Connector apparatus

Claim 2

An electrical connector ( 100 ) for coupling two electrical connectors, comprising: an elongated insulative housing ( 110 ) comprising a longitudinal base portion ( 115 ) having a first mating surface ( 160 ) and a second mating surface ( 165 ); wherein the first mating surface ( 160 ) is configured to couple with a second complementary connector ( 48 ) by means of a central slot ( 130 ) defined between a first side wall ( 120 ), a second side wall ( 122 ) and a pair of end walls ( 124 , 126 ), all walls extending from the base portion ( 115 ); wherein the second mating surface ( 165 ) is configured to couple with a first complementary connector ( 45 ) by means of a tongue portion ( 200 ) and a pair of end walls ( 210 ), both the tongue portion ( 200 ) and the end walls ( 210 ) extending from the base portion ( 115 ), the tongue portion ( 200 ) comprising a first tongue section ( 221 ), a second tongue section ( 222 ) and a third tongue section ( 223 ); and a plurality of contacts ( 300 ) positioned in the housing ( 110 ); wherein the contacts ( 300 ) are grouped into a first set ( 310 ) and a second set ( 320 ) of contacts positioned in the first tongue and the second tongue sections ( 221 , 222 ) respectively.

Claim 3

The electrical connector ( 100 ) of claim 1 wherein the tongue portion ( 200 ) comprises a first surface ( 201 ) and an opposite second surface ( 202 ) both extending in a longitudinal direction of the tongue portion ( 200 ), and wherein the first set ( 310 ) and the second set ( 320 ) of contacts are located in the first surface ( 201 ) of the tongue portion ( 200 ) and the third set ( 330 ) of contacts is located in the second surface ( 202 ) of the tongue portion ( 200 ).

Claim 4

The electrical connector ( 100 ) of claim 1 further comprising a bonding device ( 140 ).

Claim 5

The electrical connector ( 100 ) of claim 1 wherein each of said contacts ( 300 ) has two contact portions ( 302 ) and ( 303 ).

Claim 6

The electrical connector ( 100 ) of claim 1 wherein the tongue portion ( 200 ) comprises a first surface ( 201 ) and an opposite second surface ( 202 ) both extending in a longitudinal direction of the tongue portion ( 200 ), and wherein the first set ( 310 ) and the second set ( 320 ) of contacts are located in the first surface ( 201 ) of the tongue portion ( 200 ) and the third set ( 330 ) of contacts is located in the second surface ( 202 ) of the tongue portion ( 200 ); each of said contacts ( 300 ) having two contact portions ( 302 ) and ( 303 ).

Claim 7

An interconnect system having at least one an electrical connector for coupling two electrical connectors comprising: an electrical connector according to claim 1 ; and wherein one or both of a first complementary connector ( 45 ) and a second complementary connector 48 is coupled to the electrical connector ( 100 ).

Claim 8

The interconnect system of claim 6 wherein the tongue portion ( 200 ) comprises a first surface ( 201 ) and an opposite second surface ( 202 ) both extending in a longitudinal direction of the tongue portion ( 200 ), and wherein the first set ( 310 ) and the second set ( 320 ) of contacts are located in the first surface ( 201 ) of the tongue portion ( 200 ) and the third set ( 330 ) of contacts is located in the second surface ( 202 ) of the tongue portion ( 200 ).

Claim 9

The interconnect system of claim 6 wherein at least one of the coupled complementary connectors ( 45 , 48 ) is a SAS connector, or wherein the coupled first complementary connector ( 45 ) is a SAS socket and the coupled second complementary connector ( 48 ) is a SATA header.

Claim 10

The interconnect system of claim 6 wherein the coupled first complementary connector ( 45 ) is further coupled to a backplane of a printed circuit board ( 601 ).

Claim 11

The interconnect system of claim 6 wherein the coupled second complementary connector ( 48 ) is further coupled to a printed circuit board ( 602 ).

Claim 12

The interconnect system of claim 6 wherein the coupled first complementary connector ( 45 ) is coupled to the backplane of a printed circuit board ( 601 ) of a production test equipment ( 610 ).

Claim 13

The interconnect system of claim 11 wherein the coupled second complementary connector ( 48 ) is coupled to another printed circuit board ( 602 ) which is further coupled to a data storage device ( 620 ).

