Abstract: A wafer assembly of an electrical connector system may include a metal center ground plane and a plurality of plastic ribs overmolded on the metal center ground plane. The plastic ribs may be positioned in a configuration that forms a plurality of electrical contact channels on the metal center ground plane. An array of electrical contacts may be positioned substantially within the plurality of electrical contact channels. In some implementations, the electrical connector system may also include a wafer housing and a header module that include guidance components that align the header module with the wafer housing when the wafer housing mates with the header module. The electrical connector system may also include a power contact that passes through aligned openings in the wafer housing and the header module to provide a power transmission path between the first substrate and the second substrate.

Abstract: An electrical connector system may include a center housing that defines a plurality of first electrical contact channels on a first side face of the center housing and a plurality of second electrical contact channels on a second side face of the center housing. A first array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of first electrical contact channels on the first side face of the center housing. A second array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of second electrical contact channels on the second side face of the center housing. The first array of electrical contacts is paired with a third array of electrical contacts to form a first plurality of differential pairs of electrical contacts. The second array of electrical contacts is paired with a fourth array of electrical contacts to form a second plurality of differential pairs of electrical contacts.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes an electrical connector having an outer end and a plurality of pins at the outer end. The connector assembly also includes a mating adapter having a mating interface and a mounting interface. The mating interface engages the outer end and the mounting interface is configured to engage a circuit board. The mating adapter has conductors extending between the mating interface and the mounting interface. The conductors receive corresponding pins of the electrical connector. The mating adapter has surface mount elements arranged on the mounting interface that are electrically connected to corresponding conductors and are configured to be terminated to the circuit board to electrically interconnect the electrical connector and the circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector system may include multiple wafer assemblies configured to engage with a substrate. A ground strip of the electrical connector system may be coupled with a first wafer assembly and a second wafer assembly. The ground strip is configured to engage with the substrate and provide a common ground potential between the first wafer assembly, the second wafer assembly, and the substrate.

Abstract: An electrical connector system may include a plurality wafer assemblies that engage with a substrate. Each wafer assembly includes a housing that defines a plurality of projections extending from an edge of the housing at a mounting end of the wafer assembly. At least a portion of a projection of the plurality of projections of the housing is dimensioned to fit into a corresponding hole in a substrate when the housing is engaged with the substrate. In some implementations, the projection is positioned on the housing to block a line-of-sight between a first signal substrate engagement element of an array of electrical contacts associated with the housing and a second signal substrate engagement element of the array of electrical contacts.

Abstract: An electrical connector system may include a center housing that defines a plurality of first electrical contact channels on a first side face of the center housing and a plurality of second electrical contact channels on a second side face of the center housing. A first array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of first electrical contact channels on the first side face of the center housing. A second array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of second electrical contact channels on the second side face of the center housing. The first array of electrical contacts is paired with a third array of electrical contacts to form a first plurality of differential pairs of electrical contacts. The second array of electrical contacts is paired with a fourth array of electrical contacts to form a second plurality of differential pairs of electrical contacts.

Abstract: A wafer assembly of an electrical connector system may include a metal center ground plane and a plurality of plastic ribs overmolded on the metal center ground plane. The plastic ribs may be positioned in a configuration that forms a plurality of electrical contact channels on the metal center ground plane. An array of electrical contacts may be positioned substantially within the plurality of electrical contact channels. In some implementations, the electrical connector system may also include a wafer housing and a header module that include guidance components that align the header module with the wafer housing when the wafer housing mates with the header module. The electrical connector system may also include a power contact that passes through aligned openings in the wafer housing and the header module to provide a power transmission path between the first substrate and the second substrate.

Abstract: An electrical connector system may include a plurality wafer assemblies that engage with a substrate. Each wafer assembly includes a housing that defines a plurality of projections extending from an edge of the housing at a mounting end of the wafer assembly. At least a portion of a projection of the plurality of projections of the housing is dimensioned to fit into a corresponding hole in a substrate when the housing is engaged with the substrate. In some implementations, the projection is positioned on the housing to block a line-of-sight between a first signal substrate engagement element of an array of electrical contacts associated with the housing and a second signal substrate engagement element of the array of electrical contacts.

Abstract: An electrical connector system may include multiple wafer assemblies configured to engage with a substrate. A ground strip of the electrical connector system may be coupled with a first wafer assembly and a second wafer assembly. The ground strip is configured to engage with the substrate and provide a common ground potential between the first wafer assembly, the second wafer assembly, and the substrate.

Abstract: Tails (20) projecting from an electrical component (12) that lies on a circuit board surface, are terminated to traces on a multi-layer circuit board (14) in a manner that minimizes the disadvantages of long through hole soldering and of surface mount techniques. A blind hole is drilled and plated to form a shallow well (70). The well is filled with a soldering composition (130). A tail (20) is projected downward into the soldering composition with the extreme tip of the tail lying above the bottom of the hole, and the soldering composition is heated to solder the tail to the hole plating.

Abstract: Tails (20) projecting from an electrical component (12) that lies on a circuit board surface, are terminated to traces on a multi-layer circuit board (14) in a manner that minimizes the disadvantages of long through hole soldering and of surface mount techniques. A blind hole is drilled and plated in a first layer (31) that will become the topmost layer of the stack, to form a shallow well (70). The well is filled with a soldering composition (130). A tail (20) is projected downward into the soldering composition, and the soldering composition is heated to solder the tail to the hole plating.

Abstract: Tails (20) projecting from an electrical component (12) that lies on a circuit board surface, are terminated to traces on a multi-layer circuit board (14) in a manner that minimizes the disadvantages of long through hole soldering and of surface mount techniques. A blind hole is drilled and plated in a first layer (31) that will become the topmost layer of the stack, to form a shallow well (70). The well is filled with a soldering composition (130). A tail (20) is projected downward into the soldering composition, and the soldering composition is heated to solder the tail to the hole plating.

Abstract: A card reader 20 includes a dielectric housing 22, a plurality of resilient connector elements 70 disposed along the bottom wall 28 of the housing 22 and adapted to establish electrical connection between contact pads 104 of a circuit board 102 and contact pads 96 of a card 90 inserted into a card-receiving slot 40 of the reader 20, a horizontal plate 42 slidably mounted within the housing 22, and an actuator 54 for moving the plate 42. The horizontal plate 42 is proximate the top surface of the housing 22 and is movable upon actuation toward a card 90 inserted into the card receiving slot 40 beneath the plate 42 to exert pressure on and moving the card 90 toward said bottom wall 28 to effect electrical engagement between the contact pads 96 of the card 90 and the resilient connector elements 70 that, in turn, engage the contact pads 104 of the board 102.