Patent ID: 7484998

Claim:
A connector apparatus for connecting a plurality of cables to a circuit board, comprising: a frame; a plurality of holes in the frame, each hole extending from a first surface of the frame to a second surface of the frame, which second surface faces in a direction opposite of the direction in which the first surface faces, and each hole being configured to house an end portion of one of the plurality of cables, wherein the plurality of holes forms a plurality of rows of holes, wherein, for each of the rows, all holes in the row are arranged in a straight line; a plurality of rows of raised ground pads on the second surface of the frame, each raised ground pad having a mating face and projecting outwardly from the second surface, wherein (a) the mating faces of the ground pads are coplanar, (b) for each row of ground pads, the plurality of ground pads in the row are arranged in a straight line, and (c) at least a portion of each row of holes is positioned between one of the ground pad rows and another of the ground pad rows; and a plurality of contacts, each being configured to fit into one of the holes and to receive an end of an inner conductor of one of the cables; wherein said each raised ground pad is a solid, substantially cylindrical contact element.