Electrical disconnect for telephone headset

Claim 1

An electrical connector comprising: a first shell having a generally rectangular configuration and having a generally rectangular projection at one of its ends; a second shell having a generally rectangular configuration and having a complementary shaped chamber at one of its ends for receiving the projection of the first shell when the two shells are mated, each of the two shells having grip features formed on opposite sides of the shell for receiving a user's thumb and forefinger for gripping the shell; and means for releasably interlocking the two shells, the interlocking means having features located on an outer surface of the projection and on an opposing inner surface of the chamber, the interlocking means including a resilient cantilevered finger formed on a distal portion of one of the two surfaces and projecting back away from the distal portion, and a deflecting surface formed on the other of the two surfaces for biasing the finger when the projection is partially received within the chamber, the finger being in a spatially fixed location relative to the gripping features which are located on the shell with the cantilevered finger, the deflecting surface having a recessed ramped surface positioned such that when the projection is fully inserted into the chamber the finger is allowed to return to a less biased position in which an angled face at the distal end of the finger abuts the ramped surface, thereby releasably locking the two shells together, the two shells being released by the user grasping the grip features of the first and second shells and pulling the two shells in opposite directions with sufficient force for the ramped surface to urge the angled face of the finger out of contact with the ramped surface, wherein the angular orientation of the angled face is selected so that the two shells can be released by a force that is greater than that required to mate the two shells.