FLEXIBLE SHIELDED CONNECTOR WITH PRESS-FITTED PART

Abstract

The invention proposes an input / output (I / O) connector comprising at least one flexible shield. This flexible shield comprises an elongated body with numerous notched areas forming a first and second long shield edge, several connecting parts arranged between these first and second long edges; and several elastic ridges protruding from at least one of these first and second long edges. The first subset of these connecting parts is raised relative to the flat surface of this elongated body, and the second subset of these connecting parts is lowered relative to the flat surface of this elongated body. One of these connecting parts comprises ridges forming grooves offset from the flat surface of this elongated body, in which the corresponding contact pins are arranged. These corresponding contact pins may include ground pins.

Description

CONNECTOR FEEX SHIEED WITH CRIMPED PORTIONBACKGROUND

[0001] A range of input / output (I / O) connectors are designed for power, data, and power and data interconnect systems, including board-to-board, wire-to-wire, and wire-to-board systems. A variety of designs exist for each type of system, depending on the requirements of the power and data communications environment in which the connectors are used. For high data rate applications in which physical space is constrained, as one example, it can be challenging to design interconnection system connectors due to a number of competing concerns. High data rate interconnection systems often rely upon differentially coupled signal pairs in which two conductors are arranged in a pair to transmit a differential signal. The signal being transmitted is embodied by the electrical difference measured between the conductor pair.

[0002] Differential signaling can be helpful to avoid spurious signals and crosstalk and avoid inadvertent signaling modes among adjacent signals pairs. In connector interfaces, ground terminals can be relied upon to create a return path to electrical ground, provide shielding between differential pairs, and for other purposes. Connectors used in high data rate applications are typically designed to meet a range of mechanical and electrical requirements. High data rate connectors often require very high conductor density and data rates. To achieve desired mechanical and electrical requirements, connectors used in such applications often incorporate one or more wafer assemblies.SUMMARY

[0003] Various aspects are disclosed for connectors including one or more flex shields. In a first aspect, an input / output (I / O) connector includes a housing; a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing, wherein the terminals form a first row of terminals and a second row of terminals opposing one another, the first row of terminals and the second row of terminals being configured to engage conductive pads on opposing sides of a paddle card; a first flex shield positioned above the first row of terminals; and a second flex shield positioned below the second row of terminals. The first flex shield and the second flex shield each include an elongated body having a plurality of cut-out regions defining a first elongated shield edge anda second elongated shield edge, a plurality of connecting portions disposed between the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge; and a plurality of spring tabs projecting from at least one of the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge.

[0004] A first subset of the connecting portions are raised relative to a planar surface of the elongated body, and a second subset of the connecting portions are lowered relative to the planar surface of the elongated body. A portion of the connecting portions include tabs defining a channel, where a respective one of the terminals is positioned in the channel in each of the connecting portions in the second subset. The tabs of the first flex shield positioned above the first row of terminals are crimped to form a downward-facing channel, and the tabs of the second flex shield positioned below the second row of terminals are crimped to form an upward-facing channel.

[0005] A number of the spring tabs in the first flex shield is two times a number of ground terminals in the first row of the terminals, and a number of the spring tabs in the second flex shield is two times a number of ground terminals in the second row of the terminals. The spring tabs project from the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge. One of the spring tabs projecting from the first elongated edge is in contact with a top surface of the respective one of the terminals at a first end; and one of the spring tabs projecting from the second elongated edge is in contact with the top surface of the respective one of the terminals at a second end opposite that of the first end. The channel is sized and positioned to accommodate a single one of the terminals. The respective one of the terminals positioned in the channel is a ground terminal.

[0006] In a second aspect, an input / output connector is described that includes a flex shield having an elongated body having a plurality of cut-out regions defining a first elongated shield edge and a second elongated shield edge, a plurality of connecting portions disposed between the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge; and a plurality of spring tabs projecting from at least one of the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge. A first subset of the connecting portions are raised relative to a planar surface of the elongated body, and a second subset of the connecting portions are lowered relative to the planar surface of the elongated body, and a portion of the connecting portions include tabs defining a channel offset from the planar surface of the elongated body, wherein a respective one of the terminals is positioned in the channel in each of the connecting portions in the second subset.

[0007] The connector includes a plurality of terminals for differential signaling, at least a portion of the terminals being ground terminals; and a number of the spring tabs in the flex shield is two times a number of the ground terminals. The spring tabs project from the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge. One of the spring tabs projecting from the first elongated edge is in contact with a top surface of a respective one of the ground terminals at a first end, and one of the spring tabs projecting from the second elongated edge is in contact with the top surface of the respective one of the ground terminals at a second end opposite that of the first end.

