Anti-decoupling mechanism for an electrical connector assembly

An anti-decoupling mechanism for an electrical connector assembly, the connector assembly having a primary axis and comprising a pair of connector members and a coupling nut including a radial flange rotatably mounted to one of the connector members for coupling to the other connector member, said one connector member including an external annular groove having a transverse end wall facing forwardly and said radial flange having an outer end wall facing rearwardly, said anti-decoupling mechanism being adapted to resist both coupling and uncoupling rotation of the coupling nut and characterized by:

• a cylindrical hub having an annular face extending coaxially rearward from the outer end wall of said radial flange;
• a contiguous plurality of ratchet teeth disposed annularly around said annular face, one respective flank of each adjacent pair of ratchet teeth intersecting to form a detent with the locus of intersected flanks describing a detent circle relative to the axis;
• a radially expansible/contractible annular spring sufficiently interference fit within said annular groove to prevent relative rotation therebetween, the outer circumference of said spring annulus being defined by a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the detent circle;
• and
• means extending tangentially from and radially expansible within a plane including said spring for expanding said spring and engaging said detents, application to the coupling nut of an external coupling/uncoupling torque radially expanding/contracting said spring to eliminate/increase frictional interference forces acting between the spring annulus and said annular groove, radial expansion allowing said spring to slide relative to said annular groove and radial contraction initially increasing the frictional interference forces preventing relative rotation until a sufficient external torque drives the expanding means radially outward of its detent whereby the coupling nut rotates and advances the next successive detent whereupon said spring radially contracts back into its interference fit about the annular groove.