Direct backplane connector
A connector is configured to provide a mating side that includes a 90 degree rotation about two different axis when compared to a mounting. The connector, when mounted on a first circuit board is thus suitable for directly mating to a right-angle connector that is mounted on a second circuit board, the second circuit board at a being at a 90 angle to the first circuit board. The connector can include a shroud that supports a u-shield that partially shields contacts positioned in the mating side.
1. An electrical connector, comprising:
a plurality of wafers positioned side by side, each wafer having a mounting side and a mating side, each wafer including a first pair and a second pair of signal terminals with a ground terminal positioned between the first and second pairs, each of the terminals of the pair of signal terminals having a tail, a body and a contact, wherein the bodies of the terminals are aligned in a vertical alignment such that a body of the ground terminal is between the bodies of the two pairs of signal terminals and wherein the contacts of each pair of signal terminals are in a horizontal alignment in the mating side, each wafer further including a shield that is electrically connected to the ground terminal;
a shroud positioned on a mating side of the wafers, the shroud being insulative and supporting the contacts of the pair of signal terminals in a side-by-side arrangement; and
a plurality of u-shields extending through the shroud, the u-shields each configured to partially shield a respective pair of contacts, wherein the shroud includes a conductive element that connects the u-shields to the ground shield.
2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element is an insert that is positioned in the shroud.
3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the shield and the ground terminal are each configured to engage the shroud.
4. The connector of claim 3 , wherein both the shield and the ground terminal are electrically connected to the u-shield.
5. The connector of claim 4 , wherein the insert electrically connects the shield and the ground terminal to the u-shield.
6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the ground terminal does not have a contact.
7. The connector of claim 6 , wherein the ground terminal is electrically connected to the u-shield via the shield and the ground terminal does not electrically connect directly to the insert.
8. The connector of claim 6 , wherein the shield is electrically connected to the insert so that the electrical path between the ground terminal and the u-shield goes through at least the shield and the insert.
9. An electrical connector, comprising:
a plurality of wafers positioned side by side, each wafer having a mounting side and a mating side, each wafer including a first pair and a second pair of signal terminals with a ground terminal positioned between the first and second pairs, each of the terminals of the pair of signal terminals having a tail, a body and a contact, wherein the bodies of the terminals are aligned in a vertical alignment such that a body of the ground terminal is between the bodies of the two pairs of signal terminals and wherein the contacts of each pair of signal terminals are in a horizontal alignment in the mating side, each wafer further including a shield that is electrically connected to the ground terminal;
a shroud positioned on a mating side of the wafers, the shroud being insulative and defining a first and second recess with a shroud wall positioned between the two recesses; and
a plurality of u-shields positioned in the shroud wall and positioned in the first recess and configured to partially shield a respective pair of contacts extending through the shroud wall.
10. The connector of claim 9 , wherein an insert is positioned in the second recess and the insert is configured to electrically connect the shield to one of the u-shields.
11. The connector of claim 10 , wherein the u-shields are configured to extend through the shroud wall and engage the insert.
12. The connector of claim 9 , wherein the u-shield is configured to cover three sides of the respective pair of contacts.