Patent ID: 7927036

Claim:
A quick connect assembly, comprising: a female terminal established by a plurality of linearly extending and peripherally arrayed beams, the beams each including an inwardly facing surface collectively defining an interior passage communicating with an open end, said passage exhibiting an enlarged profile an inwardly recessed distance from said end; a male terminal including a projecting portion generally matching in shape said enlarged profile, said projecting portion inserting through said end of the female terminal, causing said beams to outwardly deflect, following which said beams inwardly retract concurrent with said projecting portion seating within said profile; and a linearly displaceable and sleeve shaped covering cap supported upon a stem portion associated with said male terminal in a biasing direction towards the projecting portion such that, upon displacing said female terminal against said male terminal to cause outward deflection of said beams, said beams overlapping with and contacting said covering cap and causing said cap to retract in a first anti-biasing direction away from said projecting portion, subsequent inward retraction of said beams resulting from said projecting portion seating within said enlarged profile terminating said position over ends of said beams in order to prevent inadvertent disengagement of said terminals.