Patent ID: 7303422

Claim:
An electrical connector comprising: a male portion including: a plurality of conductive pads that terminate thereon; a housing having exterior surface guides; a compressible insulating member positioned between the conductive pads and the housing; a female receptacle including: a first and second stationary opposite walls defining a cavity therebetween for receiving the male portion; an opening between the first and second walls, the opening having dimensions sufficient to enable the insertion of the male portion into the cavity through the opening; interior surface guides that cooperate with the exterior surface guides of the male portion to guide the insertion of the male portion in a direction parallel to the first and second walls to a final position in the cavity; a number of conductive members positioned on an inner surface of the first wall; and a locking mechanism positioned on the second wall to compress the conductive pads in the male portion against the conductive members in the female receptacle and lock the male portion in the final position in the cavity; wherein in operation the male portion is inserted through the opening to the final position in the cavity such that the conductive pads align with the conductive members and the male portion is locked into the final position using the locking mechanism.