Resonance modifying connector
AssigneeMolex Incorporated
InventorsKent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher, Jerry A. Long
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector assembly is provided that is suitable for modifying the resonant frequency of ground terminals used in conjunction with high data rate signal terminals. Ground terminals may be interconnected with a conductive bridge so as to provide ground terminals with a predetermined maximum effective electrical length. Reducing the effective electrical length of the ground terminal can move the resonance frequencies of the connector outside the operational range of frequencies at which signals will be transmitted.
Claims29
A connector, comprising:
- a housing providing a card-receiving slot;
- a first wafer positioned in the housing and supporting a first ground terminal;
- a second wafer positioned in the housing and supporting a second ground terminal;
- a third and fourth wafer positioned between the first and second wafers, the third and fourth wafer each supporting a signal terminal, the signal terminals defining a differential pair, the differential pair positioned between the first and second ground terminals wherein in that the first and second ground terminal and the signal terminals each have a contact, the contacts positioned in a horizontal line to provide a ground, signal, signal, ground configuration in the card-receiving slot;
- and
- a bridge extending between the first ground terminal and the second ground terminal, the bridge electrically connecting the first and second ground terminal and electrically insulated from the signal terminals, the bridge configured to provide the first and second ground terminals with an maximum effective electrical length.
An electrical connector comprising:
- a dielectric housing with a first and second sidewall;
- a pair of ground terminals positioned within the housing;
- a pair of signal terminals positioned within the housing between the ground terminals that make up the pair of ground terminals, wherein each terminal includes a contact section at one end configured for making an electrical connection to a mating component, a tail at an opposite end, and a body section positioned between the contact section and the tail, the contact sections of the pair of ground terminals and the pair of signal terminals forming a row of contacts sections in a ground, signal, signal, ground configuration;
- and
- a bridge electrically connecting the pair of ground terminals together, wherein the body of each of the ground and signal terminals is aligned in a line so that the bridge extends transversely to the signal terminals.
An electrical connector comprising:
- a housing;
- a first and second ground wafer each support a plurality of ground terminals;
- a first and second signal wafer each supporting a plurality of signal wafers, the first and second signal wafer cooperatively providing a pair of differentially-coupled signal terminals, wherein the first and second ground wafer and the first and second signal wafer provide at least two rows of terminals;
- and
- a bridge extending through the first and second signal wafer and electrically connecting one of the ground terminals in the first ground wafer to one of the ground terminals in the second ground wafer, the bridge extending transversely to the differentially coupled signal terminals.
A method of providing an electrical connector with a ground terminal having an electrical length less than a predetermined value, comprising:
- providing a housing;
- positioning a first, second and third wafer in the housing, the first wafer including a first ground terminal defining a first electrical path, the second wafer including a signal terminal and the third wafer including a second ground terminal defining a second electrical path;
- and
- providing a bridge between the first and second ground terminals, the bridge shorting the first ground terminal to the second ground terminal so as to reduce an electrical length between impedance discontinuities in along the first and second ground members to less than a desired effective electrical length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.