Patent attributes
An electrical connector assembly includes a connector, a corresponding mating-connector, and a terminal-stabilizer. The a connector has a plurality of electrical-terminals. The connector also has an outer-surface that includes a plurality of retraction-fins. The mating-connector has a plurality of mating-electrical-terminals. The mating-connector is releasably connected to the connector along a mating-axis. The mating-connector includes a connector-shroud having side walls defining a shroud-cavity. The terminal-stabilizer is slideably disposed within the shroud-cavity and includes a plurality of retraction-locks that engage the plurality of retraction-fins on the connector. The terminal-stabilizer defines a plurality of terminal-apertures that slideably engage the plurality of mating-electrical-terminals. The terminal-stabilizer is moveable from a prestaged-position, when the connector and the mating-connector are in the unmated-position, to a seated-position, when the connector is moved to the mated-position. The connector retracts the terminal-stabilizer from the seated-position to the prestaged-position when the connector is moved from the mated-position to the unmated-position.