Electrical connectors

Abstract

An electrical connector is disclosed which includes a dielectric housing with passages for receiving a plurality of signal terminals. A common ground member is disposed in the dielectric housing with portions thereof disposed between the individual signal terminals. The ground member has a passage for receiving a ground terminal.

We claim: .[. 
     
       1.  In a shielded electrical connector for mating with another electrical connector along a mating axis, said shielded connector having dielectric housing, an outer conductive shield member generally surrounding a mating portion of said housing, a plurality of terminal receiving openings in said housing for receiving terminals therein, and a plurality of terminals positioned in said openings, wherein the improvement comprises: a one-piece common conductive ground member mounted to said housing with portions of the ground member disposed between the individual terminals; and   access means in said housing for permitting insertion of said one-piece ground member through an outer surface of said housing..].   
     
     
       2. .[.The.]. .Iadd.In a shielded .Iaddend.electrical connector .[.of claim 1 wherein.]. .Iadd.for mating with another electrical connector along a mating axis, said shielded connector having a dielectric housing, an outer conductive shield member generally surrounding a mating portion of said housing, a plurality of terminal receiving openings in said housing for receiving terminals therein, and a plurality of terminals positioned in said openings, wherein the improvement comprises: a one-piece common conductive ground member mounted to said housing with portions of the ground member disposed between the individual terminals, .Iaddend.said common ground member .[.includes.]. .Iadd.including .Iaddend.a portion thereof having passage means therethrough for receiving and surrounding a ground terminal.Iadd.; and   access means in said housing for permitting insertion of said one-piece ground member through an outer surface of said housing.Iaddend..   
     
     
       3. The electrical connector of claim 2 wherein said portion of the common ground member for receiving the ground terminal is located centrally of the common ground member. 
     
     
       4. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said common ground member includes a plurality of spoke-like portions radiating outwardly of the ground terminal and disposed between respective adjacent ones of the .[.signal.]. terminals. 
     
     
       5. The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said common ground member has peripheral portions joining the distal ends of the spoke-like portions whereby the common ground member surrounds each of the .[.signal.]. terminals. 
     
     
       6. The electrical connector of claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.21 .Iaddend.wherein a portion of said housing is a unitary piece and said access means permits insertion of said .[.one-piece ground member.]. .Iadd.shielding means .Iaddend.along an axis generally parallel to said mating axis and into said unitary piece. .[. 
     
     
       7.  The electrical connector of claim 6 wherein said common ground member includes a portion thereof having passage means therethrough for receiving and surrounding a ground terminal..]. .[.8. The electrical connector of claim 7 wherein said portion of the common ground member for receiving the ground terminal is located centrally of the common ground member..]. .[.9. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein said common ground member includes a plurality of spoke-like portions radiating outwardly of the ground terminal and disposed between respective adjacent ones of the signal contacts..]. .[.10. The electrical connector of claim 9 wherein said common ground member has peripheral portions joining the distal ends of the spoke-like portions whereby the common ground member surrounds each of the signal contacts..]. .[.11. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said outer conductive shield member is mechanically and electrically connected to said conductive ground member..]. .[.12. The electrical connector of claim 11 further comprising staking means for mechanically and electrically securing the conductive ground member to the 
     
     
        outer shield member..]. 13. In a generally rectangular, shielded electrical connector for mating with another electrical connector along a mating axis, said shielded connector including a dielectric housing having a mating face generally perpendicular to said mating axis and a face opposite said mating face, an outer conductive shield member generally surrounding a region of said housing for mating with said another electrical connector, a first portion of said housing having mounted therein a plurality of first terminals in a first given array for interconnection with a plurality of first terminals of said another electrical connector, and a second portion of said housing having mounted therein a plurality of second terminals in a second given array for interconnection with a plurality of second terminals of said another electrical connector, wherein the improvement comprises: a common conductive ground member mounted to said second portion of said housing with portions of the ground member disposed between the second terminals.Iadd., a first portion of said ground member being positioned generally equidistantly between an adjacent first two of said second terminals and radiating outwardly in a first plane that intersects a line extending generally parallel to said mating axis and centrally located with respect to said second terminals and a second portion of said ground member being positioned generally equidistantly between an adjacent second two of said second terminals and radiating outwardly in a second plane that intersects said line.Iaddend.; and   slot means in said second portion of said housing extending through one of said faces to permit insertion of said ground member along an axis   
     
