초록 ▼

A connector assembly for connecting to differential signal circuits on at least one circuit board may be of the docking type or the interposer type. A housing of the connector has transversely and longitudinally extending walls that define a plurality of cavities that extend completely through the h

A connector assembly for connecting to differential signal circuits on at least one circuit board may be of the docking type or the interposer type. A housing of the connector has transversely and longitudinally extending walls that define a plurality of cavities that extend completely through the housing. Terminal assemblies with at least one differential signal pair are received in the cavities with tail portions on at least one end of the differential pairs to connect to a circuit board. The connector housing has conductive surfaces and a plurality of ground terminal members are disposed along the transverse walls or the longitudinal walls, or both, for connecting to ground circuits in the circuit board. The ground terminal members each have a plurality of ground terminals, which are disposed along the walls at intermediate or diagonal positions relative to the differential signal pairs, such as adjacent to four differential signal pairs. Such placement of the ground terminal members also subdivides the differential signal pairs into groups or sets. This interstitial ground terminal arrangement also serves to keep the impedance at the connector-circuit board interface relatively uniform for high speed signals in the differential pairs.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A connector assembly for use in connecting to differential signal circuits on at least one circuit board, comprising:a connector housing, the connector housing including a plurality of longitudinally extending and transversely extending walls that define, in part, a plurality of cavities in said

1. A connector assembly for use in connecting to differential signal circuits on at least one circuit board, comprising:a connector housing, the connector housing including a plurality of longitudinally extending and transversely extending walls that define, in part, a plurality of cavities in said housing, the cavities extending completely through said connector housing, said housing having conductive surfaces including on the surfaces of said plurality of cavities for providing a reference ground surrounding each of said cavities; a plurality of terminal assemblies received in said cavities, each of the terminal assemblies including at least one differential signal pair, said at least one differential signal pair including tail portions on at least one end of said terminal assemblies for connecting the differential signal pairs to circuits on said at least one circuit board, said terminal assemblies being at least partially held within said cavities; and, a plurality of ground terminal members disposed along said plurality of walls and in electrical contact with said conductive surfaces of the housing for electrically connecting said conductive surfaces to ground circuits on said at least one circuit board, said ground terminal members being further adjacently located to differential signal pairs at the connector to circuit board interface. 2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of ground terminal members are disposed along said walls of the connector at positions that subdivide said plurality of differential signal pairs into sets or groups.3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of ground terminal members are disposed along selected ones of said transversely extending walls of the connector.4. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of ground terminal members are disposed along selected ones of said longitudinally extending walls of the connector.5. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of ground terminal members are disposed along selected ones of both said longitudinally extending and transversely extending walls of the connector.6. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said connector assembly is of the docking type.7. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said connector assembly is of the interposer type for interconnecting differential signal pairs on two circuit boards.8. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of ground terminal members each include a plurality of ground terminals.9. The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein said ground terminals are compliant.10. The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein said plurality of ground terminals for each ground terminal member are located at intermediate positions relative to said plurality of differential signal pairs.11. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein at least some of said ground terminals are diagonally disposed between differential signal pairs such that at least some of the ground terminals are adjacently disposed to four differential signal pairs.12. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the affinity of differential signals in the differential pairs to the adjacently disposed ground terminals keeps the impedance at the connector assembly to circuit board interface relatively uniform compared to the impedance through the connector.13. An electrical connector with improved grounding, comprising:an insulative connector housing, the connector housing having a body portion with at least one terminating face disposed on the housing body portion, a plurality of internal cavities defined in said housing body portion, the cavities extending completely through said connector housing and opening to said terminating face, said housing body portion having at least a conductive surfaces disposed on said terminating face; a plurality of conductive signal terminals received in said cavities, each of terminal being supported by an insulative support frame, the signal terminals including opposing contact and tail portions, the tail portions extending out of said housing body portion along said terminating face thereof; and, a plurality of ground terminals disposed on said housing body portion terminating face for connecting said connector housing conductive surface to at least one ground circuit on an opposing circuit board, the ground terminals being arranged on said body portion terminating face so as to divide said signal terminal tail portions into discrete groups, said ground terminals further defining a plurality of individual ground paths between said signal terminals and said ground terminals. 14. The connector of claim 13, wherein at least two signal terminals are received in each of said housing cavities, and said two signal terminals define at least one differential signal terminal pair in each of said housing cavities.15. The connector of claim 13, wherein said housing body portion includes a plurality of recesses formed therein along said terminating face thereof, the recesses being disposed between openings of said cavities on said terminating face, each of said recesses receiving at least one ground terminal therein.16. The connector of claim 15, wherein said housing body portion terminating face conductive surface extends into said recesses to establish electrical contact with said ground terminals.17. The connector of claim 13, wherein said ground terminals include tail portions extending outwardly from said connector housing body portion recesses and retention portions received within said connector housing body portion recesses.18. The connector of claim 17, wherein said ground terminal tail portions include compliant pins.19. The connector of claim 18, wherein the compliant pins include eye of needle compliant pins.