Three row plug and receptacle connectors with ground shield

An electrical plug and receptacle for terminating multiple electrical conductors is disclosed. The plug has a frame which includes first and second crossbars, first and second plates and a plurality of walls thereby defining first, second and third channels. First, second and third insulated support structures having forwardly extending fingers thereon are received in the channels. A plurality of contact elements are disposed on each of the fingers, thereby defining a row, so that the plug provides first second and third rows of contact elements. The receptacle also has a frame which is formed by a base plate, first and second walls extending toward the front of the receptacle, and third and fourth walls extending toward the rear of the receptacle. A number of passages are formed in the baseplate. A plurality of insulated support structures are positioned in the passages. A plurality of contact springs are disposed in each of the support structures so that the receptacle provides first second and third rows of contact springs. When mated, each contact spring forms an electrical connection with a corresponding contact element, thereby forming rows of electrically connected elements. When mated, the plug and receptacle frames serve to electrically isolate the rows of electrically connected elements. It is preferred for the plug and receptacle frames to be integrally formed as single piece metallic castings. The plug and receptacle also include structure for providing electrical isolation to the tails of the contact elements and contact springs. To this end an additional frame is provided between groups of tails, wherein the additional frame serves to extend the electrical isolation along the length of the tails to the point of mounting the tails to a printed circuit board. Right angle embodiments of the novel plug and receptacle are also disclosed.