Patent ID: 6450838
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
For use in an electrical connector assembly, a dielectric spring block member comprising a body portion having an upper surface and having a spring contact end, a connector end, and a longitudinal horizontal centerline wherein:said spring block member has a first array and a second array of passages extending therethrough from the spring contact end to said connector end; said first and second arrays of passages have first and second arrays of conductors therein; said first array of passages is positioned such that said first array of conductors therein are vertically spaced from said second array of conductors in said second array of passages; said first and second array of passages communicating with a first and a second plurality respectively of spaced slots contained within the connector end, each of said slots extending from one of said passages to said upper surface of said spring block member; each of said slots having an angled inner surface which slopes upward and away from said connector end at an angle of approximately 90Â° plus an angle Ã˜ relative to the longitudinal horizontal centerline of said spring block member; said first and second arrays of conductors are positioned within said first and second arrays of passages such that said conductors extend through said connector end of said spring block member; said passages and said slots communicating therewith are positioned such that said first and second arrays of conductors, within the first and second passages respectively are positionable into either a vertical or horizontal orientation relative to said longitudinal horizontal centerline; and said first and second arrays of conductors extend the same distance beyond said body portion of the spring block member at the connector end thereof regardless of their orientation.