Connector position assurance device

In combination, a first connector half, a second connector half, and a connector position assurance (CPA) device, comprising:

• a first connector half having a pair of generally parallel guide channels on the outer surface thereof and a pair of raised lugs located at a distance spaced from the ends said guide channels;
• a second connector half mateable with said first connector half, said second connector half having a pair of opposed disengagement projections;
• and
• a CPA device mountable within said guide channels on said first connector half, said CPA device including a planar body and a pair of generally parallel legs extending outward therefrom, said legs including a stub surface at the distal tips thereof for contacting said raised lugs for preventing forward movement of said CPA device when said CPA device is mounted in an initial pre-lock position on said first connector half, said legs further including locking surfaces spaced proximally of said stub surfaces and engagement areas extending between said stub surfaces and said locking surfaces, said locking surfaces contacting the ends of said guide channels in the pre-lock position for preventing removal of said CPA device from said first connector half, whereby, when said first connector half is properly assembled to said second connector half, said disengagement projections on said second connector half contact said engagement areas on said legs for disengaging said stub surfaces from said raised lugs so that said stub surfaces may be moved past said raised lugs, whereby said locking surfaces engage in contact with forward edges of said raised lugs to prevent removal of said CPA device such that said CPA device is thereby located in a final locked position indicative of proper assembly of the first connector half with the second connector half.

In combination, a first connector half, a second connector half, and a connector position assurance (CPA) device, comprising:

• a first connector half having a pair of generally parallel guide channels aligned in a spaced relationship on the outer surface of said first connector half;
• at least one raised lug near an end of at least one of said guide channels;
• a second connector half mateable with said first connector half, said second connector half having at least one disengagement projection;
• and
• a CPA device mountable within said guide channels on said first connector half, said CPA device including a planar body and a pair of generally parallel legs extending outward therefrom, at least one of said legs including a stub surface at the distal tip thereof, said at least one leg further including a locking surface located proximally of said stub surface and an engagement area extending between said stub surface and said locking surface, whereby, said CPA device may be mounted on said first connector half in an initial pre-lock position in which said stub surface, said engagement area, and said locking surface are retained between said raised lug and the end of said guide channel, and whereby, when said first connector half is properly assembled to said second connector half, said at least one disengagement projection on said second connector half contacts said engagement area on said at least one leg for disengaging said stub surface from said raised lug so that said stub surface may be moved past said raised lug, whereby when said CPA device has been moved forward a predetermined distance, said locking surface engages into contact with a forward edge of said raised lug to prevent removal of said CPA device such that said CPA device is thereby located in a final locked position indicative of proper assembly of the first connector half with the second connector half.