<s>
A	O
blind	B-Protocol
mate	I-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
is	O
differentiated	O
from	O
other	O
types	O
of	O
connectors	O
by	O
the	O
mating	O
action	O
that	O
happens	O
via	O
a	O
sliding	O
or	O
snapping	O
action	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
accomplished	O
without	O
wrenches	O
or	O
other	O
tools	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electrical	O
blind	B-Protocol
mate	I-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
provide	O
power	O
or	O
signal	O
and	O
are	O
distinguished	O
from	O
other	O
connectors	O
in	O
that	O
they	O
do	O
not	O
feature	O
a	O
rigid	O
mechanical	O
retention	O
mechanism	O
belonging	O
to	O
the	O
interface	O
itself	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
threaded	O
coupling	O
nut	O
on	O
an	O
SMA	B-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
are	O
typically	O
used	O
in	O
a	O
multi-pin	O
arrangement	O
between	O
racks	O
and	O
panels	O
,	O
daughtercard	B-Device
to	O
backplane	B-Architecture
,	O
or	O
similar	O
applications	O
where	O
the	O
connector	O
is	O
not	O
mated	O
by	O
itself	O
,	O
but	O
rather	O
by	O
the	O
action	O
of	O
inserting	O
the	O
entire	O
unit	O
or	O
module	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blind	O
mate	O
RF	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
are	O
generally	O
intended	O
to	O
be	O
used	O
without	O
wrenches	O
or	O
other	O
tools	O
,	O
but	O
can	O
come	O
packaged	O
in	O
a	O
multiport	O
configuration	O
that	O
includes	O
mounting	O
hardware	O
or	O
provided	O
as	O
inserts	O
in	O
a	O
circular	O
connector	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
MIL-DTL-38999	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Certain	O
styles	O
of	O
blind	O
mate	O
RF	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
feature	O
a	O
detent	O
or	O
undercut	O
to	O
allow	O
for	O
the	O
mating	O
connector	O
to	O
snap	O
into	O
,	O
improving	O
retention	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Optical	O
signals	O
can	O
also	O
be	O
connected	O
using	O
blind	B-Protocol
mate	I-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
providing	O
the	O
capability	O
to	O
link	O
fibre	O
optics	O
on	O
a	O
plug-in	O
card	O
to	O
an	O
optical	O
backplane	B-Architecture
,	O
or	O
through	O
an	O
optical	O
midplane	O
.	O
</s>
