Edge and broadside coupled connector

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a first differential signal contact comprising an L-shaped body portion, a first contact arm connected to a first end of the L-shaped body portion, and a second contact arm connected to the first end of the L-shaped body portion and positioned at an angle with respect to the first contact arm, the first contact arm and the second contact arm defining a plug contact receiving space therebetween and the L-shaped body extending from a first end to a second end opposite the first end;

a second differential signal contact comprising an L-shaped body portion, a first contact arm connected to a first end of the L-shaped body portion, and a second contact arm connected to the first end of the L-shaped body portion and positioned at an angle with respect to the first contact arm, the first contact arm and the second contact arm defining a plug contact receiving space therebetween and the L-shaped body extending from a first end to a second end opposite the first end; and

a plug portion comprising a first plug contact having two opposing substantially broadside surfaces for interfacing with said first differential signal contact, and a second plug contact having two opposing substantially broadside surfaces for interfacing with said second differential signal contact,

wherein said two opposing broadside surfaces of said first plug contact are positioned at an angle with respect to the said two opposing broadside surfaces of said second plug contact.

2. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second differential signal contact is positioned adjacent to the first differential signal contact and is separated from the first differential signal contact by only a dielectric material.

3. The electrical connector as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first and second differential signal contacts define an electrically edge coupled differential signal pair.

4. The electrical connector as recited in claim 3 , wherein crosstalk between the first differential signal contact and the second differential signal contact is 6% or less when a 50-2000 (10-90) picosecond signal is transmitted through the differential signal pair.

5. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second differential signal contacts are the same length.

6. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector has no internal crosstalk shields.

7. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein a communication path exists between said plug portion and said first differential signal contact and said second differential signal contact,

and further wherein said first differential signal contact and said first plug contact are electrically edge coupled with said second differential signal contact and said second plug contact across the entire length of the communication path.

8. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein for each of the first differential signal pair and the second differential signal pair, the L-shaped section comprises a first broadside portion having a first edge and a second broadside portion positioned at an angle relative to said first broadside portion.

9. The electrical connector as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first edge of the first differential signal contact is positioned proximate and opposite to the first edge of the second differential signal contact.

10. The electrical connector as recited in claim 9 , wherein the second broadside portion of the first differential signal contact is positioned substantially parallel to the second broadside portion of the second differential signal contact.

11. The electrical connector as recited in claim 9 , wherein said first plug contact has a first leverage arm having an edge extending along the plug contact, and said second plug contact has a second leverage arm having an edge extending along the second plug contact,

and further wherein said edge of the first leverage arm is positioned proximate and opposite to the edge of the second leverage arm.

12. The electrical connector as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first edge of the first differential signal contact is parallel to the edge of said first leverage arm and said first edge of the second differential signal contact is parallel to the edge of said second leverage arm.

13. The electrical connector as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first edge of the first differential signal contact extends at least to the edge of said first leverage arm, and the first edge of the second differential signal contact extends at least to the edge of said second leverage arm.

14. The electrical connector as recited in claim 13 , wherein the first edge of the first differential signal contact extends from the second end of the L-shaped body through the first end of the L-shaped body and along the length of the first contact arm, and the first edge of the second differential signal contact extends from the second end of the L-shaped body through the first end of the L-shaped body and along the length of the first contact arm.

15. The electrical connector as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first plug contact is positioned between the first contact arm and the second contact arm of the first differential signal contact, and the second plug contact is positioned between the first contact arm and the second contact arm of the second differential signal contact.

16. The electrical connector as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first plug contact has a broadside that is positioned at substantially 45 degrees relative to the first broadside and second broadside of said first differential signal contact, and the second plug contact has a broadside that is positioned at substantially 45 degrees relative to the first broadside and second broadside of said second differential signal contact.

17. An electrical connector, comprising:

a first signal contact comprising a body having a first broadside portion having a first edge and a second broadside portion integrally formed with said first broadside portion and extending at an angle with respect to said first broadside portion, a first contact arm connected to a first end of the body, and a second contact arm connected to the first end of the body and positioned at an angle with respect to the first contact arm, the first contact arm and the second contact arm define a plug contact receiving space therebetween, and the first broadside portion and the second broadside portion extend from a first end of the body to a second end of the body;

a second signal contact comprising a body having a first broadside portion having a first edge and a second broadside portion integrally formed with said first broadside portion and extending at an angle with respect to said first broadside portion, a first contact arm connected to a first end of the body, and a second contact arm connected to the first end of the body and positioned at an angle with respect to the first contact arm, the first contact arm and the second contact arm define a plug contact receiving space therebetween, and the first broadside portion and the second broadside portion extend from a first end of the body to a second end of the body; and

a plug portion comprising a first plug contact having two opposing substantially broadside surfaces for interfacing with said first signal contact and a second plug contact having two opposing substantially broadside surfaces for interfacing with said second signal contact,

wherein said two opposing broadside surfaces of said first plug contact are positioned at an angle with respect to the said two opposing broadside surfaces of said second plug contact.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the first edge of the first signal contact is positioned proximate and opposite to the first edge of the second signal contact.

19. The electrical connector as recited in claim 18 , wherein said first plug contact has a first leverage arm having an edge extending along the plug contact, and said second plug contact has a second leverage arm having an edge extending along the second plug contact,

and further wherein said edge of the first leverage arm is positioned proximate and opposite to the edge of the second leverage arm.

20. The electrical connector as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first edge of the first signal contact is parallel to the edge of said first leverage arm and said first edge of the second signal contact is parallel to the edge of said second leverage arm.

21. The electrical connector as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first edge of the first signal contact extends at least to the edge of said first leverage arm, and the first edge of the second signal contact extends at least to the edge of said second leverage arm.

22. The electrical connector as recited in claim 17 , wherein for each of the first signal contact and the second signal contact, the second broadside portion is positioned at about 90 degrees relative to the first broadside portion.

23. The electrical connector as recited in claim 22 , wherein for each of the first signal contact and the second signal contact, the first contact arm has a broadside and the second contact arm has a broadside, and

further wherein the first broadside of the first contact arm is positioned at substantially 90 degrees relative to the broadside of the second contact arm.

24. The electrical connector as recited in claim 23 , wherein the first plug contact has a broadside positioned at substantially 45 degrees relative to said first contact arm and the second contact arm of the first signal contact, and

wherein the second plug contact has a broadside positioned at substantially 45 degrees relative to the first contact arm and the second contact arm of the second signal contact.