Electrical connector and electrical contact configured to reduce resonance

An electrical connector comprising:

• a connector housing configured to engage another connector and having an interior surface;
• and
• a plurality of electrical contacts coupled to the connector housing, each of the electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts comprising:
• a base portion;
• and
• a mating portion having a leading end of the electrical contact, the mating portion including a contact finger coupled to the base portion and extending between the base portion and the leading end, the contact finger having an engagement surface that is shaped to define a primary contact zone, wherein the contact finger is a first contact finger and the mating portion of each of the electrical contacts includes a second contact finger, the second contact finger coupled to the base portion and extending between the base portion and the leading end, the second contact finger having a corresponding engagement surface that is shaped to define a corresponding contact zone, the first and second contact fingers opposing each other with a contact-receiving space therebetween;
• a resonance-control protrusion shaped to define a stub-contact zone of the first contact finger, wherein the stub-contact zone is positioned at the base portion or between the base portion and the primary contact zone, wherein the primary contact zone and the stub-contact zone are configured to simultaneously engage another contact, the stub-contact zone configured to impede electrical resonance along a stub portion of the other contact;
• wherein the second contact finger has a contoured end segment that extends between the contact zone of the second contact finger and the leading end of the electrical contact, the contoured end segment of the second contact finger and the interior surface of the connector housing being shaped relative to one another such that a flex gap exists between the contoured end segment of the second contact finger and the interior surface of the connector housing, wherein the second contact finger is permitted to move within the flex gap during a mating operation.

A communication system comprising:

• a mating connector having a plurality of mating contacts;
• and
• an electrical connector comprising a connector housing and a plurality of electrical contacts coupled to the connector housing, each of the electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts comprising:
• a base portion;
• and
• a mating portion having a leading end of the electrical contact, the mating portion including a contact finger coupled to the base portion and extending between the base portion and the leading end, the contact finger having an engagement surface that is shaped to define a primary contact zone;
• a resonance-control protrusion shaped to define a stub-contact zone, wherein the stub-contact zone is positioned at the base portion or between the base portion and the primary contact zone;
• wherein the primary contact zone and the stub-contact zone are configured to simultaneously engage a respective mating contact of the mating connector, the stub-contact zone configured to impede electrical resonance along a stub portion of the respective mating contact;
• wherein the contact finger has a contoured end segment that extends between the primary contact zone and the leading end of the electrical contact, the connector housing having an interior surface, wherein the contoured end segment is configured to engage the interior surface of the connector housing as the contact finger is deflected by the respective mating contact during a mating operation, the interior surface blocking movement of the contoured end segment while permitting the contact finger to bow when the stub-contact zone engages the respective mating contact.