Clamshell connector for airbag gas generator

An electrical connector assembly comprising:

• a plug connector including a housing having a shaft supporting a pair of electrical terminals, said terminals each including a termination end for connection to an electrical conductor;
• and
• a socket connector including a socket body supporting a pair of electrical contacts within a cavity formed in said socket body and a shorting clip engageable with said contacts to establish an electrical short therebetween, said plug connector being insertably removably accommodated by said socket body cavity for establishing electrical connection between said terminals and said contacts;
• said housing further including deflectable latches integrally formed thereon wherein said plug housing is removably insertable with respect to said socket body cavity upon deflection of said latches;
• and
• a pair of clamshell cover components each hingedly connectable to said housing and mutually movable between an open configuration in which said termination ends are exteriorly accessible and a closed configuration in which said termination ends are inaccessible, said clamshell cover components further including cooperating latching elements for maintaining said clamshell components in said closed configuration about said termination ends of said electrical terminals and said electrical conductors;
• and
• a mechanical and electrical assurance button supported by said housing including a locking arm extendable between said latch and said shaft, and a fixed arm formed from a side wall of said button and extendable between the shorting clip and said shaft, wherein said button and said housing include cooperating detents for discretely positioning said button in said first and second positions.