Hingeable connector assembly

An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

• a first connector and a second connector which are pivotable with respect to each other about a main pivoting axis,
• the first connector comprising a header housing and at least one header contact blade, wherein the header housing extends beyond either side of the header contact blade defining a recess containing the header contact blade, and
• the second connector comprising at least one receptacle contact for contacting the header contact blade, the receptacle contact comprising a first receptacle contact blade and a second receptacle contact blade,
• and a receptacle housing with an entrance for insertion of the header contact blade between contact surfaces of the first receptacle contact blade and the second receptacle contact blade, the entrance being semi-circular so as to enable insertion in an angular range (α) of mating directions within a plane perpendicular to the main pivoting axis, the housing extending beyond the contact blades on either side of the first and second receptacle contact blades such that a slot is formed by the housing which serves as the entrance,
• wherein, each of the first and second receptacle contact blades comprises a conductive leg elongated along a longitudinal axis and terminating in a free peripheral portion at the entrance of the receptacle housing, the free peripheral portion being resiliently movable with respect to the receptacle housing at least in a direction parallel to the main pivoting axis,
• wherein, the contact surface of each of the first and second receptacle contact blades comprises a sheet of stamped metal bent into curves along two axes such that it is convex in a cross section in at least two radial directions relative to the main pivoting axis to form a continuous curve comprised of bends in two different axes such that the contact surfaces of the first receptacle contact blade and the second receptacle contact blade converge towards each other over said angular range of mating directions,
• wherein, the receptacle housing has a partly cylindrical shape at the entrance of the receiving member having a center line which substantially coincides with the main pivoting axis, and
• wherein first and second connectors are hermaphroditic connectors, both provided with header housings and receptacle housings containing one or more header contact blades and receptacle contacts respectively, and wherein the first and second connectors are configured such that when the header housing and receptacle housing are coupled together as a connector, the coupling constrains relative motion of the header housing and receptacle housing to rotation about the main pivoting axis, and wherein the recess of the header housing of one of the connectors are sized and arranged to receive housing sections including the slot of the receptacle housing of the other connector when the header contact blade of the former connector is inserted into the entrance of the latter connector.

A method of manufacturing a receptacle contact for a hinged electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector and a second connector which are pivotable with respect to each other about a main pivoting axis, wherein the receptacle contact comprises a first receptacle contact blade and a second receptacle contact blade, and each of the first and second receptacle contact blades comprises an elongated conductive leg terminating in a free peripheral portion, wherein the contact surface of each of the first and second receptacle contact blades has a continuous curve comprised of bends in two different axes, the method comprising:

• supplying a blank of an electro-conductive material having a base and two substantially parallel legs protruding from the base along respective longitudinal axes, forming two bends in different axes at a free end portion of each substantially parallel leg by curling the free end portion away from and transverse to the respective longitudinal axis of the substantially parallel leg such that the contact surfaces of the first receptacle contact blade and the second receptacle contact blade converge towards each other over an angular range of mating directions, such that an end surface at the distal most tip of each receptacle contact blade is bowed outwardly away from the other receptacle contact blade;
• folding the legs into U-shapes about a first folding line extending transversely with respect to the legs, and
• folding the base about a second folding line extending parallel to the legs such that free end portions of the legs form opposite blades.