Unique Requirements Met

Connectors reflect the variety of requirements of numerous products. As a result, suppliers make application-specific or custom products frequently targeting unique requirements for a single or limited number of applications. Product requirements that become connector requirements include higher performance, increased throughput and smaller size. “Performance demands and density requirements are constantly increasing in critical, high-reliability applications, such as medical, military and telecommunications,” according to Tom Schiltz, product manager, Molex Inc. Other applications in this section address unique connector requirements in nuclear and robotics, HDTV and even integrated circuit (IC) testing.

STAINLESS STEEL SHELL CONNECTOR

LEMO’s N Series Connectors offer new features to enhance the 5N size line including a new shell style optimized for robotics and nuclear markets. Due to the working environment in these applications, a robot called a telemanipulator frequently makes the connections. The new connectors have a special lever to reduce the mating force of connections for low power and small robots. Generally constructed of stainless steel, the 5N connectors offer 90-degree shells, wider grip areas and a system that allows the user to configure and change to any of 32 combinations for areas with multiple connectors. The connectors offer visually-assured connections with no-turn push-pull connections. Receive more information on LEMO N Series connectors.

RF CONNECTOR

Developed to support “super HD” broadcast equipment, Bomar Interconnect Products Inc. high-definition BNC connectors feature a low 1.032 VSWR and return loss of -36 dB at 4.5 GHz. The miniature precision-machined quick connect/disconnect RF connectors meet or exceed the professional broadcast sector’s environmental, electrical and mechanical standards. The metal body connectors are 75 devices made of precision machined brass with gold-plated contacts and high-density TFE insulator material to maintain a perfect dielectric constant. A black nickel-plated body provides easy identification. The BNCs’ electrical ratings include 1.026 VSWR, -37 dB return loss at 2.4 GHz; 1.022 VSWR, -39 dB return loss at 3.0 and 4.0 GHz; and 1.032 VSWR, -36 dB return loss at 4.5 GHz. With a voltage rating of 500V and insulation resistance of 5,000 MW, the connectors also have cable retention of 60 lb. Targeting next-generation broadcast applications for high-definition picture quality, where performance properties must exceed today’s 2.5 GHz standard, the BNCs are appropriate for terminating RG-6 and RG-59 coaxial cables in professional video and broadcast video switching. Get more information on Bomar Interconnect Products Inc. miniature quick connect/disconnect RF connector.

ERNI’s MiniBridge connector, with dimensions of 10 × 10 × 3 mm for the 4-pin version, works within limited space. The connector has a pitch of 1.27 mm (0.050 inches) and can handle 4A. This single-row cable connector system uses straight or angled male connectors and female connectors where the cables are fed out at 90 or 180 degrees. The heat-resistant plastic housed connectors have a wide temperature range (-55 to 125C) with male connectors having SMT termination and female connectors using Insulation Displacement Connector (IDC) termination. Different types of locking latches on the female connectors address normal vibration/shock loads and applications involving heavy vibration/shock loads. The connectors target applications in industrial and consumer electronics, medical-device technology, computer and automotive electronics for data transmission, power-supplies, actuators and sensors. Double-row SMC connectors with press-fit technology are also available. Receive more information on ERNI MiniBridge connectors.

Replacing the internal and traditional ceramic planar array block capacitor with a state-of-the-art flexible circuit and chip capacitors, ITT’s Cannon Chip on Flex (CoF) filter technology provides protection to sensitive electronics in a lighter weight package while eliminating stress from thermal shock and vibration. Individual chip capacitors are surface mounted on a pad adjacent to the feed-thru contacts that are not soldered directly to the capacitor thus reducing thermal stress points that affect connector performance in vibration and thermal shock. This results in improved reliability and robust filter connectors for MIL-DTL-38999 configurations and provides up to a 15 percent connector weight reduction based on the lighter flex material. The filter connectors provide standard filtering capabilities and offer flexibility in the design/development phase for defining or changing ground and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) performance as well as individual circuit capacitance. This eliminates the need to retool the ceramic planar array. The filter connectors target high reliability aerospace, military and industrial applications including radio and navigation systems, fire control devices, data transmitters, integrated avionics, satellite communications and electronic counter measures. Get more information on ITT’s Cannon CoF filter connectors.

