Patent ID: 8047858

Claim:
An electrical connector which includes an outer body ( 7 ) having an axis ( 80 ), a dielectric contact-holding component ( 3 a , 3 b ) lying in said body, and a plurality of contact elements ( 5 ) lying in said dielectric contact-holding component, said contact elements having front ends ( 5 c ), wherein: said electrical connector includes a collar ( 9 ) that is slidable longitudinally between forward and rearward positions on said body, wherein in said rearward position said contact element front ends ( 5 c ) are easily accessible for cleaning, and wherein in said forward position said contact element front ends are protected and not easily accessible; said collar ( 9 ) has a rearward-facing shoulder ( 72 ) and said outer body ( 7 ) has a groove ( 82 ) that extends in a direction around said axis ( 80 ), and including a first retention member ( 11 ) in the form of a metal coil spring that engages said shoulder as said collar slides away from said collar forward position and toward said collar rearward position; in said collar forward position said shoulder ( 72 ) lies adjacent to said retention member and said shoulder faces primarily rearward, to strongly resist the beginning of rearward sliding of the collar.