     
        generally parallel to said mating axis. 14. The electrical connector of claim 13 wherein said slot means extends between said mating face and said opposite face. .[.15. The electrical connector of claim 13 wherein said portions of the ground member are positioned generally equidistantly 
     
     
        between said second terminals..]. 16. The electrical connector of claim 13 wherein said outer conductive shield member is mechanically and 
     
     
        electrically connected to said conductive ground member. 17. The electrical connector of claim 16 further comprising staking means for mechanically and electrically securing the conductive ground member to the 
     
     
        outer shield member. 18. In a generally rectangular, shielded electrical connector for mating with another electrical connector along a mating axis, said shielded connector including a dielectric housing having a mating face generally perpendicular to said mating axis and a face opposite said mating face, an outer conductive shield member generally surrounding a region of said housing for mating with said another electrical connector, a first portion of said housing having mounted therein a plurality of first terminals in a given array for interconnection with a plurality of first terminals of said another electrical connector, and a second portion of said housing having mounted therein a plurality of second terminals in a given array for interconnection with a plurality of second terminals of said another electrical connector, wherein the improvement comprises: a conductive ground subassembly positioned at said second portion, said ground subassembly including a common conductive ground member with .[.portions.]. .Iadd.a first portion .Iaddend.of the ground member .Iadd.being .Iaddend.disposed .Iadd.generally equidistantly .Iaddend.between .Iadd.an adjacent first two of .Iaddend.said second terminals .Iadd.and radiating outwardly in a first plane that intersects a line extending generally parallel to said mating axis and centrally located with respect to said second terminals and a second portion of said ground member being disposed generally equidistantly between an adjacent second two of said second terminals and radiating outwardly in a second plane that intersects said line.Iaddend., and insulation means disposed between said conductive ground member and said second terminals;   an opening in said housing communicating with said mating face and into which said conductive ground subassembly is inserted; and   said outer conductive shield is mechanically and electrically connected to   
     
     
        said common conductive ground member. 19. The electrical connector of claim 18 wherein said conductive ground subassembly is positioned within 
     
     
        said outer conductive shield member. 20. The electrical connector of claim 18 wherein said opening permits insertion of said ground subassembly along 
     
     
        an axis generally parallel to said mating axis. .Iadd.21.  In a shielded input/output electrical connector for mounting to a printed circuit board having electrically conductive signal and ground traces thereon and for mating with another electrical connector along a mating axis, said shielded connector including a dielectric housing having a mating face generally transverse to said mating axis, an outer conductive shield member generally surrounding a region of the housing for mating with said another electrical connector and for interconnection to at least one of said ground traces on said printed circuit board, at least three high speed terminals defining a first array of terminals in said region of the housing within said shield member, and a plurality of low speed terminals defining a second array of terminals in said region of the housing separate from said first array of terminals, wherein the improvement comprises: said first array of terminals defining a generally circular area;   shielding means within said generally circular area including a plurality of conductive planes extending radially outwardly from the center of said circular area between respective adjacent ones of said at least three high speed terminals, each of said three high speed terminals being unshielded by said shielding means in a direction radially outward from said center between its adjacent planes; and   access means in said housing for permitting insertion of a portion of said shielding means through an outer surface of said housing for permanent retention therein. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. In a shielded input/output electrical connector as set forth in claim 21, including four of said high speed terminals spaced equidistant about the center of said circular area, and said conductive planes form a cross configuration. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. In a shielded input/output electrical connector as set forth in claim 21, wherein said outer conductive shield member is mechanically and   
     
     
        electrically connected to said shielding means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  In a shielded input/output electrical connector as set forth in claim 23, wherein said outer conductive shield member is located about three sides of said first array of terminals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. In a shielded input/output electrical connector as set forth in claim 21, further including a conductive member on said connector for mechanically and electrically interconnecting said conductive planes to another of said ground traces. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. In a shielded input/output electrical connector as set forth in claim 21, further including conductive connecting means for mechanically and electrically interconnecting said 
     
