(19)
(11) EP 0 676 830 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
01.04.1998 Bulletin 1998/14

(43) Date of publication A2:
11.10.1995 Bulletin 1995/41

(21) Application number: 95105028.5

(22) Date of filing: 04.04.1995
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: H01R 13/629
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE ES FR GB IT SE

(30) Priority: 08.04.1994 GB 9407015

(71) Applicant: THE WHITAKER CORPORATION
Wilmington, Delaware 19808 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Hahn, Joachim Alfred
    D-61389 Schmitten (DE)
  • Ries, Annette Carola
    D-63517 Rodenbach (DE)
  • Jetter, Rolf
    D-64291 Darmstadt (DE)
  • Bömmel, Christian Otto
    D-61118 Bad Vilbel (DE)

(74) Representative: Klunker . Schmitt-Nilson . Hirsch 
Winzererstrasse 106
80797 München
80797 München (DE)

   


(54) Electrical connector housing assembly with improved locking means


(57) A connector assembly (3) comprises a gear member (8) having a pinion (10) engageable with a rack of a complementary connector (2), and a lever arm (14) for actuating the pinion (10). The connector assembly is further provided with a resilient retention arm (20) for securely and reliably holding the gear member (8) in an open position ready for coupling to the complementary connector. Mating of the connectors automatically releases the gear member (8) by biasing the resilient retention arm (20) out of latching engagement with the complementary connector housing.









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