Claim 14

An electrical connector ( 2000 ) for coupling two electrical connectors, comprising: an elongated insulative housing ( 2110 ) comprising a longitudinal base portion ( 2115 ) having a first mating surface ( 2160 ) and a second mating surface ( 2165 ); wherein the first mating surface ( 2160 ) is configured to couple with a second complementary connector ( 2048 ) by means of a central slot ( 2130 ) defined between a first side wall ( 2120 ), a second side wall ( 2122 ) and a pair of end walls ( 2124 , 2126 ), all walls extending from the base portion ( 2115 ); wherein the second mating surface ( 2165 ) is configured to couple with a first complementary connector ( 2045 ) by means of a tongue portion ( 2200 ) and a pair of end walls ( 2210 ), both the tongue portion ( 2200 ) and the end walls ( 2210 ) extending from the base portion ( 2115 ), the tongue portion ( 2200 ) comprising a first tongue section ( 2221 ), a second tongue section ( 2222 ) and a third tongue section ( 2223 ); and a plurality of contacts ( 2300 ) positioned in the housing ( 2110 ); wherein the contacts ( 2300 ) are grouped into a first set ( 2310 ), a second set ( 2320 ) and a third set ( 2330 ) of contacts positioned in the first tongue, the second tongue and the third tongue sections ( 2221 , 2222 , 2223 )respectively.

Claim 15

An electrical connector ( 2000 ) for coupling two electrical connectors, comprising: an elongated insulative housing ( 2110 ) comprising a longitudinal base portion ( 2115 ) having a first mating surface ( 2160 ) and a second mating surface ( 2165 ); wherein the first mating surface ( 2160 ) is configured to couple with a second complementary connector ( 2048 ) by means of a central slot ( 2130 ) defined between a first side wall ( 2120 ), a second side wall ( 2122 ) and a pair of end walls ( 2124 , 2126 ), all walls extending from the base portion ( 2115 ); wherein the second mating surface ( 2165 ) is configured to couple with a first complementary connector ( 2045 ) by means of a tongue portion ( 2200 ) and a pair of end walls ( 2210 ), both the tongue portion ( 2200 ) and the end walls ( 2210 ) extending from the base portion ( 2115 ), the tongue portion ( 2200 ) comprising a first tongue section ( 2221 ), a second tongue section ( 2222 ) and a third tongue section ( 2223 ); and a plurality of contacts ( 2300 ) positioned in the housing ( 2110 ); wherein the contacts ( 2300 ) are grouped into a first set ( 2310 ), a second set ( 2320 ) and a third set ( 2330 ) of contacts positioned in the first tongue, the second tongue and the third tongue sections ( 2221 , 2222 , 2223 )respectively.

Claim 16

The electrical connector ( 2000 ) of claim 13 wherein the tongue portion ( 2200 ) comprises a first surface ( 2201 ) and an opposite second surface ( 2202 ) both extending in a longitudinal direction of the tongue portion ( 2200 ), a first base extension portion and a second base extension portion ( 2721 , 2722 ) and wherein the first base extension portion ( 2721 ) separates the first set of contacts ( 2310 ) from the second set of contacts ( 2320 ) and the second base extension portion ( 2722 ) separates the second set of contacts ( 2320 ) from the third set of contacts ( 2330 ) and wherein all 3 sets of contacts are located in the first surface ( 2201 ) of the tongue portion ( 2200 ).

Claim 17

An interconnect system having at least one an electrical connector ( 2000 ) for coupling two electrical connectors comprising: an electrical connector according to claim 13 ; and wherein one or both of a first complementary connector ( 2045 ) and a second complementary connector 2048 is coupled to the electrical connector ( 2000 ).

Claim 18

The interconnect system of claim 15 wherein the tongue portion ( 2200 ) comprises a first surface ( 2201 ) and an opposite second surface ( 2202 ) both extending in a longitudinal direction of the tongue portion ( 2200 ), a first base extension portion and a second base extension portion ( 2721 , 2722 ) and wherein the first base extension portion ( 2721 ) separates the first set of contacts ( 2310 ) from the second set of contacts ( 2320 ) and the second base extension portion ( 2722 ) separates the second set of contacts ( 2320 ) from the third set of contacts ( 2330 ) and wherein all 3 sets of contacts are located in the first surface ( 2201 ) of the tongue portion ( 2200 ).

Claim 19

The interconnect system of claim 16 wherein the electrical connector ( 2000 ) further comprises a bonding device ( 2140 ).

Claim 20

The interconnect system of claim 17 wherein the coupled first complementary connector ( 2045 ) is a Micro SATA socket and the coupled second complementary connector ( 2048 ) is a Micro SATA header.

Claim 21

The interconnect system of claim 18 wherein the coupled first complementary connector ( 2045 ) is coupled to the backplane of a printed circuit board ( 601 ) of a production test equipment ( 610 ).

Claim 22

The interconnect system of claim 18 wherein the coupled second complementary connector ( 2048 ) is coupled to another printed circuit board ( 601 ) which is further coupled to a data storage device ( 620 ).