# US 7,322,855 B2 · Array connector having improved electrical characteristics and increased signal pins with decreased ground pins > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,322,855 B2 - Document ID: US7322855B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/865,128 - Filed: 2004-06-10 - Published: 2005-12-15 - Granted: 2008-01-29 - Earliest claimed: 2004-06-10 - Assignees: Samtec, Inc. - Inventors: John A. Mongold; Julian J. Ferry; Todd J. Kuvshinikov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7322855B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/6471: by special arrangement of ground and signal conductors, e.g. GSGS [Ground-Signal-Ground-Signal] - H01R 13/6587: for mounting on PCBs - H01R 13/6473: Impedance matching - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract An electrical connector includes a connector body, a plurality of rows and columns of conductive pins disposed along the length direction and the width direction of the connector body so as to form an array of signal pins located in a pin field, at least two rows of ground pins arranged along at least two sides of the pin field, with no ground pins being arranged in the pin field or between adjacent signal pins. The signal pins are arranged in a stretched pitch and/or staggered configuration to minimize cross-talk and maximize signal pin density and signal-to-ground ratio. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical connector comprising: a connector body; a plurality of pins arranged in the connector body to define one pin field in the electrical connector, the plurality of pins including a plurality of signal pins and a plurality of ground pins; wherein the ground pins are arranged only at a periphery of the one pin field; the plurality of signal pairs are grouped into pairs of signal pins such that the signal pins in a pair of signal pins are closer to each other than adjacent pairs of signal pins; each of the plurality of pins includes a broad side and a narrow side; and each of the pairs of signal pins are arranged such that the broad sides of the signal pins face each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the periphery of the pin field includes four sides and the ground pins are located along two of the four sides of the periphery of the pin field. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the signal pins are arranged in rows in between at least two outer rows of ground pins. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the pairs of signal pins are differential pairs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein each of the signal pins has a broader side and a narrower side, the broader sides of the signal pins of each of the differential pairs being aligned with each other, and the narrower sides of the signal pins of different adjacent differential pairs being aligned with each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the differential pairs of signal pins are arranged in columns and rows of the pin field, the differential pairs in each of the rows being spaced from a different adjacent differential pair in the same row by a distance that is approximately equal to a length of a broader side of one of the signal pins of the differential pairs. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the differential pairs of signal pins are arranged in columns and rows of the pin field, the two signal pins in each of the differential pairs being spaced from each other by a distance that is approximately equal to one half of a length of a broader side of one of the signal pins of the differential pairs. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the differential pairs of signal pins are arranged in columns and rows of the pin field, the differential pairs are arranged in a zig-zag pattern along the direction of the columns of the pin field. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the differential pairs of signal pins are arranged in columns and rows of the pin field, the differential pairs are arranged in a stretched pattern along the direction of the rows of the pin field such that for each row of differential pairs, a distance between signal pins along the row direction is not equal to a distance between signal pins along the column direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is a differential pair array connector. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is a single ended array connector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector body includes a plurality of cores which are arranged in a staggered pattern. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector body includes a plurality of cores which are arranged in a stretched pattern. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector body includes a plurality of cores which are arranged in a staggered and stretched pattern. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein a ground shield extends along the perimeter of the connector body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electrical connector according to claim 15, wherein the connector body is composed of a plastic and the ground shield is plated on the plastic of the connector body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The electrical connector according to claim 15, wherein the ground shield is connected to at least one of the plurality of pins. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector body includes at least one standoff for maintaining a minimum distance between the connector body and a circuit board. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the pins are arranged in rows and columns of the pin field, and a first group of signal pins which are adjacent to each other in the column direction are spaced from each other by a distance that is approximately equal to a length of a broader side of one of the signal pins in each of the rows, and a second group of signal pins which are adjacent to each other in the column direction are spaced from each other by a distance that is approximately equal to one half of a length of a broader side of one of the signal pins in each of the rows. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the pins are arranged in rows and columns of the pin field, and the signal pins which are adjacent to each other in the row direction are spaced from each other by a distance that is approximately equal to a length of a broader side of one of the signal pins. ### Claim 21 An electrical connector comprising: a connector body; and a plurality of rows of signal pin pairs disposed along a first direction of the connector body, each of the signal pin pairs including first and second signal pins aligned in a second direction of the connector body; wherein adjacent rows of the signal pin pairs are staggered in the first direction of the connector body such that any of the signal pin pairs of one row do not align in the second direction with any of the signal pin pairs of an adjacent row of signal pin pairs; and each of the signal pin pairs includes a broad side and a narrow side, and the signal pin pairs are arranged such that the broad side of a first signal pin of each respective one of the signal pin pairs faces and is closest to the broad side of a second signal pin of each respective one of the signal pin pairs along at least a majority of the length of the signal pin pairs. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, the staggered arrangement of the signal pin pairs defines a zig-zag arrangement of the signal pin pairs in the second direction. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein a plurality of ground pins are disposed along a periphery of the plurality of rows of signal pin pairs. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The electrical connector according to claim 23, wherein the periphery of the plurality of rows of signal pin pairs includes four sides and the ground pins are located along two of the four sides of the periphery. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein no ground pins are provided in the rows of signal pin pairs. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the signal pins are arranged in differential pairs. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The electrical connector according to claim 26, wherein the differential pairs are arranged in columns and rows, and the differential pairs are arranged in a stretched pattern along the direction of the rows. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the electrical connector is a single ended array connector. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the narrow sides of the signal pins of different adjacent signal pin pairs are aligned with each other. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the signal pin pairs in each of the rows being spaced from an adjacent signal pin pair in the same row by a distance that is approximately equal to a length of a broader side of one of the signal pins of the signal pin pairs. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the two signal pins of each of the signal pin pairs are spaced from each other by a distance that is approximately equal to one-half of a length of a broader side of one of the signal pins of the signal pin pairs. ### Claim 32 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the electrical connector is a differential pair array connector. ### Claim 33 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the connector body includes a plurality of cores which are arranged in a staggered pattern. ### Claim 34 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the connector body includes a plurality of cores which are arranged in a stretched pattern. ### Claim 35 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the connector body includes a plurality of cores which are arranged in a staggered and stretched pattern. ### Claim 36 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein a ground shield extends along the perimeter of the connector body. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The electrical connector according to claim 36, wherein the ground shield is connected to at least one of the plurality of pins. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The electrical connector according to claim 36, wherein the connector body is composed of a plastic and the ground shield is plated on the plastic of the connector body. ### Claim 39 (depends on 21) The electrical connector according to claim 21, wherein the connector body includes at least one standoff for maintaining a minimum distance between the connector body and a circuit board.