US-20260128547-A1 - CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly can include a plug connector and a receptacle connector. An example connector assembly includes a plug connector with a plug housing and a plug terminal subassembly. The plug terminal subassembly includes a plug terminal array, and a terminal support molding disposed about and supporting the plug terminal array. The receptacle connector includes a receptacle housing and a receptacle terminal subassembly. The receptacle terminal subassembly includes a receptacle terminal array, a receptacle support molding disposed about and supporting the receptacle terminal array, a projection plate comprising a plurality of grounding projections, and an intermediate plate comprising a plurality of slots aligned with the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate. In one aspect, the grounding projections can be non-complementary in shape with grounding apertures in the ground terminals and twist the ground terminals when the grounding projections are inserted into the grounding apertures.

Inventors

• John C. Laurx
• Ronald Bradbery
• Joe FAIA
• Augusto P Panella
• Daniel B. McGowan

Assignees

• MOLEX, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251230

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A connector assembly, comprising: a plug connector comprising a plug housing and a plug terminal subassembly, the plug terminal subassembly comprising: a plug terminal array; and a terminal support molding disposed about and supporting the plug terminal array; and a receptacle connector comprising a receptacle housing and a receptacle terminal subassembly, the receptacle terminal subassembly comprising: a receptacle terminal array; a receptacle support molding disposed about and supporting the receptacle terminal array; a projection plate comprising a plurality of grounding projections; and an intermediate plate comprising a plurality of slots aligned with the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate.
2. 2 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of grounding projections extend perpendicularly from a plane of the projection plate and perpendicularly with respect to a common array plane of the receptacle terminal array.
3. 3 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein a number of the plurality of grounding projections corresponds to a number of a plurality of ground terminals in the receptacle terminal array.
4. 4 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the projection plate further comprises a plurality of tab openings between adjacent grounding projections.
5. 5 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the projection plate further comprises a plurality of projection plate cable openings; and the intermediate plate further comprises a plurality of intermediate plate cable openings.
6. 6 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the plurality of slots of the intermediate plate are aligned with the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate; and the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate pass through the plurality of slots of the intermediate plate.
7. 7 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the receptacle terminal array comprises a ground terminal; the ground terminal comprises a grounding aperture; and a grounding projection among the plurality of grounding projections is received into the grounding aperture of the ground terminal.
8. 8 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the receptacle terminal array comprises a plurality of ground terminals; each ground terminal among the plurality of ground terminals comprises at least one grounding aperture such that the plurality of ground terminals comprise a plurality of grounding apertures; and each grounding projection among the plurality of grounding projections is inserted into a grounding aperture among the plurality of grounding apertures.
9. 9 . The connector assembly of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of grounding projections are non-complementary in shape with the plurality of grounding apertures and twist the plurality of grounding projections when the plurality of grounding projections are inserted into the plurality of grounding apertures.
10. 10 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a cable alignment member comprising a plurality of cable bores to align cables for the receptacle terminal subassembly.
11. 11 . A receptacle connector, comprising: a housing and a terminal subassembly, the terminal subassembly comprising: a receptacle terminal array; a receptacle support molding disposed about and supporting the receptacle terminal array; and a projection plate comprising a plurality of grounding projections.
12. 12 . The receptacle connector of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of grounding projections extend perpendicularly from a plane of the projection plate and perpendicularly with respect to a common array plane of the receptacle terminal array.
13. 13 . The receptacle connector of claim 11 , wherein the projection plate further comprises a plurality of tab openings between adjacent grounding projections and a plurality of projection plate cable openings.
14. 14 . The receptacle connector of claim 11 , further comprising: an intermediate plate comprising a plurality of slots aligned with the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate, wherein: the plurality of slots of the intermediate plate are aligned with the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate; and the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate pass through the plurality of slots of the intermediate plate.
15. 15 . The receptacle connector of claim 11 , wherein: the receptacle terminal array comprises a ground terminal; the ground terminal comprises a grounding aperture; and a grounding projection among the plurality of grounding projections is received into the grounding aperture of the ground terminal.
16. 16 . The receptacle connector of claim 11 , wherein: the receptacle terminal array comprises a plurality of ground terminals; each ground terminal among the plurality of ground terminals comprises at least one grounding aperture such that the plurality of ground terminals comprise a plurality of grounding apertures; and each grounding projection among the plurality of grounding projections is inserted into a grounding aperture among the plurality of grounding apertures.
