US6955565B2 — Cable connector with shielded termination area

Claim 1

Independent Claim 197 words

A wafer connector for connection to a backplane, comprising: an insulative connector housing having a mating end and a termination end, a plurality of conductive contacts disposed within the housing for connecting to a like plurality of conductors of a plurality of cables, each of the cables including at least one signal wire and a shielding member associated with the signal wire, the connector contacts including a plurality of signal contacts and at least one ground contact, a first conductive grounding shield supported by the connecting housing extending over the contacts and having an elongated ground member extending rearwardly from the first grounding shield into a termination area between at least two of the cables, and, a shielding assembly extending over the termination area, the shielding assembly including an insulative bridging member that extends between a rear edge of the first grounding shield and the cable shielding member, and a second conductive grounding shield overlying the bridging member, the second grounding shield also extending between and making contact with the first grounding shield rear edge and of the cable shielding member to provide grounding to said connector between said first grounding shield and said cable shielding member.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 197 words

A wafer connector for connection to a backplane, comprising: an insulative connector housing having a mating end and a termination end, a plurality of conductive contacts disposed within the housing for connecting to a like plurality of conductors of a plurality of cables, each of the cables including at least one signal wire and a shielding member associated with the signal wire, the connector contacts including a plurality of signal contacts and at least one ground contact, a first conductive grounding shield supported by the connecting housing extending over the contacts and having an elongated ground member extending rearwardly from the first grounding shield into a termination area between at least two of the cables, and, a shielding assembly extending over the termination area, the shielding assembly including an insulative bridging member that extends between a rear edge of the first grounding shield and the cable shielding member, and a second conductive grounding shield overlying the bridging member, the second grounding shield also extending between and making contact with the first grounding shield rear edge and of the cable shielding member to provide grounding to said connector between said first grounding shield and said cable shielding member.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 106 words

The wafer connector of claim 1 , wherein said first grounding shield includes a pair of termination members that extend rearwardly from a body portion of said first grounding shield into said termination area, and said first grounding shield further includes a tab member that extends rearwardly from said first grounding shield body portion into said termination area, said first grounding shield body portion extending lengthwise in a first plane and said termination members and tab member being offset from said first grounding shield body portion such that they extend in a second plane which is different than and is spaced apart from the first plane.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

The wafer connector of claim 1 , wherein said first grounding shield includes a U-shaped opening slot formed therein that defines said first grounding shield tab member.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 45 words

The wafer connector of claim 1 , wherein said insulative bridging member has a length which is less than a corresponding length of second grounding shield so that an end of said second grounding shield makes electrical contact with said first grounding shield body portion.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

The wafer connector of claim 1 , further including, wherein said insulative bridging member is formed from a sheet of film.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

The wafer connector of claim 1 , further including, wherein said insulative bridging member is formed from either Teflon or liquid-crystal polymer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

The wafer connector of claim 1 , wherein said second grounding shield further includes a contact member that extends through said bridging member for contacting said first grounding shield and electrically connecting said first and second grounding shields together.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 40 words

The wafer connector of claim 7 , wherein said insulative bridging member includes an opening and said second grounding shield includes a contact member extending therefrom through the bridging member opening into contact with said first grounding shield tab member.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 43 words

The wafer connector of claim 7 , further including, wherein said first grounding shield tab member includes a flat portion that extends between two of said cables in said termination area and the flat portion is spaced apart from said second grounding shield.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 37 words

The wafer connector of claim 9 , further including, wherein said second grounding shield contact member also extends between two of said cables in said termination area and contacts said first grounding shield tab member flat portion.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 194 words

A cable connector, comprising: an insulative connector housing having a mating end and a termination end the connector housing including a plurality of conductive terminals disposed therein, the terminals including contact portions for mating to terminals of an mating connector and tail portions for terminating to a plurality of cables, each of the cables including multiple wires and an associated ground, the connector terminal tail portions extending rearwardly in a first plane; a first grounding shield supported by the connecting housing and extending over said terminal contact portion, the first grounding shield including a plurality of tail portions that extend therefrom into a termination area of the connector, said first grounding shield having a body portion extending in a second plane and the first grounding shield tail portions extending from the first grounding shield body portion and into the first plane, the first grounding shield tail portions being interposed between selected terminal tail portions, one of said of first grounding shield tail portions extending lengthwise between two of said cables; and, a second grounding shield overlying the connector termination area and extending between said first grounding shield body portion and said cable associated grounds.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 194 words

A cable connector, comprising: an insulative connector housing having a mating end and a termination end the connector housing including a plurality of conductive terminals disposed therein, the terminals including contact portions for mating to terminals of an mating connector and tail portions for terminating to a plurality of cables, each of the cables including multiple wires and an associated ground, the connector terminal tail portions extending rearwardly in a first plane; a first grounding shield supported by the connecting housing and extending over said terminal contact portion, the first grounding shield including a plurality of tail portions that extend therefrom into a termination area of the connector, said first grounding shield having a body portion extending in a second plane and the first grounding shield tail portions extending from the first grounding shield body portion and into the first plane, the first grounding shield tail portions being interposed between selected terminal tail portions, one of said of first grounding shield tail portions extending lengthwise between two of said cables; and, a second grounding shield overlying the connector termination area and extending between said first grounding shield body portion and said cable associated grounds.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 43 words

The cable connector of claim 11 , further including an insulative bridging member that is interposed between said first and second grounding shields, the bridging member preventing contact between said second grounding shield and selected terminal tail portions of said first grounding shield.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 33 words

The cable connector of claim 12 , wherein said insulative bridging member includes an opening through which a portion of said second grounding shield extends through into contact with said first grounding shield.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

The cable connector of claim 12 , wherein said bridging member has a length that is less than a length of said second grounding shield so that an edge of said second grounding shield contacts said first grounding shield body portion.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 44 words

The cable connector of claim 12 , wherein one of said first grounding shield tail portions includes an elongated tab member that extends in an offset manner from said first grounding shield body portion into said second plane and between two of said cables.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 36 words

The cable connector of claim 15 , wherein said second grounding shield includes a tab member that extends through said bridging member opening into contact with said first grounding shield tab member in said second plane.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2008-10-17	2009-04-18	2009-10-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2012-10-17	2013-04-18	2013-10-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2016-10-17	2017-04-18	2017-10-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Cable connector with shielded termination area

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