Patent US6267625B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6267625B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High density electrical interconnect system having enhanced grounding and cross-talk reduction capability
Assignee: Winchester Interconnect Corp
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Filing: 2000-08-17
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Granted: 2001-07-31
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Expires: 2020-08-17
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides an electrical interconnect system using multiple grounding methods to reduce or prevent spurious signals from interfering with high density contacts carrying high speed transmissions. A first connector includes an insulative pillar partially surrounded by a plurality of signal contacts. A central ground contact is at least partially located within the insulative pillar. A second connector includes a plurality of flexible signal contacts for mating with the signal contacts adjacent the insulative pillar. Additionally, flexible ground contacts in the first connector are in contact with an electrically conductive shield. The second connector also includes a central ground contact for receiving the central ground contact of the first connector. The ground contacts provide a first method of providing a ground path to reduce spurious signals from entering the signal path. The electrically conducting shield is located outside the signal contacts when the first and the second connectors are mated. The electrically conducting shield is a conductive path to ground. The electrically conductive shield has a plurality of openings through which the signal contacts and the insulative pillar extend when the first connector and the second connector are in a mated condition. The first connector includes a member which provides a ground path between the first connector and the electrically conducting shield. Advantageously, the electrical interconnect system can use multiple grounding methods which are particularly important in a high density electrical interconnect system where the contacts are closely spaced and susceptible to noise and other spurious signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Carmine Gugliotti
- 👤 Robert M. Bradley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:17
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/648; G; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/04; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/12; G07; G07F; G07F19/00; G07F19/20; G07F19/211; H01R13/658; H01R13/6581; H01R13/6585; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/722; H01R12/727; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/931
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
296 words
An electrical interconnect system, comprising: a first electrical connector having a plurality of spaced apart sets of electrically conductive contacts, each said contact set having multiple signal contacts spaced outwardly from a central ground contact, each of said ground contacts having an end for contact with a ground plane in a first printed circuit board and a connector end, each of said signal contacts having a card end for contact with a signal path in the first printed board and a connector end, said first electrical connector having a plurality of flexible ground contacts for contact with a ground plane in the first printed circuit board; a second electrical connector having a plurality of spaced apart sets of electrically conductive contacts, each said contact set having multiple signal contacts spaced outwardly from a central ground contact, an insulator substantially surrounding said central ground contact and multiple signal contacts spaced outwardly from said insulator, each of said ground contacts having an end for contact with a ground plane in a second printed circuit board and a connector end, each of said signal contacts having an end for contact with a signal path in the second printed circuit board and a connector end; a closed entry plate positioned in said first electrical connector, said plate having a plurality of openings, wherein a set of contacts of said first electrical connector extends through a corresponding one of said plurality of openings, said flexible contacts are in contact with said closed entry plate, wherein when said first electrical connector is mated with said second electrical connector, said central ground contacts in said second electrical connector and said first electrical connector are in contact and said signal contacts in said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector are in contact.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
296 words
An electrical interconnect system, comprising: a first electrical connector having a plurality of spaced apart sets of electrically conductive contacts, each said contact set having multiple signal contacts spaced outwardly from a central ground contact, each of said ground contacts having an end for contact with a ground plane in a first printed circuit board and a connector end, each of said signal contacts having a card end for contact with a signal path in the first printed board and a connector end, said first electrical connector having a plurality of flexible ground contacts for contact with a ground plane in the first printed circuit board; a second electrical connector having a plurality of spaced apart sets of electrically conductive contacts, each said contact set having multiple signal contacts spaced outwardly from a central ground contact, an insulator substantially surrounding said central ground contact and multiple signal contacts spaced outwardly from said insulator, each of said ground contacts having an end for contact with a ground plane in a second printed circuit board and a connector end, each of said signal contacts having an end for contact with a signal path in the second printed circuit board and a connector end; a closed entry plate positioned in said first electrical connector, said plate having a plurality of openings, wherein a set of contacts of said first electrical connector extends through a corresponding one of said plurality of openings, said flexible contacts are in contact with said closed entry plate, wherein when said first electrical connector is mated with said second electrical connector, said central ground contacts in said second electrical connector and said first electrical connector are in contact and said signal contacts in said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector are in contact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 1 , wherein said first electrical connector has at least one wafer including a left half and a right half each made of electrically insulating material, said wafer including one column of contacts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 1 , wherein each of said contact sets includes said central ground contact and four of said signal contacts.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 2 , further comprising a stiffener for holding together said left half and said right half of said wafer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 4 , further comprising a ground contact connecting said stiffener to said ground plane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 1 , wherein said closed entry plate has a front plate having a plurality of openings and a plurality of protrusions extending from said front plate and substantially surrounding said openings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 5 , wherein said stiffener is formed of an electrically conductive material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 6 , wherein said closed entry plate is formed from an electrically conductive material and said closed entry plate has an electrically non-conductive coating applied to the majority of the exterior surface thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 1 , wherein said first electrical connector includes a body formed of electrically insulating material, said body including a base and a plurality of spaced apart elongate pillars extending from said base, each of said ground contacts at least partially located within one of said pillars.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 1 , further comprising, for each set of contacts, an electrically insulating pillar positioned between said central ground contact and said multiple signal contacts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 2 , further comprising a hood enclosure connected to said wafers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 10 , wherein said pillar is hollow and has a rectangular cross-section and each of said signal contacts is positioned against a wall of said pillar.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 12 , wherein said pillar extends beyond said signal contacts.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 1 , wherein said multiple signal contacts of said first electrical connector are substantially freestanding and flexible.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 1 , wherein said central ground contact of said second electrical connector includes a pair of flexible legs each extending from a central post.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 11 , wherein, said closed entry plate positioned within said hood enclosure, said plate having a plurality of openings, wherein a set of contacts of said first electrical connector extends through a corresponding one of said plurality of openings, said flexible contacts in contact with said closed entry plate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 12 , wherein said pillar has a recess in each of said walls and each of said signal contacts is at least partially positioned in a corresponding one of said recesses.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 1 , wherein said central ground contacts mate first and then said signal contacts mate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 1 , wherein said central ground contacts and said signal contacts are mated sequentially.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 17 , wherein said signal contacts of said second electrical connector include a curved surface for mating with a corresponding curved surface of said signal contacts of said first electrical connector.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 4 , further comprising an interconnect attached to said first connector and an electrically conductive surface on a body of said second connector, said interconnect providing a second ground path between said stiffener and said electrically conductive surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical interconnect system of claim 16 , wherein said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector are polarized.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-07-30 | 2005-01-29 | 2005-07-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-07-30 | 2009-01-29 | 2009-07-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-07-30 | 2013-01-29 | 2013-07-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |