High-speed, hermaphroditic connector and connector assemblies

A connector assembly, comprising:

• a housing with a first engagement feature and a second engagement feature, the housing having a plurality of pockets;
• a plurality of shields that are U-shaped and formed of a conductive material and are inserted into the plurality of pockets of the housing, wherein the plurality of shields are configured to mate with respective shields of another connector when the plurality of shields are rotated 180 degrees relative to the respective shields;
• a wafer mounted in the housing and supporting the plurality of shields and a plurality of cables extending out of the wafer, wherein each of the plurality of cables has a pair of conductors and a shielding layer, the shielding layer being electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of shields;
• and
• a chicklet positioned in each of the plurality of shields, the chicklet supporting a pair of terminals, each terminal in the pair of terminals comprising a tail configured to engage another terminal, wherein each conductor of the pair of conductors are terminated to each tail of the pair of terminals, wherein each of the plurality of shields comprises a main wall having an opening for a connection between each tail of the pair of terminals and the conductors.

A connector assembly, comprising:

• a housing with a first engagement feature and a second engagement feature, the housing having a plurality of pockets;
• a wafer mounted in the housing and supporting a plurality of shields and a plurality of cables extending out of the wafer, wherein each of the plurality of shields is configured to connect to a corresponding one of a plurality of cables, each of the plurality of cables having a pair of conductors and a shielding layer, the shielding layer electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of shields, and the plurality of shields being positioned in the plurality of pockets;
• a chicklet positioned in each of the plurality of shields, the chicklet supporting a pair of terminals, each terminal in the pair of terminals including a tail, each of terminal in the pair of terminals configured to engage a corresponding terminal of another connector, wherein the pair of conductors are terminated to the pair of terminals, wherein each of the plurality of shields comprises a main wall having an opening that is aligned with a location where the tail of the pair of terminals are connected to the pair of conductors;
• wherein each of the plurality of cables further comprises a first drain wire and a second drain wire positioned on opposing sides of the pair of conductors, a micro-clamp is mounted on the corresponding one of the plurality of shields that presses the first drain wire and the second drain wire of a corresponding one of the plurality of cables thereagainst, and each of the first drain wire and the second drain wire are electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of shields.