# US 12,603,450 B2 · Cable connector systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,603,450 B2 - Document ID: US12603450B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/671,033 - Filed: 2024-05-22 - Published: 2024-09-19 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-09 - Assignees: Samtec, Inc. - Applicants: Samtec, Inc. - Inventors: John A. Mongold; Jonathan E. Buck; Jignesh H. Shah; Chadrick P. Faith; Randall E. Musser; Jean Karlo Williams Barnet; Norman S. McMorrow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603450B2 ## CPC - H01R 12/79: connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures - H01R 13/6587: for mounting on PCBs - H01R 13/518: for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A cable connector system can include a board connector that attaches to a die package, a cable connector that attaches to the board connector, and a 1RU panel I/O connector attached to the cable connector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A board connector comprising: a housing that includes: a first board connector mating interface surface; a first slot defined by the first board connector mating interface surface; a second slot vertically stacked over the first slot; and a first housing wall that partially defines both the first slot and the second slot; a first leadframe assembly positioned in the first slot, the first leadframe assembly including a first signal conductor with a first mating end and a second signal conductor with a second mating end; a second leadframe assembly positioned in the second slot, the second leadframe assembly including a third signal conductor with a third mating end and a fourth signal conductor with a fourth mating end; and a board connector shield located adjacent to or molded with at least one of the first leadframe assembly and the second leadframe assembly; wherein the first mating end and the second mating end are positioned closer to the first board connector mating interface surface than the third mating end and the fourth mating end; the first housing wall extends over the first mating end, the second mating end, the third mating end, and the fourth mating end; the first slot and the second slot each receive a cable connector; and the board connector is configured not to receive an edge card. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the first slot is partially defined by the first housing wall, a first wall, and an opposed third wall, and the first wall and the opposed third wall are evenly spaced from a longitudinal centerline that is positioned between the first wall and the opposed third wall and that is parallel to both the first wall and the opposed third wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The board connector of claim 2, wherein the second slot is partially defined by the first housing wall, the first wall, and the opposed third wall, and the first wall and the opposed third wall are unevenly spaced from the longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The board connector of claim 2, wherein the second slot is partially defined by the first housing wall, the first wall, and the opposed third wall, and the first wall and the opposed third wall are evenly spaced from the longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes: a third slot vertically stacked over the second slot, a second housing wall that partially defines both the second slot and the third slot, and a third leadframe assembly positioned in the third slot, the third leadframe assembly including a fifth signal conductor with a fifth mating end and a sixth signal conductor with a sixth mating end, wherein the fifth mating end and the sixth mating end are each positioned farther from the first board connector mating interface surface than the first mating end, the second mating end, the third mating end, and the fourth mating end. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The board connector of claim 5, wherein the third slot is partially defined by the second housing wall, a first wall, and an opposed third wall, and the first wall and the opposed third wall are unevenly spaced from a longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The board connector of claim 5, wherein the second slot is partially defined by the second housing wall, a first wall, and an opposed third wall, and the first wall and the opposed third wall are evenly spaced from a longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The board connector of claim 5, wherein the housing further includes: a fourth slot vertically stacked over the third slot, a third housing wall that partially defines both the third slot and the fourth slot, and a fourth leadframe assembly positioned in the fourth slot, the fourth leadframe assembly including a seventh signal conductor with a seventh mating end and an eighth signal conductor with an eighth mating end, wherein the seventh mating end and the eighth mating end are each positioned farther from the first board connector mating interface surface than the first mating end, the second mating end, the third mating end, the fourth mating end, the fifth mating end, and the sixth mating end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The board connector of claim 8, wherein the fourth slot is partially defined by the third housing wall, a first wall, and an opposed third wall, and the first wall and the opposed third wall are unevenly spaced from a longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The board connector of claim 8, wherein the fourth slot is partially defined by the third housing wall, a first wall, and an opposed third wall, and the first wall and the opposed third wall are evenly spaced from a longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot each have a same width. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot each have a same depth. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot each have different depths. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot each receive an identical cable connector. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth signal conductors are each receptacle conductors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to overhang an edge of a mounting substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the housing has a height of approximately 1.7 mm to approximately 4 mm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the housing has a height of approximately 4 mm to approximately 7 mm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the first slot, the second slot, and the third slot each have a same width. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) The board connector of claim 8, wherein the housing has a height of approximately 5 mm to approximately 8 mm. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein: each of the first and the second signal conductors includes a first signal section and a second signal section; and the first signal section and the second signal section define a right angle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the board connector shield is configured to electrically, physically, or electrically and physically connect to a corresponding cable connector shield of the cable connector. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the first board connector mating interface surface is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a mounting interface surface of the housing. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The board connector of claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot simultaneously receive the cable connector.