Electrical connector with terminal alignment plate and secondary lock detection

An electrical connector assembly comprising:

• a housing having a plurality of terminals mounted in the housing with mating portions projecting therefrom, the housing having recesses for receiving portions of a terminal alignment member;
• the terminal alignment member having a plurality of terminal alignment member apertures for receiving the mating portions of the terminals, the terminal alignment member having movable member engagement surfaces, the movable member engagement surfaces positioned in the recesses of the housing, the movable member engagement surfaces are provided on walls which extend approximately perpendicular from a terminal alignment plate of the terminal alignment member, portions of the walls are received in a recess of the housing, the walls have slots provided therein for receiving guiding projections of the housing, the terminal alignment member being movably mounted on the housing between a protecting position in which the terminal alignment member is positioned proximate distal ends of the terminals and a fully inserted position in which the terminal alignment member is positioned away from the distal ends of the terminals;
• a movable member having terminal alignment member engagement surfaces, the movable member being movably mounted on the housing between a first position and a second position, the terminal alignment member engagement surfaces are positioned in the recesses of the housing when the movable member is in the first position, the terminal alignment member engagement surfaces are positioned outside of the recesses of the housing when the movable member is in the second position;
• wherein when the movable member is in the first position, the terminal alignment member engagement surfaces engage the movable member engagement surfaces of the terminal alignment member to retain the terminal alignment member in the protecting position and prevent the terminal alignment member from being moved to the fully inserted position.

A method of mating an electrical connector assembly to a mating connector, the method comprising:

• positioning an independent secondary locking member in a first position;
• positioning a terminal alignment member in a protecting position in which secondary lock engagement surfaces of the terminal alignment member engage terminal alignment plate engagement surfaces of the independent secondary lock member, wherein the terminal alignment member is prevented from being moved from the protecting position to a fully inserted position when the secondary locking member is in the first position;
• moving the independent secondary locking member to a second position in which the terminal alignment plate engagement surfaces of the independent secondary lock member do not engage the secondary lock engagement surfaces of the terminal alignment member engage, allowing the terminal alignment member to be moved from the protecting position when the secondary locking member is in the second position;
• moving the terminal alignment member to a fully inserted position.