Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (10) of the type having a pair of mateable cylindrical plug and receptacle shells (18,22) secured together by a rotatable coupling ring (16). The connector assembly is provided with a decoupling retardation mechanism which includes engageable teeth (34) on the interior of the coupling ring (16) and a pair of leaf spring members (46,72) mounted to the plug shell (18) inwardly of the teeth (34). The leaf spring member (46,72) includes a fixed beam portion (62,82) having a projection (64,84) which engages the teeth (34). The sides of the teeth and the projection are steeper on one side than the other. The steeper side is the one which is engaged when the coupling ring (16) is rotated in the direction to decouple the shells (18,22). Accordingly, greater torque is required to decouple the shells than to couple the shells.

Abstract: A shielded breakaway connector assembly has mating polarized conductive shells and mating respective dielectric inserts mounted therein having mating terminals therein. A plug insert is mounted in its shell permitting limited axially normal movement in a selected direction against spring bias so that during mating said plug insert is cammed in that direction by a cam member secured to the receptacle insert's shell to achieve a tentative mating condition wherein the respective contact sections engage and electrically connect. Full mating is achieved when the plug insert is further pushed against the receptacle insert in order for a latch surface of the plug to latch behind a cooperating latch on the cam member which latches are adapted to be delatchable solely when limited tensile force pulls the plug insert away from the receptacle insert's shell to overcome the axially normal spring bias on the plug insert and the resistance to delatching of the latches.