Patents by Inventor Linda Ellen Shields

Linda Ellen Shields has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240128685
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a plurality of receptacle modules configured to be received in corresponding module channels in a receptacle cage. Each receptacle module has a housing holding a contact assembly. The housing has a card slot at a front of the housing. The contact assembly has contacts terminated to ends of cables. The contacts have mating ends at the card slot to mate with a pluggable module received in the receptacle cage. The connector assembly includes an integrator having integrator walls forming a plurality of chambers. Each chamber receives the corresponding receptacle module. The connector assembly includes a latch coupled to the integrator. The latch configured to be latchably coupled to the receptacle cage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Nitish Balakrishnan, Michael John Phillips, Eric David Briant, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Publication number: 20240088587
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a conductive housing having a mating end and a mounting end mounted to a circuit board. The conductive housing provides electrical shielding around pockets and includes ground pads at the mounting end configured to be terminated to the circuit board. The electrical connector includes contact assemblies held by the conductive housing each having a contact holder holding at least one contact. The contact holder is received in the corresponding pocket of the conductive housing to position the at least one contact relative to the conductive housing. Each contact includes a mating end and a terminating end coupled to a signal pad of the circuit board. The conductive housing provides circumferential shielding around each contact assembly between the contact holder and the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Dean Marlin Harmon, III, Dustin Grant Rowe, Linda Ellen Shields, Michael Streckewald, Zachary Galbraith, Nitish Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11581674
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of electrical conductors held within the housing. The housing includes a mating shroud protruding forward from a front wall of the housing and defining a port that receives a mating circuit card therein. Each of the electrical conductors includes a mating contact disposed within the mating shroud and a mounting contact that projects beyond a bottom end of the housing to electrically connect to a circuit board. The mounting contacts are located within a termination area of the electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS GmbH
    Inventors: Nathan Lincoln Tracy, David Patrick Orris, Chad William Morgan, Lucas Arthur Benson, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Patent number: 11398694
    Abstract: A plug connector assembly includes first and second plug connectors each including a plug housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall forming a cavity. The side walls include a housing securing feature. The plug connector assembly includes a flex jumper assembly coupled between the plug connectors having a flex circuit extending between first and second paddle cards. The paddle cards each include a rigid substrate having a mating end and side edges extending to a flex circuit end. The rigid substrate includes a plug connector securing feature at the side edge engaging the housing securing feature to retain the paddle card in the corresponding plug housing. The flex circuit is flexible between the first and second paddle cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY SERVICES GmbH
    Inventors: Randall Robert Henry, Linda Ellen Shields, Michael John Phillips, Brandon Michael Matthews
  • Publication number: 20220131294
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of electrical conductors held within the housing. The housing includes a mating shroud protruding forward from a front wall of the housing and defining a port that receives a mating circuit card therein. Each of the electrical conductors includes a mating contact disposed within the mating shroud and a mounting contact that projects beyond a bottom end of the housing to electrically connect to a circuit board. The mounting contacts are located within a termination area of the electrical connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Nathan Lincoln Tracy, David Patrick Orris, Chad William Morgan, Lucas Arthur Benson, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Publication number: 20220102888
    Abstract: A plug connector assembly includes first and second plug connectors each including a plug housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall forming a cavity. The side walls include a housing securing feature. The plug connector assembly includes a flex jumper assembly coupled between the plug connectors having a flex circuit extending between first and second paddle cards. The paddle cards each include a rigid substrate having a mating end and side edges extending to a flex circuit end. The rigid substrate includes a plug connector securing feature at the side edge engaging the housing securing feature to retain the paddle card in the corresponding plug housing. The flex circuit is flexible between the first and second paddle cards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Randall Robert Henry, Linda Ellen Shields, Michael John Phillips, Brandon Michael Matthews
  • Patent number: 11223147
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of electrical conductors held within the housing. The housing includes a mating shroud protruding forward from a front wall of the housing and defining a port that receives a mating circuit card therein. Each of the electrical conductors includes a mating contact disposed within the mating shroud and a mounting contact that projects beyond a bottom end of the housing to electrically connect to a circuit board. The mounting contacts are located within a termination area of the electrical connector. The housing defines a nesting cavity extending rearward from the front wall along the bottom end. The nesting cavity is disposed between the mating shroud and the termination area along a longitudinal axis of the electrical connector. The nesting cavity is configured to accommodate a discrete, second connector that is mounted to the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY SERVICES GmbH
