Electrical connector with provisions to reduce thermally-induced stresses

An electrical connector, comprising:

• a housing;
• a wafer slidably engaging the housing;
• a contact extending through the housing and the wafer;
• and
• a fusible element mounted on an end of the contact so that one side of the wafer faces the fusible element and an opposite side of the wafer faces the housing.

A system comprising a substrate and an electrical connector, the connector comprising:

• a housing;
• a wafer being movable in relation to the housing in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate when the electrical connector is mounted on the substrate;
• a first contact extending through the housing and being secured to the housing and the substrate by a first solder connection;
• and
• a second contact extending through the housing and the wafer.

An electrical connector capable of being mounted on a substrate, comprising:

• a housing;
• a wafer positioned adjacent the housing and being movable in relation to the housing;
• a first contact extending through the housing only;
• a first fusible element mounted on an end of the first contact for securing the first contact to the housing and to a first location on the substrate;
• a second contact extending through the housing and the wafer and being movable in relation to the housing;
• and
• a second fusible element mounted on an end of the second contact for securing the second contact to a second location on the substrate so that the second contact can deflect substantially independent of the housing and the first contact in response to relative movement between the housing and the second location on the substrate.

An electrical connector, comprising:

• a housing;
• a contact extending through the housing;
• a wafer being movable in a first and a substantially perpendicular second direction in relation to the housing and engaging the contact so that the wafer mechanically isolates the housing with respect to the fusible element;
• and
• a fusible element mounted on an end of the contact.

An electrical connector capable of being mounted on a substrate, comprising:

• a housing having an elongated pocket formed therein;
• a contact mounted on the housing so that an end of the contact is positioned in the pocket;
• and
• a fusible element attached to the end of contact for forming an electrical connection between the contact and the substrate, wherein:
• the pocket is defined by a first and an opposing second surface of the housing, and by a third and an opposing fourth surface of the housing;
• the third and the fourth surfaces each adjoin the first and the second surfaces;
• the first and the second surfaces are longer than the third and the fourth surfaces;
• and a portion of the fusible element is located within the pocket so that the housing can move in relation to the electrical connection in a direction substantially coincident with a longitudinal axis of the pocket.