Patent ID: 7381099

Claim:
A door penetrating connector assembly for providing electrical connectivity through a perforated equipment rack door without the use of special holes or apertures, the rack door having a pattern of vertically and horizontally spaced holes, the connector assembly comprising: a first connector that includes first electrical contacts each configured and disposed to fit through a separate vertically or horizontally spaced hole in the perforated equipment rack door; and a second connector that includes second electrical contacts configured and disposed to receive and make electrical contact with the first electrical contacts, wherein the connectors are configured to inhibit electrical connection through the holes provided by the perforated equipment rack door, of the first and second electrical contacts, if the connectors are not aligned relative to each other, wherein the first and second connectors are configured to physically attach to each other only in a desired alignment relative to each other, wherein the first and second connectors include at least one locator pin and at least one corresponding receptacle configured to inhibit reception of the first electrical contacts by the second electrical contacts if the first and second connectors are arranged in other than the desired alignment, and wherein the at least one locator pin and the at least one corresponding receptacle comprise at least two alignment pins and corresponding receptacles with a first alignment pin and corresponding receptacle closer to a first end of rows of electrical contacts than a second alignment pin and receptacle are relative to a second end of rows of electrical contacts.