Matable electrical connectors having signal and power terminals

A shielded electrical connector for mating with a complementary connector along a mating axis, comprising:

• a dielectric housing having a mating portion;
• an outer conductive shield surrounding at least the mating portion of the housing;
• a cross-shaped ground plate structure disposed in the mating portion of the housing when the electrical connector is mated with the complementary connector, the cross-shaped ground plate structure including first and second transverse plates defining four plate edges and four quadrants;
• at least one terminal mounted in the mating portion of the housing in at least one of the quadrants defined by the cross-shaped ground plate structure;
• and
• first and second outboard terminals mounted in the mating portion of the housing outside of said quadrants, a first contact portion of said first outboard terminal and a second contact portion of said second outboard terminal being located on opposite sides of said second plate with said first contact portion being disposed generally between said shield and one of said plate edges of said first plate and said second contact portion being disposed generally between said shield and the other of said plate edges of said first plate.

A shielded electrical connector for mating with a complementary connector along a mating axis, comprising:

• a dielectric housing having a mating portion;
• an outer conductive shield surrounding at least the mating portion of the housing, said mating portion of said housing including a generally rectangular base having a predetermined first thickness and a pair of wing portions having a predetermined second thickness and extending from opposite sides of said rectangular base, said second thickness being less than said first thickness;
• a cross-shaped ground plate structure disposed in the mating portion of the housing when the electrical connector is mated with the complementary connector, the cross-shaped ground plate structure defining four plate edges and four quadrants;
• at least one terminal mounted in the mating portion of the housing in at least some of the quadrants defined by the cross-shaped ground plate structure, said at least one terminal being mounted in said rectangular base;
• and
• two pairs of outboard terminals mounted in the mating portion of the housing, a contact portion of each outboard terminal being located generally between said shield and one of a pair of said opposite plate edges of the cross-shaped ground plate structure and the terminals of each pair of said outboard terminals being mounted along opposite sides of one of said wing portions.

An electrical connector for mating with a complementary connector, comprising:

• a dielectric housing having a mating portion;
• a cross-shaped ground plate structure disposed in the mating portion of the housing when the electrical connector is mated with the complementary connector, the cross-shaped ground plate structure including first and second plates defining four plate edges and four quadrants;
• at least one terminal mounted in the mating portion of the housing in at least one of said quadrants defined by the cross-shaped ground plate structure;
• and
• first and second additional terminals mounted in the mating portion of the housing outside an opposite pair of the plate edges of said first plate of the cross-shaped ground plate structure, said first additional terminal being mounted on an opposite side of said second plate from said second additional terminal.

An electrical connector for mating with a complementary connector, comprising:

• a dielectric housing having a mating portion;
• a cross-shaped ground plate structure disposed in the mating portion of the housing when the electrical connector is mated with the complementary connector, the cross-shaped ground plate structure including first and second plates defining four plate edges and four quadrants;
• at least one terminal mounted in the mating portion of the housing in each of said quadrants defined by the cross-shaped ground plate structure;
• and
• first and second outboard terminals mounted in the mating portion of the housing outside an opposite pair of the plate edges of said first plate of the cross-shaped ground plate structure, said first outboard terminal being mounted on an opposite side of said second plate from said second outboard terminal.