Patent ID: 6053751
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
An electrical connector assembly comprising:a female connector portion, the female connector portion including at least one modular receptacle therein, the modular receptacle including at least two rows of electrical signal contacts, each of said signal contacts including a connection end and a termination end for electrically coupling the signal contact to signal pads on a first printed circuit board, the modular receptacle also including an elongate ground terminal positioned between the at least two rows of electrical signal contacts; anda male connector portion, the male connector portion including a plug assembly having at least one modular male connector housed therein, the modular male connector including a substantially U-shaped insulative body having a plurality of signal contacts located on opposite outside legs of the body, and an elongate groundplane positioned between the legs of the body and spans substantially an entire length of the plurality of signal contacts, wherein upon mechanically connecting the male connector portion to the female connector portion, the electrical signal contacts of the female connector portion electrically engage the signal contacts of the male connector portion and the groundplane is electrically engaged with the ground terminal of the female connector portion, wherein a characteristic impedance of the connector assembly is controlled by varying a thickness of a material forming the groundplane.