Right-angle electrical connector with a mate assist system

An electrical connector, comprising:

• one or more electrical terminals;
• a housing in which the electrical terminals are accommodated, the housing having a mating interface configured to access the electrical terminals for an electrical connection of the electrical terminals with corresponding terminals of an electrical counter-connector configured to mate with the electrical connector;
• and
• a mate assist system for assisting in mating the electrical connector to the counter-connector electrical connector, the mate assist system further comprising:
• a user-operable element slidably mounted on the housing so as to slide, along an operating direction, between an open position and a closed position,
• at least one rack section extending parallel to the operating direction, and
• at least one rotatable cam member having a gear section with teeth engaging the rack section, the engagement of the teeth with the rack section resulting in the rotation of the cam member when the user-operable element is actuated from the open position to the closed position, wherein the rotatable cam member comprises a flexible blocking leg configured to flex from a blocking position in which it engages the housing to prevent the user-operable element from moving to its closed position, to a release position in which it disengages from the housing to allow a movement of the user-operable element from its open position to its closed position, the movement from the blocking position to the release position of the blocking leg being caused by engagement of the counter-connector with the blocking leg.