Connectors with ground structure

Claim 2

An angled or right angle electrical connector for electrically and mechanically interconnecting a circuit assembly and a second connector having a plurality of terminals, each terminal having a terminal contact, the terminal contacts arranged in rows and columns, the angled or right angle connector comprising: an insulative housing; a plurality of electrical contact elements in the housing wherein: each one of the contact elements has a first connector contact and a second connector contact, the first connector contacts are arranged in rows and columns for contacting the terminal contacts, each one of the contact elements, except the contact elements with their first connector contacts in an nth row, includes a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at an angle with respect to the first connector contacts, a first set of the contact elements with their first connector contacts in the nth row having a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at the angle with respect to the first connector contacts, and a second set of the contact elements with their first connector contacts in the nth row; and a plurality of conductive shields, each of the shields including: baffles positioned between and spaced from columns of the middle portions of a group of the contact elements, a first shield contact for contacting each of the second connector contacts of the second set, but not the second connector contacts of the first set, in the group of the contact elements, and a plurality of second shield contacts positioned such that the second connector contacts, excluding the second connector contacts of the second set of contact elements in the nth row, and the second shield contacts are arranged in rows and columns for connection to the circuit assembly.

Claim 3

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, wherein the second connector contacts of the second set of the contact elements are collinear or parallel to the first connector contacts.

Claim 4

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, wherein one of the second set is between every pair of the first set.

Claim 5

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of insulative spacers, each of the insulative spacers having a plurality of holes arranged in rows and columns; and each of the groups of the contact elements, except a first row of the contact elements and the second set, extending through the holes of a different one of the insulative spacers such that the second connector contacts, expect those of the second set, and the second shield contacts are on one side of the spacers and the middle portions are on another side of the spacers.

Claim 6

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, wherein the middle portions have a right angle bend.

Claim 7

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, wherein the first shield contacts are slots or holes in the shield.

Claim 8

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, wherein the first shield contacts comprise walls of a slot running generally transverse to the baffles.

Claim 9

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, wherein each of the shields further comprises: a first elongated outer side wall connected to each of the baffles, the first outer side wall having an outer surface; a second elongated outer side wall connected to each of the baffles, the second side wall having an outer surface generally perpendicular to the outer surface of the first side wall; the first side wall, the second side wall and each adjacent pair of the baffles defining a pocket for receiving the middle portion of one column of the contact elements; and the first side wall and the second side wall defining cleaning passages into the pockets.

Claim 10

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, wherein the contact elements in the nth row are the longest contact elements.

Claim 11

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, wherein: the terminal contacts comprise end portions of pins; the first connector contacts comprise sockets; the second connector contacts comprise solder tails; and the second shield contacts are end portions of pins.

Claim 12

The angled or right angle electrical connector of Claim 2, wherein: the terminal contacts comprise sockets; the first connector contacts comprise pin end portions; the second connector contacts comprise pin end portions; and the second shield contacts are pin end portions.

Claim 13

An angled or right angle electrical receptacle for electrically and mechanically interconnecting a circuit assembly and a plurality of terminals with a plurality of terminal contacts arranged in rows and columns in a header or shroud, the receptacle comprising: an insulative housing having a first, header or shroud, mating surface and a plurality of passages arranged in rows and columns extending perpendicularly from the first mating surface through the housing; a plurality of electrical contact elements, each one of the contact elements having a first connector contact and a second connector contact, one of the first connector contacts positioned in each one of the passages for contacting one of the terminal contacts, each one of the contact elements, except the contact elements with their first connector contacts in an nth row of the passages, having a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at an angle with respect to the first connector contacts, a first set of a plurality of the contact elements with their first connector contacts in the nth row of the passages having a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at the angle with respect to the first connector contacts, and a second set of a plurality of the contact elements with their first connector contacts in the nth row; and a first conductive shield electrically connected to a subset of the second set, but none of the first set, of the contact elements.

