Midboard cable termination assembly

1 . A mid-board cable termination assembly, comprising:

a frame having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface and configured for mounting against a printed circuit board;

a lid movably coupled to the frame;

a plurality of cables, each of the plurality of cables comprising a pair of signal conductors surrounded by a conductive layer;

a plurality of terminals within the frame;

a first material molded around the plurality of terminals, the first material disposed within the frame and holding the plurality of terminals within the frame,

wherein a surface of the lid includes at least one curved projection configured to align with an edge of the first material and wherein the lid comprises a material that is compliant to accommodate termination ends of the plurality of cables; and

a plurality of compressive electrical contacts coupled to first respective terminals of the plurality of terminals, each of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts comprising a first portion exposed at the second surface of the frame and a second portion extending in an opposite direction relative to the first portion,

wherein:

the signal conductors of the pairs of signal conductors are terminated to second respective terminals of the plurality of terminals and the second respective terminals are coupled to the compressive electrical contacts such that the signal conductors of the pairs of signal conductors are electrically coupled to respective second portions of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts;

the conductive layers of the plurality of cables are electrically coupled to second portions of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts; and

the lid is configured to be moved into a position in which the lid applies a force to the first material molded around the plurality of terminals that urges the plurality of compressive electrical contacts in a direction from the first surface towards the second surface.

2 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lid is movably coupled to the frame by a hinge.

3 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lid is movably coupled to the first surface of the frame.

4 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a latch configured to engage a complementary latching feature on the lid.

5 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a member comprising plastic for the first material and a plurality of conductive interconnects including the plurality of terminals as respective regions thereof, wherein a conductor of a first cable of the plurality of cables is coupled to a first compressive electrical contact of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts through a first conductive interconnect of the member.

6 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 5 , wherein:

the member comprises a plurality of leads as the plurality of conductive interconnects with the plastic molded around the plurality of leads, wherein the plurality of terminals are respective regions of the plurality of leads.

7 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 5 , wherein:

the member comprises a grounding structure;

the first cable comprises a grounding structure; and

the grounding structure of the first cable is connected to the grounding structure of the member.

8 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 7 , wherein:

the lid is configured such that, when the lid is moved into the position in which the lid applies the force that urges the plurality of compressive electrical contacts in the direction from the first surface towards the second surface, the force is applied to the member.

9 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 8 , wherein:

the conductor of the first cable is a first signal conductor of the pair of signal conductors of the first cable;

the member comprises a second conductive interconnect;

the first cable comprises a second signal conductor of the pair of signal conductors of the first cable;

the first signal conductor and the second signal conductor are configured as a differential pair; and

the second signal conductor is coupled to a second compressive electrical contact of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts through the second conductive interconnect of the member.

10 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 9 , wherein:

the grounding structure of the first cable comprises the conductive layer; and

the mid-board cable termination assembly further comprises a conductive, compliant material surrounding and electrically coupling the conductive layer of the first cable to the grounding structure of the member.

11 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 10 , wherein:

the member comprises a plurality of leads with plastic molded around the plurality of leads, and

the plurality of terminals are respective regions of the plurality of leads.

12 . An electronic assembly comprising the mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

each of the plurality of cables comprises a twinax cable;

the electronic assembly further comprises a printed circuit board,

the frame is coupled to a surface of the printed circuit board in an interior portion spaced from an edge of the printed circuit board, and

the mid-board cable termination assembly further comprises at least one hold down, wherein at least a portion of the at least one hold down is part of the frame.

13 . The mid-board cable termination assembly of claim 12 , wherein the frame comprises a latch configured to engage a complementary latching feature on the lid and the at least one hold down is located at a corner of the frame.

