Patent ID: 7927144

Claim:
An electrical connector comprising: an insulative support wafer; a plurality of interlocking plates attached to the support wafer, at least one of the interlocking plates being electrically conductive, the interlocking plates defining a plurality of cavities, each cavity sized for accepting a termination device; and at least one electrical contact positioned within a cavity, supported by the support wafer, electrically isolated from the interlocking plates, and configured to mate with a socket contact of the termination device, wherein the plurality of interlocking plates comprises a plurality of first plates and a plurality of second plates transversely positioned with respect to the plurality of first plates, wherein each first plate includes a plurality of first slots and each second plate includes a plurality of second slots that interlock with the plurality of first slots, wherein each first plate includes a plurality of first latch elements and each second plate includes a plurality of guide slots that engage with the plurality of first latch elements, wherein each second plate includes a plurality of second latch elements and each first plate includes a plurality of engagement slots that engage with the plurality of second latch elements, and wherein the first latch elements and the engagement slots are disposed at opposing ends of each first plate, and the guide slots and second latch elements are disposed at opposing ends of each second plate.