Electrical connector assembly with guide member

Claim 1

An electrical connector assembly comprising: a plug comprising an insulating housing body having a front, mating end and a rear, wire receiving end; first and second opposed side walls joined by first and second opposed end walls extending between the mating and wire receiving ends; a row of barriers extending across the second side wall at the mating end; an internal wire receiving passageway open at the rear end and extending toward the mating end; a row of terminals having contact surfaces exposed between adjacent barriers and wire connecting portions terminating wires in the passageway; and, a pair of latch arms extending rearwardly in divergent fashion from respective end walls at locations adjacent the first side wall; a receptacle comprising an insulating housing having opposite side and end walls defining a plug receiving cavity open at a mouth and a row of spring contacts extending rearwardly from a location adjacent and spaced from the mouth across the cavity for engagement with respective contact surfaces of the plug terminals on insertion of the plug through the mouth into the cavity, latching means being provided adjacent the mouth interengageable with the latch arms to latch the plug in the cavity; a panel having an aperture therein; and, a plug guiding member located to extend around the panel aperture and including a channel-form base portion outstanding from one side of the panel with the channel axis extending along the plug mating axis and an apron outstanding from the panel overlying the center of the channel, latch admitting openings being provided between respective channel side walls and the upper apron portion; wherein the receptacle is mounted on the other side of the panel with the mouth aligned with the panel aperture and the plug extends through the guide member in mating engagement with the receptacle with the channel snugly receiving the second side wall and adjacent portions of the end walls of the plug and the apron engaging a central portion of the first side wall with the latch arms being freely received in the openings.