High performance, small form factor connector

摘要

Techniques for improving electrical performance of a connector. The techniques are compatible with the form factor of a standardized connector, such as an SFP connector or stacked SFP. The resulting connector has reduced insertion loss for high speed signals. Such techniques, which can be used separately or together, include shaping of conductive elements within the connector while still retaining the same mating contact arrangement. Changes may be made at the contact tail portions or in the intermediate portions where engagement to a connector housing occurs. The techniques also include the incorporation of lossy bridging members between conductive elements designated to be ground conductors. For connectors according to the stacked SFP configuration, multiple bridging members may be incorporated at multiple locations within the connector.

主权项

1. An electrical connector, comprising:
a housing comprising:
a front face;a rear face;a cavity with an opening in the front face shaped to receive a mating connector; anda plurality of slots in the rear face, each of the plurality of slots opening into the cavity; a plurality of conductive contact elements, each contact element comprising:
a contact tail,a mating portion andan intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion, each of the plurality of contact elements being positioned within the housing with the intermediate portion disposed within a slot of the plurality of slots and the mating portion projecting into the cavity; a bridging member disposed external to the housing, the bridging member being fully or partially conductive and having a first portion contacting the intermediate portion of a first contact element of the plurality of contact elements and a second portion contacting the intermediate portion of a second contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the first contact element and the second contact element being separated by at least one other contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the at least one other contact element not contacting the bridging member.