Tyco Electronics Corporation

Jeffrey Joe Brown

Matthew Richard McAlonis

A method of manufacturing an electrical connector comprises steps of providing a series of generic lead frames each having an array of contacts arranged in a common generic pattern, removing from one of the generic lead frames a first subset of the contacts to form a first pattern of contacts having a first spaced-apart relationship, removing from another of the generic lead frames a second subset of the contacts to form a second pattern of contacts having a different second spaced-apart relationship, wherein the first and second patterns are selectively obtained from the generic pattern, and loading the first and second patterns of contacts into a housing.

Method of manufactuing an electrical connector

An electrical connector is provided having a housing and multiple contact modules loaded in the housing. Each contact module includes an array of contacts held in a dielectric carrier. Each array of contacts includes multiple contacts formed as part of a generic lead frame. The contacts in each array are spaced-apart from each other in a respective contact pattern. At least two contact modules hold different first and second patterns of the contacts, wherein the contacts in the first pattern have a first spaced-apart relationship and the contacts in the second pattern have a different second spaced-apart relationship. The generic lead frame includes both the first and second patterns of contacts such that either one of the first and second patterns may be selectively obtained from the generic lead frame.

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Palmyra, PA, United States of America

Jeffrey Joe Brown