     
        shielding means to another of said ground traces. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27.  In an electrical connector assembly having a mating axis, said connector assembly having a dielectric housing means and at least three terminals defining a terminal array in a mating region, each of said three terminals having a mating portion, wherein the improvement comprises: a first shielding means lying in a first plane extending between said mating portions of an adjacent first two of said terminals and a second shielding means lying in a second plane extending between said mating portions of an adjacent second two of said terminals, said first and second planes intersecting in a line that extends generally parallel to said mating axis; and   access means in said housing means for permitting insertion of at least a portion of said first and second shielding means through an outer surface of said housing means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. In an electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 27, wherein said first and second shielding means form a cross configuration. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. In an electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 28 wherein said connector assembly includes four of said terminals spaced equidistant from said line. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. In an electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 27, wherein said connector assembly includes an outer conductive shield member generally surrounding a mating region of said connector assembly, said outer conductive shield member being mechanically and electrically connected to said first and second shielding means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. In an electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 27, wherein said first and second shielding means are formed of a unitary member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32. In an electrical connector having a mating axis, said electrical connector having a dielectric housing and at least three terminals, each of said three terminals having a mating portion, wherein the improvement comprises:   a group of substantially identical ground and terminal arrays, each array having a terminal and a ground means whereby said group has a plurality of terminals and a plurality of ground means, a portion of said ground means in each array being adjacent said mating portion of said terminal in said array, the mating portion of said terminal in each array being substantially closer to the portion of said ground means of said array that the to mating portion of an adjacent terminal, said plurality of said ground means forming a generally closed shape about a central axis, and said terminals and said ground means being disposed generally equidistantly from said central axis with said portion of each ground means of an array being positioned between said central axis and the terminal of said array. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The electrical connector of claim 32 wherein said electrical connector includes four terminals with each of said four terminals having a main portion, said group of substantially identical ground and terminal arrays includes said four terminals, and wherein said ground and terminal arrays are symmetrically disposed about said central axis. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. The electrical connector of claim 32 wherein said terminals are located within said closed shape. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35. The electrical connector of claim 32 wherein said closed shape is formed of a unitary member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36. In an electrical connector having a mating axis, said electrical connector having a dielectric housing and at least three terminals, each of said three terminals having a mating portion, wherein the improvement comprises:   a group of substantially identical ground and terminal arrays including said at least three terminals, each array having one of said terminals and a ground means whereby said group has a plurality of terminals and a plurality of ground means, a portion of said ground means in each array being arcuate and adjacent said mating portion of said terminal in said array, the mating portion of said terminal in each array being substantially closer to the portion of said ground means of said array than to the mating portion of an adjacent terminal, said ground and terminal arrays being disposed about a central axis and said ground means being disposed generally equidistantly from said central axis with said portion of each ground means of an array being positioned between said central axis and the terminal of said array. .Iaddend. .Iadd.37. The electrical connector of claim 36 wherein said plurality of said ground means form a generally closed shape positioned about said central axis. .Iaddend. .Iadd.38. The electrical connector of claim 37 wherein said terminals are located within said closed shape. .Iaddend. .Iadd.39. The electrical connector of claim 37 wherein said closed shape is formed of a   
     
     
        unitary member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.40.  In a shielded electrical connector for mating with another electrical connector along a mating axis, said shielded connector having a dielectric housing with a portion of said housing being a unitary piece, an outer conductive shield member generally surrounding a mating portion of said housing, a plurality of terminal receiving openings in said housing for receiving terminals therein, and a plurality of terminals positioned in said openings, wherein the improvement comprises: a one-piece common conductive ground member mounted to said housing with portions of the ground member disposed between the individual terminals a unitary piece, said common ground member including a portion thereof having passage means therethrough for receiving and surrounding a ground terminal; and   access means in said housing for permitting insertion of said one-piece ground member through an outer surface of said housing, said access means permitting insertion of said one-piece ground member along an axis generally parallel to said mating axis and into said unitary piece. .Iaddend. .Iadd.41. The electrical connector of claim 40 wherein said portion of the common ground member for receiving the ground terminal is   
     
     
        located centrally of the common ground member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.42.  The electrical connector of claim 41 wherein said common ground member includes a plurality of spoke-like portions radiating outwardly of the ground terminal and disposed between respective adjacent ones of the terminals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.43. The electrical connector of claim 42 wherein said common ground member has peripheral portions joining the distal ends of the spoke-like portions whereby the common ground member surrounds each of the terminals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.44. The electrical connector of claim 2 wherein said outer conductive shield member is mechanically and electrically connected to said conductive ground member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.45. The electrical connector of claim 44 further comprising staking means for mechanically and electrically securing the conductive ground member to the outer shield member. .Iaddend.