Abstract: An electrical connector housing including a main housing member and at least one protective wafer. The main housing member has a contact locating area. Opposite sides of the contact locating area include slots for receiving opposite end portions of insertable wafers. The at least one protective wafer is configured to be located in the contact locating area and includes opposite end portions adapted to be matingly slid into a pair of the slots. The protective wafer has a top side configured to project above top ends of contacts located in the contact locating area. The protective wafer and the main housing member are sized and shaped to combine to help prevent a user's finger from contacting the top ends of the contacts located in the contact locating area.

Abstract: In accordance with the various embodiments disclosed herein, electrical connector footprints, such as printed circuit boards, is described comprising one or more of signal traces that each include a first section that extends parallel to the linear array direction and a second section extends in a direction that is different than the linear array direction.

Abstract: In accordance with the various embodiments disclosed herein, an improved electrical connector footprints, such as printed circuit boards (printed circuit board), is described comprising one or more of, for example, a first linear array containing at least a first anti-pad extending along a first direction, a first electrical signal trace extending along the first direction and spaced from the first linear array along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, a group of ground isolation vias containing at least one electrically conductive ground via arranged along a line extending parallel to the first direction and spaced from the first electrical signal trace along the second direction, and a second linear array containing at least a second anti-pad extending along the first direction spaced from the group of ground isolation vias along the second direction.

Abstract: Example electrical connectors are provided including a plurality of electrical contacts configured to communicate between electrical devices. The plurality of electrical contacts includes a plurality of ground contacts. A ground coupling assembly is configured to electrically connect ground contacts of an electrical connector to adjust a performance characteristic of the electrical connector as desired.

Abstract: An electrical connector may include a first connector with electrically-conductive contacts. The contacts may have blade-shaped mating ends, and may be arranged in a centerline. The electrical connector may include a second connector with electrically-conductive receptacle contacts, which may also be arranged in a centerline. The connectors may be mated such that the mating portion of a first contact in the second connector may physically contact of a corresponding blade-shaped mating end of a contact in the first connector.

Abstract: Electrical connector assemblies are provided that include electrical connectors having electrical contacts that have receptacle mating ends are provided. The connector housings of the provided electrical connectors include alignment members that are capable of performing staged alignment of components of the electrical connector assemblies. The provided electrical connector assemblies and the electrical connectors provided therein are capable of operating at a data transfer rate of forty gigabits per second with worst case multi-active cross talk that does not exceed a range of about two percent to about four percent.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing and a plurality of electrical contacts carried by the dielectric housing. The electrical contacts can each define a mating portion that is configured to mate with a complementary mating portion of a complementary electrical connector. When the electrical connector is mated with a complementary electrical connector, a plurality of contact surfaces of the mating portions can contact a complementary mating portion, so as to establish an electrical connection between the electrical connector and the complementary electrical connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector may include a first connector with electrically-conductive contacts. The contacts may have blade-shaped mating ends, and may be arranged in a centerline. The electrical connector may include a second connector with electrically-conductive receptacle contacts, which may also be arranged in a centerline. The connectors may be mated such that the mating portion of a first contact in the second connector may physically contact of a corresponding blade-shaped mating end of a contact in the first connector.

Abstract: A row-based electrical connector includes a connector housing that supports a plurality of electrical contacts that define broadside coupled differential signal pairs along a row direction. The electrical connector further includes conductive ground shields disposed between adjacent differential signal pairs, and a conductive plate in electrical communication with the ground shields and electrically isolated from the differential signal pairs.

Abstract: An electrical connector system having electrical contacts with reduced normal force is provided. The electrical contacts can define cantilevered beams of extended length, such that normal forces exerted by the electrical contacts on the electrical contacts of a complementary electrical connector are reduced. The beams of the electrical contacts can be coupled by a tie bar that can act to enhance the structural rigidity of the electrical contact.