[0008] The channel is sized and positioned to accommodate a single one of the terminals.The flex shield is a first flex shield, and the I / O connector further includes a second flex shield. The first flex shield is positioned above a first row of the terminals, and the second flex shield is positioned below a second row of the terminals. The tabs of the first flex shield positioned above the first row of terminals are crimped to form a downward-facing channel; and tabs of the second flex shield positioned below the second row of terminals are crimped to form an upward-facing channel.

[0009] In a third aspect, an input / output connector is described that includes a plurality of terminals; a first flex shield; and a second flex shield. Each of the first and second flex shield have an elongated body having a plurality of cut-out regions defining a first elongated shield edge and a second elongated shield edge, a plurality of connecting portions disposed between the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge; and a plurality of spring tabs projecting from at least one of the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge. A first subset of the connecting portions are raised relative to a planar surface of the elongated body, and a second subset of the connecting portions are lowered relative to the planar surface of the elongated body. A portion of the connecting portions include tabs defining a channel offset from the planar surface of the elongated body, wherein a respective one of the terminals is positioned in the channel.

[0010] The first flex shield is positioned above a first row of the terminals, and the second flex shield is positioned below a second row of the terminals. The tabs of the first flex shield positioned above the first row of terminals are crimped to form a downward-facing channel. The tabs of the second flex shield positioned below the second row of terminals are crimped to form an upward-facing channel.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the connector from a side opposite that of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a rear cross-sectional view of the connector from a side opposite that of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the connector with a housing omitted for explanatory purposes according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a flex shield of the connector of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of a flex shield of the connector of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of two flex shields of the connector of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 8 is a side view of the two flex shields of the connector of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 9 is a side view of a flex shield shown relative to a terminal of the connector of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The present disclosure relates to a connector flex shield with one or more crimped portions or deformed tabs defining grounded channels for improved mechanical integrity, signal integrity (SI) performance, among other benefits. Various connectors include terminals that come into contact with conductive pads of a paddle card or like connector upon insertionand coupling. It is desirable to maximize surface contact and minimize movement between the terminals and the conductive pads of a paddle card to improve conductivity, signal integrity, and so forth. To facilitate and maintain a connection between the conductive pads of the paddle card and the terminals of a connector at a location referred to herein as a contact point, the terminals are designed to flex or bend, creating a tight connection between the paddle card and the terminals.

[0022] In traditional connectors, a shield, such as a grounding shield, is often provided at a distal end of the terminal, notably away from the contact point where the terminals and the conductive pads of the paddle card contact one another. Poor shielding designs or connectors with no shielding over the terminals at the contact point have notable signal integrity losses, which degrades performance of the connector. To overcome signal integrity issues, other grounding shields were introduced that are positioned below a top row of terminals and below a bottom row of terminals. However, with these grounding shields, signal integrity issues persist, especially in 224G connectors, due to cavity resonance as well as other characteristics.

[0023] Accordingly, various embodiments are described for a flex shield for use in connectors including, but not limited to 112G connectors, 224G connectors, and other connectors. In some embodiments, an input / output (I / O) connector is described that includes a housing, a multitude of terminals, and one or more flex shields. In some implementations, the terminals form a first row and a second row of terminals opposing one another. The first row of terminals and the second row of terminals are configured to engage conductive pads on opposing sides of a paddle card or like connection device of an external connector.

[0024] In some embodiments, a first flex shield can be positioned above the first row of terminals and a second flex shield can be positioned below the second row of terminals. The first flex shield can include an elongated rectangular body having cut-out regions that define a first elongated shield edge and a second elongated shield edge. The first flex shield can further include connecting portions disposed between the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge, as well as spring tabs projecting from one or both of the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge. The spring tabs can have a curled shape, as will be described.

[0025] A first subset of the connecting portions can be raised relative to a planar surface of the elongated body. Conversely, a second subset of the connecting portions can be lowered relative to the planar surface of the elongated body. Each of the connecting portions in thesecond subset can include tabs crimped in a downward or upward direction offset from a planar surface of the flex shield, thereby defining a channel where one or more terminals of the connector can be positioned therein. In some implementations, a terminal positioned in the channel defined by the crimped tabs can include a ground terminal. The flex shields can be formed of a conductive material, and can flex or shift in accordance with flexing or shifting of the terminals.

