Blind mating connector

Claim 1

A blind mating electrical connector assembly, comprising: a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector, said first electrical connector having a dielectric housing member including passages extending therethrough in which electrical contacts are secured, mounting means on said housing member for disposition in openings in a panel for mounting said first electrical connector thereon, the mounting means having sufficient length and dimensions so that said first electrical connector is movable vertically and laterally relative to the panel when said first and second electrical connectors are mated; said second electrical connector having dielectric housing means including a cavity in which a front section of said first electrical connector is to be received, said housing means comprising a plurality of adjacent U-shaped members, the legs of which form a pair of spaced walls defining therebetween said cavity for receiving the front section of the first electrical connector, the ends of said legs being tapered inward to the walls providing lead-in surfaces to engage the first electrical connector, the adjacent U-shaped members having therebetween a terminal seating channel and limited connecting regions to join and support adjacent U-shaped members, said second electrical connector having electrical terminals frictionally disposed in apertures in said connecting regions, said terminals having a first end extending into the cavity parallel to the walls for electrical engagement with respective said contacts and a second end bending into said terminal seating channel thence extending beyond the second electrical connector for electrical connection to a circuit board; and guide means on said housing member and said housing means that are engageable when the connectors are mated so as to move the first electrical connector relative to the panel to properly align the connectors during their engagement.