Circuit package receptacle with movable base separation means

Claim 1

A receptacle for effecting electrical interconnection with a plurality of connector prongs extending in substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship from a circuit component package, comprising: a main body made from electrically insulating material and having at least one array of spaced-apart contact elements and having prong backer surfaces juxtaposed to said contact elements; said prong backer surfaces and said contact elements forming therebetween slots for receiving a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced-apart connector prongs from a given insertion direction, so that each such prong may be contacted on one side by a contact element and on the other side by a backer surface, and a guide member having a plurality of guide means for guiding connector prongs into said slots, one or more among the group consisting of said member, said backer surfaces collectively, and said contact elements collectively, being movable along a motion path which is substantially normal to said insertion direction to cause prongs positioned in said slots to become disengaged from concurrent contact by both a contact element and a backer surface by slideably separating said prongs from contact with one or more among the group consisting of said contact elements collectively and said backer surfaces collectively with such relative sliding movement being in the direction of said motion path, said slots being arrayed in a spaced-apart relationship along said motion path with respect to each other.