    Inventors: Nathan Lincoln Tracy, David Patrick Orris, Chad William Morgan, Lucas Arthur Benson, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Patent number: 11011861
    Abstract: A stacked receptacle connector assembly includes a receptacle cage configured to be mounted to a circuit board, a lower communication connector assembly received in the receptacle cage, and an upper communication connector assembly stacked in the receptacle cage above the lower communication connector assembly. The receptacle cage has a divider between an upper and lower module channels receiving upper and lower pluggable modules. The lower communication connector assembly includes a lower communication connector. The upper communication connector assembly includes a paddle card, an upper communication connector mounted to the paddle card, and a cable assembly having cables electrically connected to the paddle card and extending from the paddle card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY SERVICES GmbH
    Inventors: Eric David Briant, Christopher David Ritter, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Publication number: 20210126392
    Abstract: A stacked receptacle connector assembly includes a receptacle cage configured to be mounted to a circuit board, a lower communication connector assembly received in the receptacle cage, and an upper communication connector assembly stacked in the receptacle cage above the lower communication connector assembly. The receptacle cage has a divider between an upper and lower module channels receiving upper and lower pluggable modules. The lower communication connector assembly includes a lower communication connector. The upper communication connector assembly includes a paddle card, an upper communication connector mounted to the paddle card, and a cable assembly having cables electrically connected to the paddle card and extending from the paddle card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Eric David Briant, Christopher David Ritter, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Publication number: 20200227847
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of electrical conductors held within the housing. The housing includes a mating shroud protruding forward from a front wall of the housing and defining a port that receives a mating circuit card therein. Each of the electrical conductors includes a mating contact disposed within the mating shroud and a mounting contact that projects beyond a bottom end of the housing to electrically connect to a circuit board. The mounting contacts are located within a termination area of the electrical connector. The housing defines a nesting cavity extending rearward from the front wall along the bottom end. The nesting cavity is disposed between the mating shroud and the termination area along a longitudinal axis of the electrical connector. The nesting cavity is configured to accommodate a discrete, second connector that is mounted to the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Nathan Lincoln Tracy, David Patrick Orris, Chad William Morgan, Lucas Arthur Benson, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Patent number: 10630010
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of signal conductors held within the housing. The housing includes a mating shroud protruding forward from a front wall of the housing and defining a port that receives a mating circuit card therein. Each of the signal conductors includes a mating contact disposed within the mating shroud and a mounting contact that projects beyond a bottom end of the housing to electrically connect to a circuit board. The mounting contacts are located within a termination area of the electrical connector. The housing defines a nesting cavity extending rearward from the front wall along the bottom end. The nesting cavity is disposed between the mating shroud and the termination area along a longitudinal axis of the electrical connector. The nesting cavity is configured to accommodate a discrete, second connector that is mounted to the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathan Lincoln Tracy, David Patrick Orris, Chad William Morgan, Lucas Arthur Benson, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Publication number: 20190214756
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of signal conductors held within the housing. The housing includes a mating shroud protruding forward from a front wall of the housing and defining a port that receives a mating circuit card therein. Each of the signal conductors includes a mating contact disposed within the mating shroud and a mounting contact that projects beyond a bottom end of the housing to electrically connect to a circuit board. The mounting contacts are located within a termination area of the electrical connector. The housing defines a nesting cavity extending rearward from the front wall along the bottom end. The nesting cavity is disposed between the mating shroud and the termination area along a longitudinal axis of the electrical connector. The nesting cavity is configured to accommodate a discrete, second connector that is mounted to the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Nathan Lincoln Tracy, David Patrick Orris, Chad William Morgan, Lucas Arthur Benson, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Patent number: 9871325
    Abstract: An interconnect system includes a circuit board including a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of ground conductors including respective contact pads in a mating area of the substrate for engaging corresponding contacts of an electrical connector, and a plurality of ground vias extending at least partially through the substrate between the first and second surfaces. The ground vias are coupled to corresponding ground conductors. The ground vias include lossy plugs at least partially filling the ground vias. The lossy plugs are manufactured from lossy material capable of absorbing electrical resonance propagating through the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sandeep Patel, Bruce Allen Champion, Linda Ellen Shields, Michael John Phillips, Thomas Taake de Boer, John Joseph Consoli
  • Patent number: 9865948
