Teradyne, Inc.

Amphenol Corporation

Daniel B Provencher

Mark W Gailus

Philip T Stokoe

John Robert Dunham

Allan Astbury

Marc Benard Cartier, Jr

Vysakh Sivarajan

David Michael McNamara

William E Howard

David Levine

David Manter

Eric Leo

Thomas S Cohen

Luciano Spiridigliozzi

An electrical interconnect for passing high speed signals through an electronic system with a high density of signals and high signal integrity. The interconnect includes an electrical connector and a transition portion of a printed circuit board to which the connector is mounted. Signal conductors are connected to pads on the surface of the PCB using edge-to-pad mounting. The pads align with intermediate portions of the signal conductors such that transitions within the connector that could degrade signal integrity are avoided. The signal conductors may be positioned as individually shielded broadside coupled pairs extending in rows within the connector. Surface traces on the PCB connect the pads to signal vias aligned for vertical routing out of the connector footprint. Ground planes underlying the surface traces facilitate a transition from the signal paths in the connector to those in the PCB with low mode conversion avoiding resonances in the connector shields.

Electrical connector with high speed mounting interface

A modular electrical connector with modular components suitable for assembly into a right angle connector may also be used in forming an orthogonal connector or connector in other desired configurations. The connector modules may be configured through the user of extender modules. Those connector modules may be held together as a right angle connector with a front housing portion, which, in some embodiments, may be shaped differently depending on whether the connector modules are used to form a right angle connector or an orthogonal connector. When designed to form an orthogonal connector, the extender modules may interlock into subarrays, which may be held to other connector components through the use of an extender shell. The mating contact portions on the extender modules may be such that a right angle connector, similarly made with connector modules, may directly mate with the orthogonal connector.

Extender module for modular connector

An interconnection system with a compliant shield between a connector and a substrate such as a PCB. The compliant shield may provide current flow paths between shields internal to the connector and ground structures of the PCB. The connector, compliant shield and PCB may be configured to provide current flow in locations relative to signal conductors that provide desirable signal integrity for signals carried by the signal conductors. In some embodiments, the current flow paths may be adjacent the signal conductors, offset in a transverse direction from an axis of a pair of conductors. Such paths may be created by tabs extending from connector shields. A compliant conductive member of the compliant shield may contact the tabs and a conductive pad on a surface of the PCB. Shadow vias, running from the surface pad to internal ground structures may be positioned adjacent the tip of the tabs.

Compliant shield for very high speed, high density electrical interconnection

An electrical connector system suitable for use in a matrix assembly. The electrical connector assembly has two connectors, each assembled from wafers. Certain of the connectors include a combination of signal and power conductors while others have only signal conductors. In this way, the signal density is maximized.

Matrix connector with integrated power contacts

An electrical connector assembly suitable for use in a matrix assembly. The electrical connector assembly has two connectors, each assembled from wafers. The individual wafers are shielded and separate shield pieces are positioned in one connector transverse to the wafers in that connector. Additionally, wafers in at least one of the connectors includes a compliant portion that allows the two connectors to be self-aligning.

Self-aligning electrical connector

A modular electrical connector made from wafers. Each wafer contains one column of contact elements and is made separately. The wafers are of two different types, which snap together to form two row modules. The modules contain attachment features that allow them to be organized on a metal stiffener. Shield members can be optionally attached to each wafer so that the connector can be made in either a shielded or unshielded versions. In addition, each wafer includes windows through which selected contact elements can be cut to either improve the performance of the shields or to allow attachments of resistors.

Electrical connector assembled from wafers

A modular electrical connector made from wafers. Each wafer contains one column of contact elements and is made separately. The wafers are of two different types, which snap together to form two row modules. The modules contain attachment features that allow them to be organized on a metal stiffener. Shield members can be optionally attached to each wafer so that the connector can be made in either a shielded or unshielded versions. In addition, each wafer includes windows through which selected contact elements can be cut to either improve the performance of the shields or to allow attachment of resistors.

A durable modular connector assembly, particularly for use as a daughter board connector. The connector is made up of connector modules organized on a stiffener. Each connector module includes an alignment block to frictionally engage contact tails. The stiffener is connected to both the base and the alignment block so that the resulting module is rigidly held together and to the stiffener. The connector is therefore less susceptible to damage.

Growing community of inventors

Nashua, NH, United States of America

Daniel B Provencher