Electrical connector having telescopic structure

An electrical connector, comprising:

• a contact-carrying body having a plurality of electrical terminals;
• a slide member slidably mounted within the contact-carrying body and having a rack;
• an upper body mounted to the contact-carrying body;
• and
• a lever pivotally mounted on the upper body and having a toothed wheel engaging the rack such that movement of the lever between an inoperative position and an operative position moves the slide member between a retracted position and an advanced position, the lever having a pair of arms and a handle connecting the pair of arms, each arm of the lever has a telescoping structure including a first arm portion and a second arm portion slidably mounted with respect to the first arm portion and connected to the handle, a movable portion of the lever including the second arm portion of each arm and the handle is movable with respect to each of the first arm portions between an elongated lever position and a shortened lever position, each second arm portion is slidably mounted in a groove extending along the first arm portion, each second arm portion has a first elastic tooth engaging a first seat of the first arm portion in the elongated lever position and preventing movement of the lever to the shortened lever position when the lever is not in the operative position.