Electrical connector with positive locking position assurance

An electrical connector assembly comprising:

• a first electrical connector having:
• a first housing defining a receptacle opening for receiving a mating connector in a mating direction;
• a terminal positioning component slidably received within the receptacle opening and moveable in the mating direction, including:
• a pin protection plate defining at least one aperture sized to receive a conductive pin of at least one terminal arranged within the housing;
• and
• a terminal assurance element extending from the pin protection plate in the mating direction and adapted to prevent the movement of the component in the mating direction when the at least one terminal is in a partially inserted state within the housing;
• and
• a first locking element arranged on a wall of the housing and selectively engaging with the terminal positioning component for fixing its position within the receptacle in the mating direction;
• and
• a second electrical connector mateable with the first electrical connector, the second connector including a second housing adapted to selectively engage with the first locking element to bias the first locking element into an unlocked position for permitting the terminal positioning component to move in the mating direction.

An electrical connector comprising:

• a housing defining a receptacle opening for receiving a mating connector in a mating direction;
• and
• a terminal positioning component slidably received within the receptacle opening and moveable in the mating direction, including:
• a pin protection plate defining at least one aperture sized to receive a conductive pin of at least one terminal arranged within the housing;
• and
• a terminal assurance element extending from the pin protection plate in the mating direction and adapted to prevent the movement of the component in the mating direction when the at least one terminal is in a partially inserted state within the housing, the terminal positioning component moveable in the mating direction between:
• a first position wherein the pin protection plate is arranged above a free end of the conductive pin of the at least one terminal;
• a second position wherein the conductive pin of the at least one terminal is arranged partially through the pin protection plate;
• and
• a third position associated with a mated state of the connector, wherein motion of the terminal positioning component from the first position to the third position is prevented by the terminal assurance element when the at least one terminal is in the partially inserted state within the housing.