Connector locking and unlocking configuration

Claim 1

An electrical connector having first and second connector bodies which are coupled and locked together by a deflectable lock member of said first connector body which engages a lock opening of the second connector body, wherein said electrical connector further includes: said deflectable lock member having an elongated arm attached to said first connector body at a front mating end thereof and a rigid catch extending from said arm, and a coupling assurance device coupled to said first connector body so as to reduce movement of said elongated arm so that said lock member can deflect sufficiently to couple said first and second connector bodies and deflection is substantially reduced in response to an uncoupling force thereby preventing unintentional decoupling and providing for coupling of the first and second connector bodies when the coupling assurance device is in a seated position and providing for uncoupling when the coupling assurance device is removed, wherein said elongated arm has a forward length of reduced thickness, including said rigid catch positioned thereon, an intermediate length of intermediate thickness greater than the thickness of said forward length and a rearward length of greater thickness than the thickness of said intermediate length to facilitate bending of said lock member.