Connector assembly with shielded modules and method of making same

Claim 1

An electrical connector assembly comprising an insulating housing and assembled thereto a plurality of terminal modules and electrically conductive ground shields therebetween, each terminal module having a plurality of signal contacts, each contact including a mating contact portion, a conductor connecting portion and an intermediate portion therebetween with at least some of the intermediate portions encapsulated in an insulative web, each of the modules having an electrically conductive ground shield mounted thereto, the connector assembly being characterized in that: each terminal module includes first and second signal contacts, the intermediate portions of said first signal contacts being disposed in a first common vertical plane and the intermediate portions of said second contacts being disposed in a second common vertical plane spaced horizontally from said first vertical plane and parallel therewith, the intermediate portions of said first signal contacts being encapsulated in the insulating web proximate a first major side surface of the module and spaced from an opposed second major surface thereof and the intermediate portions of said second signal contacts being encapsulated in the web proximate said second major surface of said module and spaced from said first major surface thereof; and said mating contact portions of said first contacts are staggered vertically with respect to those of said second contacts; whereby upon assembling the terminal modules and the respective conductive ground shields therebetween into the insulating housing, said intermediate portions of said first signal contacts are spaced more closely to a first said conductive ground shield along said first major surface and said intermediate portions of said second signal contacts are spaced more closely to a second said conductive ground shield along said second major surface thereby assuring primary coupling between each said signal contact and a respective said conductive ground shield rather than to an adjacent said signal contact.

Claim 15

A method of making a terminal module having a plurality of first and second contacts, each contact having a mating contact portion, a conductor connecting portion and an intermediate portion therebetween, the method including the steps of: providing a first lead frame having said first contacts; providing a second lead frame having said second contacts; overmolding said intermediate portions of said first contacts in said first lead frame with insulating material, such that material forms an insulating web around said intermediate portions of said first contacts sufficiently to hold said intermediate contact positions accurately and stabily in position in a first common plane, and defining a first half-module; overmolding said intermediate portions of said second contacts in said second lead frame with insulating material, such that material forms an insulating web around said intermediate portions of said second contacts sufficiently to hold said intermediate contact positions accurately and stabily in position in a second common plane, and defining a second half-module; and securing said first and second half-modules together by engaging complementary fastening portions to define said terminal module.

Claim 16

A method of making a terminal module having a plurality of first and second contacts, each contact having a mating contact portion, a conductor connecting portion and an intermediate portion therebetween, the method including the steps of: providing a first lead frame having said first contacts; providing a second lead frame having said second contacts; overmolding said intermediate portions of said first contacts in said first lead frame with insulating material, such that material forms an insulating web around said intermediate portions of said first contacts sufficiently to hold said intermediate contact positions accurately and stabily in position in a first common plane, and defining a first half-module; overmolding said intermediate portions of said second contacts in said second lead frame with insulating material, such that material forms an insulating web around said intermediate portions of said second contacts sufficiently to hold said intermediate contact positions accurately and stabily in position in a second common plane, and defining a second half-module; and securing said first and second half-modules together by engaging complementary fastening portions to define said terminal module.