Low-cross-talk electrical connector
AssigneesFCI Americas Technology, Inc., Fci
InventorsJan De Geest, Stefaan Hendrik Jozef Sercu, Jonathan E. Buck, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stuart C. Stoner, Stephen B. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical connector includes a plurality of leadframe assembly, each having a leadframe housing and a plurality of contacts carried by the leadframe housing. At least a pair of adjacent leadframe assemblies includes respective first and second conductive member portions that are seated in the leadframe housing at a desired location with respect to the corresponding electrical contacts.
Claims16
An electrical connector comprising:
- a connector housing;
- a first leadframe assembly supported by the connector housing, the first leadframe assembly including a first leadframe housing and a corresponding plurality of electrical contacts carried by the first leadframe housing that are configured to transmit data signals;
- a second leadframe assembly that is adjacent to the first leadframe assembly, the second leadframe assembly including a second leadframe housing and a corresponding plurality of electrical contacts carried by the second leadframe housing that are configured to transmit data signals;
- an electrically conductive member including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion supported by the first leadframe housing so as to define a gap with respect to the plurality of electrical contacts corresponding to the first leadframe assembly, and the second portion carried by the second leadframe housing so as to define a gap with respect to the plurality of electrical contacts corresponding to the second leadframe assembly,
- wherein the first and second portions face each other when the first and second leadframe assemblies are supported by the connector housing, such that the electrical connector is devoid of electrical contacts between the first and second portions.
The electrical connector as recited in claim 9, wherein each leadframe housing of the first and second leadframe assemblies define respective pockets that receive the first and second portions, respectively.
A method of reducing cross-talk of an electrical connector, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing or teaching the use of an electrical connector, such as the first electrical connector having the connector housing and a plurality of leadframe assemblies supported by the connector housing;
- identifying first and second adjacent leadframe assemblies;
- teaching the step of creating a pocket in opposed first and second outer surfaces of first and second leadframe housings of the first and second leadframe assemblies, respectively, such that the opposed first and second outer surfaces face each other when the first and second leadframe assemblies are supported by the connector housing;
- and
- teaching the step of disposing first and second electrically conductive portions of a conductive bar in the pockets of the first and second leadframe assemblies, such that the first and second portions are separated from electrical contacts of the respective first and second leadframe assemblies by a non-zero gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.