Low profile surface mountable electrical connector assembly

An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

• a plug and receptacle connector having mating dielectric housings each mounting a plurality of terminals which include contact portions for interengagement with the contact portions of the terminals of the other connector, the housing of each connector having opposite ends with a mounting face extending therebetween and adapted for surface mounting to one side of a printed circuit board, and the terminals including feet portions for surface connection to circuit traces on the board;
• the terminals of one of the connectors each including a generally U-shaped contact portion defined by a first leg joined to the respective foot portion of the terminal and a free spring contact leg engageable with the contact portion of one of the terminals of the other connector, the first leg being fixed to the housing at a proximal end thereof with a distal end of the first leg being joined to said free spring contact leg;
• and
• a retention member mounted on at least one of the opposite ends of the connector housings, the retention member being generally L-shaped and including a first leg attached to at least one of the ends of the housing and a second leg, generally perpendicular to the first leg, extending substantially entirely across the one end of the connector housing and adapted for surface securement to said one side of the printed circuit board, the first leg of the retention member further including an inside arm having edge portions which provide an interference fit within the one end of the connector housing.

An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

• a plug and receptacle connector having mating dielectric housings each mounting a plurality of terminals which include contact portions for interengagement with the contact portions of the terminals of the other connector, the housing of each connector having opposite ends with a mounting face extending therebetween adapted for surface mounting to one side of a printed circuit board, the terminals including feet portions for surface connection to circuit traces on the board;
• and
• the terminals of one of the connectors each including a generally U-shaped contact portion defined by a first leg joined to the respective foot portion of the terminal and a free spring contact leg engageable with the contact portion of one of the terminals of the other connector, the first leg being fixed to the housing at a proximal end thereof with a distal end of the first leg being joined to said free spring contact leg;
• wherein each terminal cavity of one of the housings includes a preload shoulder engageable by a distal end of the free spring contact leg of its respective terminal to preload the terminal within its terminal cavity to provide relatively high normal forces with minimal deflection of the free spring contact leg.