Cable header connector

• US 8,449,330 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Schroll, Neil Franklin, Minnick, Timothy Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): GUSHI, ROSS N
• Application Number:
  US13/314,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20130149898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 43960705-60715
• US Class Current: 439/607.06
• 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 13/6586 for separating multiple connector modules

Abstract

A cable header connector includes a contact module having a support body and a plurality of cable assemblies held by the support body and arranged in a column. The cable assemblies include a contact sub-assembly configured to be terminated to a cable, and a ground shield coupled to and providing electrical shielding for the contact sub-assembly. The contact sub-assembly has a pair of signal contacts extending between mating ends and terminating ends. The signal contacts are terminated to corresponding signal wires of the cable at the terminating ends. A ground bridge is coupled to the support body and is electrically conductive. The ground bridge includes intercolumn bridges arranged between corresponding cable assemblies. The intercolumn bridges engage and are electrically connected to the ground shields of corresponding cable assemblies on both sides of the intercolumn bridges. The ground bridge electrically connects corresponding cable assemblies engaged by the intercolumn bridges.

Claims

1. A cable header connector comprising:

a contact module having a support body and a plurality of cable assemblies held by the support body and arranged in a column;

the cable assemblies comprising a contact sub-assembly configured to be terminated to a cable and a ground shield coupled to and providing electrical shielding for the contact sub-assembly, the contact sub-assembly having a pair of signal contacts extending between mating ends and terminating ends, the signal contacts being terminated to corresponding signal wires of the cable at the terminating ends; and

a ground bridge coupled to the support body, the ground bridge being electrically conductive, the ground bridge including intercolumn bridges arranged between corresponding cable assemblies, the intercolumn bridges engaging and being electrically connected to the ground shields of corresponding cable assemblies on both sides of the intercolumn bridges, the ground bridge electrically connecting corresponding cable assemblies engaged by the intercolumn bridges.

2. The cable header connector of claim 1, wherein each intercolumn bridge includes a finger engaging one ground shield and a flexible beam extending from the finger and engaging another ground shield to electrically connect the ground shields.

3. The cable header connector of claim 1, wherein the ground bridge engages each of the ground shields of the contact module.

4. The cable header connector of claim 1, wherein the cable assemblies are stacked vertically in the column with spaces between the ground shields thereof, the intercolumn bridges being received in the spaces and engaging the ground shields both above and below the corresponding intercolumn bridges.

5. The cable header connector of claim 1, wherein the ground bridge includes a main body, the intercolumn bridges extending from the main body, the main body being coupled to the support body, the main body engaging and being electrically connected to the ground shields.

6. The cable header connector of claim 1, wherein the ground bridge includes a main body, the intercolumn bridges extending from the main body, the main body being coupled to the support body, the main body having a latch extending therefrom, the latch being configured to couple the contact module to a header housing used to hold the contact module.

7. The cable header connector of claim 1, wherein the ground bridge includes a main body, the intercolumn bridges extending from the main body, the main body having a footing embedded in the support body to secure the ground bridge to the support body.

8. The cable header connector of claim 1, wherein the ground bridge includes a main body, the ground bridge having strain relief tabs extending from the main body to engage the cable assemblies to provide strain relief between the cable assemblies and the cable.

9. A cable header connector comprising:

a contact module having a support body and a plurality of cable assemblies held by the support body and arranged in a column;

the cable assemblies comprising a contact sub-assembly configured to be terminated to a cable and a ground shield coupled to and providing electrical shielding for the contact sub-assembly, the contact sub-assembly having a pair of signal contacts extending between mating ends and terminating ends, the signal contacts being terminated to corresponding signal wires of the cable at the terminating ends, the cable assemblies having cable ends where the cables exit the cable assembly; and

a ground bridge coupled to the support body, the ground bridge being electrically conductive, the ground bridge including intercolumn bridges arranged between corresponding cable assemblies, the intercolumn bridges engaging and being electrically connected to the ground shields of corresponding cable assemblies on both sides of the intercolumn bridges, the ground bridge electrically connecting corresponding cable assemblies engaged by the intercolumn bridges, the ground bridge having strain relief tabs extending therefrom and positioned behind the cable ends of the cable assemblies.

10. The cable header connector of claim 9, wherein the strain relief tabs are configured to engage the cables to provide strain relief between the cable assemblies and the cable.

11. The cable header connector of claim 9, wherein channels are defined between the strain relief tabs, the channels are configured to receive the cables, the strain relief tabs being configured to engage the cables to provide strain relief between the cable assemblies and the cable.

12. The cable header connector of claim 9, wherein each intercolumn bridge includes a finger engaging one ground shield and a flexible beam extending from the finger and engaging another ground shield to electrically connect the ground shields.

13. The cable header connector of claim 9, wherein the ground bridge engages each of the ground shields of the contact module.

14. The cable header connector of claim 9, wherein the cable assemblies are stacked vertically in the column with spaces between the ground shields thereof, the intercolumn bridges being received in the spaces and engaging the ground shields both above and below the corresponding intercolumn bridges.

15. The cable header connector of claim 9, wherein the ground bridge includes a main body, the intercolumn bridges extending from the main body, the main body being coupled to the support body, the main body engaging and being electrically connected to the ground shields.

16. A cable header connector comprising:

a header housing having a base wall;

contact modules coupled to the base wall, the contact modules having a support body and a plurality of cable assemblies held by the support body and arranged in a column;

the cable assemblies comprising a contact sub-assembly configured to be terminated to a cable and a ground shield coupled to and providing electrical shielding for the contact sub-assembly, the contact sub-assembly having a pair of signal contacts extending between mating ends and terminating ends, the signal contacts being terminated to corresponding signal wires of the cable at the terminating ends; and

a ground bridge coupled to the support body, the ground bridge being electrically conductive, the ground bridge including intercolumn bridges arranged between corresponding cable assemblies, the intercolumn bridges engaging and being electrically connected to the ground shields of corresponding cable assemblies on both sides of the intercolumn bridges, the ground bridge electrically connecting corresponding cable assemblies engaged by the intercolumn bridges.

17. The cable header connector of claim 16, wherein each intercolumn bridge includes a finger engaging one ground shield and a flexible beam extending from the finger and engaging another ground shield to electrically connect the ground shields.

18. The cable header connector of claim 16, wherein the ground bridge engages each of the ground shields of the contact module.

19. The cable header connector of claim 16, wherein the cable assemblies are stacked vertically in the column with spaces between the ground shields thereof, the intercolumn bridges being received in the spaces and engaging the ground shields both above and below the corresponding intercolumn bridges.

20. The cable header connector of claim 16, wherein the ground bridge includes a main body, the intercolumn bridges extending from the main body, the main body being coupled to the support body, the main body engaging and being electrically connected to the ground shields.