Multi-port coaxial printed circuit board connector

A connector assembly (28) mounted on a first printed circuit board (20) for separably connecting a first plurality of contact pads (24) on a surface of said first printed circuit board (20) and arranged in a first array defined by the intersections of transverse first (58) and second (60) coplanar sets of parallel lines to a second plurality of contact pads on a surface of a second printed circuit board (66) and arranged in a second array defined by the intersections of transverse third (62) and fourth (64) coplanar sets of parallel lines, said second printed circuit board (66) having mounted thereon a connector (68) including a housing block (70) with through-bores (72) aligned with said second array and coaxial contact assemblies in said through-bores matingly engaged with respective ones of said second plurality of contact pads, said connector assembly comprising:

• a housing (74) having a base portion (80) and a wall portion (84), said base portion (80) being formed with through-bores (82) in a two dimensional array corresponding to said first array, said wall portion (84) being substantially planar and extending from said base portion (80) from a region outside said array of throughbores (82) parallel to said through-bores (82) and parallel to said first set (58) of lines, said wall portion (84) having a plurality of parallel slots (86) open at the distal end of said wall portion (84), each of said slots (86) being aligned with a respective line in said second set (60) of lines;
• means (120, 124) for mounting said housing (74) on said first printed circuit board (20) with said base portion through-bores (82) in alignment with said first array of contact pads (24);
• a plurality of coaxial cable subassemblies (30) each terminated at both ends with a respective coaxial contact assembly (34, 38), the contact assemblies (34) at the first ends (32) of said cable subassemblies (30) each being disposed in a respective one of said base portion through-bores (82) and in contact with a respective one of said first plurality of contact pads (24), and the second ends (36) of said cable subassemblies (30) each being disposed in a respective slot (86) aligned with the line of the second set (60) of lines corresponding to the through-bore (82) in which the contact assembly (34) at the first end (32) of that cable subassembly (30) is disposed;
• a faceplate member (76) including a wall (98) formed with a plurality of apertures (100) arranged in a two dimensional array corresponding to the positions of the second cable subassembly ends (36) disposed in the slots (86) of the housing wall portion (84);
• a cover member (78) including means (90) for holding the cable subassemblies (30);
• and
• means (106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116) for securing said faceplate member (76) to said cover member (78) with said housing wall portion (84) therebetween so that the contact assemblies (38) at the second ends (36) of the cable subassemblies (30) extend through respective ones of the apertures (100) in the faceplate member wall (98);
• said faceplate member (76) being formed with a shroud portion (102) extending from said faceplate member wall (98) in a direction away from said housing wall portion (84) and surrounding the contact assemblies (38) in the apertures (100) in the faceplate member wall (98), said shroud portion (102) being sized to surround the housing block (70) of the second printed circuit board connector (68) so that the contact assemblies (38) at the second ends (36) of the coaxial cable subassemblies (30) can matingly engage respective coaxial contact assemblies in the through-bores (72) of the housing block (70).