High density electrical connector

A connector module for an electrical connector, comprising:

• at least one wafer assembly, the wafer assembly comprising at least one conductive member and at least one contact wafer, the at least one contact wafer including,
• a plurality of contacts comprising at least one signal contact and at least one ground contact, each of the plurality of contacts having a board engagement end configured to engage a printed circuit board and a mating interface end opposite the board engagement end and configured to connect with a contact of a mating connector module;
• and
• a grounding gasket receiving the board engagement ends of the plurality of contacts of the at least one wafer assembly, the grounding gasket having at least one portion in electrical contact with the at least one ground contact of the plurality of contacts,
• wherein the at least one ground contact of the contact wafer is in electrical contact with both the at least one conductive member and the grounding gasket, thereby defining a grounding path through the connector module,
• wherein the plurality of contacts of the at least one contact wafer comprise a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts;
• and the plurality of signal contacts are arranged in differential pairs wherein the differential pairs of the signal contacts and each of the plurality of ground contacts are positioned in an alternating arrangement in the at least one contact wafer,
• wherein the at least one conductive member includes a plug portion corresponding to the mating interface ends of the plurality of contacts of the at least one wafer assembly and configured for insertion into the mating connector module.

A connector module for an electrical connector, comprising:

• at least one wafer assembly, the wafer assembly comprising at least one conductive member and at least one contact wafer, the at least one contact wafer including,
• a plurality of contacts comprising at least one signal contact and at least one ground contact, each of the plurality of contacts having a board engagement end configured to engage a printed circuit board and a mating interface end opposite the board engagement end and configured to connect with a contact of a mating connector module;
• and
• a grounding gasket receiving the board engagement ends of the plurality of contacts of the at least one wafer assembly, the grounding gasket having at least one portion in electrical contact with the at least one ground contact of the plurality of contacts,
• wherein the at least one ground contact of the contact wafer is in electrical contact with both the at least one conductive member and the grounding gasket, thereby defining a grounding path through the connector module,
• wherein the plurality of contacts of the at least one contact wafer comprise a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts;
• and the plurality of signal contacts are arranged in differential pairs wherein the differential pairs of the signal contacts and each of the plurality of ground contacts are positioned in an alternating arrangement in the at least one contact wafer,
• wherein the at least one conductive member is an insert having opposing sides, and each side has at least one ground contact engagement portion and at least one signal contact receiving portion,
• wherein the ground contact engagement portion includes a coupling element configured to engage a corresponding coupling element of the ground contact.

A connector module for an electrical connector, comprising:

• at least one wafer assembly, the wafer assembly comprising at least one conductive member and at least one contact wafer, the at least one contact wafer including,
• a plurality of contacts comprising at least one signal contact and at least one ground contact, each of the plurality of contacts having a board engagement end configured to engage a printed circuit board and a mating interface end opposite the board engagement end and configured to connect with a contact of a mating connector module;
• and
• a grounding gasket receiving the board engagement ends of the plurality of contacts of the at least one wafer assembly, the grounding gasket having at least one portion in electrical contact with the at least one ground contact of the plurality of contacts,
• wherein the at least one ground contact of the contact wafer is in electrical contact with both the at least one conductive member and the grounding gasket, thereby defining a grounding path through the connector module,
• wherein the plurality of contacts of the at least one contact wafer comprise a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts;
• and the plurality of signal contacts are arranged in differential pairs wherein the differential pairs of the signal contacts and each of the plurality of ground contacts are positioned in an alternating arrangement in the at least one contact wafer,
• wherein the at least one conductive member is an insert having opposing sides, and each side has at least one ground contact engagement portion and at least one signal contact receiving portion,
• wherein each side of the at least one conductive member has a plurality of ground contact engagement portions and a plurality of signal contact receiving portions wherein each of the ground contact engagement and signal contact receiving portions alternate with respect to one another,
• wherein the plurality of ground contact engagement portions and the plurality of signal contact receiving portions on one side are off set from the plurality of ground contact engagement portions and the plurality of signal contact receiving portions on the other side of the at least one conductive member.