Electrical connector assembly

An electrical connector assembly 10 includes a housing 12 having a plurality of terminal members 40 disposed within configured terminal-receiving passageways 82 thereof. Each terminal member 40 includes first and second contact portions 42, 62 and a body portion 46 having retaining means 52 for holding the terminal member 40 within the housing passageway 82 and a plurality of push means horizontally and vertically staggered about the longitudinal axis of the terminal member 40 and adapted to cooperate with corresponding push ledges 86, 88, 90 within the passageway 82. The push means includes a latch 54 extending outwardly from a first side 49 of the body portion 46 and first and second pairs of formed tabs 56, 58 extending from opposed second and third sides 50, 51 of the body portion 46 at first, second and third axially selected locations respectively. The leading ends 57 of the first pair of tabs 56 substantially abut each other proximate to and spaced outwardly from a fourth side 48 of the body portion 46, and a second pair of tabs 58 face in the same direction as the first body side 49 with the leading ends 59 thereof spaced from one another. When axial insertion force is applied to the connector housing 12, the plurality of staggered terminal push means cooperate with the corresponding passageway push surfaces to distribute the force around the terminal members 40 such that the terminal members 40 are inserted into the board 92 without the need of an insertion tool that applies force directly to individual terminal members 40.