Adjustable height sealed electrical connector

Claim 1

An electrical connector comprising a plug connector manufacturable in different heights to mate with a universal receptacle connector, so that parallel printed circuit boards can be interconnected by mating plug and receptacle connectors of similar construction differing only in the height of the plug connector, the plug connector comprising: a plug connector housing having a mating section and a contact retention section, the plug housing having two side walls extending between the mating section and the contact retention section with a central web joining the two side walls, the central web forming the base of the mating section with the height of the side wall in the mating section being constant regardless of the height of the plug connector, the height of the side wall between the central web and the contact retention section changing for plug connectors having different heights, the contact retention section including retention members on the exterior of the side walls defining a plurality of contact retention windows; and stamped and formed plug contacts comprising a mating contact section and a surface mount solder tail joined by a central section, the length of the central section being changed for plug contacts of different length with the size of the mating contact section remaining the same, the mating section including a portion secured to the inside housing wall in the housing mating section and with each contact extending through a corresponding contact retention window before being bent outwardly to form the surface mount solder tail.