Patent ID: 6872085

Claim:
An electrical connector assembly having a first electrical connector mateable to a second electrical connector, the electrical connector assembly comprising: the first electrical connector comprising a plurality of wafers, with each of the plurality of wafers including: a first insulative housing; a plurality of first signal conductors, with each first signal conductor having a first contact end connectable to a first printed circuit board, a second contact end, and an intermediate portion therebetween that is disposed in the first insulative housing; a shield plate, the shield plate having a plurality of first contact ends connectable to the first printed circuit board, a plurality of second contact ends, and an intermediate portion therebetween that is disposed in the first insulative housing; the second electrical connector comprising: second insulative housing including side walls and a base; a plurality of second signal conductors, with each second signal conductor having a first contact end connectable to a second printed circuit board, a second contact end mateable to the second contact end of one of the first signal conductors, and an intermediate portion therebetween that is disposed in the base of the second insulative housing; a plurality of ground conductors, with each ground conductor having first contact end connectable to the second printed circuit board, a second contact end mateable to the second contact end of the shield plate, and an intermediate portion therebetween that is disposed in the base of the second insulative housing; the second signal conductor and the ground conductors are arranged in a plurality of rows, with each row having second signal conductors and ground conductors; for each of the plurality of rows, there is a corresponding ground strip positioned adjacent thereto disposed in the base of the insulative housing, where the ground strip is electrically connected to the ground conductors of the row; and the ground strip has a first end and a second end, the first and and the second end being bent in the direction of the corresponding row of second signal conductors and ground conductors, and the first end of the ground strip extending beyond an end of the row and the second end of the group strip extending beyond the other end of the row.