Patent Grant
9570857
The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors that have signal conductors configured to convey data signals and ground conductors that control impedance and reduce crosstalk between the signal conductors.
Communication systems exist today that utilize electrical connectors to transmit data. For example, network systems, servers, data centers, and the like may use numerous electrical connectors to interconnect the various devices of the communication system. Many electrical connectors include signal conductors and ground conductors in which the signal conductors convey data signals and the ground conductors control impedance and reduce crosstalk between the signal conductors. In differential signaling applications, the signal conductors are arranged in signal pairs for carrying the data signals. Each signal pair may be separated from an adjacent signal pair by one or more ground conductors.
There has been a general demand to increase the density of signal conductors within the electrical connectors and/or increase the speeds at which data is transmitted through the electrical connectors. As data rates increase and/or distances between the signal conductors decrease, however, it becomes more challenging to maintain a baseline level of signal integrity. For example, in some cases, electrical energy that flows on the surface of each ground conductor of the electrical connector may be reflected and resonate within cavities formed between ground conductors. Unwanted electrical energy may be supported between one ground conductor and nearby ground conductors. Depending on the frequency of the data transmission, electrical noise may develop that increases return loss and/or crosstalk and reduces throughput of the electrical connector.
To control resonance in between conductors and limit the effects of the resulting electrical noise, it has been proposed to electrically common separate ground conductors using a metal conductor or a lossy plastic material. The effectiveness and/or cost of implementing these techniques is based on a number of variables, such as the geometry of the electrical connector and geometries of the signal and ground conductors within the electrical connector. For some applications and/or electrical connector configurations, alternative methods for controlling resonance between the ground conductors may be desired.
Accordingly, there is a need for electrical connectors that reduce the electrical noise caused by resonating conditions between ground conductors.
In an embodiment, an electrical connector is provided that includes a connector body having a front side configured to engage a mating connector and a mounting side configured to engage an electrical component. The electrical connector also includes a conductor array including a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of ground conductors that extend through the connector body to interconnect the mating connector and the electrical component. The plurality of signal conductors includes adjacent signal conductors, and the plurality of ground conductors include first and second ground conductors that are positioned between the adjacent signal conductors. The first and second ground conductors are separated from each other by a physical gap. The electrical connector also includes a resonance-control element that is positioned between the first and second ground conductors within the physical gap. The resonance-control element directly interfaces with the first ground conductor and is spaced from the second ground conductor. The resonance-control element includes at least one of an electrically-lossy or magnetically-lossy material.
Optionally, the resonance-control element may be a first resonance-control element. The electrical connector may also include a second resonance-control element that directly interfaces with the second ground conductor. The first and second resonance-control elements are spaced from each other.
In one aspect, the signal conductors form a plurality of signal pairs that are configured to carry differential signals. The first and second ground conductors may be positioned between adjacent signal pairs. Optionally, the conductor array includes a plurality of conductor sub-assemblies. Each conductor sub-assembly may include one of the signal pairs and at least one of the ground conductors. Optionally, the conductor array may include a plurality of conductor sub-assemblies. Each of the conductor sub-assemblies may include one of the signal pairs and one of the ground conductors. The one ground conductor of a respective conductor sub-assembly may be shaped to at least partially surround the one signal pair of the respective conductor sub-assembly.
In another aspect, the resonance-control element is one of coated onto the first ground conductor, molded with the connector body, or molded directly onto the first ground conductor. By way of example, the resonance-control element may include a dielectric material having conductive and/or magnetic particles dispersed within the dielectric material.
In an embodiment, an electrical connector is provided that includes a connector body having a front side configured to engage a mating connector and a mounting side configured to engage an electrical component. The electrical connector also includes a conductor array including a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of ground conductors that extend through the connector body to interconnect the mating connector and the electrical component. The plurality of signal conductors includes adjacent signal conductors, and the plurality of ground conductors include an intervening ground conductor that is positioned between the adjacent signal conductors. The electrical connector may also include a resonance-control element that directly interfaces with the intervening ground conductor and is positioned between and spaced from the adjacent signal conductors. The resonance-control element may be spaced from the other ground conductors and include at least one of an electrically-lossy or magnetically-lossy material. Optionally, the signal conductors may form a plurality of signal pairs that are configured to carry differential signals. The intervening ground conductor and the resonance-control element may be positioned between adjacent signal pairs.
