Differential signal electrical connectors
AssigneeTeradyne, Inc.
InventorsThomas S. Cohen, Philip T. Stokoe, Mark W. Gailus
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical connector for transferring a plurality of differential signals between electrical components. The connector is made of modules that have a plurality of pairs of signal conductors with a first signal path and a second signal path. Each signal path has a pair of contact portions, and an interim section extending between the contact portions. For each pair of signal conductors, a first distance between the interim sections is less than a second distance between the pair of signal conductors and any other pair of signal conductors of the plurality. Embodiments are shown that increase routability.
Claims20
An electrical connector assembled from connector modules aligned in parallel, each connector module for transferring a plurality of differential signals between electrical components, each connector module comprising:
- a plurality of pairs of signal conductors, each pair having a first signal path and a second signal path, each signal path having a pair of contact portions located at opposing ends of the signal path, and an interim section extending between the pair of contact portions;
- and
- wherein for each pair of signal conductors a first distance between the interim sections within a pair is less than a second distance between the interim section of one of said signal paths of the pair and the interim section of one of said signal paths of an adjacent pair of signal conductors.
An electrical connector assembled form a plurality of modules aligned in parallel, each module for transferring a plurality of differential signals between electrical components, each connector module comprising:
- a plurality of signal conductors, each signal conductor having a pair of contact portions located at opposing ends of the signal conductor, and an interim section extending between the contact portions;
- wherein the intermediate portions of a first portion of the signal conductors are aligned in a plane and contain curved sections that route the intermediate section of each signal conductor in the first plurality toward to the intermediate section of a signal conductor in a second plurality of signal conductors, thereby forming a plurality of pairs of signal conductors within each module;
- wherein for each pair of signal conductors a first distance between the interim sections within a pair is less than a second distance between the pair of signal conductors and any other pair of signal conductors of the plurality.
An electrical connector assembled from a plurality of modules aligned in parallel, each module comprising:
- a) an insulative housing;
- b) a plurality of signal contacts having intermediate portions within the housing, mating contact portions extending from a first edge of the housing and contact tails extending from a second edge of the housing;
- c) wherein the intermediate portions of alternating ones of the intermediate portions contain bend towards an adjacent signal conductor whereby the signal conductors are disposed in pairs with spacing between the intermediate portions of signal conductors in a pair less than the spacing between the intermediate portions of signal conductors in adjacent pairs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.