High speed differential signal edge card connector and circuit board layouts therefor

Claim 2

An edge card connector for connecting differential circuits on an edge card to corresponding differential signal circuits on a circuit board, the edge card housing having two opposing surfaces and an insertion edge and a plurality of conductive traces disposed on at least one of the two opposing surfaces, the connector comprising: an insulative housing having a body portion extending between two opposed ends of the housing, said housing including a card-receiving slot extending longitudinally through the housing body portion, the card-receiving slot being sized to receive at least the edge card insertion edge; and, a plurality of conductive terminals supported by said housing body portion, the terminals having contact portions for contacting the edge card conductive traces when said edge card is inserted into said card-receiving slot, the terminals being arranged in said housing in distinct triplets of terminals, each of the terminal triplets including a pair of differential signal terminals and an associated ground terminal, said terminals of said terminal triplets being spaced apart from each other at a given pitch and said terminal triplets being spaced apart from each other a distance greater than the pitch between individual terminals of said terminal triplets, so as to reduce capacitive coupling between differential signal terminals of adjacent terminal triplets and said terminal triplets are spaced apart from each other a distance that is a multiple of said pitch.

Claim 3

The connector of claim 1 , wherein said terminal triplets are spaced apart from each other a distance that is approximately equal to twice said pitch.

Claim 4

The connector of claim 1 , wherein for each of said terminal triplets, said associated ground terminal is interposed between said pair of differential signal terminals.

Claim 5

The connector of claim 1 , wherein said terminal triplets are arranged on both sides of said card-receiving slot.

Claim 6

The connector of claim 1 , wherein each of said terminals includes a tail portion for terminating to a circuit board, a contact portion for contacting an opposing conductive trace of said edge card and a body portion interconnecting the terminal contact and tail portions together.

Claim 7

The connector of claim 5 , wherein said differential signal terminal tail portions are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction and are further spaced apart from said associated ground terminal tail portion in a transverse direction.

Claim 8

The connector of claim 6 , wherein an imaginary line drawn through said associated ground terminal tail portion transversely to said card-receiving slot passes between said differential signal terminal tail portions.

Claim 9

The connector of claim 5 , wherein said terminal contact portions of said ground terminal of each terminal triplet is disposed at an elevation different than the differential signal contact portion of said terminal triplet.

Claim 10

The connector of claim 1 , wherein said housing body portion includes a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities and each of said terminals is received within a single cavity.

Claim 11

The connector of claim 9 , wherein said housing body portion includes at least one empty terminal-receiving cavity interposed between each of said terminal triplets.

Claim 12

The connector of claim 9 , wherein the terminal-receiving cavities are arranged in distinct sets of three in said housing body portion, and each set of three cavities are spaced apart from each other a distance greater than any distance separating two adjacent terminals in any of said terminal sets.

Claim 13

The connector of claim 9 , wherein said terminal-receiving cavities are arranged on both sides of said card-receiving slot.

Claim 14

An edge card connector for connecting differential circuits on an edge card to corresponding differential signal circuits on a circuit board, the edge card housing having two opposing surfaces and an insertion edge and a plurality of conductive traces disposed on at least one of the two opposing surfaces, the connector comprising: an insulative housing having a body portion extending between two opposed ends of the housing, said housing including a card-receiving slot extending longitudinally through the housing body portion, the card-receiving slot being sized to receive at least the edge card insertion edge; and, a plurality of conductive terminals supported by said housing body portion, the terminals having contact portions for contacting the edge card conductive traces when said edge card is inserted into said card-receiving slot, the terminals being arranged in said housing in distinct triplets of terminals, each of the terminal triplets including a pair of differential signal terminals and an associated ground terminal interposed between the pair of differential signal terminals, said terminal of said terminal triplets being spaced apart from each other a first distance, and said terminal triplets being spaced apart from each other a second distance that is greater than the first distance between individual terminals of said terminal triplets, so as to reduce capacitive coupling between differential signal terminals of adjacent terminal triplets.

Claim 15

An edge card connector for connecting differential circuits on an edge card to corresponding differential signal circuits on a circuit board, the edge card housing having two opposing surfaces and an insertion edge and a plurality of conductive traces disposed on at least one of the two opposing surfaces, the connector comprising: an insulative housing having a body portion extending between two opposed ends of the housing, said housing including a card-receiving slot extending longitudinally through the housing body portion, the card-receiving slot being sized to receive at least the edge card insertion edge; and, a plurality of conductive terminals supported by said housing body portion, the terminals having contact portions for contacting the edge card conductive traces when said edge card is inserted into said card-receiving slot, the terminals being arranged in said housing in distinct triplets of terminals, each of the terminal triplets including a pair of differential signal terminals and an associated ground terminal interposed between the pair of differential signal terminals, said terminal of said terminal triplets being spaced apart from each other a first distance, and said terminal triplets being spaced apart from each other a second distance that is greater than the first distance between individual terminals of said terminal triplets, so as to reduce capacitive coupling between differential signal terminals of adjacent terminal triplets.

