Electrical connector assembled from wafers
AssigneeTeradyne, Inc.
InventorsDaniel B. Provencher, Philip T. Stokoe, Mark W. Gailus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular electrical connector made from wafers. Each wafer contains one column of contact elements and is made separately. The wafers are of two different types, which snap together to form two row modules. The modules contain attachment features that allow them to be organized on a metal stiffener. Shield members can be optionally attached to each wafer so that the connector can be made in either a shielded or unshielded versions. In addition, each wafer includes windows through which selected contact elements can be cut to either improve the performance of the shields or to allow attachment of resistors.
Claims21
A modular electrical connector comprising:
- a) a metal stiffener;
- and
- b) a plurality of signal contact modules attached to the metal stiffener without use of an intermediate insulative housing to hold the modules, each signal contact module comprising:
- i) an insulative housing having a first and a second insulative shroud portions integrally formed therewith,
- ii) a plurality of contact elements extending through the insulative housing, each contact element having a tail portion extending from the insulative housing and a contact portion extending from the insulative housing between the first and second shroud portions.
A modular electrical connector comprising:
- a) a metal stiffener;
- and
- b) a plurality of modules attached to the metal stiffener, each module comprising:
- i) an insulative housing having a first and a second insulative shroud portions,
- ii) a plurality of contact elements within the insulative housing, each contact element having a tail portion extending from the insulative housing and a contact portion extending from the insulative housing between the first and second shroud portions,
- wherein each module comprises wafers of a first type and wafers of a second type, each with snap fit features enabling wafers of the first type to be attached to wafers of the second type.
A modular electrical connector of the type having a plurality of columns of contact elements comprising:
- a) a plurality of wafers positioned side to side, each wafer having an insulative housing;
- b) a plurality of columns of contact elements, each column passing through one wafer and each contact element having a contact portion and a tail portion extending from the insulative housing;
- and
- c) a plurality of shield members, each shield member electrically connected at at least two points to a selected contact element, the selected contact element having an electrical disconnect between the two points.
A modular electrical connector of the type having a plurality of columns of contact elements comprising:
- a) a plurality of wafers positioned side to side, each wafer having an insulative housing;
- b) a plurality of columns of contact elements, each column passing through one wafer and each contact element having a contact portion and a tail portion extending from the insulative housing, selected ones of the contact elements having electrical disconnects between their contact portions and their tail portions;
- and
- c) a plurality of resistive elements, wherein the insulative housing of each wafer has at least one opening therein exposing the electrical disconnect of at least one contact element and a resistive element is positioned in the opening and attached to a selected contact element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.