Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A shielded connector for connecting a cable or cables (1,2) to a backplane having at least one row of parallel connection pins, the connector comprising a support plate (5) of insulating material carrying a number of spaced parallel pin contacts (14-19) on one face thereof and an electrically conductive layer (6) forming a ground plane on the other face thereof, the pin contacts being adapted for electrical connection to respective wires of the cable(s), and a screening shell (22) joined to the support plate to form a casing of rectangular cross-section enclosing the pin contacts, the screening shell comprising an electrically conductive outer layer (23) which is electrically connected to the ground plane layer of the support plate and an inner layer (26) of an insulating material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
40 words
A connector according to claim 1 wherein the support plate is formed of double-sided printed circuit board, which has been etched on said one face to provide tracks (7-12) on which the respective contacts are mounted in electrical contact therewith.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A connector according to either preceding claim wherein the screening shell (22) is formed of conductive metal and the inner layer of insulating material comprises expanded polytetrafluorethylene impregnated with a thermosetting resin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
A connector according to any preceding claim wherein the screening shell embraces transversely opposed edges of the support plate such that corresponding edge portions (24,25) of the screening shell underlie the opposed support plate edge portions, insulating material being absent from the screening shell edge portions (24,25) such that electrical contact is made between the screening shell and the electrically conductive layer on said other face of the support plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A connector according to any preceding claim wherein the extreme outermost two pin contacts (14,19) are electrically interconnected and adapted to be attached to ground wires of a pair of cables attached to the connector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A connector according to any preceding claim wherein the pin contacts (14-19) are spaced apart at 2 mm centres.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A connector according to any preceding claim wherein the screening shell has a rearwardly extending portion (27) of reduced width in a region where the cable(s) attach to the support plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A connector according to any preceding claim, which comprises a group of support plate - screening shell assemblies (4) arranged in a stack, and a grouper housing (42) which holds together the stack of assemblies such that the pin contacts are held in an array.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A connector according to claim 8 wherein the grouper housing (42) is formed of a resilient material and is adapted to be fitted around the stock of assemblies after attachment of respective cables thereto.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
93 words
A connector according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the screening shell and support plate of each assembly (4) protrudes forwardly of the parallel pin contacts, and wherein the grouper housing comprises a front end portion (48) to allow electrical contact with the respective pin contacts through said end portion, the end portion comprising a plurality of ridges (52) along its inner face, each ridge locating within said forwardly protruding portion of a respective screening shell - support plate assembly (4) such as to hold the assemblies in position within the grouper housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A connector according to any of claims 8 to 10 wherein the grouper housing is open at either lateral sides thereof to enable a plurality of such connectors to be connected side-by-side to the backplane at minimal mutual spacing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A connector according to any preceding claim which is compatible with the METRAL (trademark) 2mm spacing connector protocol.