Configurable, high-bandwidth connector
A connector mountable to a main printed circuit board (PCB) includes at least one carrier, at least one cable mounted to the at least one carrier, and an interposer that routes signals and ground connections between the at least one cable and the main PCB when the connector is mounted to the main PCB. The at least one cable is vertically mounted in the connector such that the at least one cable is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a mounting surface of the main PCB.
1. A connector mountable to a main printed circuit board (PCB), the connector comprising:
at least one carrier;
at least one cable mounted to the at least one carrier;
an interposer that routes signals and ground connections between the at least one cable and the main PCB when the connector is mounted to the main PCB; and
an intermediate PCB arranged between the at least one carrier and the interposer; wherein
the at least one cable is vertically mounted in the connector such that the at least one cable is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a mounting surface of the main PCB.
2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one cable is soldered to the at least one carrier.
3. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one cable is a coaxial cable.
4. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one cable is a twinaxial cable.
5. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one cable is a discrete, unshielded wire.
6. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one cable includes a plurality of cables mounted to a first carrier of the at least one carrier.
7. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one cable includes a first cable mounted to a first carrier of the at least one carrier and includes a second cable mounted to a second carrier of the at least one carrier; and
the first cable and the second cable include different size center conductors or different characteristic impedances.
8. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein a signal path of the at least one cable is connected to a signal path of the intermediate PCB.
9. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one carrier is electrically connected to a ground path via or a ground region of the intermediate PCB.
10. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein a ground path or ground shield of the at least one cable is connected to the at least one carrier.
11. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one carrier includes prongs that are aligned with a signal conductor of the at least one cable along a length of the at least one carrier such that the prongs of the at least one carrier and the signal conductor of the at least one cable define a single row.
12. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one carrier includes tabs that are offset from a signal conductor of the at least one cable.
13. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the interposer includes at least one guide hole arranged to mate with at least one alignment pin of the main PCB to align at least one contact of the interposer with at least one contact of the main PCB.
14. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the interposer includes compression contacts on at least one surface.
15. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the interposer includes solderable contacts on at least one surface.
16. The connector according to claim 1 , further comprising a housing; wherein
the at least one carrier, a portion of the at least one cable, and the interposer are inside of the housing.
17. The connector according to claim 16 , wherein:
the at least one carrier includes at least one carrier hole;
the housing includes at least one lateral housing hole;
the at least one carrier hole is arranged to align with the at least one lateral housing hole; and
a rod extends into each of the at least one lateral housing hole and through the at least one carrier hole to mechanically secure the at least one carrier to the housing.
18. The connector according to claim 16 , wherein:
the housing includes at least one vertical housing hole arranged to receive a guide mounted to the main PCB; and
the connector is secured to the main PCB by a fastener.
19. The connector according to claim 18 , wherein the fastener is a threaded screw.
20. A connector mountable to a main printed circuit board (PCB), the connector comprising:
at least one carrier;
at least one cable mounted to the at least one carrier; and
an interposer that routes signals and ground connections between the at least one cable and the main PCB when the connector is mounted to the main PCB; wherein
a center conductor of the at least one cable is directly connected to the interposer; and
the at least one cable is vertically mounted in the connector such that the at least one cable is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a mounting surface of the main PCB.
21. The connector according to claim 20 , wherein the at least one cable includes a plurality of cables mounted to a first carrier of the at least one carrier.
22. The connector according to claim 20 , wherein:
the at least one cable includes a first cable mounted to a first carrier of the at least one carrier and includes a second cable mounted to a second carrier of the at least one carrier.
23. The connector according to claim 20 , wherein the interposer includes compression contacts on at least one surface.
24. The connector according to claim 21 , wherein the interposer includes solderable contacts on a surface to be mounted to the main PCB.