Connector and a connector assembly

A connector comprising:

• a housing (20) having opposite front and rear ends and a connecting direction (CD) extending between the ends, a lock arm (27) and a disengagement guide (33) being formed on the housing (20), the lock arm (27) being configured for resilient deformation into a deformation space (S), the lock arm (27) having a hook (28) with a partial locking surface aligned at an acute angle to the connecting direction (CD);
• a slider (41) movable along the housing (20) between a deformation preventing position where the slider (41) enters the deformation space (S) for the lock arm (27) to prevent resilient deformation of the lock arm (27) and a deformation permitting position where the slider (41) is spaced from the deformation space (S) to permit resilient deformation of the lock arm (27);
• a metallic resilient member (60) mounted to the slider (41) and configured for contacting the disengagement guide (33) when the slider (41) moves to the deformation permitting position and being resiliently deformable in a direction intersecting the connecting direction (CD) in response to contact with the disengagement guide (33);
• and
• at least one biasing member (40) between the slider (41) and the housing (20) for biasing the slider (41) toward the deformation preventing position.

A connector assembly comprising:

• a first housing (10) having a front surface (10a) and a lock (11);
• a second housing (20) connectable with the first housing (10) along a connecting direction (CD), a lock arm (27) and a disengagement guide (33) being formed on the housing (20), the lock arm (27) being configured for resilient deformation into a deformation space (S) and having a hook (28) configured for partial locking with the lock (11);
• a slider (41) movable along the housing (20) between a deformation preventing position where the slider (41) enters the deformation space (S) for the lock arm (27) to prevent resilient deformation of the lock arm (27) and a deformation permitting position where the slider (41) is spaced from the deformation space (S) to permit resilient deformation of the lock arm (27);
• at least one spring (40) between the slider (41) and the housing (20) for biasing the slider (41) toward the deformation preventing position;
• a metallic resilient member (60) mounted to the slider (41) and configured for contacting the front surface (10a) of the first housing (10) during connection of the housings (10, 20) for moving the slider (41) against the spring (40) and toward the deformation permitting position, the resilient member (60) further being configured for being deformed by the disengagement guide (33) out of contact with the front surface (10a) of the first housing (10) when the housings (10, 20) are connected properly so that the biasing member (40) propels the slider (41) to the deformation preventing position.