Electrical connector assembly having anti-decoupling mechanism

Claim 1

An electrical connector assembly having anti-decoupling mechanism including a first electrical connector (100) having a shell (101) and an electrical contact (130) mounted therein, a second electrical connector (200) having a second shell (201) and an electrical contact (230) mounted therein and matable with the contact in the first shell, a coupling ring (300) having an inner wall and rotatably mounted on the first shell for selectively coupling and/or decoupling said first and second shells longitudinally together in the mated relationship, means for retarding rotational movement of the coupling ring with respect to the shells, characterized in that said retarding means comprises a shoulder (140) radially disposed about the first shell with the surface thereof facing toward the inner wall of the coupling ring, said radially disposed shoulder being provided with engageable detents (141) and a gull-shaped detent spring member (400) having a central portion (410) and a pair of wings (420, 430) extending therefrom, the central portion being mounted to the coupling ring and the wings having free ends disposed adjacent the inner wall of the coupling ring, each of said wings including first (421, 431) and second resilient members (422, 432) having top and bottom faces, the first member being secured to and disposed radially inward of the second member and having its top surface (424, 434) facing in the direction of said engageable detents, each of said first member top surfaces including a mediate portion (440) that extends inwardly of the coupling ring in a radial direction from an imaginary straight line between the ends of the wing first member and twoards the first shell for engaging the teeth to retard rotational movement.