Contact assembly for an electrical connector
AssigneeTE Connectivity Solutions GmbH
InventorMichael Tryson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contact assembly for an electrical connector includes an array of contacts including signal contacts and ground contacts. The ground contacts are interspersed with the signal contacts to provide electrical shielding between corresponding signal contacts. Each signal contact includes a signal contact body having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first edge between the first and second sides, and a second edge between the first and second sides opposite the first edge. The signal contact body includes a signal mating end and a signal terminating end. Each signal contact includes a mating ball formed at the signal mating end of the signal contact body. The mating ball is generally spherical shaped. The mating ball and the signal contact body are a homogeneous structure.
Claims20
A contact assembly for an electrical connector comprising:
- an array of contacts including signal contacts and ground contacts, the ground contacts interspersed with the signal contacts to provide electrical shielding between corresponding signal contacts;
- each signal contact including a signal contact body having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first edge between the first and second sides, and a second edge between the first and second sides opposite the first edge, the signal contact body including a signal mating end and a signal terminating end;
- each signal contact including a mating ball formed at the signal mating end of the signal contact body, the mating ball being generally spherical shaped;
- wherein the mating ball and the signal contact body are a homogeneous structure.
An electrical connector comprising:
- a housing having a cavity, the housing having a card slot at a mating end of the housing, the card slot configured to receive a card edge of a circuit card;
- and
- a contact assembly received in the cavity, the contact assembly including an array of contacts including signal contacts and ground contacts, the ground contacts interspersed with the signal contacts to provide electrical shielding between corresponding signal contacts, each signal contact including a signal contact body having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first edge between the first and second sides, and a second edge between the first and second sides opposite the first edge, the signal contact body including a signal mating end and a signal terminating end, each signal contact including a mating ball formed at the signal mating end of the signal contact body, the mating ball being generally spherical shaped, the mating ball including a mating interface configured to engage a corresponding contact pad on a surface of the circuit card, wherein the mating ball and the signal contact body are a homogeneous structure.
A method of forming contacts for a contact assembly, the method comprising:
- stamping the contacts from a metal blank, each contact having a contact body having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first edge between the first and second sides, and a second edge between the first and second sides opposite the first edge, the contact body including a mating end and a terminating end;
- generating an electrical arc and directing the electrical arc at the mating end to form a molten ball at a distal tip of the contact;
- and
- cooling the molten ball using a cooling airflow directed across the molten ball to form a mating ball at the distal tip of the contact having a generally spherical shape;
- wherein the mating ball and the contact body are a homogeneous structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.