PRODUCT UPDATE
Advanced Interconnections Corp.
 |
High-density surface-mount (SMT) connectors are available as a robust, long-life option for 1.27-mm-pitch SMT board-stacking applications. B2B connectors from Advanced Interconnections Corp. (West Warwick, RI, USA; www.advanced.com) feature screw-machined terminals with multifinger contacts and an exclusive solder-ball terminal design, a configuration proven in practice to offer good reliability and processing results. The units’ current rating is 3 A per pin, so more contacts than usual can be assigned to data or signal transfer because fewer pins are sacrificed for power or ground duty. The heavy-duty terminals, coupled with a redesigned, precision-moulded liquid-crystal polymer insulator, provide a rugged and durable contact system suitable for the demands of blind mating.
The connectors’ shrouded design includes polarized male and female engagement to prevent 180° out-of-orientation mismating. Standard pickup caps for male connectors and polyimide dots for female connectors facilitate automated pick-and-place technology. The high-density devices offer more than 400 contacts per square inch to conserve board space, and they come in three industry-standard footprints with 240, 300, or 400 pin positions. Standard mated heights range from 6.00 to 12.70 mm. Custom designs are available.
Offering the connectors in tape-and-reel or standard tray packaging, the ISO 9001–certified manufacturer can supply versions with RoHS-compliant solder-ball terminals as well.
Lemo S.A.
 |
Plastic circular connectors designed specifically for medical electronic equipment applications have been in development for more than 20 years. Lemo S.A. (Ecublens, Switzerland; www.lemo.com) manufactures these Redel push-pull connectors entirely in-house, applying its distinctive know-how in the field of moulding to their production. The wide range of connectors serves to fulfill application requirements in medical diagnostics, medical imaging, patient monitoring, and surgical equipment.
Besides offering secure push-pull connection, the product family is designed to withstand repeated sterilization by means of autoclaving, ethylene oxide, and other methods. The connectors are available in various contact configurations, including multipole, coaxial, fibre-optic, and fluidic versions. In addition, the manufacturer has a range of one-time-use connectors and connectors for mains power. The family of plastic medical connectors consists of three sizes.
ODU Steckverbindungssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
 |
An economical yet high-capability modular rectangular connector mates with a distinctive click. The latest in the ODU MAC programme of connectors from ODU Steckverbindungssysteme GmbH & Co. KG (Mühldorf, Germany; www.odu.de), the ODU MAC LC is well suited to serve as an interface connector in medical technology and measurement and test apparatus, especially when supplied in a DIN housing. It is available in four frame sizes and five contact modules for signals, power transmission, and high frequency.
Designed for efficiency and flexibility, as well as cost-effectiveness, the LC connector offers easy assembly of the crimp contacts and the modules, which are independent of the frame. Related advantages deriving from the device’s modularity include allowance for disassembly of the contacts from the plug side and quick, toolless assembly and disassembly of the modules in the die-cast zinc frame. Grounding connection may be with the usual cable lug or via a guiding system. In addition, the connector features a high pin density, with as many as 370 contacts fitted in one housing.
Fischer Connectors S.A.
 |
A company that can design and manufacture high-performance electronic connectors offers a comprehensive library of 2-D and 3-D images of its product components that are available as downloadable 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) files. By providing this service, Fischer Connectors S.A. (Apples, Switzerland; www.fischerconnectors.com) enables customers to streamline their design processes by configuring and downloading the connectors and components that meet their project requirements.
The supplier’s connectors are engineered to provide the precision and reliability necessary for use in medical equipment, industrial instrumentation, and measuring and testing devices, and in operating environments subject to attack by water, vacuum, or vibration. Customized solutions for any application can be developed. As a result of this flexibility and capability for innovation, the manufacturer now has a product range comprising more than 10,000 connectors and accessories.
