Patent ID: 7044746

Claim:
A separable interface electrical connector system comprising: a plug assembly having a first conductive pad and a second conductive pad; and a socket assembly comprising: a base; opposing perimeter walls extending upwardly from said base, said base interconnecting and extending substantially an entire distance between each of said opposing perimeter walls and providing a substantially continuous contact receiving surface between said perimeter walls, said perimeter walls defining a cavity therebetween and above said base which receives said plug assembly; and surface mount contacts arranged in a pattern of crossed lines on the contact receiving surface, the contacts in the pattern forming substantially evenly distributed rows and columns of contacts spaced from one another and extending across the contact receiving surface, the contacts extending upward from said base, said contacts being divided into a first group of spring contacts in a first area of said base wherein the spring contacts of the first group are oriented in a first common direction and a second group of spring contacts in a second area of said base different from said first area, wherein the spring contacts of the second group are oriented in a second common direction different from the first common direction, said first and second groups of contacts configured to contact said first and second conductive pads, respectively, and induce first and second tangential forces thereon, said first common direction and said second common direction opposing one another such that upon mating of said plug assembly and said socket assembly, said first tangential component force exerted on said plug assembly by said first group of spring contacts at least partially offsets said second tangential component force exerted on said plug assembly by said second group of spring contacts.