Connector with improved grounding means

Claim 2

An electrical connector for terminating an end of a cable, the cable having at least one pair of signal wires and at least one associated ground wire protruding from the cable end, the connector comprising: a connector housing having a mating end and a terminating end; a pair of signal terminals supported by the connector housing and having contact portions disposed along the connector housing mating end for contacting terminals of a mating connector, and termination tail portions disposed along to said connector housing terminating end for terminating to said signal wires; a ground terminal supported by said connector housing and having a contact portion disposed along said connector housing mating end and a termination tail portion disposed along said housing terminating end for termination to said cable ground wire; and, a retention member that is engageable with said ground termination tail portion for clamping a portion of said cable to said ground termination tail, the retention member and said ground termination tail portion cooperatively encompassing a portion of said cable end therebetween.

Claim 3

The connector of claim 1 , wherein said retention member is formed from an electrically conductive material, and said retention member and ground termination tail portion cooperatively define a conductive shield that extends completely around said cable end to thereby provide shielding thereto.

Claim 4

The connector of claim 1 , wherein said ground termination tail portion includes an opening through which an end of said ground wires is passed and bent over an exterior surface of said ground termination tail portion.

Claim 5

The connector of claim 3 , wherein said cable includes a second ground wire and said retention member includes a notch formed in an edge thereof, the notch being spaced apart from and aligned with said ground termination tail portion opening, said second ground wire passing through said notch and onto an exterior surface of said retention member.

Claim 6

The connector of claim 1 , wherein said retention member has a backbone and two free ends that are spaced apart from each other, the free ends terminating in engagement tabs and said ground termination tail portion having a pair of slots disposed therein in opposition to said retention member engagement tabs, the tabs being received within the slots when said retention member is engaged with said ground termination tail portion to thereby define a conductive path entirely around said cable end.

Claim 7

The connector of claim 1 , wherein said retention member has a U-shaped configuration, and includes a backbone and two free ends, the backbone being spaced apart from said ground termination tail portion when said retention member is applied thereto, said backbone having an exterior surface that extends parallel to said signal wires at said cable end.

Claim 8

The connector of claim 2 , wherein said retention member engagement tabs includes deformable portions for crimping over portions of said ground termination tail portion.

Claim 9

The connector of claim 2 , wherein said retention member includes a pair of notches formed in front and rear edges thereof, said notches being aligned longitudinally with each other and spaced apart from said ground termination tail portion slots.

Claim 10

The connector of claim 2 , wherein said retention member engagement tabs includes deformable portions for crimping over portions of said ground termination tail portion.

Claim 11

The connector of claim 1 , wherein said cable further includes a second ground wire associated with said two signal wires, ends of said associated ground wires being supported on exterior surfaces of said retention member and said ground termination tail portion in a spaced-apart relationship from each other and from said signal wires.

Claim 12

The connector of claim 10 , wherein said retention member and said ground termination tail portion cooperatively form a hollow cavity through which said signal wires and ground wire ends extend, said ground wires respectively exiting past said retention member and passing through said ground termination tail portion and being folded back upon exterior surfaces of said retention member and ground termination tail portion.

Claim 13

A terminal module for use in mating a cable to a mating connector, the cable including at least one pair of signal wires and a pair of ground wires associated with the signal wires, the module comprising: an electrically insulative housing, at least three conductive terminals supported by the housing, the terminals including two signal terminals and one ground terminal, each of the terminals including contact portions for contacting terminal of the mating connector and tail portions for terminating to said signal and ground wires, the two signal terminal tail portions being spaced apart from each other in a first direction and further being spaced apart from the ground terminal tail portion in a second direction, different than the first direction, said ground terminal tail portion having a wide base of a given length for at least partially supporting said two signal wires thereupon in place within the module and in alignment with said signal terminal tail portions, and a retainer clip for holding said signal wires in place upon said ground terminal tail portion, the retainer clip being engageable with said ground terminal tail portion so as to cooperatively define therewith, a hollow enclosure that completely encircles said signal wires.

Claim 14

A terminal module for use in mating a cable to a mating connector, the cable including at least one pair of signal wires and a pair of ground wires associated with the signal wires, the module comprising: an electrically insulative housing, at least three conductive terminals supported by the housing, the terminals including two signal terminals and one ground terminal, each of the terminals including contact portions for contacting terminal of the mating connector and tail portions for terminating to said signal and ground wires, the two signal terminal tail portions being spaced apart from each other in a first direction and further being spaced apart from the ground terminal tail portion in a second direction, different than the first direction, said ground terminal tail portion having a wide base of a given length for at least partially supporting said two signal wires thereupon in place within the module and in alignment with said signal terminal tail portions, and a retainer clip for holding said signal wires in place upon said ground terminal tail portion, the retainer clip being engageable with said ground terminal tail portion so as to cooperatively define therewith, a hollow enclosure that completely encircles said signal wires.

Claim 15

The terminal module of claim 12 , wherein said retainer clip includes a conductive shell having a backbone portion and two free ends, the two free ends being engageable with said ground terminal tail portion.

Claim 16

The terminal module of claim 13 , wherein said ground terminal tail portion includes a plurality of slots that receive the conductive shell free ends.

Claim 17

The terminal module of claim 12 , wherein said retainer clip has a U-shape with a body portion and two spaced-apart engagement tabs that extend away the retainer clip body portion, and said ground terminal tail portion includes a pair of slots that receive said retainer clip engagement tabs therein.

Claim 18

The terminal module of claim 12 , wherein said retainer clip includes at least one notch formed in an exterior edge thereof, the notch receiving one of said ground wires bent back upon an exterior surface of said shell, and said ground terminal tail portion includes an opening aligned with said shell notch, the opening receiving the other of said ground wires bent back upon an exterior surface thereof.

Claim 19

The terminal module of claim 12 , wherein ends of said two ground wires are respectively supported on exterior surfaces of said retainer clip and ground terminal tail portion in orientations above and below said signal wires.