Abstract: A backplane electrical connector electrically and physically connects a daughter card printed circuit board to a backplane printed circuit board. The electrical connect can be of a two-piece construction including a daughtercard connector mateable with a pin header. The daughtercard connector can be assembled from a plurality of wafers which each can include a plurality of conductive leads. The wafers can have an attachment edge that lies adjacent to the daughtercard and a mating edge that is directed toward the pin header. Each conductive lead can include a bifurcated contact extending from the mating edge and each can have a first arm and a second arm. The first and second arms can provide two redundant points of contact with a corresponding conductive pin disposed in the pin header.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a plurality of connector units each having a pair of columns of edge coupled differential signal pairs separated by a ground shield terminal. The ground shield terminals each face a different signal pair of terminals in an adjacent column. Notwithstanding the different size and configurations of the ground and signal terminals, the terminals have mounting tail portions that are disposed in a uniform array different from the arrangement of the body portions of the terminals of the connector unit. The mounting tail portions are of a reduced length which benefit the electrical performance of the connector where it meets its supporting circuit board.

Abstract: A backplane electrical connector electrically and physically connects a daughter card printed circuit board to a backplane printed circuit board. The electrical connect can be of a two-piece construction including a daughtercard connector mateable with a pin header. The daughtercard connector can be assembled from a plurality of wafers which each can include a plurality of conductive leads. The wafers can have an attachment edge that lies adjacent to the daughtercard and a mating edge that is directed toward the pin header. Each conductive lead can include a bifurcated contact extending from the mating edge and each can have a first arm and a second arm. The first and second arms can provide two redundant points of contact with a corresponding conductive pin disposed in the pin header.

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 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 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. The housing includes a hollow recess formed on its bottom that opens to the front of the connector housing. This recess serves as a keyway that may receive a male portion of an opposing mating connector to ensure the mating connector is oriented properly before engagement.

Abstract: An EMI gasket takes the form of a formed conductive shroud that completely encircles a metal shielding cage. The shroud has an opening that is surrounded by a plurality of sides and all of the sides contain slots that receive spring contacts of a metal shielding cage. The slots contain shoulders to limit the travel of the spring contacts within the shroud slots and thereby limit the travel of the shroud on the shielding cage.

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 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 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. The housing includes a hollow recess formed on its bottom that opens to the front of the connector housing. This recess serves as a keyway that may receive a male portion of an opposing mating connector to ensure the mating connector is oriented properly before engagement.

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: 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: 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 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 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 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 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: Slot transmission lines are formed in dielectric substrates. Several of such substrates can be stacked together. When stacked together, the conductive surfaces that form the transmission lines can be terminated in the same plane whereat the conductive surfaces form contact terminals. The co-planar contact terminals can be coupled to contact points on a circuit board. Signals on the circuit board can thereby be coupled into the slot transmission lines that extend through the dielectric substrates.

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.