Abstract: A surface mount connector for high speed data transfer application has an insulative housing with a circuit card-receiving slot disposed along a front face thereof. A plurality of conductive terminals are supported by the housing so that contact portions of the terminals extend into the card slot. The terminals are formed with a thin configuration to reduce the overall capacitance of the terminals as a group as a means of regulating the impedance thereof. The terminals are supported on opposite faces of the connector housing, specifically the top and bottom faces thereof, and each of the terminals includes a tail portion, a contact portion and a retention portion that engages the connector housing so that the contact portions are cantilevered in their extent within the housing.

Abstract: Stacked receptacles in a connector that each provide side-by-side differential signal contacts, are attached to a circuit board without additional width to accommodate multiple layers of differential signals by using connector wafer inserts that rotate the side-by-side positioned differential signal contacts to front-to-back contacts.

Abstract: A surface mount connector for high speed data transfer application has an insulative housing with a vertically-oriented circuit card-receiving slot disposed along a front face thereof. A plurality of conductive terminals are supported by the housing so that contact portions of the terminals extend into the card slot. The terminals are formed with a thin configuration to reduce the overall capacitance of the terminals as a group as a means of regulating the impedance thereof. The terminals are supported on opposing sidewalls of the connector housing and each of the terminals includes a tail portion, a contact portion and a retention portion that engages the connector housing so that the contact portions are cantilevered in their extent within the housing.

Abstract: A shroud that forms a guide channel for a connector is disclosed and it has the shape of an inverted U-shape, with a press tab for engaging a mating connector. The shroud has notches and tabs formed on it that serve to orient the mating connector for entry into the shroud. A placement member is also described and it serves to hold the connector and the shroud together as a single unit for robotic placement of the shroud and connector in preselected positions on the circuit board.

Abstract: Stacked receptacles in a connector that each provide side-by-side differential signal contacts, are attached to a circuit board without additional width to accommodate multiple layers of differential signals by using connector wafer inserts that rotate the side-by-side positioned differential signal contacts to front-to-back contacts.

Abstract: A circuit board design is disclosed that is useful in high-speed differential signal applications uses either a via arrangement or a circuit trace exit structure. A pair of differential signal vias in a circuit board are surrounded by an opening that is formed within a ground plane disposed on another layer of the circuit board. The vias are connected to traces on the circuit board by way of an exit structure that includes two flag portions and associated angled portions that connect the flag portions to circuit board traces. In an alternate embodiment, the circuit board traces that leave the differential signal vias are disposed in one layer of the circuit board above a wide ground strip disposed on another layer of the circuit board.

Abstract: A circuit board design is disclosed that is useful in high-speed differential signal applications uses either a via arrangement or a circuit trace exit structure. A pair of differential signal vias in a circuit board are surrounded by an opening that is formed within a ground plane disposed on another layer of the circuit board. The vias are connected to traces on the circuit board by way of an exit structure that includes two flag portions and associated angled portions that connect the flag portions to circuit board traces. In an alternate embodiment, the circuit board traces that leave the differential signal vias are disposed in one layer of the circuit board above a wide ground strip disposed on another layer of the circuit board.

Abstract: A surface mount connector for high speed data transfer application has an insulative housing with a vertically-oriented circuit card-receiving slot disposed along a front face thereof. A plurality of conductive terminals are supported by the housing so that contact portions of the terminals extend into the card slot. The terminals are formed with a thin configuration to reduce the overall capacitance of the terminals as a group as a means of regulating the impedance thereof. The terminals are supported on opposing sidewalls of the connector housing and each of the terminals includes a tail portion, a contact portion and a retention portion that engages the connector housing so that the contact portions are cantilevered in their extent within the housing.

Abstract: A connector receptacle comprises a housing having a forward mating end and a rear end, with an internal surface provided within the housing facing toward the rear end. The internal surface comprises at least a one alignment structure to engage and thereby maintain one or more optical elements in horizontal and vertical alignment. A clip having at least one retention mechanism engages complementary features on the housing to thereby retain the clip in fixed alignment with the housing. The clip also comprises at least one resilient member to bias the at least one optical element into mating engagement with the one or more alignment structures. Where the housing and clip are fabricated from electrically conductive materials, the clip may comprise one or more corresponding continuity pins to be received in continuity slots of the housing. Features of the clip to accommodate either surface mounting or through-hole mounting configurations are provided.

