Electrical connector having shaped dielectric insert for controlling impedance

An electrical connector comprising:

• a connector housing having mating and terminating ends, the connector housing having a leading edge that defines an opening at the mating end that leads into a housing cavity, a central axis extending through the housing cavity between the mating and terminating ends, wherein the connector housing has an interior surface that faces radially-inward toward the central axis, the interior surface defining a first housing section that extends from the leading edge to a front step and a second housing section that extends from the front step toward the terminating end of the connector housing, the front step extending radially inward from an end of the first housing section to the second housing section;
• a contact sub-assembly disposed within the housing cavity, the contact sub-assembly including a dielectric insert comprising a dielectric material and an electrical contact held by the insert along the central axis, the insert having an engagement end configured to interface with a coupling connector, the engagement end being surrounded by the second housing section, the electrical contact projecting beyond the insert at the engagement end, the insert also including a back end that is proximate to the terminating end of the connector housing and an intermediate portion that extends continuously between and joins the engagement and back ends, each of the engagement end, the back end, and the intermediate portion having an outer diameter that is measured perpendicular to the central axis, the outer diameter of the intermediate portion being less than each of the outer diameters of the engagement end and the back end;
• wherein a cross-section of the contact sub-assembly and the connector housing taken perpendicular to the central axis at the engagement end is configured for a target impedance, the electrical contact being immediately surrounded by an impedance-control space at the engagement end, the impedance-control space being surrounded and defined by the dielectric material of the insert, the impedance-control space extending an axial distance along the central axis and a radial distance from the electrical contact to a portion of the insert, the axial and radial distances being sized to obtain the target impedance for the electrical connector.

An electrical connector comprising:

• a connector housing having mating and terminating ends, the connector housing having a housing cavity and a leading edge at the mating end that defines an opening to the housing cavity, wherein a central axis extends through the housing cavity between the mating and terminating ends;
• a dielectric insert positioned within the housing cavity;
• and
• an electrical contact held by the insert along the central axis and configured to engage a coupling connector in the housing cavity;
• wherein the insert has a recess surface that faces the mating end and extends a radial distance outward from the electrical contact, the insert including a dielectric rim that projects an axial distance from the recess surface toward the mating end, the dielectric rim surrounding and being radially spaced from the electrical contact, the dielectric rim and the recess surface defining an impedance-control space that circumferentially surrounds the electrical contact about the central axis, wherein the axial distance of the dielectric rim and the radial distance of the recess surface are sized to obtain a target impedance for the electrical connector;
• wherein the dielectric insert is sized and shaped to be inserted through the opening in a direction that is from the mating end to the terminating end in order to position the insert at an operative location;
• wherein the insert has an engagement end that includes the dielectric rim, a back end that is proximate to the terminating end of the connector housing, and an intermediate portion that extends continuously between and joins the engagement and back ends, each of the engagement end, the back end, and the intermediate portion having an outer diameter that is measured perpendicular to the central axis, the outer diameter of the intermediate portion being less than the outer diameters of the engagement end and the back end.