[0026] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a connector 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the connector from a side opposite that of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a rear cross-sectional view of the connector 100. The connector 100 can include a 112G connector, a 224G connector, or other high data rate connector, as can be appreciated, although other types of connectors are contemplated.

[0027] The connector 100 is illustrated as a representative example and is not drawn to any particular scale or size. The shape, size, proportion, and other characteristics of the connector 100 can vary as compared to that shown. For example, the connector 100 can accommodate larger or smaller rows of terminals (e.g., be wider or narrower), and other variations are within the scope of the examples described herein. Additionally, one or more of the parts or components of the connector 100, as illustrated in the drawings and described herein, can be omitted in some cases. The connector 100 can also include other parts or components that are not illustrated.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1-3 collectively, the connector 100 generally includes a housing 103, a wafer assembly 106 contained or housed at least partially therein, as well as other components as will be described. The housing 103 can be formed from a plastic or other insulating material, in one example, although the housing 103 can also be formed from metal or combinations of insulating and conductive materials in some cases. The wafer assembly 106 includes a multitude of terminals 109 configured to contact a suitable connector. For instance, in the depicted implementations, the terminals 109 are configured to contact and engage with a paddle card 200 of another connector (not shown). The paddle card 200 is shown for explanatory purposes, however, and it is understood that the terminals 109 can engage with and couple to different types of connectors.

[0029] The terminals 109 of the connector 100 can extend from a front port opening 112 to a terminal base 115 for communication of data signals on the terminals 109. The connector 100 provides shielding and maintains the signal integrity of differential signals on the terminals 109, as they extend from the front port opening 112 to the terminal base 115. The terminals 109 can be electrically coupled to rear terminals 118, where the rear terminals 118 can couple to wires to form a free-end connector. Alternatively, the rear terminals 118 can be positioned orthogonally for surface-mount coupling or other desired configurations. The rear terminals 118 can be integral with the terminals 109, or can include separate terminals welded or otherwise coupled to the terminals 109.

[0030] For connections with paddle cards 200 or like connectors, the wafer assembly 106 can include a first row 121 of terminals 109 and a second row 124 of terminals 109. The first row 121 can include a top row of terminals 109, for example, and the second row 124 can include a bottom row of terminals 109, although other arrangements of terminals 109 are contemplated, such as vertically-extending rows of terminals 109. In any event, the first row 121 and the second row 124 of terminals 109 can be sized and positioned to engage conductive pads 203 positioned on opposing sides (e.g., bottom and top sides) of the paddle card 200.

[0031] The wafer assembly 106 can include terminal support structures 127a, 127b (collectively “terminal support structures 127”). The first terminal support structure 127a can receive and retain tail ends of the first row 121 of the terminals 109. Also, the first terminal support structure 127a can retain a connection (e.g., a soldering, welding, or like connection) between the first row 121 of the terminals 109 and rear terminals 118 extending out a rear side of the connector 100. Likewise, a second terminal support structure 127b can receive and retain tail ends of the second row 124 of the terminals 109. The second terminal support structure 127b can further retain a connection (e.g., a soldering, welding, or like connection) between the second row 124 of the terminals 109 and rear terminals 118 extending out a rear side of the connector 100. In some implementations, the terminal support structures 127 are formed of a polymer material. Thus, in some implementations, the terminal support structures 127 can be formed through injection molding or like process.

[0032] Further, the connector 100 can include one or more flex shields 130a, 130b (collectively “flex shields 130”). The flex shields 130 can be positioned relative to theterminals 109 to provide improved signal integrity, as well as to provide mechanical and structural integrity of the overall structure of the connector 100.

[0033] Turning now to FIG. 4, a perspective view of the wafer assembly 106 of the connector 100 is shown with the housing 103 omitted for explanatory purposes. In some embodiments, a first flex shield 130 can be positioned above the first row 121 of the terminals 109, whereas a second flex shield 130 can be positioned below the second row of the terminals 109. However, in alternative embodiments, connectors with a single row of terminals 109 can include one or more flex shields 130, for instance, below and / or above the single row of terminals 109. Also, connectors 100 with more than two rows of terminals 109 can be employed with one or more flex shields 130 without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0034] For example, the first flex shield 130a can be positioned between the first row 121 of the terminals 109 and the top of the housing 103 (not shown), whereas the second flex shield 130b can be positioned between the second row 124 of the terminals 109 and the bottom of the housing 103. The flex shields 130 can include crimped portions that define channels in which one or more of the terminals 109 can be positioned. For instance, in some implementations, ground terminals of the terminals 109 are positioned in the crimped portions for improved shielding and signal integrity.

