Patent ID: 7731502

Claim:
An electrical connector comprising: a first connector portion comprising a plurality of first connector terminals; a second connector portion separate from said first connector portion and comprising a plurality of second connector terminals; at least one of said first connector terminals or said second connector terminals comprising a receptacle terminal comprising: a tubular member configured to receive at least a portion of a plug-type terminal in a central opening thereof, said receptacle terminal comprising a slot extending axially along at least a portion of said tubular member, and and a resiliently expandable member disposed around said tubular member, said resiliently expandable member configured to expand upon receiving said at least a portion of said plug-type terminal and configured to urge said tubular member to contract when said at least a portion of said plug-type terminal is removed, wherein adjacent ones of said first connector terminals or said second connector terminals comprise associated ones of said receptacle terminals, said resiliently expandable members disposed around adjacent ones of said tubular members being offset along a length of said adjacent ones of said tubular members relative to one another.