Planar modular interconnect system

An electrical connector comprising:

• a plurality of electrical conductors, each said conductor comprising a wire and a sheath of insulation surrounding said wire;
• a pair of identical hermaphroditic shell assemblies mateable with each other and having an axis of insertion, said shell assemblies comprised of shell members;
• each of said shell assemblies containing a contact member for engagement with an identical contact member in the other of said shell assemblies, said contact member comprises a pair of loops, said loops having ends and at one end of each of said loops, one of said loops having multiple angularly arranged contact surfaces including a planar contact surface disposed parallel to said axis, said surfaces exposed for engaging contact with corresponding contact surfaces of said other of said contact members;
• said other of said loops comprising a pair of insulation displacement engaging contacts for displacing insulation on a wire and for engaging said wire electrically, when forced against said wire said pair of insulation displacement engaging contacts disposed opposed to each other to close on said wire form opposite sides;
• said identical hermaphroditic shell assemblies each comprising a strain relief means for forcibly engaging and compressing said insulation of said wire, said strain relief means being integral with said assemblies and at least one member extending from an interior surface of one of said assemblies toward a position occupied by said wire and toward said one of said loops of said contact member.