Electrical connecting apparatus

An electrical connecting apparatus for electrically connecting electrodes of a device under test to an electric circuit, comprising:

• a plate-shaped housing having a plurality of slots penetrating said housing in its thickness direction and extending in a second direction which intersects a first direction at a distance in the first direction orthogonal to the thickness direction;
• a plurality of plate-shaped probes, each of which has a front end to be pressed against said electrode, an outside surface located at one end edge widthwise of said probe and extending in arc-like state rearward from said front end, and an inside surface on the opposite side to said outside surface, said probe being arranged in said slot such that said front end projects from said slot to one side in the thickness direction of said housing;
• and
• a needle retainer disposed in said housing so as to contact said inside surface and extend in the first direction;
• wherein said housing further has a groove-shaped first recess extending in the first direction through a partition wall dividing adjoining slots and opening at the other side in the thickness direction;
• wherein each probe further has a cut-off portion opening on the inside surface side and both sides in the thickness direction of the probe;
• and
• wherein said electrical connecting apparatus further comprises a dropout preventing member disposed in said cut-off portion and said first recess so as to extend in the first direction.