Cross-talk reduction in high speed electrical connectors

• US 20050164555A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCI Americas Technology Incorporated (FCI)
• Original Assignee: FCI Americas Technology Incorporated (FCI)
• Inventors: Sercu, Stefann Hendrik Josef, Houtz, Timothy W., Lemke, Timothy A., Smith, Stephen B., Shuey, Joseph B., Winings, Clifford L., Hull, Gregory A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,988,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/607.50
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• 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 13/6477 by variation of dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6587 for mounting on PCBs

Abstract

Lightweight, low-cost, high-density electrical connectors are disclosed that provide impedance-controlled, high-speed, low-interference communications, even in the absence of shields between the contacts, and that provide for a variety of other benefits not found in prior art connectors. An example of such an electrical connector may include a first signal contact positioned within a first array of electrical contacts and a second signal contact positioned within a second array of electrical contacts that is adjacent to the first linear array. Either of the signal contacts may be a single-ended signal conductor, or one of a differential signal pair. The connector may be devoid of shields between the signal contacts, and of ground contacts adjacent to the signal contacts.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a first differential signal pair disposed within a first column of electrical contacts, the first differential signal pair comprising a first positive conductor and a first negative conductor, the first column of electrical contacts disposed along a first line; and

a second differential signal pair disposed within a second column of electrical contacts, the second differential signal pair comprising a second positive conductor and a second negative conductor, the second column of electrical contacts disposed along a second line;

wherein the second column is adjacent to the first column, the second positive conductor is offset by a distance along the second line relative to the first positive conductor, and the second negative conductor is offset by the distance along the second line relative to the first negative conductor.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first differential signal pair comprises a pair of electrical contacts having a gap between them of between about 0.3 mm and about 0.4 mm.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is devoid of any ground contact adjacent to the first differential signal pair.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is devoid of any ground contact adjacent to the second differential signal pair.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein a first dielectric material is positioned between a first pair of signal contacts that form the first differential signal pair, a second dielectric material is positioned between the first column of electrical contacts and the second column of electrical contacts, and wherein the electrical connector is devoid of electrically conductive material between the first differential signal pair and the second differential signal pair.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material are the same material.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector operates at a speed exceeding 1 Gb/sec at an impedance of approximately 100±

8 ohms.

8. An electrical connector comprising:

a first signal contact disposed along a first linear array of electrical contacts, the first linear array of electrical contacts extending along a first line; and

a second signal contact disposed along a second linear array of electrical contacts, the second linear array of electrical contacts extending along a second line,

wherein the electrical connector has a nominal row pitch, and wherein the second signal contact is adjacent to the first signal contact and offset relative to the first signal contact along the second line by a distance that is less than the row pitch.

9. An electrical connector comprising:

a first signal contact disposed within a first array of electrical contacts, the first array disposed along a first line;

a second signal contact disposed within a second array of electrical contacts, the second array disposed along a second line; and

a third signal contact disposed along a third array of electrical contacts, the third array disposed along a third line

wherein the second array is adjacent to each of the first and third arrays, and the second signal contact is offset by a distance along the second line relative to at least one of the first and third signal contacts.

10. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the offset distance is measured from an edge of the first signal contact to a corresponding edge of the second signal contact.

11. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the electrical connector is devoid of electrically conductive material between the first array and the second array.

12. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the second array has a row pitch, and wherein the offset distance is equal to the row pitch.

13. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the second array has a row pitch, and wherein the offset distance is less than the row pitch.

14. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the second array has a row pitch, and wherein the offset distance is greater than the row pitch.

15. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the first signal contact is disposed at a first end of the first array, the electrical connector further comprising a first ground contact disposed at a first end of the second array.

16. The electrical connector of claim 15, further comprising a second ground contact disposed at a second end of the first array, and a third signal contact disposed at a second end of the second array.

17. The electrical connector of claim 16, wherein the first ground contact is adjacent to the first signal contact.