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A connector is described which includes a plurality of connector wafers coupled by a coupling piece. Each connector wafer includes a housing accommodating a column of contact elements. The housing has opposite side edges, an insertion side with apertures allowing access to the contact elements, a ba

A connector is described which includes a plurality of connector wafers coupled by a coupling piece. Each connector wafer includes a housing accommodating a column of contact elements. The housing has opposite side edges, an insertion side with apertures allowing access to the contact elements, a back side, and opposite main faces. The coupling piece is provided with coupling means for each connector wafer engaging corresponding coupling means of a connector wafer. Each coupling means of the coupling piece engaging a connector wafer is offset from an adjacent coupling means engaging an adjacent connector wafer to provide offset columns of contact elements.

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The invention claimed is: 1. Connector, comprising a plurality of connector wafers coupled by a coupling piece, each connector wafer comprising a housing accommodating a column of contact elements, said housing having opposite side edges, an insertion side with apertures allowing access to the cont

The invention claimed is: 1. Connector, comprising a plurality of connector wafers coupled by a coupling piece, each connector wafer comprising a housing accommodating a column of contact elements, said housing having opposite side edges, an insertion side with apertures allowing access to the contact elements, a back side, and opposite main faces, wherein said coupling piece is provided with coupling means for each connector wafer engaging corresponding coupling means on a first one of the side edges of one of the connector wafers, characterized in that each coupling means of the coupling piece engaging a connector wafer is offset from an adjacent coupling means engaging an adjacent connector wafer to provide the first side edges of the adjacent connector wafers as being stepped relative to each other and thereby providing offset columns of contact elements. 2. Connector according to claim 1, wherein the coupling means of the connector wafers are provided as a coupling ridge on one or both side edges of the connector wafer extending in the direction from the insertion side to the back side, and wherein the coupling means of the coupling piece are provided as a coupling slot adapted to receive a connector wafer coupling ridge, the coupling slots and ridges having preferably a dovetail-shaped cross-section. 3. Connector according to claim 2, wherein the coupling piece extends up to the insertion side of the connector wafers, wherein the coupling piece outer side is provided with polarisation elements and/or coding elements at its insertion end. 4. Connector according to claim 3, wherein the coupling ridges and slots extend up to the insertion side of the connector wafers. 5. Connector comprising a plurality of connector wafers coupled by a coupling piece, each connector wafer comprising a housing accommodating a column of contact elements, said housing having opposite side edges, an insertion side with apertures allowing access to the contact elements, a back side, and opposite main faces, wherein said coupling piece is provided with coupling means for each connector wafer engaging corresponding coupling means of a connector wafer, characterized in that each coupling means of the coupling piece engaging a connector wafer is offset from an adjacent coupling means engaging an adjacent connector wafer to provide offset columns of contact elements, wherein said coupling piece is provided with breaking locations in between offset coupling means. 6. Connector according to claim 5, wherein said coupling piece is provided with opposite, preferably V-shaped grooves providing said breaking locations. 7. Connector according to claim 1, wherein said coupling piece at its side with offset coupling means is provided with polarisation means cooperating with polarisation means of said connector wafers. 8. Connector according to claim 7, wherein said polarisation means of coupling piece and connector wafers are made as said coupling slots and coupling ridges having different sizes. 9. Connector according to claim 1, wherein said coupling piece is provided with a cover section enclosing at least a part of the connector main face and/or backside. 10. Connector assembling system for assembling a connector, comprising connector wafers and coupling pieces with a maximum number of successive offset coupling means, wherein the coupling piece is provided with breaking locations in between offset coupling means to allow assembly of connectors with a varying number of columns of contact elements. 11. Connector assembling system for assembling a connector according to claim 10, comprising different coupling pieces with successive offset coupling means spaced at a different pitch to allow assembly of connectors with different column pitches. 12. Method of assembling a connector, comprising: providing a plurality of connector wafers, each connector wafer having a housing with opposite side edges, at least one edge having coupling means, providing at least one coupling piece having a number of successive coupling means, and coupling a desired number of the connector wafers by means of the at least one coupling piece, characterized in that the successive coupling means are offset relative to adjacent coupling means for engaging coupling means of successive ones of the connector wafers, wherein first ones of the side edges of adjacent connector wafers are positioned by interconnecting the connector wafers by means of the at least one coupling piece in an offset stepped array. 13. Method of assembling a connector, comprising providing a plurality of connector wafers, each connector wafer having a housing with opposite side edges, at least one edge having coupling means, providing a coupling piece having a number of successive coupling means, and coupling a desired number of connector wafers by means of at least one coupling piece, characterized in that the coupling piece is provided with successive offset coupling means for engaging coupling means of successive connector wafers, wherein adjacent connector wafers are positioned offset by interconnecting the connector wafers by means of the coupling piece, wherein the coupling piece has a maximum number of successive offset coupling means separated by breaking locations, wherein the coupling piece is adjusted to the desired number of connector wafers by removing a part of the coupling piece by breaking the coupling piece at a corresponding breaking location. 14. Method according to claim 12, wherein the coupling piece is slid on the desired number of connector wafers in a direction from the connector wafer back side to the connector wafer insertion side. 15. Method according to claim 12, wherein coupling pieces with a different pitch of successive offset coupling pieces are provided and a coupling piece with a desired pitch of the coupling means is selected and slid on a number of connector wafers to obtain a connector with a desired column pitch. 16. An electrical connector comprising: first and second connector wafers, wherein the connector wafers each comprises a housing and a plurality of contact elements connected to the housing, wherein the contact elements of each connector wafer are aligned with each other in a spaced column between opposite first and second side edges of the housing; a coupling piece directly connecting the first side edges to each other, wherein the coupling piece is sized and shaped to locate the connector wafers relative to each other with their first side edges in an offset staggered array such that the contact elements of the first housing element are staggered relative to the contact elements of the second housing element. 17. An electrical connector as in claim 16 wherein the coupling piece comprises stepped offset portions which are sized and shaped to receive portions of the first side edges, and wherein the coupling piece is provided with breaking locations in between the stepped offset portions. 18. An electrical connector as in claim 16 wherein the coupling piece comprises first and second offset portions which are stepped relative to a side of the coupling piece located against the first side edges, wherein the first and second offset portions comprise dovetail slots which are sized and shaped to receive portions of the first side edges, and wherein the dovetail slots are stepped relative to each other from the side of the coupling piece located against the first side edges. 19. An electrical connector as in claim 16 wherein the coupling piece comprises first and second offset portions which are stepped relative to each other at a side of the coupling piece located against the first side edges, wherein the first and second offset portions comprise slots which are sized and shaped to receive portions of the first side edges, and wherein the first and second offset portions comprises stepped leading faces forming at least a portion of the side of the coupling piece located against the first side edges.