Patent ID: 7806698

Claim:
A vertical connector for providing a connection between a circuit board and an opposing electronic element, the opposing electronic element including a male portion having a plurality of conductive members disposed thereon, comprising: an insulative connector housing having a mating face including a receptacle portion for receiving the male portion of the opposing electronic element and a mounting portion for mounting the connector housing to said circuit board, the connector housing including at least first and second sidewalls, the receptacle portion being disposed between the first and second sidewalls, the first and second sidewalls each respectively including a plurality of first and second vertical cavities; a plurality of conductive terminals supported by the housing, the plurality of terminals being arranged in distinct sets of first and second terminals in the first and second connector housing sidewalls, each of the terminals in the first and second sets of terminals including a contact portion extending into the receptacle portion for contacting a corresponding conductive member of the opposing electronic element inserted into the receptacle portion, a tail portion for mounting the terminals to a circuit board, and a body portion interconnecting the terminal contact and tail portion together, the tail portion of the first and second set of terminals extending out of the respective first and second cavities to locations exterior of the first and second sidewall, wherein the first set of terminals is arranged such that the adjacent terminal contacts form a single substantially continuous row; and, a retention portion on each of the plurality of terminals for interferingly engaging the connector housing, the retention portion being disposed between the terminal contact and terminal tail portion and the retention portion of the first and second set of terminals extending into the connector housing respectively from opposite sides of the connector housing, the retention portion being configured to reduce impedance discontinuities in the terminals so as to enable transmission of data signals at a data rate of at least two (2) gigabits per second.