Patent ID: 7695302

Claim:
An electrical connector comprising: a first plug section including a first electrical coupling section having a first connecting element, and a receiving sleeve secured to an exterior of said first coupling section; a second plug section including a second electrical coupling section having a second connecting element adapted to couple electrically and mate with said first connecting element when said first and second plug sections are connected in electrical coupling relation; a locking element mounted to said receiving sleeve of said first plug section and in opposing relation with said second coupling section, and including at least one resilient, flexible tab; and a release sleeve received on said receiving sleeve and slidable therealong between a locking position and a release position, said release sleeve including an outer, generally ring-shaped section and an inner actuating section adapted to engage said flexible tab of said locking element when said release sleeve is moved to said release position thereby to release said locking element from said second coupling section, wherein when said first and second plug sections are connected together and said release sleeve is in said locking position, said tab of said locking element engages said second coupling section to releasably secure said first and second plug sections together, and said tab engages said actuating section of said release sleeve to bias said second plug section into engagement with a stop member of said first plug section.