July 5, 2006

2 Min Read
Connector System Offers Design Flexibility

Originally Published MPMN July 2006

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Connector System Offers Design Flexibility

Corinne Litchfield

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A single-row cable connector system from ERNI is available in a four-pin configuration.

A single-row cable connector system with a pitch of 1.27 mm is aimed at space-saving and flexible board-to-cable connections. ERNI (Midlothian, VA) has designed its MiniBridge connector system for use in sensor, actuator, power supply, and data applications in the medical device industry.

The four-pin version measures 10 × 10 × 3 mm and has a current-carrying capacity of 4 A at 20°C, depending on the cable. The system uses straight or angled male connectors, making it suitable for use in tight spaces. Female connectors, where the cables are fed out at 90° or 180°, can also be used. Operating temperature range is –55° to 125°C.

The MiniBridge family is being launched with this four-pin version. Two-, three-, six-, and eight-pin connectors are planned for future release. The male connectors have surface-mount technology (SMT) termination. Insulation-displacement connector (IDC) termination is used for the female connectors. In addition, female connectors are available with different types of locking latches for normal vibration and shock loads, as well as for applications involving heavy vibration and shock loads. A tool is required to open the lock on the robust connectors.

The system is designed for fully automatic pick-and-place or processing on SMT process lines. For SMT processing, the male connectors are available in tape-on-reel packaging. The connector housing is heat-resistant, making the connectors suitable for RoHS-compliant processing with lead-free reflow soldering. With the female connectors, the cable guiding ensures quick attachment of a ribbon cable with a pitch of 1.27 mm, or of a single conductor. The IDC terminal is configured for solid or stranded AWG-26 conductors. Partial loading is also possible.

The MiniBridge family is the latest addition to the company’s SMC connector series. Besides SMT versions, double-row SMC connectors are available for applications such as rear I/O backplane connections and in IDC versions. The products are designed for mezzanine, board-to-board, and board-to-cable use.

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