Thermally responsive electrical connector

An electrical connector comprising:

• a first strip having an axially elongated hollow split tube having an axially aligned split therein to receive a substrate forming one edge thereof;
• a heat recoverable member being a concentric layered portion of said tube to change the radial dimensions of said split, said member formed from shape memory metal having a deformable state below a transition temperature and a memory state above the transition temperature, said member capable of being deformed when said metal is in its deformable state corresponding to one dimension of the split, a change from its deformable state to its memory state recoverying said member to its non-deformed shape corresponding to another dimension of the split;
• spring means also being a concentric layered portion of said tube in operative co-axial contact with said heat-recoverable member, said spring means and said heat-recoverable member providing unobstructed access to the axis of said hollow split tube to a substrate that may be inserted therein, said spring means contacting and exerting a radial force against said heat-recoverable member to deform said heat-recoverable member when said metal is in its deformable state, said heat-recoverable member capable of overcoming said force when said metal is changed from its deformable state to its memory state, recovering to its non-deformed shape to change the dimension of said split;
• and
• a plurality of parallel spaced conductors extending along said first strip and extending generally perpendicular to the axis of said split tube and exposed along the inner surface of said split tube, said conductors terminating at a plurality of corresponding contacts, said contacts capable of making electrical contact with the substrate that may be inserted in the split of said split tube.