Patent ID: 7255608

Claim:
An electrical connector assembly comprising: a first connector body having a plurality of first conductors; and a second connector body having a plurality of second conductors adapted to engage with said first conductors, said second connector body being segmented into a plurality of independently removable and replaceable body segments, each having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the body segments held so that each of the interior surfaces are adjacent to each other, and releasable from one another, to form an integral connector body assembly; each of said body segments of said second connector body including a first alignment element formed along the exterior surface thereof; said connector assembly including a housing for receiving said body segments, said housing including a plurality of second alignment elements for engaging with said first alignment elements to thus locate said connector body segments in a desired orientation within said housing when said connector assembly is assembled; a uniform retaining member coupled to said housing to retain said body segments within said housing; said housing including a locating element, said plurality of second alignment elements being located in relation to the locating element; and said locating element being adapted to engage with the first connector body when said first and second connector body segments are coupled together to precisely locate said second conductors relative to said first conductors.