# US 9,049,787 B2 · Paddle card with improved performance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,049,787 B2 - Document ID: US9049787B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/745,352 - Filed: 2013-01-18 - Published: 2014-07-24 - Granted: 2015-06-02 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-18 - Assignees: Molex Incorporated - Applicants: Molex Incorporated - Inventors: Mark Alan Bugg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9049787B2 ## CPC - H05K 1/0216: {Reduction of cross-talk, noise or electromagnetic interference (grounding H05K1/0215)} - H01R 12/62: connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures - H01R 13/6474: by variation of conductive properties, e.g. by dimension variations - H01R 13/65912: {for shielded multiconductor cable (coaxial cables with one conductor surrounded by shield H01R9/05; flat shielded cables H01R12/594)} - H05K 1/0296: {Conductive pattern lay-out details not covered by sub groups H05K1/02 - H05K1/0295 (H05K1/11 takes precedence; lay-out adapted to mounted component configuration H05K1/18)} - H05K 1/111: {Pads for surface mounting, e.g. lay-out} - H05K 1/112: {directly combined with via connections} - H05K 1/117: {Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors} - H01R 12/57: surface mounting terminals - H01R 12/775: {Ground or shield arrangements} - H05K 3/3405: {Edge mounted components, e.g. terminals} - H05K 2201/09218: Conductive traces - H05K 2201/09381: Shape of non-curved single flat metallic pad, land or exposed part thereof; Shape of electrode of leadless component - H05K 2201/09418: Special orientation of pads, lands or terminals of component, e.g. radial or polygonal orientation - H05K 2201/09727: Varying width along a single conductor; Conductors or pads having different widths - H05K 2201/10356: Cables - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A paddle card construction disclosed for use in connecting electronic devices together. The paddle card takes the form of a circuit board that has a plurality of conductive contact pads arranged thereon in pairs. The contact pads of each pair are spaced apart from each other to provide a pair of points to which cable wire free ends may be terminated, such as by soldering. The spacing of the pads apart from each other in effect reduces to amount of capacitance in the cable wire termination area on the circuit board, thereby reducing the impedance and insertion loss in that area at high frequencies. The contact pads of each pair may be further interconnected together by a thin, conductive trace that extends lengthwise between the contact pads. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cable assembly, the cable assembly comprising: a cable, the cable including a plurality of signal-transmitting wires, pairs of the signal-transmitting wires being arranged in the cable, each signal-transmitting wire including a conductor surrounded by an insulative covering, each conductor extending forwardly past a leading edge of the insulative covering to define a free end of each signal-transmitting wire; and a circuit board, the circuit board having opposite leading and trailing edges, the circuit board including a first portion to which the free ends are terminated and a second portion extending forwardly from and spaced apart from the first portion, the first portion including a plurality of contact pads disposed on a surface thereof, the contact pads being arranged in pairs of contact pads associated with each free end, the contact pads of each contact pad pair being aligned with each other so that a leading edge of the foremost contact pad and a trailing edge of the rearmost contact pad define a predetermined length, L, there between, the contact pads being separated from each other by an intervening spacing, the cumulative length of the contact pads being between about 0.5 L to 0.8 L; wherein each free end of the signal-transmitting wires contacts both the contact pads of one of the pairs of contact pads. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein each contact pad pair includes a thin, conductive trace interconnecting the pads of each contact pad pair together. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one pad of the pairs of contact pads encompasses a via extending into the circuit board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cable assembly of claim 3, wherein each pad of each pair of contact pads encompasses a via extending into the circuit board. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the pairs of contact pads are spaced widthwise apart from each other by a first predetermined spacing, and the circuit board further includes conductive transmission traces extending from the forwardmost contact pads in a direction toward the first portion, the transmission traces being separated by a second spacing which is less than the first spacing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The cable assembly of claim 5, wherein the transmission traces converge toward each other until separated by the second spacing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the contact pads have a length of about 0.8 mm, and the intervening spacing between the contact pads has a length of about 1.0 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the intervening spacing is between about 0.2 L to about 0.4 L. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein each interconnecting trace is generally centered between the pair of contact pads it connects together. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein each interconnecting trace has a width of about 25% to about 40% of a width of the contact pads.