Patent ID: 8016606

Claim:
A Connector Position Assurance (CPA) device for ensuring mating of a male header connector with a female housing, the CPA device comprising: a body portion; a first arm attached to the body portion, extending from the body portion, and comprising a locking groove proximate a distal end thereof; and a second arm attached to the body portion spaced apart from the first arm, extending from the body portion, and comprising a locking latch, wherein the CPA device has a pre-lock position and a final-lock position within the female housing, wherein the CPA device enters the pre-lock position upon partial insertion into a back side of the female housing such that: the locking groove engages a first protrusion on the female housing, and the locking latch engages a second protrusion on the female housing, and wherein the CPA device enters the final-lock position upon insertion of the male header connector into a front side of the female housing such that: the locking groove and the locking latch are disengaged from the pre-lock position through contact of a sloped surface at the distal end of the first arm with a leading edge of the male header connector, and wherein, when the CPA device is in the final-lock position, the male header connector is in a completely-mated state with the female housing.