Abstract: Stacked receptacles in a connector that each provide side-by-side differential signal contacts, are attached to a circuit board without additional width to accommodate multiple layers of differential signals by using connector wafer inserts that rotate the side-by-side positioned differential signal contacts to front-to-back contacts.

Abstract: A shroud that forms a guide channel for a connector is disclosed and it has the shape of an inverted U-shape, with a press tab for engaging a mating connector. The shroud has notches and tabs formed on it that serve to orient the mating connector for entry into the shroud. A placement member is also described and it serves to hold the connector and the shroud together as a single unit for robotic placement of the shroud and connector in preselected positions on the circuit board.

Abstract: A shroud that forms a guide channel for a connector is disclosed and it has the shape of an inverted U-shape, with a press tab for engaging a mating connector. The shroud has notches and tabs formed on it that serve to orient the mating connector for entry into the shroud. A placement member is also described and it serves to hold the connector and the shroud together as a single unit for robotic placement of the shroud and connector in preselected positions on the circuit board.

Abstract: A high speed connector includes a plurality of wafer-style components in which two columns of conductive terminals are supported in an insulative support body, the body including an internal cavity disposed between the two columns of conductive terminals. The terminals are arranged in horizontal pairs, and the internal cavity defines an air channel between each horizontal pair of terminals arranged in the two columns of terminals. The terminals are further aligned with each other in each row so that horizontal faces of the terminals in the two rows face each other to thereby promote broadside coupling between horizontal pairs of terminals.

Abstract: An EMI gasket takes the form of a metal shroud that completely encircles a metal shielding cage. The shroud has an opening that is surrounded by a plurality of sides and each side has first and second flanges, which respectively contact the inner surface of the device faceplate and the exterior surfaces of the shielding cage. A pair of spring arms are provided in order to apply a biasing force against the shroud, thereby forcing it into contact with the faceplate. The spring arms each include a torsion loop, and each loop engages the shielding cage and fixes the rear position of the spring arms.

Abstract: A shielded housing that provides a shield to a circuit board connector of the SFP-style includes a conductive body that encompasses the connector. The housing has an opening that defines an entrance of the housing through which an opposing mating connector may be inserted. The housing also includes a pair of engagement tabs that are bent inwardly of the housing at an angle thereto and these tabs engage openings formed in a shell of a plug connector that mates with the SFP-style connector. The tabs rest in the openings and may be released by way of latching mechanism that is part of the plug connector. This mechanism includes a handle and two arms that extend lengthwise. The arms end in cam portions that contact and lift the engagement ends out of the plug connector shell openings to unlatch the plug connector from the SFP-style connector.

Abstract: A plug connector is disclosed that has a body portion and a circuit card extending forwardly of a mating face of the connector. The circuit card is protected in place by a pair of protective flanges that extend forwardly from the body portion and which flank the circuit card to protect it from stubbing and to provide a first means for aligning the plug connector with the receptacle connector. One or more projections formed on the exterior of the plug connector provide second means for aligning the plug connector with the receptacle connector.

Abstract: A shroud that forms a guide channel for a receptacle connector is disclosed and it has the shape of an inverted U-shape, with a press tab for engaging a mating connector. The shroud has notches and tabs formed on it that serve to orient the mating connector for entry into the shroud. A placement member is described that holds the connector and the shroud together as a single unit for robotic placement of the shroud and connector in preselected positions on the circuit board.

Abstract: A plug connector is disclosed that has a body portion and a circuit card extending forwardly of a mating face of the connector. The circuit card is protected in place by one or more protective flanges that extend forwardly from the body portion and which flank the circuit card to protect it from stubbing and to provide a means for aligning the plug connector with the receptacle connector. The body portion has a hollow frame that supports the circuit card and the interior of the frame is filled with a molding material, such as plastic.

Abstract: A surface mount connector has a dielectric housing with first and second opposing mating faces. The first mating face includes first terminals and the second mating face includes second terminals. The first and second terminals each have a tail portion, a contact portion and a terminal retention portion. The terminal retention portion engages the connector housing, and an opening, or hole, is formed in the retention section of the terminal.

Abstract: A connector assembly is provided with opposing and interengageable first and second connector components. Each of the two components has internal cavities that contain terminal assemblies of either plug or receptacle structure and may further include either a plurality of power terminals or differential signal terminals. The terminals have contact portions, tail portions and interconnecting portions that are partially encapsulated by an insulative outer support frames. The shell forms a wafer and two such wafers are combined together to form a terminal assembly. The terminal assemblies are identical in shape, other than for an engagement means that serves to hold two subframes together as a single assembly.