High-density connector assembly with isolation spacer

A high-density connector for connecting two circuit boards together, the connector comprising, in combination:

• a body supporting a plurality of conductive terminals, the terminals being defined into distinct sets of terminals, each of said distinct terminal sets including at least one set of signal terminals and one set of ground terminals, said terminals having mating portions for mating with opposing terminals of a mating connector, all of the terminal mating portions extending from a common side of said connector body, said terminal mating portions including contact portions for contacting said mating connector opposing terminals and intervening portions that space the contact portions from said connector body;
• and,
• a plurality of insulative spacer members supported between said distinct terminal sets, said spacer members preventing contact from occurring between adjacent terminals of said distinct terminal sets;
• a plurality of support members for supporting said terminals, each support member supporting one of said distinct terminal sets as a unit, and individual one of said spacer members engage individual support members;
• said support members engaging said terminals of said distinct terminal sets at locations intermediate said terminal contact and intervening portions, and said spacer member are interposed between said intervening portions of said distinct terminal sets.

A connector for connecting circuits on a first circuit board to circuits on a second circuit board by mating with an opposing connector mounted to the second circuit board, the connector having the ability to compensate for misalignment with the opposing connector, comprising:

• a connector body formed from a plurality of insulative terminal housings;
• each of the terminal housing supporting a plurality of conductive terminals, the terminals having tail portions disposed along a first side of said connector body for mating to the first printed circuit board, contact portions disposed along a second end of said connector body for mating with terminals of said opposing connector, said terminals further including flexing portions interposed between said terminal contact portions and said connector body second side, said terminal contact portions being arranged in distinct terminal arrays;
• a mating cover that at least partially covers said terminal contact portions;
• means for supporting said terminals within the mating cover and for moveably supporting said mating cover on said connector body, the terminal support means engaging said terminals at locations spaced from said connector body second side, the terminal flexing portions enabling movement of said terminal contact portions in order to effect a mating engagement with said mating connector, said terminal support means fixing said terminal contact portions in place within said mating cover so that said mating cover and terminal contact portions move together independently of said connector body;
• and,
• a plurality of planar insulative spacers independent of said connector body and only interposed between selected adjacent terminal arrays, the spacers preventing contact and increasing electrical affinity between said terminals of said selected arrays.

A board-to-board connector for connecting circuits on a first circuit board to a mating connector mounted to a second circuit board comprising:

• a connector body;
• a plurality of conductive terminals arranged in distinct sets, each terminal set being defined by opposing end terminals, each of the terminals including terminal contact portions disposed along a first face thereof for mating with terminals of the mating connector and terminal body portions for supporting said terminals on said connector body, the terminal contact portions projecting axially away from the connector body first face, said terminals further including distinct flexing portions disposed between said terminal contact portions and said connector body second side, the flexing portions enabling movement of said terminal sets order to effect a mating engagement with said mating connector;
• a plurality of insulative terminal support bars, one support bar supporting a distinct terminal set, and said spacer elements are connected to selected support bars, said support bars including two interengaging halves that are engaged together to form single support bars;
• a plurality of discrete dielectric spacer elements interposed between selected terminal sets, the spacer elements extending crosswise to said terminal contact portions, single spacer elements being operatively connected to single terminal sets such that said spacer elements move in unison with their connected terminal set, and said spacer elements include at least one mounting end, the mounting ends of said spacer elements being held between said support bar halves.

A board-to-board connector for connecting circuits on a first circuit board to a mating connector mounted to a second circuit board comprising:

• a connector body;
• a plurality of conductive terminals arranged in distinct sets, each of the terminals including terminal contact portions for mating with terminals of the mating connector, the terminal contact portions being disposed along a first face of said connector body, and terminal body portions for supporting said terminals on said connector body, the terminal contact portions projecting axially away from said connector body first face, said terminals further including distinct flexing portions disposed between said terminal contact portions and said connector body first face, the flexing portions enabling movement of said terminal sets during mating engagement with said mating connector;
• a plurality of insulative terminal support bars, one support bar supporting a distinct terminal set by engaging only one distinct terminal set at locations between said terminal contact and flexing portions
• a plurality of discrete dielectric spacer elements interposed between selected adjacent terminal sets, the spacer elements being connected to said support bars and extending crosswise to said terminal contact portions between said flexing portions of said selected terminal sets, single spacer elements being operatively connected to single terminal sets such that said spacer elements move in unison with their connected terminal set.