Controlled impedance cable connector

Abstract

An electrical connector for terminating a shielded cable and connecting the cable to regularly arranged contact pins. The connector includes a connector body formed from an insulative material. The connector body has an upper surface and an opposing lower surface defined by a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinal side edges. The upper surface includes a plurality of longitudinal channels adapted to receive a plurality of socket contacts. A planar conductive ground plate engages the bottom surface of the connector body and extends across each of the plurality of socket contacts to establish a ground plane across the entire connector. A cover member encloses the longitudinal channels and socket contacts. A plurality of individual connectors may be stacked together and retained in a stack by a removable retaining rod.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the patent application whose application number is 00815960.2 and the application date is February 1, 2000. technical field [0002] The present invention relates to a joint for coaxial, twinaxial and / or twisted pair cables. The invention is particularly applicable to the termination of shielded cables of the type described above so that a controlled impedance is provided through the connector from the mating face to the end of the cable. Background technique [0003] There are many types of connectors for terminating shielded cables. Such connectors are usually designed for a single type of application and are generally not easily adapted for eg different signal / ground configurations, or for different types of connection methods such as soldering or welding. Additionally, existing connectors are often difficult to assemble, often requiring multiple molding steps, post...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Such connectors are usually designed for a single type of application and are generally not easily adapted for e.g. different signal / ground structures, or for different types of connection methods such as soldering or soldering

Additionally, existing connectors are often difficult to assemble, often requiring multi-step molding processes, post-molding of electrical contacts, etc., which add time and expense to the connector manufacturing process

Finally, prior art joints often do not provide adequate performance characteristics for high performance systems

Inadequate performance characteristics include, for example, the inability to control the impedance within the connector, or to match the impedance of the connector to that of the system in which it is used

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