Patent ID: 7314377

Claim:
Matable electrical connectors, comprising: a) a plug connector comprising: i) a plug housing; and ii) a plug contact at least partially disposed within the plug housing, the plug contact including a projection for engaging a receptacle contact, the projection having a proximal section and an outwardly directed arcuate section, opposed cantilevered beams capable of being pressed against to each other, and a plurality of terminals each extending perpendicular to a respective one of the cantilevered beams; and b) a receptacle connector comprising: i) a receptacle housing including a front mating face; and ii) a receptacle contact disposed within the receptacle housing, the receptacle contact including a pair of spaced apart side walls, a plurality of terminals for engaging a printed circuit structure and each extending perpendicular to a respective one of the side walls, and a plug contact receiving space extending between the side walls for receiving the plug contact projection, each of the pair of spaced apart side walls having a front region proximate the front mating face and a second region that is distal the front region; wherein the receptacle housing includes an opening that is in fluid communication with the plug contact receiving space and that permits mating of the plug connector with the receptacle connector completely in a first direction and, alternatively, completely in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein in the first direction of mating, the plug contact projection, via the outwardly-directed arcuate section, initially substantially only engages the second region of the side walls.