Patent ID: 8641442

Claim:
An electrical connector housing and latching system, comprising: a receptacle housing molded as a unitary plastic article; at least one latching channel formed on a side of the receptacle housing, the latching channel having a proximal end terminating within the receptacle housing and a distal end extending to a distal end of the receptacle housing, each of the latching channels including a receptacle latching feature; a plug housing molded as a unitary plastic article, the plug housing being configured for mating with the receptacle housing by inserting at least a portion of the plug housing into the receptacle housing; at least one metal latching tab inserted after molding and cooling of the plug housing into a retaining channel formed on a side of the plug housing, the latching tab extending beyond the retaining channel so that a distal end of the latching tab can flex inward when pressed upon, the latching tab including a plug latching feature proximal to the distal end of the latching tab, the latching tabs, the retaining channels, and the latching channels being configured to cause the latching tabs to enter the distal ends of the latching channels and the plug latching features to engage with the receptacle latching features when the plug housing is fully mated with the receptacle housing, the plug latching features being disengagable from the receptacle latching features by accessing the latching tabs from a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to the latching tabs, and pressing the distal ends of the latching tabs inward; and at least one pressing tab attached either to the plug housing or to the receptacle housing by a living hinge, and at least partly covering a corresponding latching tab, the pressing tab being configured to flex the distal end of the corresponding latching tab inward and to disengage the plug latching feature from the receptacle latching feature when the plug housing is fully mated with the receptacle housing and the pressing tab is pressed inward by a finger of a user.