    Abstract: A plug connector includes a circuit card and a guide frame mounted to the circuit card. The circuit card is held by a housing. The circuit card includes a front edge and opposing outer edges. The circuit card defines a datum hole in a first surface. The circuit card further includes a set of contact pads along the first surface proximate to the front edge. The contact pads are registered relative to the datum hole. The guide frame has a base that has a post. The guide frame includes a frame member that extends from the base. An outer wall of the frame member is registered relative to the post. The post is received in the datum hole of the circuit card such that the outer wall of the frame member is registered relative to the contact pads, independent of locations of the outer edges of the circuit card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael John Phillips, Randall Robert Henry, Linda Ellen Shields, Thomas Taake de Boer, Michael David Herring
  • Patent number: 9768557
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a first end and a second end with a mating slot formed between the first and second ends configured to receive a mating connector having contact pads. A leadframe assembly is disposed in the housing. The leadframe assembly has a contact array including ground contacts and signal contacts interspersed between corresponding ground contacts. The leadframe assembly has an overmold body supporting the ground and signal contacts. The overmold body has lossy ground absorbers coupled to corresponding ground contacts. The lossy ground absorbers are manufactured from lossy material absorbing electrical resonance propagating through the leadframe assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael John Phillips, Thomas Taake de Boer, Bruce Allen Champion, John Joseph Consoli, Sandeep Patel, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Patent number: 9748697
    Abstract: Pluggable connector includes a plug housing configured to couple to a communication cable. The plug housing has a plug cavity. The pluggable connector also includes a module board that is disposed within the plug cavity and configured to be communicatively coupled to the communication cable. The module board has a mating edge configured to interface with a mating connector. The module board includes a plurality of signal pathways and a plurality of ground pathways in which the signal pathways are interleaved between corresponding ground pathways. The signal and ground pathways include respective contact pads that are disposed proximate to the mating edge for engaging corresponding contacts of the mating connector. Each of the ground pathways has separate first and second trace segments and a damping component that electrically joins the first and second trace segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION, TYCO ELECTRONICS JAPAN G.K.
    Inventors: Sandeep Patel, Linda Ellen Shields, Bruce Allen Champion, Chad William Morgan, Masayuki Aizawa
  • Publication number: 20170207579
    Abstract: An interconnect system includes a circuit board including a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of ground conductors including respective contact pads in a mating area of the substrate for engaging corresponding contacts of an electrical connector, and a plurality of ground vias extending at least partially through the substrate between the first and second surfaces. The ground vias are coupled to corresponding ground conductors. The ground vias include lossy plugs at least partially filling the ground vias. The lossy plugs are manufactured from lossy material capable of absorbing electrical resonance propagating through the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Sandeep Patel, Bruce Allen Champion, Linda Ellen Shields, Michael John Phillips, Thomas Taake de Boer, John Joseph Consoli
  • Publication number: 20170170606
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a first end and a second end with a mating slot formed between the first and second ends configured to receive a mating connector having contact pads. A leadframe assembly is disposed in the housing. The leadframe assembly has a contact array including ground contacts and signal contacts interspersed between corresponding ground contacts. The leadframe assembly has an overmold body supporting the ground and signal contacts. The overmold body has lossy ground absorbers coupled to corresponding ground contacts. The lossy ground absorbers are manufactured from lossy material absorbing electrical resonance propagating through the leadframe assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Michael John Phillips, Thomas Taake de Boer, Bruce Allen Champion, John Joseph Consoli, Sandeep Patel, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Patent number: 9666990
    Abstract: A plug connector includes a plug body having a terminating end terminated to an electrical component and a mating end mated with a mating electrical connector. The plug body has first and second outer sides. The plug body has pockets between the first and second outer sides. A plug shroud extends from the plug body at the terminating end that is configured to be coupled to the electrical component. A contact array is held by the plug body and includes signal and ground contacts. The signal and ground contacts are exposed along the first and second outer sides. At least some of the ground contacts are aligned with corresponding pockets. Resonance-control lossy inserts are provided in corresponding pockets adjacent corresponding ground contacts. The lossy inserts are manufactured from lossy material capable of absorbing electrical resonance propagating through the plug body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas Taake de Boer, Michael John Phillips, John Joseph Consoli, Sandeep Patel, Bruce Allen Champion, Linda Ellen Shields
  • Patent number: 9666998
    Abstract: A ground contact module includes a ground leadframe having a ground contact with a transition portion extending between mating and terminating ends. A ground dielectric body holds the ground leadframe. The ground dielectric body has a low loss layer overmolded over the ground leadframe. The ground dielectric body has a lossy band separate and discrete from the low loss layer and attached thereto in proximity to the ground contact such that the lossy band is electrically coupled to the ground contact. The lossy band is manufactured from lossy material having conductive particles in a dielectric binder material and absorbs electrical resonance propagating through the contact module stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas Taake de Boer, Michael John Phillips, John Joseph Consoli, Sandeep Patel, Bruce Allen Champion, Linda Ellen Shields