Grounding bridge for shielded interconnect cables and interconnect cables incorporating same

Claim 1

A grounding bridge for establishing a groundpath in a shielded interconnect cable, wherein the cable includes a central core, a first conductive outer shielding layer extending coaxially along the central core, the central core containing a plurality of wires, at least one of the central core wires being a coaxial cable with a central conductor surrounded by a dielectric layer, the inner dielectric layer being surrounded by a second conductive inner shielding layer, the grounding bridge comprising: an elongated conductive metal member having first and second leg portions, the first leg portion extending lengthwise in one direction along an axis of said conductive metal member, said first leg portion including a contact surface disposed thereon, said contact surface adapted for positioning on and soldering to said first conductive outer shielding layer of said cable, an intermediate portion extending generally along said axis between said first and second leg portions, the second leg portion extending at least partly generally transversely to said first leg portion and said axis, said second leg portion defining a partial cable enclosure for receiving said central core coaxial cable and a conductor of a jumper wire therein, said second leg portion including a second leg portion contact surface for positioning in contact with said second conductive inner shielding layer, said partial cable enclosure being dimensioned to receive both said coaxial cable with a portion of said second conductive shielding layer exposed and a conductor of a jumper wire therein, the second leg portion contact surface being adapted for soldering to the second conductive inner shielding layer and the conductor of the jumper wire, and said grounding bridge providing a conductive path between said first and second conductive shielding layers and said jumper wire when said first and second leg portions are respectively soldered to said first and second conductive inner and outer shielding layers.