Claim 16

A circuit board having an area of controlled impedance defined in a mating area that mates with a differential signal edge card connector, the edge card connector including a plurality of conductive pins extending therefrom for mating with conductive traces on the circuit board, the connector conductive pins being arranged in distinct sets of three conductive pins, each set including a pair of differential signal conductive pins and a ground conductive pin associated with the pair of differential signal conductive pins, the three conductive pins cooperatively defining a triplet of mating pins, said circuit board comprising; a pair of differential signal conductive traces and a single ground conductive trace associated therewith, the ground and differential signal conductive traces cooperatively defining a triplet of conductive traces for mating with a triplet of mating pins of said connector, said differential signal conductive traces being spaced apart from each other in a first direction and said single ground conductive trace of said trace triplet being spaced apart from said differential signal pair of conductive traces in a second direction, different from said first direction and angularly offset therefrom, such that said differential signal pair and ground conductive traces lie at in a triangular arrangement with said traces lying at respective vertices of an imaginary triangle and said circuit board further including a conductive reference plane spaced apart from said conductive traces, said reference plane including at least one opening formed therein, the reference plane one opening being aligned with said differential signal pair of conductive traces such said differential signal pair of conductive traces of said trace triplet are encompassed within a perimeter of said opening.

Claim 17

A circuit board having an area of controlled impedance defined in a mating area that mates with a differential signal edge card connector, the edge card connector including a plurality of conductive pins extending therefrom for mating with conductive traces on the circuit board, the connector conductive pins being arranged in distinct sets of three conductive pins, each set including a pair of differential signal conductive pins and a ground conductive pin associated with the pair of differential signal conductive pins, the three conductive pins cooperatively defining a triplet of mating pins, said circuit board comprising; a pair of differential signal conductive traces and a single ground conductive trace associated therewith, the ground and differential signal conductive traces cooperatively defining a triplet of conductive traces for mating with a triplet of mating pins of said connector, said differential signal conductive traces being spaced apart from each other in a first direction and said single ground conductive trace of said trace triplet being spaced apart from said differential signal pair of conductive traces in a second direction, different from said first direction and angularly offset therefrom, such that said differential signal pair and ground conductive traces lie at in a triangular arrangement with said traces lying at respective vertices of an imaginary triangle and said circuit board further including a conductive reference plane spaced apart from said conductive traces, said reference plane including at least one opening formed therein, the reference plane one opening being aligned with said differential signal pair of conductive traces such said differential signal pair of conductive traces of said trace triplet are encompassed within a perimeter of said opening.

Claim 18

The circuit board of claim 14 , wherein said conductive traces include conductive vias extending through said circuit board.

Claim 19

The circuit board of claim 14 , wherein said reference plane opening is a circular opening.

Claim 20

The circuit board of claim 14 , wherein said reference plane opening is a non-circular opening.

Claim 21

The circuit board of claim 14 , wherein said ground conductive trace is connected to said reference plane.

Claim 22

The circuit board of claim 14 , further including a plurality of circuit board trace triplets arranged longitudinally in a position on opposite sides of an imaginary center line of the pattern.

Claim 23

The circuit board of claim 19 , wherein each of said non-conductive openings has a circular configuration.

Claim 24

The circuit board of claim 19 , further including a conductive reference plane associated within said circuit board, the conductive reference plane including a plurality of non-conductive openings formed therein, each of the non-conductive openings being associated and aligned with one of said circuit board triplets such that said differential signal pair of conductive traces lie within a perimeter of an associated one of said non-conductive openings.

Claim 25

The circuit board of claim 21 , wherein each of said conductive traces includes a plated via extending through said circuit board, and said ground via contacts said reference plane.

Claim 26

A contact pad arrangement for an edge card used in high speed signal applications, the edge card supporting a plurality of distinct differential signal circuits and ground circuits, said edge card further including an insertion edge for inserting said edge card into a connector, said circuits terminating in respective differential signal and ground contact pads, comprising: said contact pads being arranged in triplets disposed proximate to said insertion edge, each of the contact pad triplets including a pair of differential signal contact pads and a single ground contact pad, the ground contact pad of each contact pad triplet being interposed between said differential signal contact pads, said contact pads of each of said contact pad triplet being spaced apart from each other a first distance and said contact pad triplets being spaced apart from each other a second distance that is greater than said first distance, so as to reduce capacitive coupling between differential signal contact pads of adjacent contact pad triplets.

Claim 27

A contact pad arrangement for an edge card used in high speed signal applications, the edge card supporting a plurality of distinct differential signal circuits and ground circuits, said edge card further including an insertion edge for inserting said edge card into a connector, said circuits terminating in respective differential signal and ground contact pads, comprising: said contact pads being arranged in triplets disposed proximate to said insertion edge, each of the contact pad triplets including a pair of differential signal contact pads and a single ground contact pad, the ground contact pad of each contact pad triplet being interposed between said differential signal contact pads, said contact pads of each of said contact pad triplet being spaced apart from each other a first distance and said contact pad triplets being spaced apart from each other a second distance that is greater than said first distance, so as to reduce capacitive coupling between differential signal contact pads of adjacent contact pad triplets.