In an embodiment, an electrical connector is provided that includes a front housing having a front side configured to engage a mating connector. The front housing includes a dielectric material and has signal and ground channels that open to the front side. The electrical connector may also include signal and ground contacts that are disposed within the front housing and align with the signal and ground channels, respectively, for engaging signal and ground conductors, respectively, of the mating connector. The electrical connector may also include resonance-control elements having an electrically-lossy and/or magnetically-lossy material. The resonance-control elements partially define the ground channels. Each of the resonance-control elements is configured to directly interface with a corresponding ground conductor of the mating connector when the mating connector and the electrical connector are fully mated. The resonance-control elements are spaced apart from one another.
Embodiments set forth herein may include interconnection systems and electrical connectors that are configured for communicating data signals. An electrical connector may mate with a corresponding electrical connector, which may be referred to herein as a mating connector, to communicatively interconnect different components of an interconnection system. In some embodiments, the electrical connector is a header connector of a backplane or midplane interconnection system. In other embodiments, the electrical connector is a receptacle connector that is configured to mate with a header connector of a backplane or midplane interconnection system. However, the inventive subject matter set forth herein may also be applicable in other types of electrical connectors. The electrical connectors typically include a plurality of signal conductors, a plurality of ground conductors, and a plurality of resonance-control elements. The resonance-control elements are configured to directly interface with corresponding ground conductors of the electrical connector and/or the ground conductors of the mating connector. As used herein, a resonance-control element “directly interfaces with” a corresponding ground conductor if the resonance-control element engages (e.g., is attached to or pressed against) the corresponding ground conductor or if a nominal tolerance space exists between the resonance-control element and the corresponding ground conductor. The resonance-control elements may reduce electrical noise caused by resonating conditions between ground conductors of the electrical connector and/or the ground conductors of the mating connector.
The signal and ground conductors are positioned relative to each other to form a predetermined array or pattern. In some embodiments, the pattern or array includes multiple rows and/or columns. The signal conductors of a single row or column may be substantially co-planar. The ground conductors of a single row or column may be substantially co-planar. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal conductors form signal pairs in which each signal pair is separated from an adjacent signal pair by one or more ground conductors. As used herein, the phrase “adjacent signal conductors” means first and second signal conductors that do not have any other signal conductors positioned between the first and second signal conductors. Likewise, as used herein, the phrase “adjacent signal pairs” means first and second signal pairs that do not have any other signal pairs positioned between the first and second signal pairs. It should be understood, however, that a single signal pair may be adjacent to more than one signal pair. For instance, the single signal pair may be positioned between two other signal pairs. In this example, the signal pair is adjacent to the signal pair on one side and adjacent to the signal pair on the opposite side.
The ground conductors are positioned between adjacent signal conductors (or signal pairs) to electrically separate the signal conductors (or signal pairs) and reduce electromagnetic interference or crosstalk. As used herein, a ground conductor is “positioned between” adjacent signal conductors or pairs if at least a portion of the ground conductor is positioned between the adjacent signal conductors or pairs. The ground conductor is positioned between the adjacent signal conductors or pairs if a line extending between the adjacent signal conductors or pairs intersects the ground conductor.
In some embodiments, a single ground conductor may be shaped to at least partially surround a corresponding signal conductor or corresponding signal pair. For example, the ground conductor may include multiple conductor walls that are positioned to provide the ground conductor with a U-shape, C-shape, L-shape, or rectangular shape structure. In other embodiments, multiple ground conductors may be positioned to at least partially surround a corresponding signal conductor or corresponding signal pair. Optionally, the resonance-control elements may be secured directly to the corresponding ground conductors. Alternatively, the resonance-control elements may be removably coupled or attached to the corresponding ground conductors. The resonance-control elements may comprise an electrically-lossy and/or magnetically-lossy material that absorbs unwanted electrical energy supported by ground conductors. In some cases, the absorbed energy may be dissipated as heat.