Claim 14

An angled or right angle electrical receptacle for electrically and mechanically interconnecting a circuit assembly and a plurality of terminals with a plurality of terminal contacts arranged in rows and columns in a header or shroud, the receptacle comprising: an insulative housing having a first, header or shroud, mating surface and a plurality of passages arranged in rows and columns extending perpendicularly from the first mating surface through the housing; a plurality of electrical contact elements, each one of the contact elements having a first connector contact and a second connector contact, one of the first connector contacts positioned in each one of the passages for contacting one of the terminal contacts, each one of the contact elements, except the contact elements with their first connector contacts in an nth row of the passages, having a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at an angle with respect to the first connector contacts, a first set of the contact elements with their first connector contacts in the nth row of the passages having a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at the angle with respect to the first connector contacts, and a second set of the contact elements with their first connector contacts in the nth row; and a plurality of conductive shields, each of the shields including: baffles positioned between and spaced from columns of the middle portions of a group of the contact elements, a first shield contact for contacting each of the second connector contacts of the second set, but not the second connector contacts of the first set, in the group of contact elements, and a plurality of second shield contacts positioned such that the second shield contacts and the second connector contacts, excluding the second connector contacts of the second set of contact elements in the nth row, are arranged in rows and columns for connection to the circuit assembly.

Claim 15

An angled or right angle electrical header for electrically and mechanically interconnecting a circuit assembly and a plurality of terminals with a plurality of terminal contacts arranged in rows and columns in a receptacle, the header comprising: an insulative housing having a base and side walls, the base and the side walls partially enclosing a contact region, the base having a plurality of passages arranged in rows and columns extending through the base; a plurality of electrical contact elements, each one of the contact elements having a first connector contact and a second connector contact, one of the contact elements fixed in each of the passages with the first connector contacts positioned in the contact region for contacting one of the terminal contacts, each one of the contact elements, except the contact elements in an nth row of the passages, having a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at an angle with respect to the first connector contacts, a first set of a plurality of the contact elements in the nth row of the passages having a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at the angle with respect to the first connector contacts, and a second set of a plurality of the contact elements in the nth row of the passages; and a first conductive shield electrically connected to a subset of the second set, but none of the first set, of the contact elements.

Claim 16

An angled or right angle electrical header for electrically and mechanically interconnecting a circuit assembly and a plurality of terminals with a plurality of terminal contacts arranged in rows and columns in a receptacle, the header comprising: an insulative housing having a base and side walls, the base and the side walls partially enclosing a contact region, the base having a plurality of passages arranged in rows and columns extending through the base; a plurality of electrical contact elements, each one of the contact elements having a first connector contact and a second connector contact, one of the contact elements fixed in each of the passages with the first connector contacts positioned in the contact region for contacting one of the terminal contacts, each one of the contact elements, except the contact elements in an nth row of the passages, having a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at an angle with respect to the first connector contacts, a first set of the contact elements in the nth row of the passages having a middle portion configured such that their second connector contacts extend at the angle with respect to the first connector contacts, and a second set of the contact elements in the nth row of the passages; and a plurality of conductive shields, each of the shields including: baffles positioned between and spaced from columns of the middle portions of a group of the contact elements, a first shield contact for contacting each of the second connector contacts of the second set, but not the second connector contacts of the first set, in the group of contact elements, and a plurality of second shield contacts positioned such that the second shield contacts and the second connector contacts, excluding the second connector contacts of the second set of contact elements in the nth row, are arranged in rows and columns for connection to the circuit assembly.

Claim 17

A conductive shield for reducing cross talk between contact elements in angled or right angle connectors having an insulative housing and a plurality of the contact elements mounted in the housing, each one of the contact elements having a first connector contact and a second connector contact, the first connector contacts arranged in rows and columns, the shield comprising: a plurality of baffles, each of the baffles for positioning between adjacent columns of middle portions of the contact elements such that the baffles are spaced from the contact elements, a plurality of first shield contacts, one of the first shield contacts for contacting each of the second connector contacts of a subset of a first set, but none of a second set, of the contact elements in an nth row of the contact elements, and a plurality of second shield contacts positioned such that the second connector contacts of the contact elements, excluding the second connector contacts of the first set of the contact elements in the nth row, and the second shield contacts are for being arranged in rows and columns that are at an angle with respect to the rows and columns of the first connector contacts of the contact elements.

Claim 18

The shield of Claim 17, wherein the first shield contacts are slots or holes in the shield.

Claim 19

The shield of Claim 17, wherein the first shield contacts comprise walls of a slot running generally transverse to the baffles.

Claim 20

The shield of Claim 17, wherein the shield further comprises: a first elongated outer side wall connected to each of the baffles, the first outer side wall having an outer surface; a second elongated outer side wall connected to each of the baffles, the second side wall having an outer surface generally perpendicular to the outer surface of the first side wall; the first side wall, the second side wall, and each adjacent pair of the baffles defining a pocket for receiving the middle portion of one column of the contact elements; and the first side wall and the second side wall defining cleaning passages into the pockets.

Claim 21

The shield of Claim 17, wherein the baffles are coated with an insulative layer.