Claim 28

The edge card of claim 23 , wherein for each contact pad triplets, said ground contact pad is spaced apart from said its two associated differential signal contact pads a third distance.

Claim 29

A circuit board having an area of controlled impedance defined in a mating area that mates with a differential signal edge card connector, the edge card connector including a plurality of conductive pins extending therefrom for mating with conductive traces on the circuit board, the connector conductive pins being arranged in distinct sets of three conductive pins, each set including a pair of differential signal conductive pins and a ground conductive pin associated with the pair of differential signal conductive pins, the three conductive pins cooperatively defining a triplet of mating pins, said circuit board comprising; a pair of differential signal conductive vias and a single ground via formed in the circuit board, the ground and differential signal conductive vias cooperatively defining a triplet of conductive vias for mating with a triplet of mating pins of said connector, said differential signal conductive traces being spaced apart from each other in a first direction and said single ground conductive via of said trace triplet being spaced apart from said differential signal pair of conductive vias in a second direction that is different from said first direction, said circuit board further including a conductive reference plane spaced apart from a surface of said circuit board, the reference plane including at least one non-conductive opening formed therein, the reference plane one non-conductive opening being aligned with said differential signal pair of conductive vias such said differential signal pair of conductive vias of said trace triplet are encompassed within a perimeter of said opening.

Claim 30

A circuit board having an area of controlled impedance defined in a mating area that mates with a differential signal edge card connector, the edge card connector including a plurality of conductive pins extending therefrom for mating with conductive traces on the circuit board, the connector conductive pins being arranged in distinct sets of three conductive pins, each set including a pair of differential signal conductive pins and a ground conductive pin associated with the pair of differential signal conductive pins, the three conductive pins cooperatively defining a triplet of mating pins, said circuit board comprising; a pair of differential signal conductive vias and a single ground via formed in the circuit board, the ground and differential signal conductive vias cooperatively defining a triplet of conductive vias for mating with a triplet of mating pins of said connector, said differential signal conductive traces being spaced apart from each other in a first direction and said single ground conductive via of said trace triplet being spaced apart from said differential signal pair of conductive vias in a second direction that is different from said first direction, said circuit board further including a conductive reference plane spaced apart from a surface of said circuit board, the reference plane including at least one non-conductive opening formed therein, the reference plane one non-conductive opening being aligned with said differential signal pair of conductive vias such said differential signal pair of conductive vias of said trace triplet are encompassed within a perimeter of said opening.

Claim 31

The circuit board of claim 25 , wherein each of said vias is plated with a conductive material and extends through said circuit board, and said ground via contacts said reference plane.

Claim 32

The circuit board of claim 25 , wherein said non-conductive opening has a circular configuration.

Claim 33

The circuit board of claim 25 , wherein said non-conductive opening has a circular configuration.

Claim 34

An edge card connector for connecting differential circuits on an edge card to corresponding differential signal circuits on a circuit board, the edge card housing having two opposing surfaces and an insertion edge and a plurality of conductive traces disposed on at least one of the two opposing surfaces, the connector comprising: an insulative housing having a body portion extending between two opposed ends of the housing, said housing including a card-receiving slot extending longitudinally through the housing body portion, the card-receiving slot being sized to receive at least the edge 4card insertion edge, said housing further including a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities; and, a plurality of conductive terminals supported by said housing body portion, the terminals having contact portions for contacting the edge card conductive traces when said edge card is inserted into said card-receiving slot, single terminals being received in single terminal-receiving cavities, said terminals being arranged in said housing in distinct triplets of terminals, each of the terminal triplets including a pair of differential signal terminals and an associated ground terminal, said terminals of said terminal triplets being spaced apart from each other at a given pitch and each of said terminal triplets being spaced apart from an adjacent terminal triplet by at least one empty terminal-receiving cavity interposed therebetween.

Claim 35

An edge card connector for connecting differential circuits on an edge card to corresponding differential signal circuits on a circuit board, the edge card housing having two opposing surfaces and an insertion edge and a plurality of conductive traces disposed on at least one of the two opposing surfaces, the connector comprising: an insulative housing having a body portion extending between two opposed ends of the housing, said housing including a card-receiving slot extending longitudinally through the housing body portion, the card-receiving slot being sized to receive at least the edge 4card insertion edge, said housing further including a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities; and, a plurality of conductive terminals supported by said housing body portion, the terminals having contact portions for contacting the edge card conductive traces when said edge card is inserted into said card-receiving slot, single terminals being received in single terminal-receiving cavities, said terminals being arranged in said housing in distinct triplets of terminals, each of the terminal triplets including a pair of differential signal terminals and an associated ground terminal, said terminals of said terminal triplets being spaced apart from each other at a given pitch and each of said terminal triplets being spaced apart from an adjacent terminal triplet by at least one empty terminal-receiving cavity interposed therebetween.