Electrical connector having a cored contact assembly

Claim 2

A contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; a dual beam signal contact terminal extending through the contact block; and a dual beam ground contact terminal extending through the contact block; wherein the contact block includes a well disposed between the beams of the dual beam ground contact terminal.

Claim 3

The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ground contact terminal has an encapsulated formed area within the contact block.

Claim 4

The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the signal contact terminal has an encapsulated formed area within the contact block.

Claim 5

The contact assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second signal contact, wherein the signal contacts and the ground contact are disposed in signal-signal-ground configuration.

Claim 6

The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the well has a well sidewall, the well sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the ground contact terminal and defines a fulcrum point thereof.

Claim 7

A receptacle assembly comprising; a housing; and a plurality of contact assemblies disposed within the housing, each contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; a first plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block, wherein the first plurality of dual beam contact terminals are signal contacts; and a second plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block, wherein the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals are ground contacts; wherein the contact block includes a well disposed between the beams of each of the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals.

Claim 8

A receptacle assembly comprising; a housing; and a plurality of contact assemblies disposed within the housing, each contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; a first plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block, wherein the first plurality of dual beam contact terminals are signal contacts; and a second plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block, wherein the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals are ground contacts; wherein the contact block includes a well disposed between the beams of each of the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals.

Claim 9

The receptacle of claim 6 , wherein the signal contacts and the ground contacts are disposed in signal-signal-ground configuration within the contact block.

Claim 10

The contact assembly of claim 6 , wherein each well has a well sidewall, the well sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the second plurality of the contact terminals and defines a fulcrum point thereof.

Claim 11

An electrical connector comprising: a plug comprising: a plug housing; and a plurality of contacts disposed within the plug housing wherein the contacts include ground contacts and signal contacts, the ground contacts extending at a first distance from the housing and the signal contacts extending a second distance from the plug housing; and a receptacle removably connected to the plug comprising: a receptacle housing; and a plurality of contact assemblies disposed within the receptacle housing, each contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; a plurality of dual beam signal contact terminals extending through the contact block; and a plurality of dual beam ground contact terminals extending through the contact block; wherein the contact block includes a core disposed between the beams of each of the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals and the core defines a space capable of receiving a distal portion of each ground contact in the plug thereby enabling the signal contacts of the plug to mate with the signal contacts of the receptacle after the ground contacts of the plug mate with the ground contacts of the receptacle.

Claim 12

An electrical connector comprising: a plug comprising: a plug housing; and a plurality of contacts disposed within the plug housing wherein the contacts include ground contacts and signal contacts, the ground contacts extending at a first distance from the housing and the signal contacts extending a second distance from the plug housing; and a receptacle removably connected to the plug comprising: a receptacle housing; and a plurality of contact assemblies disposed within the receptacle housing, each contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; a plurality of dual beam signal contact terminals extending through the contact block; and a plurality of dual beam ground contact terminals extending through the contact block; wherein the contact block includes a core disposed between the beams of each of the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals and the core defines a space capable of receiving a distal portion of each ground contact in the plug thereby enabling the signal contacts of the plug to mate with the signal contacts of the receptacle after the ground contacts of the plug mate with the ground contacts of the receptacle.

Claim 13

The electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein each of the second plurality of contact terminals has an encapsulated formed area within the contact block.

Claim 14

The electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein each of the first plurality of contact terminals has an encapsulated formed area within the contact block.

Claim 15

The electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein the core has a core sidewall, the core sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the ground contact terminals of the receptacle for defining a fulcrum paint.

Claim 16

A contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; and a plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block, wherein the plurality of dual beam contact terminals are ground contacts; wherein the contact block includes a well disposed between the beams of each of the plurality of dual beam contact terminals for receiving a distal portion of a contact in a complementary plug.

Claim 17

A contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; and a plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block, wherein the plurality of dual beam contact terminals are ground contacts; wherein the contact block includes a well disposed between the beams of each of the plurality of dual beam contact terminals for receiving a distal portion of a contact in a complementary plug.

Claim 18

The electrical connector of claim 13 , wherein the well has a well sidewall, the well sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the contact terminals of the receptacle for defining a fulcrum point.

Claim 19

A contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; a first plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; and a second plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; wherein the contact block includes a well disposed between the beams of each of the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals, and wherein each well has a well sidewall, the well sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the second plurality of the contact terminals and defines a fulcrum point thereof.

Claim 20

A contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; a first plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; and a second plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; wherein the contact block includes a well disposed between the beams of each of the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals, and wherein each well has a well sidewall, the well sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the second plurality of the contact terminals and defines a fulcrum point thereof.

Claim 21

The contact assembly of claim 15 , wherein each of the second plurality of contact terminals has an encapsulated formed area within the contact block.

Claim 22

The contact assembly of claim 15 , wherein each of the first plurality of contact terminals has an encapsulated formed area within the contact block.

Claim 23

The contact assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of dual beam contact terminals are signal contacts and the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals are ground contacts.

Claim 24

The contact assembly of claim 18 , wherein the signal contacts and the ground contacts are disposed in signal-signal-ground configuration.

Claim 25

A receptacle assembly comprising: a housing; and a plurality of contact assemblies disposed within the housing, each contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; a first plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; and a second plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; wherein the contact block includes a core disposed between the beams of each of the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals, and wherein each core has a core sidewall, the core sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the second plurality of the contact terminals and defines a fulcrum point thereof.

Claim 26

A receptacle assembly comprising: a housing; and a plurality of contact assemblies disposed within the housing, each contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; a first plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; and a second plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; wherein the contact block includes a core disposed between the beams of each of the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals, and wherein each core has a core sidewall, the core sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the second plurality of the contact terminals and defines a fulcrum point thereof.

Claim 27

The receptacle of claim 20 , wherein the first plurality of dual beam contact terminals are signal contacts and the second plurality of dual beam contact terminals are ground contacts.

Claim 28

The receptacle of claim 21 , wherein the signal contacts and the ground contacts are disposed in signal-signal-ground configuration within the contact block.

Claim 29

A contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; and a plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; wherein the contact block includes a well disposed between the beams of each of the plurality of dual beam contact terminals far receiving a distal portion of a contact in a complementary plug, and wherein the well has a well sidewall, the well sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the contact terminals of the receptacle for defining a fulcrum point.

Claim 30

A contact assembly comprising: an insert molded contact block; and a plurality of dual beam contact terminals extending through the contact block; wherein the contact block includes a well disposed between the beams of each of the plurality of dual beam contact terminals far receiving a distal portion of a contact in a complementary plug, and wherein the well has a well sidewall, the well sidewall contacting a portion of at least one of the beams of the contact terminals of the receptacle for defining a fulcrum point.