Compliant shield for very high speed, high density electrical interconnection

A component for a mounting interface of an electrical connector configured for a plurality of signal contact elements and a plurality of reference conductors within the connector to pass through the component to connect to a printed circuit board, the component comprising:

• an insulative portion comprising:
• a plurality of first openings sized and positioned for the plurality of signal contact elements from the electrical connector to pass therethrough;
• a plurality of second openings sized and positioned for the plurality of reference conductors from the electrical connector to pass therethrough;
• and
• a conductive portion attached to the insulative portion and configured to provide current flow paths between shields internal to the electrical connector and ground structures of the printed circuit board, wherein
• the plurality of first openings and the plurality of second openings are arranged in a repeating pattern of subpatterns, and
• each subpattern comprises a pair of first openings and one or more second openings surrounding the pair of first openings.

An electrical connector, comprising:

• a plurality of internal shields;
• a board mounting face comprising a plurality of signal contact elements and a plurality of reference conductors wherein at least a portion of the plurality of reference conductors extend from the plurality of internal shields and extend through the board mounting face;
• and
• a component for the board mounting face, the component comprising
• an insulative portion comprising
• a plurality of first openings sized and positioned for the plurality of signal contact elements to pass therethrough;
• and
• a plurality of second openings therethrough, wherein the second openings are sized and positioned to receive the plurality of reference conductors, wherein
• the plurality of signal contact elements and the plurality of reference conductors are arranged in a repeating pattern of subpatterns,
• each subpattern comprises a pair of signal contact elements and one or more reference conductors are disposed to surround the pair of signal contact elements,
• the plurality of reference conductors comprise contact tails for mounting to a printed circuit board and contact structures separate from the contact tails, and
• for each subpattern, each reference conductor comprises broadsides connected by edges, and at least two reference conductors are edge coupled with broadsides aligned in a first line.