17. 17 . The receptacle connector of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of grounding projections are non-complementary in shape with the plurality of grounding apertures and twist the plurality of grounding projections when the plurality of grounding projections are inserted into the plurality of grounding apertures.
18. 18 . A receptacle connector, comprising: a receptacle terminal array; and a projection plate comprising a plurality of grounding projections.
19. 19 . The receptacle connector of claim 18 , wherein: the receptacle terminal array comprises a plurality of ground terminals; each ground terminal among the plurality of ground terminals comprises at least one grounding aperture such that the plurality of ground terminals comprise a plurality of grounding apertures; and each grounding projection among the plurality of grounding projections is inserted into a grounding aperture among the plurality of grounding apertures.
20. 20 . The receptacle connector of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of grounding projections are non-complementary in shape with the plurality of grounding apertures and twist the plurality of grounding projections when the plurality of grounding projections are inserted into the plurality of grounding apertures.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to electrical connectors and, more specifically, to input/output connectors suitable for use in high data rate applications. BACKGROUND Input/output (IO) connectors can be designed for a variety of systems, including board-to-board, wire-to-wire, and wire-to-board systems. A wire-to-board system includes a free-end connector that is attached to a wire, and a fixed-end connector that is attached to a board. A wide range of suitable designs exist for each type of system, depending on requirements and the environment where the connectors are intended to be used. For applications where data rates are high and physical space is restricted, however, a number of competing requirements make the connector design more challenging. High data rates (data rates equal to or above 25 Gbps) typically use differentially coupled signal pairs in which two conductors are electrically coupled and physically arranged in pairs to transmit a differential signal. The signal being transmitted is reflected by the electrical difference measured between the conductor pairs. Differential signaling helps provide greater resistance to spurious signals and electronic crosstalk, and preferably maintains sufficient spacing to avoid creating inadvertent signaling modes with adjacent differently coupled signals pairs. In the connector interface, ground terminals can be added to create a return path to electrical ground and to provide shielding between differential pairs. However, if space is a problem then it becomes desirable to shrink the pitch of the connector and bring all the terminals closer together (which tends to increase the cross talk). Thus, electrical connectors are typically designed to meet both mechanical and electrical requirements. High speed or high data rate electrical connectors are often used in, for example, backplane applications that require very high conductor density and high data rates. In order to achieve the desired mechanical and electrical requirements, such connectors often incorporate a plurality of wafer assemblies having an insulative web that supports a plurality of electrically conductive terminals. The use of wafer assemblies is often desirable to create a structure capable of achieving the desired high data rate that is also robust enough to support the desired assembly processes. However, where high data rates are desired and physical space is minimal, the wafers must be configured to minimize the physical foot print of the connector while maintaining adequate electrical characteristics for the transmission of data. The present disclosure is directed to an electrical connector for application in such circumstances. The foregoing background discussion is intended solely to aid the reader. It is not intended to limit the innovations described herein, nor to limit or expand the prior art discussed. Thus, the foregoing discussion should not be taken to indicate that any particular element of a prior system is unsuitable for use with the innovations described herein, nor is it intended to indicate that any element is essential in implementing the innovations described herein. The implementations and application of the innovations described herein are defined by the appended claims. SUMMARY The disclosure describes an electrical connector assembly for electrically interconnecting to substrates such as a printed circuit board and a plurality of cables. An example connector assembly includes a plug connector with a plug housing and a plug terminal subassembly. The plug terminal subassembly includes a plug terminal array, and a terminal support molding disposed about and supporting the plug terminal array. The receptacle connector includes a receptacle housing and a receptacle terminal subassembly. The receptacle terminal subassembly includes a receptacle terminal array, a receptacle support molding disposed about and supporting the receptacle terminal array, a projection plate comprising a plurality of grounding projections, and an intermediate plate comprising a plurality of slots aligned with the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate. The plurality of grounding projections can extend perpendicularly from a plane of the projection plate and perpendicularly with respect to a common array plane of the receptacle terminal array in one example. A number of the plurality of grounding projections can correspond to a number of a plurality of ground terminals in the receptacle terminal array in one example. The plurality of slots of the intermediate plate can be aligned with the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate, and the plurality of grounding projections of the projection plate can pass through the plurality of slots of the intermediate plate. The projection plate also includes a plurality of tab openings between adjacent grounding projections in one implementation. The projection plate can also include a plurality