Patent ID: 7309242

Claim:
An electrical connector, comprising: an electrically insulative housing having a plurality of cavities formed therein, wherein each of the cavities has at least a rear portion of a top of the cavity along a lengthwise direction of the cavity being open to the environment around the electrical connector; and a plurality of power contacts each positioned in a corresponding cavity and comprising a first panel; a second panel opposing and spaced apart from the first panel; a first contact beam mechanically connected to the first panel; a second contact beam mechanically connected to the second panel and opposing the first contact beam; and a plurality of contact terminals; wherein: the first and second contact beams are capable of being pressed together due to contact with a mating contact of a mating connector; at least a portion of the first panel is spaced apart from an adjacent first surface of the housing, and at least a portion of the second panel is spaced apart from an adjacent second surface of the housing to form passages that dissipate heat from the power contact by way of the open portion of the top of the cavity along a rear portion of the contact beams; the housing further includes a surface that defines a bottom of the cavity being open; the first and second contact beams define an unobstructed heat flow path when the first and second contact beams are pressed together due to contact with the mating contact of the mating connector; the heat flow path extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the housing that defines the bottom of the cavity; the first and second contact beams extend generally in a first direction; and the contact terminals extend from the first or second panels in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and through the bottom of the cavity.