Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing defining an interior cavity and extending from a mounting end to an engagement end, and at least one signal component disposed within the interior cavity of the housing. The housing is formed from a conductive composite material and engages the at least one signal component to shield the interior cavity.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a carrier having an upper surface and a lower surface. The carrier includes a plurality of contact openings therethrough. The electrical connector assembly includes contacts coupled to the carrier and passing through the corresponding contact openings. Each contact has a conductive polymer column extending between an upper mating interface and a lower mating interface. The conductive polymer column includes an inner core manufactured from a first material and an outer shell manufactured from a second material. The second material has a higher electrical conductivity than the first material. The first material has a lower compression set than the second material.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided and includes a carrier having an upper surface and a lower surface. The lower surface is configured to face a host circuit board. The upper surface is configured to face a component circuit board of an electrical component. The carrier includes a plurality of contact openings therethrough. The electrical connector assembly includes contacts coupled to the carrier and passing through the corresponding contact openings. Each contact has a conductive polymer column extending between an upper mating interface and a lower mating interface. The conductive polymer column is compressible between the upper mating interface and the lower mating interface. The conductive polymer column includes an inner core and an outer support body. The inner core is manufactured from a first material. The outer support body is manufactured from a second material. The second material has a lower compression set than the first material.

Abstract: Electrical connector includes a housing, signal contacts, and ground shields. The signal contacts are coupled to the housing and positioned for mating with mating signal contacts of a mating connector. The ground shields are coupled to the housing and at least partially surround the signal contacts to shield the signal contacts. The ground shields are plated with a ground-material composition along one or more contact segments of the ground shields that come into compression engagement with one or more other conductive members. The ground-material composition includes a tin-nickel (Sn/Ni) alloy plating layer. The signal contacts are plated with a signal-material composition that is different than the ground-material composition.

Abstract: Electrical connector includes a housing and a mating array having a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts that are coupled to the housing. The signal contacts and the ground contacts are positioned for mating with signal conductors and ground conductors, respectively, of a mating connector. The ground contacts are plated with a ground-material composition and the signal contacts are plated with a signal-material composition. The ground-material composition is configured to cause a first low-level contact resistance (LLCR) while mated with the ground conductors during operation. The signal-material composition is configured to cause a second LLCR while mated with the signal conductors during operation. The second LLCR is less than the first LLCR during operation.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a carrier having an upper surface and a lower surface and having a plurality of contact openings therethrough. The electrical connector assembly includes contacts received in corresponding contact openings forming a contact array. Each contact has a conductive polymer column extending between an upper mating interface and a lower mating interface. The contacts in the contact array have variable heights to vary relative positions of at least one of the upper mating interfaces or the lower mating interfaces of the contacts.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and contact modules held by the housing. The contact modules include ground shields having ground contacts. The contact modules have a dielectric carrier that holds signal contacts. The ground contacts are configured for mating with corresponding ground contacts of a complementary mating connector, and are plated with a ground contact plating that includes at least one ground contact plating material. An interface between the ground contacts held and the corresponding ground contacts of the complementary mating connector has a first contact resistance. The signal contacts are configured for mating with corresponding signal contacts of the mating connector, and are plated with a signal contact plating. An interface between the signal contacts held and the signal contacts of the complimentary mating connector has a second contact resistance. The second contact resistance is lower than the first contact resistance.

Abstract: A communication system includes first and second circuit card assemblies each having a PCB and an electrical connector having a mating end and contacts. The first electrical connector has a receptacle housing and a mating housing received in the receptacle housing with cam levers therebetween. The second electrical connector has a header housing and driving elements interfacing with the cam levers to actuate the mating housing relative to the receptacle housing. The PCB includes a slot receiving the other PCB in a board loading direction and the header housing is coupled to the receptacle housing in the board loading direction to interface the driving elements with the cam levers. The mating housing is movable away from the second mating end to a preloaded position by the driving elements and is movable toward the second mating end to a mated position by the driving elements.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first circuit card assembly having a first PCB and a first electrical connector having a receptacle housing and a mating housing received in the receptacle housing and being movable in the receptacle housing in a connector mating direction along a connector mating axis. The second circuit card assembly includes a second PCB and a second electrical connector having a header housing holding second contacts. The first PCB and/or the second PCB includes a slot receiving the other PCB in a board loading direction. The receptacle housing is coupled to the header housing in the board loading direction and the mating housing is movable within the receptacle housing toward the header housing in a connector mating direction generally perpendicular to the board loading direction.