14 . A system, comprising:

a printed circuit board having a surface comprising a plurality of conductive pads on the surface;

a mid-board cable termination assembly, comprising:

a frame having a surface mounted against the surface of the printed circuit board at a location in an interior portion spaced from an edge of the printed circuit board;

a first material molded around a plurality of terminals within the frame, the first material holding the plurality of terminals within the frame;

a lid;

a plurality of cables, each of the plurality of cables comprising a conductor;

a plurality of compressive electrical contacts, each of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts comprising a first portion aligned with a respective pad of the plurality of conductive pads and a second portion electrically coupled to a respective conductor of a respective cable of the plurality of cables,

wherein:

the second portion is coupled to an exposed pad on a first side of a member that comprises conductive interconnects,

the respective conductor is terminated to a conductive interconnect on a second side of the member that is opposite the first side of the member such that first ends of the plurality of cables are terminated,

the lid comprises at least one curved projection configured to align with an edge of the first material and comprises a material that is compliant to accommodate the terminated first ends of the plurality of cables, and

the conductive interconnect is proximate another conductive interconnect terminating a respective second conductor of the respective cable; and

a releasable attachment mechanism configured to releasably hold the lid in a closed position,

wherein the frame and the lid are mechanically coupled to the printed circuit board such that, when the lid is held in the closed position, the lid exerts a force on the plurality of compressive electrical contacts, urging the first portions of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts into contact with respective pads of the plurality of conductive pads;

a first component coupled to the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the mid-board cable termination assembly via the printed circuit board; and

a connector mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board at the edge of the printed circuit board and connected to the plurality of cables such that the connector is electrically connected to the mid-board cable termination assembly.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the lid is rotatably coupled to the frame.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the mid-board cable termination assembly further comprises the member comprising conductive interconnects, wherein a first conductor of a first cable of the plurality of cables is coupled to a first compressive electrical contact of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts through a first conductive interconnect of the member.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the member comprises a plurality of leads with plastic molded around the plurality of leads.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the member comprises a grounding structure;

the first cable comprises a grounding structure; and

the grounding structure of the first cable is connected to the grounding structure of the member.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein: the lid is configured such that, when the lid is in the closed position, the force is applied to the member.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein:

the first conductor of the first cable is a first signal conductor;

the member comprises a second conductive interconnect;

the first cable comprises a second signal conductor;

the first signal conductor and the second signal conductor are configured as a differential pair;

the second signal conductor is coupled to a second compressive electrical contact of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts through the second conductive interconnect of the member;

the grounding structure of the first cable comprises a conductive layer; and

the mid-board cable termination assembly further comprises a conductive, compliant material electrically coupling the conductive layer of the first cable to the grounding structure of the member.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein:

the member comprises a plurality of leads with plastic molded around the plurality of leads.

22 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising a first board electrically connected to the mid-board cable termination assembly and a second board parallel to the first board, wherein the first board is separate from the printed circuit board.

23 . A method of operating a mid-board cable termination assembly, the method comprising:

inserting terminated first ends of a plurality of cables into a frame of the mid-board cable termination assembly such that the terminated first ends contact a plurality of terminals within the frame, wherein:

a first material is molded around the plurality of terminals,

the first material is disposed within the frame and holds the plurality of terminals within the frame,

the frame is coupled to a surface of a first printed circuit board at a location in an interior portion spaced from an edge of the first printed circuit board,

each cable of the plurality of cables comprises a plurality of conductors disposed at least in part within a layer surrounding the plurality of conductors,

the terminated first ends of each cable of the plurality of cables each comprises a portion of each of the plurality of conductors, and

the portion of each of the plurality of conductors is configured to contact a respective pad in parallel,

latching a member in a position that generates a force on a plurality of compressive electrical contacts against pads on the surface of the first printed circuit board, wherein each of the plurality of compressive electrical contacts is electrically coupled to a respective conductor of a cable of the plurality of cables, and wherein the member comprises a lid with at least one curved projection configured to align with an edge of the first material and wherein the lid comprises a material that is compliant to accommodate the terminated first ends of the plurality of cables, and

mating an assembly comprising a second printed circuit board with a connector mounted to the first printed circuit board at the edge of the first printed circuit board and terminating second ends of the plurality of cables such that a first component mounted to the first printed circuit board is electrically connected to the second printed circuit board through the connector, the plurality of cables, the mid-board cable termination assembly and the first printed circuit board.

24 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising rotating the member into the position.