Interspersed ground ribbon cable assemblies and methods therefor

Abstract

An insulation displacement connector that includes a plurality of apertures disposed through a mating face and a ribbon-contacting face of the insulation displacement connector. The mating face is configured to mate with a complementary connector complementary in gender to the insulation displacement connector. The ribbon-contacting face is disposed opposite the mating face and configured for coupling with an interspersed ground conductor ribbon cable having a plurality of parallel insulated conductors. The insulation displacement connector includes a plurality of first conductor coupling structures. Each of the first conductor coupling structures is disposed in one of the plurality of apertures and is configured to couple to one of first designated conductors of the plurality of parallel insulated conductors and a contact on the complementary connector when the complementary connector is coupled to the insulation displacement connector at the mating face. The insulation displacement connector farther includes a second conductor coupling structure disposed at the ribbon-contacting face. The second conductor coupling structure is configured to couple with a second designated conductor of the plurality of parallel insulated conductors different from the first designated conductors. The second designated conductor is coupled to ground during use and represents a shielding ground conductor to reduce inductive crosstalk between first selected ones of the first designated conductors.