Board-to-board contacts get locking plug

AVX Corporation has added a locking plug to its low-profile 70-9159 Series single two-piece contacts for high current, coplanar PCB mating applications, which deliver the industry’s smallest profile capable of supporting a full 5A. The latest addition to AVX’s revolutionary, robust, and cost-effective portfolio of STRIPT insulator-less single contact solutions, the new 70-9159 Series locking plug contact features a positive latching mechanism that effectively replaces costly thermal adhesives, unreliable hand soldering, and large, light-blocking connectors in low-cost linear LED lighting, and a variety of other commercial and industrial coplanar and extended card applications.

Based on AVX’s market-proven 9159 Series gold-plated beryllium-copper spring contact system, the new SMT locking plug contacts provide a reliable gold-to-gold active contact interface; can absorb a millimeter of tolerance in the x and y direction, maximizing lateral PCB alignment and mating tolerances for board-to-board applications; and deliver enough force to keep PCBs securely fastened during both shipping and handling, and in high stack tolerance applications. Compatible with existing 70-9159 Series sockets, the locking plug contacts are not only fully interchangeable with the series’ non-locking plug contacts, but are sold at the same price. The new locking plug also features the same minimal 1.2mm height profile as the rest of the series, which prevents shadowing effects in LED lighting applications, and can be individually placed and spaced to support any pin count and any voltage rating with a full 5A current rating.

“Most PCB mating applications use a costly thermal adhesive, unreliable hand soldering process, or large, light-blocking connector to hold PCBs in place. Standing a mere 1.2mm above the board, our insulator-less 70-9159 Series contacts — which, for years now, have proven cost-effective and robust in linear LED lighting fixtures — eliminate the need for these costlier or less reliable and repeatable connections, while simultaneously optimizing functionality, assembly, and economic ROI,” said Tom Anderson, connector product manager, AVX. “Adding a small latch to our original plug contact has allowed us to offer our customers the proven performance of the series with an added-value benefit at no additional cost, and while maintaining full backward compatibility with existing designs. Individual 70-9159 Series contacts can also support both board-to-board and wire-to-board applications, further improving their already attractive price/performance ratio.”

70-9159 Series single two-piece contacts are rated for 300V, 5A current, five-cycle durability, and operating temperatures spanning -40°C to +125°C. RoHS compliant and packaged on tape and reel for automated SMT placement, the series is also UL-approved based on a 3.2mm minimum gap between pads or 5.6mm contact center spacing, with the exception of the new locking plug contact, which is still in the midst of the UL approval process.

AVX Corporation
www.avx.com