Abstract: A communication system includes first and second circuit card assemblies each having a PCB and an electrical connector having a mating end and contacts. The first electrical connector has a receptacle housing and a mating housing received in the receptacle housing with cam levers therebetween. The second electrical connector has a header housing and driving elements interfacing with the cam levers to actuate the mating housing relative to the receptacle housing. The PCB includes a slot receiving the other PCB in a board loading direction and the header housing is coupled to the receptacle housing in the board loading direction to interface the driving elements with the cam levers. The mating housing is movable away from the second mating end to a preloaded position by the driving elements and is movable toward the second mating end to a mated position by the driving elements.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a contact organizer having a substrate having a lower surface facing the host circuit board and an upper surface facing a component circuit board. The electrical connector includes data transmission contacts each including a main body, a upper mating element extending from the main body top mated to the component circuit board, and a lower mating element extending from the main body bottom soldered to the host circuit board. The main body includes a main body length between the top and the bottom and an adjustable height section to adjust a height of the main body between the top and the bottom. The adjustable height sections of the data transmission contacts are varied to adjust vertical positions of at least one of the upper mating element or the lower mating element such that the contacts have variable heights.

Abstract: A contact module includes a dielectric holder holding signal contacts having mating portions extending forward of the dielectric holder. A shield structure is coupled to the dielectric holder providing electrical shielding for the signal contacts. The shield structure has first and second ground shields having corresponding mating portions extending forward of the mating end of the dielectric holder. The shield structure has ground blades extending between the first and second ground shields having mating portions extending forward of the mating end of the dielectric holder at least one of above or below the mating portions of the signal contacts. The ground blades electrically connect the mating portions of the first ground shield and the mating portions of the second ground shield immediately forward of the mating end of dielectric holder.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of conductors held within the housing. The conductors are configured to electrically connect to mating conductors of a mating connector. The conductors each extend a length between a mating end and a mounting end of the respective conductor. One or more of the conductors include a copper alloy core, a copper plating layer, and a protective outer layer. The copper plating layer surrounds the copper alloy core, and is composed of a different material than the copper alloy core. The protective outer layer is disposed on and surrounds the copper plating layer. The protective outer layer is composed of a non-conductive polymeric material.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a front housing and a contact module received in a cavity of the front housing having a frame assembly including a dielectric holder holding signal contacts. Each signal contact has a mating end and a terminating end. A ground shield is coupled to the dielectric holder for shielding the signal contacts. The ground shield has a ground pad at the mating end, mating beams extending from the ground pad for mating with corresponding header ground shields of a header connector and ground beams between corresponding mating beams for mating with corresponding header ground shields.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing defining an interior cavity and extending from a mounting end to an engagement end, and at least one signal component disposed within the interior cavity of the housing. The housing is formed from a conductive composite material and engages the at least one signal component to shield the interior cavity.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first circuit card assembly having a first PCB including a first slot and a first electrical connector mounted to the first PCB along the first slot and having a first mating end. The communication system includes a second circuit card assembly having a second PCB and a second electrical connector mounted to the second PCB and having a second mating end. The first and second circuit card assemblies are mated along a board mating axis parallel to the first slot with the first PCB oriented perpendicular to the second PCB. The first and second mating ends are oriented parallel to the board mating axis. The second PCB is received in the first slot to align the second mating end with the first mating end.

Abstract: A communication system includes first and second circuit card assemblies mated such that first and second PCBs move relative to each other along a board mating axis parallel to a slot in the first PCB with the first PCB oriented perpendicular to the second PCB and with first and second mating ends of first and second electrical connectors oriented parallel to the board mating axis. The first and second circuit card assemblies are mated such that the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector move relative to each other along a connector mating axis perpendicular to the board mating axis. Mating interfaces the contacts are oriented at contact mating angles non-parallel to the board loading axis and non-parallel to the connector mating axis.

Abstract: A contact module includes a dielectric holder holding signal contacts having mating portions extending forward of the dielectric holder. A shield structure is coupled to the dielectric holder providing electrical shielding for the signal contacts. The shield structure has first and second ground shields having corresponding mating portions extending forward of the mating end of the dielectric holder. The shield structure has ground blades extending between the first and second ground shields having mating portions extending forward of the mating end of the dielectric holder at least one of above or below the mating portions of the signal contacts. The ground blades electrically connect the mating portions of the first ground shield and the mating portions of the second ground shield immediately forward of the mating end of dielectric holder.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a front housing and a contact module received in a cavity of the front housing having a frame assembly including a dielectric holder holding signal contacts. Each signal contact has a mating end and a terminating end. A ground shield is coupled to the dielectric holder for shielding the signal contacts.

Abstract: Electrical connector includes a housing, signal contacts, and ground shields. The signal contacts are coupled to the housing and positioned for mating with mating signal contacts of a mating connector. The ground shields are coupled to the housing and at least partially surround the signal contacts to shield the signal contacts. The ground shields are plated with a ground-material composition along one or more contact segments of the ground shields that come into compression engagement with one or more other conductive members. The ground-material composition includes a tin-nickel (Sn/Ni) alloy plating layer. The signal contacts are plated with a signal-material composition that is different than the ground-material composition.