US Patent 9147957 Electrical connector with terminal position assurance

An electrical connector is provided that includes a housing, terminals, and a stuffer. The housing has a plurality of terminal channels extending from a rear to a front of the housing. The front of the housing is configured to interface with a mating connector. The terminals are loaded into corresponding terminal channels from the rear of the housing. The terminals extend along a terminal axis between a mating end and a terminating end. The terminating end includes at least one tab that protrudes radially outward from the terminal axis. The stuffer is coupled to the rear of the housing. The stuffer includes multiple teeth received in corresponding terminal channels. When one terminal is not fully loaded in the terminal channel, the corresponding tooth engages one or more of the at least one tab of the terminal and forces the terminal further into the terminal channel.