[0035] Moving along, FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a representative flex shield 130 and FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the representative flex shield 130 according to various embodiments. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 collectively, the flex shield 130 can include an elongated body 133 having cut-out regions 136a-136n (collectively “cut-out regions 136”). The cut-out regions 136 can be formed to reduce use of material while improving signal integrity. In some embodiments, the elongated body 133 is generally rectangular, but in other implementations, other shapes are contemplated, such as square, circular, triangular, and so forth. The cut-out regions 136 define a first elongated shield edge 139a and a second elongated shield edge 139b (collectively “elongated shield edges 139”), connecting portions 142 disposed between the first elongated edge 139a and the second elongated edge 139b, and spring tabs 145 projecting from at least one of the first elongated edge 139a and the second elongated edge 139b.

[0036] In some implementations, the flex shield 130 can be formed from a single piece of material, such as a single piece of conductive material. The cut-out regions 136 can be cut, etched, or otherwise notched out of the single piece of material. Thus, the described components of the flex shield 130 can be integral with one another in some embodiments. However, in alternative embodiments, some or all of the described components can be attached or otherwise added through welding or like attachment process.

[0037] The connecting portions 142 can include extending members that connect the first elongated edge 139a and the second elongated edge 139b and form a coupling therebetween. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a first subset 147 of the connecting portions 142 can be raised relative to a planar surface 148 of the elongated body 133. Similarly, a second subset 151 of the connecting portions 142 can be lowered relative to the planar surface 148 of the elongated body 133. The raised and lowered connecting portions 142 can be formed through selective bending or other deformation.

[0038] Each of the connecting portions 142 in one of the subsets can include tabs 154 depending on desired placement of the flex shield 130. The tabs 154 can be crimped or otherwise deformed to form or otherwise define a channel 157. In some embodiments, the channel 157 can be offset from the planar surface 148 of the elongated body 133 of the flex shield 130. For instance, assuming the flex shield 130 were to be placed above a row of terminals 109, the tabs 154 can be crimped downwards to form a downward-facing channel 157. Conversely, assuming the flex shield 130 were to be placed below a row of terminals 109, the tabs 154 can be crimped upwards to form an upward-facing channel 157.

[0039] Moreover, if the flex shield 130 were to be placed above a row of the terminals 109, the tabs 150 can be positioned on the connecting portions 142 that are lowered respective to the planar surface 148 of the flex shield 130. Alternatively, if the flex shield 130 were to be placed below a row of the terminals 109, the tabs 150 can be positioned on the connecting portions 142 that are raised respective to the planar surface 148 of the flex shield 130.

[0040] A respective one of the terminals 109 can be positioned in the channel 157. Referring back to FIG. 4, the terminals 109 positioned in the channels 157 are ground terminals; however, it is understood that other types of terminals 109 could potentially be positioned in the channels 157. Additionally, while the channels 157 described herein aresized and positioned for retaining only a single terminal 109, in other embodiments, the channels 157 can be sized and positioned to retain two or more terminals 109.

[0041] The spring tabs 145 can be curled in some implementations and can extend from one or both of the elongated shield edges 139. Springs tabs 145 on opposing edges of the flex shield 109 can correspond to one another, can be in line with one another, and therefore, can be positioned on a same terminal 109. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 4-6, a number of the spring tabs 145 in the first flex shield 130a is two times a number of ground terminals in the first row 121 of the terminals 109, and a number of the spring tabs 145 in the second flex shield is two times a number of ground terminals in the second row 124 of the terminals 109.

[0042] Moreover, in embodiments in which the spring tabs 145 project from the first elongated edge 139a and the second elongated edge 139b, one of the spring tabs 145 projecting from the first elongated edge 139a can be in contact with a top surface of the respective one of the terminals 109 at a first end (e.g., a front end), and one of the spring tabs 145 projecting from the second elongated edge 139b can be in contact with the top surface of the respective one of the terminals 109 at a second end opposite that of the first end. The spring tabs 145 projecting from second elongated edge 139b can have a width the same as or different from the spring tabs 145 projecting from the first elongated edge 139a in some embodiments.

