Plug connector having an improved latching mechanism

A plug connector comprising:

• a housing defining an inner receiving space and an outer operation space;
• a latching mechanism assembled to the housing and including:
• a unitary metallic latch defining a rear retention section assembled to the housing, a front claw section and an abutment section therebetween in a front-to-back direction;
• and
• an insulative puller including a rear actuator for holding by hand and a front operator for urging the latch to move;
• wherein
• said front operator defines a transverse bar grasped by the abutment section and supported by an upward bent section from which said abutment section is stamped so as to assure that no relative movement between the abutment section of the latch and the transverse bar during operation;
• wherein
• the transverse bar is located in front of the upward bent section and essentially sandwiched between the abutment section and the upward bent section in said front-to-back direction.

A plug connector adapted for mating with a complementary connector, comprising:

• a housing comprising a base and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the base for fitting with the complementary connector;
• and
• a latching mechanism assembled to the base and comprising:
• a latch including a latching portion provided with a claw, a bar section secured in the base, and a connecting portion connected between the latching portion and the bar section and having a forwardly extending abutting portion, said bar section having a pair of cutouts defined at an upper portion thereof;
• and
• a puller comprising an actuator and an operator opposite to the actuator, said operator being supported on the bar section and having an engaging portion engaged with the abutting portion, said operator further comprising a pair of beam portions sliding through the cutouts, a cooperating portion connected with the pair of beam portions, a front opening defined behind the cooperating portion, and a rear opening behind the front opening and between the pair of beam portions, said connecting portion having a bent portion received in the front opening and a tail portion extending upwardly through the rear opening, said engaging portion formed at a middle portion of the cooperating portion, said operator being slidable rearwardly, in response to a rearward movement of the actuator, to upwardly and rearwardly move said engaging portion together with the abutting portion to thereby lift the claw from a latched position to a released position.