US Patent 10396486 Electrical connector with terminal position assurance member

An electrical connector includes a housing and a terminal position assurance (TPA) member. The housing defines multiple cavities that extend between mating and cable ends of the housing, and are oriented parallel to a cavity axis. The housing holds electrical terminals within the cavities for electrically connecting to mating contacts of a mating connector. The TPA member is mounted to the cable end of the housing and movable relative to the housing between an unlocked position and a locked position. The TPA member moves from the unlocked position to the locked position along an actuation axis that is perpendicular to the cavity axis. The TPA member includes ledges that protrude into the cavities of the housing and into corresponding retreat paths of the terminals when the TPA member is in the locked position to block retreat of the terminals towards the cable end of the housing.