Electrical connector with integral terminal retention and terminal position assurance

An electrical connector comprising:

• a dielectric housing having at least one contact cavity extending along a longitudinal axis between a mating end and an opposite contact loading end;
• a primary terminal lock extending from an interior wall of said housing and configured to engage a terminal contact to retain the terminal contact in said at least one contact cavity, and
• a secondary locking member integrally formed with said housing and having a flexible hinge member proximate said contact loading end that pivotably connects said secondary locking member to said housing, said secondary locking member being pivoted about said flexible hinge member between an unseated position and a seated position, the secondary locking member being configured to retain the terminal contact in said at least one contact cavity when said secondary locking member is in the seated position, said secondary locking member including an engagement end that is configured to be received in a recess in the terminal contact when the terminal contact is fully seated in said at least one contact cavity.

An electrical connector comprising:

• a dielectric housing having at least one contact cavity extending along a longitudinal axis between a mating end and an opposite contact loading end;
• a primary terminal lock extending from an interior wall of said housing and configured to engage a terminal contact to retain the terminal contact in said at least one contact cavity, and
• a secondary locking member integrally formed with said housing and having a flexible hinge member proximate said contact loading end that pivotably connects said secondary locking member to said housing, said secondary locking member being pivoted about said flexible hinge member between an unseated position and a seated position, the secondary locking member being configured to retain the terminal contact in said at least one contact cavity when said secondary locking member is in the seated position, said secondary locking member including a clearance channel that is configured to receive an end of a mating contact when the mating contact is fully mated with the terminal contact.