High density electrical connector

Abstract

An electrical connector (1) includes a dielectric housing (10) defining a number of parallel channels (14), and a spacer (20) consisting of a number of wafers (21) assembled together. A number of slots (200) is defined between adjacent wafers. Each wafer includes a dielectric base (22), and a number of signal terminals (23) and a grounding bus (24) respectively mounted on opposite sides of the dielectric base. A number of circuit boards (30) is disposed between the housing and the spacer. Each circuit board has a mating portion (300) aligned with a corresponding channel of the housing, and a mounting portion (302) received in a corresponding slot of the spacer. The mounting portions of the circuit boards mechanically and electrically engage with the signal terminals and the grounding buses and do not have an engagement with the dielectric bases of the spacer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.