Molex Inc.’s Circular MT Cable Assemblies meet the increasing performance requirements of telecommunications equipment. The cable assemblies offer robust MT ferrule-based interface ensuring enhanced fiber management, increased pull-strength and improved alignment benefits. The assemblies’ metal housing and stainless steel push-pull locking ring provide a complete end-to-end solution for high-reliability applications. Using industry standard MT ferrules with fiber counts ranging from 12 to 72, the round cable assemblies improve fiber management over traditional flat ribbon assemblies by allowing 360-degree cable rotation. To help isolate moisture, dust and electromagnetic interference (EMI), Molex enhanced its O-ring and EMI gasket. Also, to prevent damage to MT alignment pins and ferrule endface during connector handling and mating, the recessed MT ferrule in both the connector and receptacle housing ensures it is scoop-proof. The cable assemblies provide a high-density solution for telecommunication equipment applications, such as medical equipment applications, hubs, test equipment, routers and data centers and video systems among others. Get more information on Molex Inc.’s Circular MT Cable Assemblies.

MINIATURE COMPRESSION CONNECTOR

FCI developed the Miniature Compression Connector to replace conventional two-piece, board-stacking connector systems with a one-piece connector that can be easily positioned within the system. The one-piece, board-to-board or board-to-flex cable interconnects allow blind-mating during assembly of boards, subsystems or systems. By eliminating the need to precisely align opposing PCBs during assembly, the connector also reduces assembly costs. In addition, since only a single connector needs to be attached to a single PCB, soldering costs may be reduced in some applications. With 3 to 22 contact positions and typical contact pitches in the range of 0.7 to 1.25 mm, the connectors can support stack heights that range between 1.0 and 3.65 mm. The connectors target applications in small form factor portable electronic devices, such as notebooks PCs, MP3 players, PDAs, mobile phones or in hard disk drives. Click to get more information on the FCI Miniature Compression Connector.

Testing and validating of integrated circuits (ICs) in 1.00 mm pitch BGA and LGA packages at speeds up to 2.6 GHz requires a specially designed connector. Requiring no IC soldering and needing no external hold-downs or PC board tooling holes, Advanced Interconnections Corp.’s Flip-Top BGA Socket addresses these needs. Available for either surface mounted or thru-hole applications, the connector features a patented spring pin technology that matches the device footprint, solder ball terminals (traditional Sn/Pb or new lead-free Sn/Ag/Cu) and an integral finned heat sink or coin screw. With single-ended insertion loss of -.060 dB at 2.6 GHz and differential insertion loss of -2.80 dB at 5.0 GHz, the connector’s high-temperature materials meet RoHS requirements for lead-free processing. The space maximizing socket also offers near-end crosstalk values of less than 5 percent and far-end crosstalk less than 2 percent. Simplifying the socket’s use is the online availability of data sheet and signal integrity simulation data that includes IBIS, HSPICE and Touchstone models. Get more information on Advanced Interconnections Corp. Flip-Top BGA Socket.

Providing increased fiber quantities in high-density applications, Molex Inc.’s Quad LC Adapter is also a small form factor product. The four-position LC adapter provides multiple connection options from a single adapter. Snap-mount or screw-mount installation styles provide flexibility as well as increased density over multiple simplex or duplex LC adapters. Optional individual shutters on the user side provide an eye-safety option for protection when the adapter is not fully populated. To accommodate single mode, multimode or Angle Polish (APC) Connectors, the adapter is available with either phosphor bronze or zirconia ceramic alignment sleeves. Since the mounting dimensions are identical to the duplex SC adapter, the connector can be used as a direct drop-in-replacement for density upgrade. Connector options include two duplex LC connectors, two simplex and one duplex LC connector or four simplex LC connectors. The adapter fits directly into existing panel designs in hubs, servers, router and other telecommunications equipment, optical DVI, storage and Local Area Networks (LAN). Get more information on Molex Quad LC Optical Adapter.

MICROWAVE CONNECTOR

Offering performance through 100 GHz, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.’s GORE 100 Series connectors are a super high-density blind-mate/push-on, high-performance microwave interconnect system. The series is 35 percent smaller than the current SMPM connectors and offers a reduced mechanical footprint and increased electrical performance allowing engineers to create lighter, smaller and thinner power dividers, printed circuit boards and transmit-receive (TR) modules. Accommodating both radial and axial misalignment with negligible VSWR change, the connectors offer a socket-to-socket bullet that weighs less than 0.02g with a lightweight, blind-mate interface. The RF connector target military, space and commercial applications. Get more information on GORE 100 Series connectors.