In order to distinguish similar elements in the detailed description and claims, various labels may be used. For example, an electrical connector may be referred to as a header connector, a receptacle connector, a mating connector, etc. Conductors may be referred to as signal conductors, ground conductors, etc. When similar elements are labeled differently, the different labels do not necessarily require structural differences.
As used herein, the phrases “a plurality of [elements],” “an array of [elements],” and the like, when used in the detailed description and claims, do not necessarily include each and every element that a component, such as an electrical connector or interconnection system, may have. For instance, the phrase “a plurality of ground conductors having [a recited feature]” does not necessarily mean that each and every ground conductor of the corresponding electrical connector (or interconnection system) has the recited feature. Other ground conductors of the electrical connector may not include the recited feature. Accordingly, unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g., “each and every ground conductor of the electrical connector”), embodiments may include similar elements that do not have the recited features.
The interconnection system 100 may be used in various applications that utilize ground conductors for controlling impedance and reducing crosstalk between signal conductors. By way of example only, the interconnection system 100 may be used in telecom and computer applications, routers, servers, and supercomputers. One or more of the electrical connectors described herein may be similar to electrical connectors of the STRADA Whisper or Z-PACK TinMan product lines developed by TE Connectivity. The electrical connectors may be capable of transmitting data signals at high speeds, such as 5 gigabits per second (Gb/s), 10 Gb/s, 20 Gb/s, 30 Gb/s, or more. In more particular embodiments, the electrical connectors may be capable of transmitting data signals at 40 Gb/s, 50 Gb/s, or more. The electrical connectors may include high-density arrays of signal conductors that engage corresponding contacts of a mating connector. A high-density array may have, for example, at least 12 signal conductors per 100 mm2 along a front side of the electrical connector. In more particular embodiments, the high-density array may have at least 20 signal conductors per 100 mm2 along the front side of the electrical connector.
As shown in
The electrical connector 112 includes a connector body 114 having a front side 116 configured to engage the electrical connector 108 and a mounting side 118 configured to engage an electrical component, which is the circuit board 110 in
In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting side 118 faces along the first lateral axis 192, and the front side 116 faces along the mating axis 191. In other embodiments, the mounting side 118 and the front side 116 may face in opposite directions along the mating axis 191. Collectively, the connector sub-modules 122 form the mounting side 118. In alternative embodiments, the electrical connector 112 does not include multiple connector sub-modules. Instead, the electrical connector 112 may include only a single module body that is coupled to the front housing 120. Yet in other embodiments, the electrical connector 112 does not include the front housing 120.
The electrical connector 108 includes a connector body 124 having a front side 126 configured to engage the electrical connector 112 and a mounting side 128 configured to engage an electrical component, which is the circuit board 106 in
The front housing 136 may be manufactured from a dielectric material, such as a plastic material, and may provide isolation between the contact channels 138 and the contact channels 140. In some embodiments, the connector sub-module 134 includes a conductive holder 154. The conductive holder 154 may include a first holder member 156 and a second holder member 158 that are coupled together. The first and second holder members 156, 158 may be fabricated from a conductive material. As such, the first and second holder members 156, 158 may provide electrical shielding for the electrical connector 132. When the first and second holder members 156, 158 are coupled together, the first and second holder members 156, 158 define at least a portion of a shielding structure.
The conductive holder 154 is configured to support a frame assembly 160 that includes a pair of dielectric frames 162, 164. The dielectric frames 162, 164 are configured to surround the signal conductors 150. As shown, the contact beams 152 and the mounting contacts 166 clear the dielectric frames 162, 164. The mounting contacts 166 are configured to mechanically engage and electrically couple to conductive vias 168 of the circuit board 146. Each of the contact beams 152 is electrically coupled to a corresponding mounting contact 166 through the corresponding signal conductor 150.
