Electrical connector having integrated guide element

An electrical connector:

• a connector housing positioned with respect to an engagement axis, a lateral axis, and an orientation axis that are mutually perpendicular with one another, the connector housing including:
• a mating side facing in a mating direction along the engagement axis and configured to engage an electrical component during a mating operation, the mating side extending along the lateral axis and the orientation axis;
• first and second end sides facing in opposite directions along the lateral axis;
• a top side facing in a direction along the orientation axis;
• and
• a mounting side that is opposite the top side;
• and
• first and second mating regions, the first and second mating regions being defined by the first and second end sides, respectively, each of the first and second mating regions including:
• electrical contacts and a guide feature that are disposed along the mating side and configured to engage the electrical component, wherein at least some of the electrical contacts and the guide feature are aligned with one another along the orientation axis;
• wherein the electrical contacts of the first mating region form a first array, wherein (i) the first array is located between the guide feature and the mounting side or (ii) the guide feature is located between the first array and the mounting side.