Connector and a method of assembling a connector

A connector comprising:

• a first housing having opposite front and rear ends and opposite first and second sides, a locking bulge on an external surface of the first housing in proximity to the front end and substantially centrally between the first and second sides, a locking surface facing rearwardly on the locking bulge;
• a slider assembled with the first housing for movement between front and rear positions, the slider having first and second spring accommodating portions formed by walls of said slider slidably disposed on opposite sides of the looking bulge of the first housing, a coupling portion extending between the first and second spring accommodating portions and being spaced from the locking bulge, such that a passage is defined between the spring accommodating portions and between the locking bulge and the coupling portion;
• first and second spaced apart springs disposed between the first housing and the slider and in the respective first and second spring accommodating portions, such that the springs are disposed on opposite respective sides of the passage, the first and second springs each having an axis, the axes of said springs being substantially parallel to one another and defining a plane;
• and
• a second housing having a front end and a receptacle extending into the front end, the receptacle being configured to receive at least the front ends of the first housing and the slider, a resilient engaging portion projecting forwardly in the receptacle and disposed to be engaged by the locking bulge during insertion of the first housing and the slider into the receptacle, the resilient engaging portion being insertable between the springs and between portions of the slider and the first housing when the slider is in the rear position, the resilient engaging portion further being configured to return resiliently toward an undeflected condition and into engagement with the locking surface of the locking bulge after complete insertion of the first housing into the receptacle, the deflection of the resilient engaging portion being in a plane substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by the axes of the springs.

A connector comprising:

• a first housing having opposite front and rear ends, a locking bulge on an external surface of the first housing in proximity to the front end, a locking surface facing rearwardly on the locking bulge;
• a slider assembled with the first housing for movement between front and rear positions, the slider having first and second spring accommodating portions disposed on opposite respective sides of said locking bulge and a coupling portion extending between said spring accommodating portions and in spaced relationship to said locking bulge such that a passage is defined between said first and second spring accommodating portions and between said coupling portion and said locking bulge of said first housing;
• first and second spaced apart springs on opposite respective sides of said passage and extending between the respective first and second spring accommodating portions and the first housing for urging the slider toward the front position;
• and a second housing having a front end and a receptacle extending into the front end, the receptacle being configured to receive at least the front ends of the first housing and the slider, a resilient engaging portion projecting forwardly in the receptacle and disposed to be engaged by the locking bulge during insertion of the first housing and the slider into the receptacle, the resilient engaging portion being deflectable by the engagement of the locking bulge into engagement with the coupling portion of the slider for urging the slider into the rear position, the resilient engaging portion further configured to return resiliently toward an undeflected condition and into engagement with the locking surface of the locking bulge after complete insertion of the first housing into the receptacle.

A connector comprising:

• a first housing having opposite front and rear ends, a locking bulge on an external surface of the first housing in proximity to the front end, a locking surface facing rearwardly on the locking bulge;
• a slider assembled with the first housing for movement between front and rear positions, the slider having first and second spring accommodating portions disposed on opposite respective sides of said locking bulge and a coupling portion extending between said spring accommodating portions, the coupling portion being in opposed spaced relationship to said locking bulge when said slider is in said front position and being rearward of the locking bulge when said slider is in said rear position such that a passage is defined between the coupling portion and portions of the external surface of the first housing aligned with the locking bulge;
• and
• first and second spaced apart springs on opposite respective sides of said passage and extending between the respective first and second spring accommodating portions and the first housing for urging the slider toward the front position.