[0043] Turning next to FIGS. 7 and 8, the first flex shield 130a and the second flex shield 130b of the connector 100 are shown with all other components omitted for explanatory purposes. Specifically, FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the first flex shield 130a and the second flex shield 130b of the connector 100, whereas FIG. 8 shows a side view of the first flex shield 130a and the second flex shield 130b of the connector 100.

[0044] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 collectively, the first flex shield 130a is shown angled as it would be positioned on the first row 121 of the terminals 109 and, similarly, the second flex shield 130b is shown angled as it would be positioned on the second row 124 of the terminals 109. The angles can be the same, but opposite from one another about a common axis ai. The first flex shield 130a thus is angled downwards, where a front end of the first flex shield 130a is lower than a rear end of the first flex shield 130a. The second flex shield 130b is angled upwards, where a front end of the second flex shield 130b is higher than a rear end of the second flex shield 130b. The tabs 154 of the connecting portions 142 of the first flex shield 130a are crimped downwards, thereby forming downward-facing channels 157a,whereas the tabs 154 of the connecting portions 142 of the second flex shield 130b are crimped upwards, forming upward-facing channels 157b. By positioning ground terminals of the first row 121 and the second row 124 of the terminals 109 in the channels 157, signal integrity of the connector 100 is improved.

[0045] Now referring to FIG. 9, a side view of a flex shield 130 is shown relative to a terminal 109 of the connector 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As noted above, in embodiments in which the spring tabs 145 project from both the first elongated edge 139a and the second elongated edge 139b, one of the spring tabs 145 projecting from the first elongated edge 139a can be in contact with a top surface 170 of the respective one of the terminals 109 at a first end (e.g., a front end 173), and one of the spring tabs 145 projecting from the second elongated edge 139b can be in contact with the top surface of the respective one of the terminals 109 at a second end opposite that of the first end (e.g., a rear end 176). The flex shield 130 can have a width substantially similar to a body of the terminal 109, excluding the curved front portion of the terminal 109.

[0046] As the flex shield 130 has a crimped portion, namely, tabs 151 that crimp or otherwise surround a middle of the terminal 109, and as the spring tabs 145 of the flex shield 130 contact a terminal 109 at both ends, the distance between the crimped portion and the spring tab 145 is reduced by half compared to alternative flex shields. As such, cavities resonance can be reduced, and SI performance can be greatly improved.

[0047] The features, structures, or characteristics described above may be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner, and the features discussed in the various embodiments may be interchangeable, if possible. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided in order to fully understand the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the technical solution of the present disclosure may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, materials, and the like may be employed. In other instances, well- known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the present disclosure.

[0048] Although the relative terms such as “on,” “below,” “upper,” and “lower” are used in the specification to describe the relative relationship of one component to another component, these terms are used in this specification for convenience only, for example, as adirection in an example shown in the drawings. It should be understood that if the device is turned upside down, the “upper” component described above will become a “lower” component. When a structure is “on” another structure, it is possible that the structure is integrally formed on another structure, or that the structure is “directly” disposed on another structure, or that the structure is “indirectly” disposed on the other structure through other structures.

[0049] In this specification, the terms such as “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are used to indicate the presence of one or more elements and components. The terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” “contain,” and their variants are used to be open ended, and are meant to include additional elements, components, etc., in addition to the listed elements, components, etc. unless otherwise specified in the appended claims.

[0050] The terms “first,” “second,” etc. are used only as labels, rather than a limitation for a number of the objects. It is understood that if multiple components are shown, the components may be referred to as a “first” component, a “second” component, and so forth, to the extent applicable.

[0051] The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are merely possible examples of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMSTherefore, the following is claimed:

1. An input / output (I / O) connector, comprising: a housing; a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing, wherein the terminals form a first row of terminals and a second row of terminals opposing one another, the first row of terminals and the second row of terminals being configured to engage conductive pads on opposing sides of a paddle card; a first flex shield positioned above the first row of terminals; and a second flex shield positioned below the second row of terminals, wherein the first flex shield and the second flex shield each comprise an elongated body having a plurality of cut-out regions defining a first elongated shield edge and a second elongated shield edge, a plurality of connecting portions disposed between the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge; and a plurality of spring tabs projecting from at least one of the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge.

2. The I / O connector according to claim 1 , wherein a first subset of the connecting portions are raised relative to a planar surface of the elongated body, and a second subset of the connecting portions are lowered relative to the planar surface of the elongated body.

3. The I / O connector according to claim 2 or any of the preceding claims, wherein a portion of the connecting portions comprise tabs defining a channel, wherein a respective one of the terminals is positioned in the channel in each of the connecting portions in the second subset.