The electrical connector 108 includes a conductor array 202 that is coupled to the connector body 124 and positioned within the receiving space 174. The conductor array 202 includes a plurality of signal conductors 204 and a plurality of ground conductors 206, 208 that are configured to engage corresponding contacts (not shown) of the electrical connector 112 (
The signal conductors 204 and the ground conductors 206, 208 are configured to have a designated shape and are arranged in a predetermined pattern for engaging the electrical connector 112 (
In the illustrated embodiment, the conductor array 202 is a two-dimensional array having multiple columns and rows that extend along the first and second lateral axes 192, 193, respectively. In other embodiments, the conductor array 202 may be a one-dimensional array that includes a single row or column of signal and ground conductors 204, 206. In particular embodiments, the conductor array 202 is a high-density array. For example, the conductor array 202 may include at least 12 signal conductors 204 per 100 mm2 along the front side 126 of the electrical connector 108. In more particular embodiments, the conductor array 202 may include at least 20 signal conductors 204 per 100 mm2 along the front side 126 of the electrical connector 108.
The signal and ground conductors 204, 206 are arranged to form a plurality of conductor sub-assemblies 215. The conductor array 202 may include multiple rows 266 of the conductor sub-assemblies 215 in which each row 266 includes a plurality of the conductor sub-assemblies 215 arranged along the second lateral axis 193. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the conductor sub-assemblies 215 includes two signal conductors 204, which form a signal pair 222, and a corresponding ground conductor 206. Each ground conductor 206 may be shaped to surround the corresponding signal pair 222. For example, the ground conductors 206 are C-shaped or U-shaped in the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, however, one or more of the ground conductors 206 may be L-shaped or rectangular-shaped such that the ground conductor forms a box that completely surrounds the signal pair 222. Alternatively, each ground conductor 206 may be assembled from multiple discrete ground blades that are positioned to surround the corresponding signal pair 222. Although the conductor sub-assemblies 215 are shown and described as including a signal pair 222 and a corresponding ground conductor 206, embodiments are not required to include signal pairs. For example, embodiments may include conductor sub-assemblies having only one signal conductor that is surrounded by one or more ground conductors.
In the illustrated embodiment, the signal contacts 214 and the ground shields 218 represent the portions of the signal conductors 204 and the ground conductors 206, respectively, which are positioned within the receiving space 174. For example, each of the signal contacts 214 and the ground shields 218 project from the front side 126 in a forward direction along the mating axis 191 such that the signal contacts 214 and the ground shields 218 clear the dielectric material of the connector body 124 and are exposed for engaging corresponding contacts of the electrical connector 112 (
Also shown in
During operation of the electrical connector 108, electrical energy may exist between the vertical side walls of ground conductors 206. For example, as the electrical energy propagates through the signal conductors 204 between the corresponding signal terminals 213 (
Without the resonance-control elements 230, such reflections may form a standing wave (or resonating condition) at certain frequencies. The standing wave (or resonating condition) may cause electrical noise that, in turn, may increase return loss and/or crosstalk and reduce throughput of the electrical connector 108. The resonance-control elements 230 are configured to impede the development of these standing waves (or resonating conditions) at certain frequencies and, consequently, reduce the unwanted effects of the electrical noise. For example, in some embodiments, the resonance-control elements 230 may absorb some of the electrical energy that propagates through the corresponding ground cavity and dissipate the electrical energy as heat. In some embodiments, the resonance-control elements 230 effectively change or dampen the reflections such that the standing wave (or the resonating condition) is not formed during operation of the electrical connector 108.
The resonance-control elements 230 are separate from each other and comprise at least one of an electrically-lossy or magnetically-lossy material. An electrically-lossy material is able to conduct electrical energy, but with at least some loss. The electrically-lossy material is less conductive than the ground conductor 206 that the resonance-control element 230 is attached to. For example, the signal and ground conductors 204, 206 may be stamped and formed from a copper alloy or other suitable metal that is capable of transmitting data signals at a commercially desirable data rate. The electrically-lossy material of the resonance-control elements 230 is less conductive than the material that forms the signal and ground conductors 204, 206.
