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An electrical connector electrically connects a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board, where the electrical connector includes: (a) an insulative housing; (b) a plurality of signal conductors, with at least a portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors disposed wit

An electrical connector electrically connects a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board, where the electrical connector includes: (a) an insulative housing; (b) a plurality of signal conductors, with at least a portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors disposed within the insulative housing; (c) each of the plurality of signal conductors having a first contact end, a second contact end and an intermediate portion therebetween; and (d) a passive circuit element electrically connected to the intermediate portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors, where the passive circuit element is housed in an insulative package and includes at least a capacitor or an inductor.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An electrical connector configured to electrically connect a first electrical device and a second electrical device, the electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing comprising at least one opening disposed therein;a first signal conductor comprising a first segment and a second segment

1. An electrical connector configured to electrically connect a first electrical device and a second electrical device, the electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing comprising at least one opening disposed therein;a first signal conductor comprising a first segment and a second segment that is spatially separated from the first segment to form a first gap therebetween, wherein a portion of the first signal conductor is disposed within the insulative housing, and wherein the first gap is accessible at a first one of the at least one opening;a first circuit element disposed in the first one of the at least one opening and electrically connected to the first and second segments to bridge the first gap;a second signal conductor comprising a third segment and a fourth segment that is spatially separated from the third segment to form a second gap therebetween, wherein a portion of the second signal conductor is disposed within the insulative housing, and wherein the second gap is accessible at the first one of the at least one opening or in a second one of the at least one opening; anda second circuit element disposed in the first one of the at least one opening or in the second one of the at least one opening and electrically connected to the third and fourth segments to bridge the second gap, wherein the first circuit element is electrically connected to at least one of a ground plate and a ground conductor. 2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first and second circuit elements are spaced apart to effectively reduce electrical coupling between the first and second circuit elements without destroying the usefulness of the electrical connector for electrically connecting two devices. 3. The electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising a circuit element housing combining therein the first and second circuit elements. 4. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first circuit element comprises an active circuit component, and wherein the electrical connector further comprises an alternative conductor electrically connected to the active circuit component and configured to supply power to the active circuit component. 5. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first circuit element comprises one or more capacitors, resistors, or inductors. 6. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first circuit element comprises one of a filter, common mode filter, high frequency coupler, and high frequency transformer. 7. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical conductor comprises the ground conductor and at least a portion of the ground conductor is disposed within the insulative housing. 8. The electrical connector of claim 1, the first signal conductor further comprising first and second spaced apart contact ends, wherein one of the first and second contact ends comprises a connector for receiving a cable plug. 9. The electrical connector of claim 1, the first signal conductor further comprising first and second spaced apart contact ends, wherein the first contact end is configured to connect to a backplane connector, and the second contact end is configured to connect to a printed circuit board. 10. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first circuit element comprises attaching means for bridging the first gap. 11. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising: a plurality of wafers, each of which comprises:an insulative housing comprising at least one opening disposed therein;a first signal conductor comprising a first segment and a second segment that are spatially separated to form a first gap therebetween, wherein a portion of the first signal conductor is disposed within the insulative housing, and wherein the first gap is accessible in a first one of the at least one openings;a first circuit element disposed in the first opening and electrically connected to the first and second segments to bridge the first gap;a second signal conductor comprising a third segment and a fourth segment that are spatially separated to form a second gap therebetween, wherein a portion of the second signal conductor is disposed within the insulative housing, and wherein the second gap is accessible in the first opening or in a second one of the at least one openings; anda second circuit element disposed in the first opening or in the second opening and electrically connected to the third and fourth segments to bridge the second gap. 12. The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the first and second circuit elements are spaced apart to effectively reduce electrical coupling between the circuit elements without destroying the usefulness of the electrical connector for electrically connecting two devices, and wherein for each of the plurality of wafers, the signal conductors are disposed within the insulative housing as differential pairs of signal conductors, with a first distance between signal conductors of a differential pair that is smaller than a second distance between signal conductors of an adjacent differential pair. 13. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector comprises the ground plate, wherein the first circuit element comprises a pad, and wherein a conducting connecting member extends substantially perpendicular to the ground plate, and electrically connects the ground plate to the pad. 14. An electrical connector configured to electrically connect a first electrical device and a second electrical device, the electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing comprising at least one opening disposed therein;a first signal conductor comprising a first segment and a second segment that is spatially separated from the first segment to form a first gap therebetween, wherein a portion of the first signal conductor is disposed within the insulative housing, and wherein the first gap is accessible at a first opening of the at least one opening;a second signal conductor comprising a third segment and a fourth segment that is spatially separated from the third segment to form a second gap therebetween, wherein a portion of the second signal conductor is disposed within the insulative housing, and wherein the second gap is accessible at the first opening of the at least one opening; anda circuit element disposed in the first opening of the at least one opening, the circuit element electrically connected to the first and second segments to bridge the first gap, and the circuit element electrically connected to the third and fourth segments to bridge the second gap.