Patent ID: 8882521

Claim:
An electrical connector assembly for mating with a mating connector, said electrical connector assembly comprising: a housing having spaced apart sidewalls; a first slide slideably supported in said housing and spaced inwardly from one of said sidewalls; a second slide slideably supported in said housing and spaced inwardly from another of said sidewalls; said first slide and said second slide each including at least one mating slot adapted to receive a mating portion of said mating connector and slideable with respect to said housing between a pre-staged position where said electrical connector assembly is removable from said mating connector and an engaged position where said electrical connector assembly is locked to said mating connector; a slide assist lever pivotally interconnected with said housing and each of said slides and being operable to move said slides between said pre-staged position and said engaged position, wherein recesses are formed in said housing with said slides when said slides are in said engaged position; and an environmental cover positionable to substantially prevent debris from entering said recesses.