected to one of the ground wafers and extend towards another of the ground wafers and extend through the openings in the housing.

Abstract: A backplane connector includes a shielded design that has wafers with signal terminals supported as edge-coupled terminal pairs for differential signaling. A ground shield is mounted on each wafer and provides a U-channel that partially shields each terminal pair. The wafers omit a ground terminal between adjacent terminal pairs. An insert can be provided to help connect the ground shield to a U-shield to provide U-shaped shielding structure substantially the entire way from a tail to a contact.

Abstract: A backplane connector includes a shielded design that has wafers with signal terminals supported as edge-coupled terminal pairs for differential signaling. A ground shield is mounted on each wafer and provides a U-channel that partially shields each terminal pair. The wafers omit a ground terminal between adjacent terminal pairs. An insert can be provided to help connect the ground shield to a U-shield to provide U-shaped shielding structure substantially the entire way from a tail to a contact.

Abstract: A connector system is disclosed that can include a first and second connector. The first connector supports a channel terminal that is U-shaped and includes a mating edge. The second connector includes one or more wafers that support signal terminals arranged in an edge-coupled manner. Ground terminals in the one or more wafers are positioned on two sides of a pair of signal terminals and are configured to engage the mating edge of the channel terminal. Each wafer can include a shield mounted on a side of the wafer. The shield can include arms that electrically engage ground terminals.