Electrically-lossy materials are generally formed using a dielectric material having conductive particles (or fillers) dispersed within the dielectric material. The dielectric material, such as a polymer or epoxy, is used as a binder to hold the conductive particle filler elements in place. These conductive particles then impart loss to the overall electrically-lossy material.
The frequency range of interest may depend on the operating parameters of the interconnection system in which the electrical connector is used. For example, the frequency range of interest, for some embodiments, may be between direct current (DC) and 50 GHz, but it should be understood that higher frequencies may be used in other embodiments. Some electrical connectors or interconnection systems may have frequency ranges that span only a limited portion of the above range, such as about DC-20 GHz. In some embodiments, the electrical connectors may be configured for broadband data transmission. As used herein, the “electric loss tangent” is a ratio of an imaginary part to a real part of a complex electrical permittivity of the material of interest. Examples of materials that may be used are those that have an electric loss tangent between approximately 1.0 and 10.0 over the frequency range of interest. As used herein, the “magnetic loss tangent” is a ratio of an imaginary part to a real part of a complex magnetic permeability of the material of interest. Examples of materials that may be used are those that have a magnetic loss tangent above 1.0.
Resonance-control elements can also include material that is generally thought of as conductive, but is either a relatively poor conductor over the frequency range of interest, contains particles that are sufficiently dispersed in a dielectric such that the particles do not provide a high conductivity, or is otherwise prepared with properties that lead to a relatively weak bulk conductivity over the frequency range of interest. Electrically-lossy material may be partially conductive, such as material having a bulk conductivity of between 5 Siemens per meter and 50 Siemens per meter.
In some embodiments, electrically-lossy material is formed by mixing a binder with a filler that includes conductive particles. Examples of conductive particles that may be used as a filler to form electrically-lossy materials include carbon or graphite formed as fibers, flakes, or other particles. Metal in the form of powder, flakes, fibers, or other conductive particles may also be used to provide suitable electrically-lossy properties. Alternatively, combinations of fillers may be used. For example, metal plated (or coated) particles may be used. Silver and nickel may also be used to plate particles. Plated (or coated) particles may be used alone or in combination with other fillers, such as carbon flake. In some embodiments, the fillers will be present in a sufficient volume percentage to allow conducting paths to be created from particle to particle. For example, when metal fiber is used, the fiber may be present in up to 40% by volume or more.
As used herein, the term “binder” encompasses a material that encapsulates the filler or is impregnated with the filler. The binder material may be any material that will set, cure, or can otherwise be used to position the filler material. In some embodiments, the binder may be a thermoplastic material such as those traditionally used in the manufacture of electrical connectors. The thermoplastic material may facilitate the molding of the electrically-lossy material into the desired shapes and locations as part of the manufacture of the electrical connector. However, many alternative forms of binder materials may be used. Curable materials, such as epoxies, can serve as a binder. Alternatively, materials such as thermosetting resins or adhesives may be used.
A magnetically-lossy layer may be formed of a binder material with magnetic particles dispersed therein. The magnetically-lossy particles may be in any convenient form, such as flakes or fibers. Ferrites are common magnetically-lossy materials. Materials such as magnesium ferrite, nickel ferrite, lithium ferrite, yttrium garnet or aluminum garnet may be used alternatively or additionally. The magnetic material will generally have a magnetic loss tangent above 1.0 at the frequency range of interest. Materials with higher loss tangents may also be used.
It should be understood that, in some embodiments, the material may simultaneously be an electrically-lossy material and a magnetically-lossy material. Such materials can be formed, for example, by using magnetically-lossy fillers that are partially conductive or by using a combination of magnetically-lossy and electrically-lossy fillers.
