Male and female electrical connectors with terminal locking device for detecting inserted condition of terminals and connector assembly

A female connector with a terminal locking device comprising:

• a male terminal with a shoulder;
• a female housing body with a terminal receiving cavity formed therein;
• a hood extending in an insertion direction of said male terminal into said terminal receiving cavity from an outer circumferential wall of said female housing body;
• a holder receiving section formed between said female housing body and said hood;
• a male terminal holder assembled to said female housing body inside said holder receiving section and has a terminal insertion cavity corresponding to said terminal receiving cavity;
• and
• a male terminal locking device for detecting an inserted condition of said male terminal into said terminal receiving cavity, which is engaged at a side of said male terminal holder toward said female housing body to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to said insertion direction of said male terminal and has a terminal introducing opening corresponding to said terminal receiving cavity.

An electrical connector assembly having a male connector and a female connector, said male connector comprising:

• a female terminal with a shoulder;
• a male housing body with a terminal receiving cavity formed therein;
• a holder receiving hood extending in an insertion direction of said female terminal into said terminal receiving cavity from an outer circumferential wall of said male housing body;
• a female terminal holder having a terminal insertion cavity corresponding to said terminal receiving cavity, which is assembled to said male housing body inside said holder receiving hood;
• and a female terminal locking device for detecting an inserted condition of said female terminal into said terminal receiving cavity, the female terminal locking device engaged at a side of said female terminal holder toward said male housing body to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to said insertion direction of said female terminal and has a terminal introducing opening corresponding to said terminal receiving cavity, said female connector comprising:
• a male terminal with a shoulder;
• a female housing body with a terminal receiving cavity formed therein;
• a hood extending in an insertion direction of said male terminal into said terminal receiving cavity from an outer circumferential wall of said female housing body;
• a holder receiving section formed between said female housing body and said hood;
• a male terminal holder which is assembled to said female housing body inside said holder receiving section and has a terminal insertion cavity corresponding to said terminal receiving cavity;
• and a male terminal locking device for detecting an inserted condition of said male terminal into said terminal receiving cavity, the male terminal locking device engaged at a side of said male terminal holder toward said female housing body to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to said insertion direction of said male terminal and has a terminal introducing opening corresponding to said terminal receiving cavity,
• wherein said female terminal holder further comprises a lever receiving opening for receiving an operating lever of said male terminal locking device when said male connector is fitted in said hood of said female connector to be coupled with said female connector, and said female connector further comprises lever receiving openings formed in said female terminal holder in the lever receiving section openings of the female terminal locking device and the operating lever of the female terminal locking device is received into the lever receiving space of the female connector.