Sliding boot assembly for electrical connector

Claim 1

An electrical cable connector of the type for mating with and latchably engaging a complementary header assembly, where said connector includes a dielectric housing containing a plurality of cavities or slots for supporting or receiving an array of electrical contacts for electrical engagement with respective contacts in said header assembly, and said electrical contacts include conductor terminating portions for engaging the respective conductors of a cable, said connector comprising the combination of a pair of unitary metal shielding members stamped and formed from a metal sheet blank, where a first of said shielding members includes a pair of reversely bent latching arms extending from a mating end toward a cable receiving end, and a pair of hermaphroditic cover members formed of a dielectric material adapted to interfit together about the electrical connector in sliding engagement therewith from a first position to a second position to effect unmating of said electrical connector from said header assembly, each said cover member including a latching arm receiving recess having a camming surface to effect bending of said arms during movement of the assembled cover members, and a flexible arm engageable with a complementary recess in the opposing cover member, whereby movement of the assembled cover members to said second position to effect said unmating causes the respective flexible arms to flex from their resiled position, and that releasing the assembled cover members, through the action of said flexible arms, to return the assembled cover members to said first position.