In the illustrated embodiment, the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B or, more specifically, the ground shields 218 of the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B at least partially surround the signal pairs 222A, 222B, respectively. In this context, the phrase “at least partially surround” includes the intervening ground conductor (or intervening ground conductors) of the conductor sub-assembly surrounding at least two contiguous sides of the signal pair of the conductor sub-assembly. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the intervening ground conductor 206A surrounds about three sides of the signal pair 222A, and the intervening ground conductor 206B surrounds about three sides of the signal pair 222B. More specifically, the ground shields 218 are shaped to form three conductor walls 232, 233, 234 that are positioned around the corresponding signal pair. For example, the conductor walls 232-234 of the intervening ground conductor 206A are coupled to each other and positioned to surround three sides of the signal pair 222A. The conductor walls 232-234 define a signal cavity 236 having the corresponding signal pair 222A disposed therein. In an exemplary embodiment, the conductor walls 232-234 are stamped and formed from a common piece of sheet metal. In other embodiments, the conductor walls 232-234 may be separate ground conductors (or ground blades) that are positioned to at least partially surround the corresponding signal pair. The conductor walls 232, 234 may be referred to as side conductor walls, and the conductor wall 233 may be referred to as a center conductor wall.
The signal pairs 222A, 222B are adjacent signal pairs. Each of the signal pairs 222A, 222B includes first and second signal conductors 2041, 2042 that extend parallel to each other along the mating axis 191. As shown, the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B extend through ground cavities 246A, 246B, respectively, of the connector body 124, and the first and second signal conductors 2041, 2042 of each of the signal pairs 222A, 222B extend through respective signal cavities 2441, 2442 of the connector body 124. In the illustrated embodiment, the ground cavities 246A, 246B are sized and shaped such that the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively, may be inserted into the ground cavities 246A, 246B, respectively, in a direction along the mating axis 191. For example, the ground conductors 206A, 206B may be inserted into the ground cavities 246A, 246B, respectively, in a direction that is from the mounting side 128 (
Likewise, the signal cavities 2441, 2442 are sized and shaped such that the signal conductors 2041, 2042 may be inserted into the signal cavities 2441, 2442, respectively, in a direction along the mating axis 191. In such embodiments, the signal conductors 2041, 2042 may form an interference fit with the connector body 124. In alternative embodiments, the connector body 124 may be molded around the signal conductors 2041, 2042 and the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B.
As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B or, more specifically, the conductor walls 234, 232 of the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively, are separated from each other by a physical gap 250. During operation of the electrical connector 108, electrical energy may radiate from the signal conductors 204, 244 and into the gap 250. By way of example, the gap 250 may be less than 4 millimeters (mm) in some embodiments. In certain embodiments, the gap 250 may be less than 3 mm or, more particularly, less than 2 mm. In particular embodiments, the gap 250 may be less than 1.5 mm or, more particularly, less than 1 mm.
As shown, resonance-control elements 230A, 230B directly interface with the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively. More specifically, the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B are attached to the conductor walls 234, 232 of the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B are secured to the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively, such that the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B may not be readily removed therefrom. For example, the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B may be affixed to the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively. In particular embodiments, the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B are molded onto or coated onto (e.g., painted onto) the ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively. For example, the electrically-lossy and/or magnetically-lossy material may comprise an epoxy having conductive particles dispersed therein. The conductive epoxy may be coated or painted onto the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B. In other embodiments, a conductive adhesive may be used to secure the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B to the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively. Yet in other embodiments, the electrically-lossy and/or magnetically-lossy material may be attached to the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B during a molding process.
The resonance-control elements 230A, 230B are spaced from each other such that a gap portion 252 of the larger gap 250 exists between the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B. As shown, the gap portion 252 includes air such that the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B are separated by air. During operation of the electrical connector 108, however, a dielectric material of the front housing 120 (
In the illustrated embodiment, each of the first and second resonance-control elements 230A, 230B includes a pad or block 254 of the electrically-lossy and/or magnetically-lossy material. The pads 254 of the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B have outer surfaces 256 that face each other and extend parallel to each other with the gap portion 252 of the larger gap 250 therebetween. The outer surfaces 256 may be essentially planar. The pads 254 may have identical dimensions with respect to each other. As shown, each of the pads 254 has a thickness 257 that is substantially uniform. In other embodiments, the pads 254 may not have identical dimensions and/or may have a thickness that is not substantially uniform.
