US Patent RE47459 Controlled-impedance cable termination using compliant interconnect elements

An apparatus for terminating a controlled-impedance cable using compliant electrical contacts to provide an interface to another device. The terminator includes a conductive ground block for securing the cable by its ground shield and providing a common ground. Once the cable is anchored in the ground block, the block face and cable ends are dressed to make a reliable electrical contact with the compliant signal contact that electrically connects the cable center conductor to the device. An insulating or conductive plate mounted to the ground block holds the signal contact and optional ground contacts that electrically connect the ground block to the ground plane of the device. The ground contacts surround the signal contact in a pattern that closely mimics the impedance environment of the cable. When using a conductive plate, the signal contact is insulated from the plate by an insulating centering plug or a non-conductive coating. A controlled-impedance cable terminator using compliant electrical contacts to provide an interface to another device. The terminator includes a conductive plate with a face surface and a device surface. Signal through holes extend between the face surface and device surface. Each signal through hole has an insulating centering plug with a signal through aperture that has openings in the face surface and the device surface. The signal through aperture holds a skewed coil signal contact with contact points extending from each signal through aperture opening. Optionally, the plate includes ground through apertures that surround the signal through aperture. Each ground through aperture has openings in the face surface and device surface. The ground through aperture holds a skewed coil ground contact with contact points extending from each ground through aperture opening.