Among the performance of automotive connectors, the mating and fixing structure of the connector and the reliability of the terminal fixing in the connector are also very important. If there is a problem with the fixed structure of the connector, or if there is a problem with the reliability of the terminal fixing in the connector, it will seriously affect the contact reliability of the connector and bring more serious consequences. At this time, customers can choose automotive connectors with TPA or CPA according to their needs.
I. Terminal Position Assurance (TPA)
TPA: Terminal Position Assurance (TPA) is a connector terminal retention aid that uses an auxiliary lock that slides into the connector housing to ensure that the terminal (or contact) inside the connector housing is fully seated into the housing. The lock slides into a groove on the terminal body and if the contact is not properly seated, the auxiliary lock will not engage properly. Once the terminals are fully seated, the lock can be inserted. TPA not only ensures that the contacts are properly seated, but it also helps to minimise movement of the terminals within the connector. To remove the terminals from the connector housing, the TPA must first be removed.
Figure 1: KR2017 wire-to-board connector TPA lock disengaged – the contact is not yet fully seated and can be freely removed.
Figure 2: KR2017 Wire-to-Board Connector TPA Lock Engaged – Contacts are properly positioned and cannot be removed.
Ⅱ. Connector Position Assurance (CPA)
CPA: Connector Position Assurance is a mechanism designed to ensure that a pair of mated connectors stay together once mated.For our KONNRA connector systems, the cable mounting jacks have a master latch. The latch slides under the retaining clip on the paired plug and secures the connector in the paired position. The connector can only be disengaged by pressing the master latch to release it from the retaining clip on the paired connector.
Figure 3: The KR2021 wire-to-board connector, which offers optional CPA locking to prevent accidental disengagement ensures connection stability.
To prevent connector disengagement, there is a simple solution. By limiting the movement of the latch with a CPA device, the latch cannot be depressed and the connector will remain in the mating position.
CPA and TPA are critical to the installation of automotive connectors. This ensures that the mating connector stays connected (CPA) and the contact is fully seated in the correct position (TPA). If you have a need, understanding or question about automotive connectors, please contact our KONNRA customer service and we will endeavour to answer your question.
