Patent attributes
A high speed stacking connector assembly includes a flexible extension portion. The flexible extension portion includes a first male connector, a center portion, and a second male connector. First and second flexible printed circuits (FPCs) extend parallel to one another from the first male connector, through the center portion, and to the second male connector. A rigid insulative center block of the center portion maintains the FPCs parallel to one another. The flexible portion can bend along a first axis between the first male connector and the center portion and/or along a second axis between the second male connector and the center portion. Due to this bending, the overall assembly accommodates lateral shifting of stacked PCBs. High speed signaling is facilitated by controlled electrical characteristics due to a novel contact beam design and due to the FPCs having a microstrip conductor topology. The contact beams self-adjust to accommodate PCB nonplanarity.