Also shown, resonance-control elements 230C, 230D directly interface with the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively. More specifically, the resonance-control elements 230C, 230D are attached to the conductor walls 232, 234 of the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B, respectively. Accordingly, each of the intervening ground conductors 206A, 206B may have separate resonance control elements 230 attached to the opposing conductor walls 232, 234. In the illustrated embodiment, the conductor wall 233 does not have a resonance-control element attached thereto. In other embodiments, however, a resonance-control element may be attached to the outside of conductor wall 233. The resonance-control elements 230C, 230D may have similar relationships with adjacent resonance-control elements 230 (not shown in
When the electrical connector 108 is unmated with the electrical connector 112, the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B are exposed in the exterior of the connector body 124. For example, the resonance-control elements 230A, 230B may be located within the receiving space 174 (
Returning briefly to
The front housing 120 of the electrical connector 112 is shown in phantom to illustrate the resonance-control elements 230. As described herein, the resonance-control elements 230 may be affixed to the corresponding ground conductors 206. In alternative embodiments, however, the front housing 120 may be manufactured to include resonance-control elements that are similar or identical to the resonance-control elements 230 and have positions that are similar to the positions of the resonance-control elements 230 shown in
The electrical connector 108 also includes signal contacts 312 and ground contacts 314 that are disposed within the front housing 302. The signal and ground contacts 312, 314 may be similar to the contact beams 152 and the ground contacts 153, respectively, shown in
The electrical connector 300 may also include resonance-control elements 320. The resonance-control elements 320 may be similar to the resonance-control elements 230 (
The resonance-control elements 320 may be formed with the front housing 302. For example, the front housing 302 may be formed using a two-shot injection molding process as described herein. Alternatively, the resonance-control elements 320 may be positioned within the front housing 302 after the front housing 302 is formed. Also shown, each resonance-control element 320 may be spaced-apart or separated from an adjacent resonance-control element 320 by a gap 336. The gap 336 may be similar to the gap portion 252 (
As shown in
Each conductor sub-assembly 352 includes signal conductors 354 and a ground conductor 356, which may be similar or identical to the signal conductors 204 and the ground conductors 206, respectively, shown in
Each of the conductor sub-assemblies 406A, 406B includes signal conductors 408 and a ground conductor 410, which may be similar or identical to the signal conductors 204 and the ground conductors 206, respectively, shown in
As shown in
In alternative embodiments, the ground conductors 410 may be shaped such that the center conductor wall 412 is located closer to the signal conductors 408 of the adjacent conductor sub-assembly than shown in
Accordingly, embodiments set forth herein include electrical connectors having conductor arrays. The conductor arrays include a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of ground conductors that extend through the connector body. The conductor array may be a two-dimensional array that include signal conductors (or signal pairs) that are horizontally-aligned and signal conductors (or signal pairs) that are vertically-aligned. In some embodiments, an intervening ground conductor may be positioned between adjacent signal conductors (or signal pairs) that are vertically-aligned or adjacent signal conductors (or signal pairs) that are horizontally-aligned. The electrical connector may have a resonance-control element that directly interfaces with the intervening ground conductor. The resonance-control element may be positioned on either side of the intervening ground conductor. The resonance-control element may be spaced from other resonance-control elements and spaced from the signal conductors. As set forth herein, the resonance-control element includes at least one of an electrically-lossy or magnetically-lossy material. As shown in
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the various embodiments without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The patentable scope should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
As used in the description, the phrase “in an exemplary embodiment” and the like means that the described embodiment is just one example. The phrase is not intended to limit the inventive subject matter to that embodiment. Other embodiments of the inventive subject matter may not include the recited feature or structure. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means—plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112(f), unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
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