Thomas & Betts Corporation

Thomas & Betts International LLC

David T Humphrey

Daniel K Michaelis

The electrical connector assembly includes a female connector portion which is mountable to a first printed circuit board, such as a motherboard, and a male connector portion which is mechanically and electrically connected to a second printed circuit board, such as a daughterboard. The female connector portion includes a plurality of signal contacts arranged in two rows having a ground terminal, or conductive elastomer, positioned between the rows of signal contacts. The male connector portion preferably includes a flexible circuit having a solid groundplane separated by an dielectric insulator from an electrical trace thereon. The distance separating the groundplane from the trace and the width of the trace controls a characteristic impedance of the flexible circuit for matching to specific circuit requirements of the daughterboard and motherboard. Upon mechanical connection of the male connector portion to the female connector portion, the signal contacts electrically engage the trace on the flexible circuit and the groundplane electrically engages the ground terminal. The specific design of the connector assembly provides a controlled impedance, high signal contact density connector having reduced cross-talk and enhanced signal transmission, even at ultra high (UHF) signal transmission speeds.

Controlled impedance, high density electrical connector

An electrical connector assembly includes an insulative housing having an interconnection end, an opposed contact receiving end and at least one contact member supported within the housing. The contact member is insertably positioned in the housing through said contact receiving end. The electrical connector assembly further includes a conductive shield which is positioned in partial circumscribing relation about the housing. The shield includes at least one cooperating interlocking engagement members located on the insulative housing and shield to positively latch the shield to the housing. The positively latched shield prevents the shield from lifting off the housing during interconnection and disconnection with the mating connector and provides greater alignment of the shield with respect to the housing. The shield is preferably a one-piece construction thus providing enhanced EMI shield protection.

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Collierville, TN, United States of America

David T Humphrey