Abstract: A staggered mounting electrical connector assembly can include a shroud and an electrical connector. The electrical connector can include a connector housing, and the shroud can be configured to be mounted to the connector housing in a staggered fashion. The shroud and the connector housing can include complementary alignment members configured to interface with each other. The alignment members can act to align mounting members defined by the shroud during the process of mounting the shroud and the connector housing to an underlying substrate, such as a printed circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector may include a first connector with electrically-conductive contacts. The contacts may have blade-shaped mating ends, and may be arranged in a centerline. The electrical connector may include a second connector with electrically-conductive receptacle contacts, which may also be arranged in a centerline. The connectors may be mated such that the mating portion of a first contact in the second connector may physically contact of a corresponding blade-shaped mating end of a contact in the first connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector system includes a first electrical connector having a mounting interface and a mating interface, wherein the mounting interface is configured to electrically connect to an electrical component, and the mating interface is configured to electrically connect to a complementary electrical connector along a forward insertion direction. The electrical connector system further includes a heat sink disposed forward of the first electrical connector, the heat sink defining an engagement surface configured to contact the complementary electrical connector when the first electrical connector is mated with the complementary electrical connector. The heat sink is movably supported in a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the insertion direction so as to maintain the engagement surface in thermal contact with the complementary electrical connector.

Abstract: An electrical power connector comprises a housing having a mounting interface and a mating interface. The mating interface defines a plurality of receptacles spaced apart in more than one direction. A plurality of electrical contacts is supported by the housing. These electrical contacts define respective mounting ends that are configured to electrically connect with an electrical component at the mounting interface, and opposed mating ends. At least one of the electrical contacts defines a common contact beam disposed within at least a select one of the receptacles. This common contact beam is configured to be electrically connected to a pair of adjacent electrical contacts of a mated electrical connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing; ground contacts; and signal contacts. The signal contacts are differential signal pairs. The electrical connector is a right angle connector. First ends of the ground contacts are in a center row. First ends of a first one of the each differential signal pair are on a first side row at a first side of the center row. First ends of a second one of the differential signal pairs are on a second side row at a second opposite side of the center row. At least one of the first ends of the ground contacts is provided between the first ends of two of the differential signal pairs. An assembly is provided including the electrical connector and a printed circuit board having the electrical connector mounted thereon. The printed circuit board includes through-holes with a shared single antipad one of the differential signal pair.

Abstract: An electrical connector housing including a contact locating area for locating electrical contacts; and a mating connector area configured to receive portions of a housing of a mating electrical connector. The mating connector area comprises a first wall forming a first area adjacent the contact locating area, and a second wall adjacent the contact locating area forming a second area separated from the contact locating area by the second wall. The first area and the second wall have a substantially same size and shape.

Abstract: An electrical connector housing including a main housing member and at least one protective wafer. The main housing member has a contact locating area. Opposite sides of the contact locating area include slots for receiving opposite end portions of insertable wafers. The at least one protective wafer is configured to be located in the contact locating area and includes opposite end portions adapted to be matingly slid into a pair of the slots. The protective wafer has a top side configured to project above top ends of contacts located in the contact locating area. The protective wafer and the main housing member are sized and shaped to combine to help prevent a user's finger from contacting the top ends of the contacts located in the contact locating area.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a plurality of leadframe assemblies having discrete signal contacts extending through a leadframe housing and defining opposed mating ends and mounting ends. The leadframes lack discrete ground contacts, and instead includes a ground plate having a plurality of mating ends, such that the mating end of at least one signal contact is disposed between a pair of the mating ends of the ground plate. The ground plate further includes a ground coupling bar connected between the pair of mating ends of the ground plate.

Abstract: A printed circuit board electrical power contact for connecting a daughter printed circuit hoard to a mating contact on another electrical component. The power contact includes a main section; at least one daughter board electrical contact section extending from the main section; and at least one mating connector contact section extending from the main section. The mating connector contact section includes at least three forward projecting beams. A first one of the beams extends outward in a first direction as the first beam extends forward from the main section and has a contact surface facing the first direction. Two second ones of the beams are located on opposite sides of the first beam and extend outward in a second opposite direction as the second beams extend forward from the main section. The second beams have contact surfaces facing the second direction.