Electrical connector with laterally moving terminal position assurance (TPA) member

An electrical connector housing comprising:

• a first housing member comprising contact receiving areas and contact latches;
• and
• a second housing member forming a terminal position assurance (TPA) member movably connected to the first housing member, wherein the TPA member is slidably connected to the first housing between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein in the unlocked position the TPA member allows the latches to move to a disengaged position with electrical contacts located in the contact receiving areas, and wherein in the locked position the TPA member prevents the latches from deflecting to the disengaged position, and
• wherein the TPA member is slidable on the housing between the unlocked position and the locked position in a first direction which is orthogonal to a second direction of insertion of the contacts into the housing, and which is orthogonal to a direction of connection of the electrical connector housing to a mating electrical connector, and which is generally orthogonal to a direction of initial insertion of the TPA member into the housing.

An electrical connector comprising:

• a housing comprising contact receiving areas and contact latches;
• electrical contacts located in the receiving areas and retained with the housing by the latches;
• and
• a terminal position assurance (TPA) member movably connected to the housing, wherein the TPA member is slidably connected to the housing between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein in the unlocked position the TPA member allows the latches to move to a disengaged position with the contacts, and wherein in the locked position the TPA member prevents the latches from deflecting to the disengaged position, and
• wherein the TPA member is slidable on the housing in a first direction between the unlocked position and the locked position, orthogonal to a different second direction of insertion of the contacts into the housing, wherein the latches are resiliently deflectable cantilevered latches which are adapted to deflect in a different third direction when the contacts are inserted into the receiving areas, and wherein the first direction is orthogonal to a different fourth direction of connection of the electrical connector to a mating electrical connector, wherein the fourth direction is a direction of initial insertion of the TPA member into the housing.