4. The I / O connector according to claim 3 or any of the preceding claims, wherein: the tabs of the first flex shield positioned above the first row of terminals are crimped to form a downward- facing channel; andthe tabs of the second flex shield positioned below the second row of terminals are crimped to form an upward-facing channel.

5. The I / O connector according to claim 4 or any of the preceding claims, wherein a number of the spring tabs in the first flex shield is two times a number of ground terminals in the first row of the terminals, and a number of the spring tabs in the second flex shield is two times a number of ground terminals in the second row of the terminals.

6. The I / O connector according to claim 5 or any of the preceding claims, wherein the spring tabs project from the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge.

7. The I / O connector according to claim 6 or any of the preceding claims, wherein: one of the spring tabs projecting from the first elongated edge is in contact with a top surface of a respective one of the terminals at a first end; and one of the spring tabs projecting from the second elongated edge is in contact with the top surface of the respective one of the terminals at a second end opposite that of the first end.

8. The I / O connector according to claim 3 or any of the preceding claims, wherein the channel is sized and positioned to accommodate a single one of the terminals.

9. The I / O connector according to claim 3 or any of the preceding claims, wherein the respective one of the terminals positioned in the channel is a ground terminal.

10. An input / output (I / O) connector, comprising: a plurality of terminals; and a flex shield comprising an elongated body having a plurality of cut-out regions defining a first elongated shield edge and a second elongated shield edge, a plurality of connecting portions disposed between the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge;and a plurality of spring tabs projecting from at least one of the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge, wherein a first subset of the connecting portions are raised relative to a planar surface of the elongated body, and a second subset of the connecting portions are lowered relative to the planar surface of the elongated body, and wherein a portion of the connecting portions comprise tabs defining a channel offset from the planar surface of the elongated body, wherein a respective one of the terminals is positioned in the channel in each of the connecting portions in the second subset.

11. The I / O connector according to claim 10, wherein: the connector comprises a plurality of terminals for differential signaling, at least a portion of the terminals being ground terminals; and a number of the spring tabs in the flex shield is two times a number of ground terminals of the plurality of terminals.

12. The I / O connector according to claim 11 or any of the preceding claims, wherein the spring tabs project from the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge.

13. The I / O connector according to claim 12 or any of the preceding claims, wherein: one of the spring tabs projecting from the first elongated edge is in contact with a top surface of a respective one of the ground terminals at a first end; and one of the spring tabs projecting from the second elongated edge is in contact with the top surface of the respective one of the ground terminals at a second end opposite that of the first end.

14. The I / O connector according to claim 13 or any of the preceding claims, wherein the channel is sized and positioned to accommodate a single one of the terminals.

15. The I / O connector according to claim 10 or any of the preceding claims, wherein the flex shield is a first flex shield, and the I / O connector further comprises a second flex shield.

16. The I / O connector according to claim 15 or any of the preceding claims, wherein the first flex shield is positioned above a first row of the terminals, and the second flex shield is positioned below a second row of the terminals.

17. The I / O connector according to claim 16 or any of the preceding claims, wherein: the tabs of the first flex shield positioned above the first row of terminals are crimped to form a downward- facing channel; and a plurality of tabs of the second flex shield positioned below the second row of terminals are crimped to form an upward-facing channel.

18. An input / output (I / O) connector, comprising: a plurality of terminals; a first flex shield; and a second flex shield, wherein each of the first and second flex shield comprise an elongated body having a plurality of cut-out regions defining a first elongated shield edge and a second elongated shield edge, a plurality of connecting portions disposed between the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge; and a plurality of spring tabs projecting from at least one of the first elongated edge and the second elongated edge, wherein a first subset of the connecting portions are raised relative to a planar surface of the elongated body, and a second subset of the connecting portions are lowered relative to the planar surface of the elongated body, and wherein a portion of the connecting portions comprise tabs defining a channel offset from the planar surface of the elongated body, wherein a respective one of the terminals is positioned in the channel.

19. The I / O connector according to claim 18 or any of the preceding claims, wherein the first flex shield is positioned above a first row of the terminals, and the second flex shield is positioned below a second row of the terminals.

20. The I / O connector according to claim 19 or any of the preceding claims, wherein: the tabs of the first flex shield positioned above the first row of terminals are crimped to form a downward- facing channel; and the tabs of the second flex shield positioned below the second row of terminals are crimped to form an upward-facing channel.

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