The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 08, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 30, 2001
Richard Scott Kline, Mechanicsburg, PA (US);
Tyco Electronics Corporation, Middletown, PA (US);
Abstract
A connector assembly is provided having a receptacle connector mateable with a header connector. The assembly includes an insulated housing and a plurality of terminal modules mounted to the insulated housing. The terminal modules have an insulated molded body enclosing multiple connector contacts having opposed mating portions. The terminal module further includes receptacle contacts and leads connected thereto for carrying signals through the terminal module. A differential shell is mounted to the terminal module and has an open sided chamber formed therein. The differential shell includes walls that define the chamber and receive the receptacle contacts. Each chamber includes an open front and open rear ends and includes at least one open side. Each chamber accepts a corresponding receptacle contact through the open side thereof. The walls of the differential shells have non-linear contours that substantially conform to a contour of the receptacle contacts to reduce the air gap therebetween and reduce the impedance of the terminal contact, thereby improving signal performance.