Latching system for intermatable transmission connectors

Abstract

Invention is directed to an improved, squeeze-to-release latching mechanism for a pair of intermatable transmission connectors, such as electrical or fiber optic connector assemblies, where access to the sides of the connectors may be limited, thereby preventing a traditional manual unmating thereof. The connectors typically comprises a plug consisting of a housing having top and bottom surfaces, where such housing supports a first transmission component, and a receptacle supporting a second transmission component, where the plug includes a pair of cantilevered flexible arms engagable with complementary latching projections on the receptacle. The arms have exposed intermediate portions manually movable toward one another, such as by squeezing, to disengage the latching projections from the flexible arms. The improved feature hereof is the provision of each intermediate portion having a pair of wing extensions directed toward the top and bottom surfaces of the plug housing, where the ends of the extensions are laterally turned to lie essentially parallel with a respective top or bottom surface. By the construction of this U-configured intermediate portion, the flexible arms may be grasped diagonally and moved toward another to effect an unmating of the plug from the receptacle.