Connector apparatus

An electrical header connector comprising:

• a header body formed to include a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings,
• a plurality of signal pins configured for insertion into the plurality of first openings to form an array of pin contacts extending therefrom, and
• a plurality of shield blades configured for insertion into the plurality of second openings, each of the plurality of shield blades having a generally right angle shielding portion configured to be disposed adjacent to at least one of the plurality of signal pins, wherein the first and second openings are arranged in the header body such that the generally right angle shielding portions of shield blades substantially surround the signal pins to form a coaxial shield around each of the plurality of signal pins,
• wherein the generally right angle shielding portion of each of the plurality of shield blades includes first and second leg portions, wherein each of the plurality of second openings in the header body has a generally right angle cross-section for receiving the generally right angle shielding portion of a shield blade, wherein each of the plurality of generally right angle second openings includes first and second narrowed throat portions dimensioned to engage the first and second leg portions of the generally right angle shielding portion of a shield blade to hold the shield blade in place, and wherein each of the plurality of generally right angle second openings in the header body includes a central portion coupled to first and second end portions by the first and second narrowed throat portions, wherein the central portion and the first and second end portions of each of the plurality of generally right angle second openings are formed to provide an air gap surrounding the generally right angle shielding portion of a shield blade.

An electrical connector comprising:

• a front cap formed to include an array of pin-insertion windows arranged as a plurality of rows and columns,
• a plurality of horizontal shields configured for insertion into the front cap to form a plurality of horizontal compartments in substantial alignment with the plurality of rows of pin-insertion windows,
• a plurality of connector modules configured for insertion into the front cap to form an array of receptacle contacts arranged as a plurality of rows and columns in substantial alignment with the plurality of rows and columns of pin-insertion windows in the front cap, and
• a plurality of vertical shields configured for insertion into the front cap to form a plurality of vertical compartments in substantial alignment with the plurality of columns of pin-insertion windows, the plurality of vertical shields being electrically coupled to the plurality of horizontal shields to form a coaxial shield around each receptacle contact.

A protective cap for use with a header connector including a header body having a front wall formed to include a plurality of first openings therethrough configured for receiving a plurality of signal pins therein, each signal pin having a first end extending above the front wall of the header connector and a second end spaced apart from the first end configured for insertion into an opening in a printed circuit board, the protective cap including a front wall formed to include a plurality of holes configured to receive the first ends of the signal pins when the protective cap is inserted into the header body to protect the signal pins during shipping and handling of the header connector, the protective cap including a surface configured to engage at least one of a portion of the header body surrounding the signal pins and a portion of the signal pins to permit the protective cap to be used to install the header connector on the printed circuit board, and wherein the front wall of the header body is further formed to include a plurality of second openings therethrough configured for receiving a plurality of shield blades therein, each shield blade having a first end extending above the front wall of the header connector adjacent to the first end of a signal pin and a second end spaced apart from the first end configured for insertion into an opening in a printed circuit board adjacent to the second end of the signal pin, wherein the front wall of the protective cap is formed to include a plurality of ribs defining a plurality of slots in the protective cap configured to receive the first ends of the shield blades when the protective cap is inserted into the header body, and wherein the plurality of holes configured to receive the first ends of the signal pins when the protective cap is inserted into the header body are arranged in the said plurality of ribs.

A modular header connector comprising:

• a first header body having a front wall formed to include a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings therethrough,
• a second header body having a front wall formed to include a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings therethrough,
• a plurality of signal pins configured for insertion in the plurality of first openings in the first and second header bodies,
• a plurality of shield blades configured for insertion in the plurality of second openings in the first and second header bodies, the plurality of shield blades being formed in a continuous strip of material extending between the first and second header bodies to couple the first and second header bodies together.

An electrical connector comprising:

• a housing,
• a plurality of connector modules including an insulated material encasing a plurality of conductive paths having a contact portion, the plurality of connector modules being coupled to the housing to form an array of conductive paths arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, each connector module being formed to include a plurality of passageways which are interleaved with the plurality of conductive paths,
• a plurality of first shields extending along a first side of an associated connector module, and
• a plurality of second shields, each second shield being configured for insertion into one of the passageways formed by the plurality of connector modules so that the first and second shields cooperate to form a substantially continuous shield around each conductive path, the first shields being removable to form differential pairs of conductive paths in adjacent rows and the second shields being removable to form differential pairs of conductive paths in adjacent columns.