Midplane for data processing apparatus

Claim 1

A data processing apparatus, comprising: a. a first plurality of circuit boards arranged generally side-by-side; b. a second plurality of circuit boards arranged generally side-by-side; c. a midplane having a first main surface, a second main surface and a plurality of connector elements, each connector element including a plurality of electrical couplers extending generally transversally to said first and said second main surfaces; d. said first plurality of circuit boards being mounted to said midplane at said first main surface; e. said second plurality of circuit boards being mounted to said midplane at said second main surface and being in a non-parallel relationship relative to said first plurality of circuit boards; f. said plurality of electrical couplers electrically connecting one circuit board from said first plurality of circuit boards to another circuit board from said second plurality of circuit boards; g. one of said one circuit board from said first plurality of circuit boards and another circuit board from said second plurality of circuit boards including a plurality of data contacts and at least one ground contact; h. the data contacts of said one circuit board being electrically connected to corresponding data contacts of said another circuit board via the plurality of electrical couplers to establish a data communication between said one circuit board and said another circuit board; i. each data contact of said one circuit board and each corresponding data contact of said another circuit board being in physical contact with a common electrical coupler of the plurality of electrical couplers; wherein said plurality of electrical couplers includes a first group of electrical couplers and a second group of electrical couplers; wherein the electrical couplers of said first group are connected to data contacts of circuit boards from said first plurality of circuit boards and to data contacts of circuit boards from said second plurality of circuit boards; wherein the electrical couplers of said second group are connected to ground contacts of circuit boards from said first plurality of circuit boards and to ground contacts of circuit boards from said second plurality of circuit boards; and wherein electrical couplers of said first group are surrounded by electrical couplers of said second group.