Connector apparatus

• US 20020123266A1
• Filed: 01/29/2002
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Ramey, Samuel C., Barr, Alexander W., Meredith, Kevin R., Kusters, Johannes Petrus Maria
• Application Number:
  US10/059,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123266A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/608
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/585 Terminals having a press fit or a compliant portion and a shank passing through a hole in the printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/514 composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/516 Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing , hoods
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6471 by special arrangement of ground and signal conductors, e.g. GSGS [Ground-Signal-Ground-Signal]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6586 for separating multiple connector modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/205 with a panel or printed circuit board

Abstract

An electrical header connector of the present invention includes a header body formed to include a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings. The header body having a front wall and a back wall. A plurality of signal pins are configured for insertion into the plurality of first openings. Each signal pin includes a first end extending from the front wall of the header body to form an array of pin contacts, and a second end spaced apart from the first end and extending from the back wall of the header body. A plurality of shield blades are configured for insertion into the plurality of second openings. Each of the plurality of shield blades has a first end extending from the front wall of the header body adjacent to the first end of a signal pin, a second end extending from the back wall of the header body adjacent to the second end of the signal pin, and a generally right angle shielding portion configured to be disposed adjacent to an intermediate portion of the signal pin. The first and second openings are arranged in the header body such that the generally right angle shielding portions of shield blades substantially surround the signal pins to form a coaxial shield around each of the plurality of signal pins.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a housing,

a plurality of horizontal shields configured for insertion into the housing, and

a plurality of connector modules configured for insertion into the housing, each connector module including an insulated material encasing a plurality of conductive paths, each coupled to a forwardly-extending receptacle contact, the receptacle contacts are formed to include a plurality of horizontally-extending slots configured to receive the horizontal shields when the connector modules are inserted into the housing.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein each connector module includes a vertical shield extending along a first side thereof, wherein each vertical shield includes a plurality of shield fingers extending forwardly in substantial alignment with the forwardly-extending receptacle contacts, and wherein the forwardly-extending shield fingers engage the horizontal shields to form coaxial shields around the receptacle contacts when the connector modules are inserted into the housing.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the shield fingers are formed to include a plurality of horizontally-extending slots configured to receive the horizontal shields when the connector modules are inserted into the housing.

4. The connector of claim 2, wherein the coaxial shields are formed around pairs of receptacle contacts.

5. The connector of claim 4, wherein the pairs of receptacle contacts enclosed in coaxial shields form differential pairs in adjacent columns.

6. The connector of claim 4, wherein the pairs of receptacle contacts enclosed in coaxial shields form differential pairs in adjacent rows.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein the horizontally-extending slots formed by the receptacle contacts are formed between successive pairs of receptacle contacts.

8. An electrical connector comprising:

a plurality of connector modules, each connector module including an insulated material encasing a plurality of conductive paths, each connector module being further formed to include a plurality of laterally-extending openings which are interleaved with the plurality of conductive paths,

a plurality of shields including first shield portions extending along first sides of the plurality of connector modules and second shield portions extending into the laterally-extending openings in the plurality of connector modules to form coaxial shields around the conductive paths, and

a housing configured to receive the plurality of connector modules and shields.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the coaxial shields are formed around pairs of conductive paths.

10. An electrical connector comprising:

a housing,

a plurality of connector modules configured for insertion into the housing, each connector module including an insulated material encasing a plurality of conductive paths, each connector module being further formed to include a plurality of passageways which are interleaved with the plurality of conductive paths, and which extend laterally between opposite sides of the connector modules,

a plurality of first shields configured for insertion into the housing, each first shield extending along a first side of an associated connector module, the first shields being formed to include a plurality of passageways extending laterally between opposite sides thereof in substantial alignment with the passageways in the connector modules to form a plurality of laterally-extending channels, and

a plurality of second shields configured for insertion into the plurality of laterally-extending channels in the plurality of connector modules and first shields, the second shields being electrically coupled to the first shields to form coaxial shields around the conductive paths.

11. The connector of claim 10, wherein the coaxial shields are formed around pairs of conductive paths.

13. The connector of claim 12, wherein the coaxial shields are formed around pairs of conductive paths.

12. An electrical connector comprising:

a housing,

a plurality of connector modules, each connector module including an insulated material encasing a plurality of conductive paths, the plurality of connector modules being coupled to the housing, each connector module being formed to include a plurality of passageways which are interleaved with the plurality of conductive paths,

a plurality of first shields extending along a first side of an associated connector module, and

a plurality of second shields, each second shield being configured for insertion into one of the passageways formed by the plurality of connector modules, the plurality of first shields being electrically coupled to the plurality of second shields to form coaxial shields around the conductive paths.

14. An electrical connector comprising:

a body formed to include a front wall, a back wall, and a plurality of first and second openings extending through the body to provide a passageway through the front and back walls,

a plurality of signal pins configured for insertion into the plurality of first openings, each signal pin including a first end extending from the front wall of the body to form an array of pin contacts, and a second end spaced apart from the first end and extending from the back wall of the body, and

a plurality of shield blades configured for insertion into the plurality of second openings, each of the plurality of shield blades having a first end extending from the front wall of the body adjacent to the first end of a signal pin, a second end extending from the back wall of the body adjacent to the second end of said signal pin and a generally right angle shielding portion configured to be disposed adjacent to an intermediate portion of said signal pin.