Tyco Electronics UK Ltd.
 |
Rugged, user-friendly, and sterilizable medical device connectors are designed to provide reliability in disposable and reusable applications. Available from Tyco Electronics UK Ltd. (Swindon, Wilts, UK; www.tycoelectronics.com) for use in applications such as surgical power instruments, radio-frequency and ultrasound ablation equipment, and electrophysiology monitors employed in the operating theatre, the CPC medical connectors are offered with 5, 6, 7, or 10 contact positions and feature a robust self-latching mechanism that is secure under axial and torsional loads. They have a grip for push-pull action, gold-plated contacts to ensure reliable connection, an improved second-generation latch release, and a lightweight housing in black or grey that resists cracking induced by shock, dropping, or chemicals.
Accommodating cables with outside diameters of 2.7 to 6.5 mm, the connectors have a rated durability of 2500 mating cycles and an operating temperature range of –50° to 170°C. They use 300 V ac and, depending on the number of contact positions, have current ratings between 3 and 7 A. The components can be overmoulded with silicone in a single step, and customizable PVC flex reliefs can be added for cable strain and flex protection. Colour-coded cable collets for mating polarization are available.
The connectors can be sterilized by autoclaving, by exposure to ethylene oxide, and through the application of Sterrad and Cidex+ disinfectants.
C&K Components
 |
High-reliability rectangular connectors for medical testing and other critical applications where reliable performance is essential are offered by an international supplier of tactile switches; toggle, rocker, and push-button switches; and smart card interconnection devices. Manufactured by C&K Components (Newton, MA, USA; www.ck-components.com) at the company’s European Space Agency–approved French facility, the comprehensive product range includes MDM-series micro-D connectors, MTB1-series single in-line microminiature connectors, and D-subminiature connectors. Standard and custom configurations of the connectors had been used worldwide in aerospace applications for years before they began to be implemented in medical-related equipment. The devices are configured for board-to-board, board-to-cable, and cable-to-cable functionality. Custom cable harnessing services are available, as well as the development of custom connector designs.
Tru Corp.
 |
Radio-frequency (RF) microwave cables, cable assemblies, and connectors are engineered to customer requirements in order to address problems relating to broadband RF performance, power levels, magnetic shielding, materials, size, or connectivity. The medical interconnects employ proprietary, field-proven technologies developed by Tru Corp. (Peabody, MA, USA; www.trucorporation.com), which is capable of manufacturing flexible and semirigid cable assemblies that can incorporate blind-mating connectors, quick-disconnects, multiple ports, and other OEM application–specific features. The manufacturer specializes in cable sizes of 6.35 to 38.1 mm OD.
The custom interconnects offer a typical shielding capability of better than 75 dB, with options for shielding at levels above 100 dB available. They can also provide broadband RF performance to 18 and 26.5 GHz, power levels up to 50 kW, and voltage protection to 25 kV, depending on the design and construction. Brass, medical-grade alloys, and specialty steels are available connector materials, while beryllium copper contacts and PTFE, ceramic, and composite insulators are used in assembly.
Molex Inc.
 |
High-speed board-to-board connectors for applications involving high-pin-count devices on mezzanine cards or modular printed circuit boards (PCBs) are designed to meet the increasing demands of the market for high-density and high-performance mezzanine connectors. Offered by Molex Inc. (Lisle, IL, USA; www.molex.com), HD Mezz and Searay connectors enhance personality and expansion cards used in medical equipment and other high-technology applications. Their employment can simplify PCB routing without sacrificing performance and can provide advanced electrical and mechanical features cost-effectively.
Using patented solder-charge technology for standard surface-mount attachment, both connectors offer better process yields than equivalent ball-grid-array connectors. Additionally, they spare customers from having to incorporate large, complex multilayer boards into systems. The HD Mezz connectors allow for stack heights ranging from 16 to 38 mm and circuit sizes of 91 to 403 circuits, while Searay accommodates low-profile applications with stack heights of 7 to 15 mm and provides high-speed assembly potential through use of the manufacturer’s copper flex components. Option cards may be added or upgraded to increase system flexibility.
HD Mezz connectors offer data rates to 12.5 Gb/sec, guide features for gatherability in blind mating, a contact density of 14 differential pairs per square centimetre, and a mating interface with 2-mm wipe and two points of contact for clean signal transmission and high durability. Providing speeds up to 10 Gb/sec, Searay connectors have an industry-standard 1.27 × 1.27-mm footprint and a durable contact design that prevents stubbing and damage in mating.
