Electrical connector for micro co-axial conductors

A pin and socket electrical connector comprising:

• an insulating housing with contact holding channels formed therethrough;
• at least one coaxial contact mounted in the insulating housing, the at least one coaxial contact including a ground contact and a signal contact, and being located in a corresponding one of the contact holding channels of the insulating housing;
• a grounding section connected to the insulating housing, the grounding section having a ground plane which is groundingly connected to the ground contact of the at least one coaxial contact;
• and
• a printed circuit board (PCB) section connected to the insulating housing, the PCB section interfacing between a conductor terminated to the connector and the at least one coaxial contact.

A method for terminating an electrical conductor to an electrical connector, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing the electrical connector with an insulating housing having contact holding channels formed therein, and at least one pin or socket co-axial contact located in one of the contact holding channels;
• providing the electrical connector with an adapter section adapted to be removably mounted to the insulating housing, the adapter section having signal contact assemblies therein corresponding to the contact holding channels in the insulating housing;
• mounting a terminal plate to the adapter section, the terminal plate having contact holes, at least some of which hold therein corresponding terminal ends of the signal contact assemblies, the contact holes being connected to solder pads for terminating electrical conductors thereto;
• heating the terminal plate to effect a connection between the terminal ends of the signal contact assemblies and the electrical conductors terminated to the solder pads;
• and
• removably mounting the adapter section to the insulating housing for connecting the at least one pin or socket co-axial contact to at least one of the electrical conductors terminated to the solder pads on the terminal plate.

A pin and socket electrical connector comprising:

• an insulating housing with contact holding channels formed therethrough;
• at least one contact mounted in the insulating housing, the contact being held in one of the contact holding channels in the housing with a terminal section of the contact extending from a portion of the housing;
• and
• a printed circuit board (PCB) section connected to the housing, the PCB section interfacing between a conductor terminated to the connector and the at least one contact;
• wherein the at least one contact is a co-axial contact with the terminal section of the contact comprising an outer terminal contact, and an inner terminal contact co-axial with the outer terminal contact, the inner terminal contact having an end connected to the PCB section.