High-current hybrid power / signal connectors save space and costs

Latest from Hirose is a new hybrid power and signal connector designed for power line connection in various applications. The high-power BM24 Series board-to-flex printed circuit (FPC) connector features a novel space-saving design that concentrates power lines into two power contacts instead of the conventional, more costly multiple signal contact method.

The BM24 Series connector's power contacts are rated up to 5A per line and the signal contacts are rated to 0.25A per line. The BM24 Series design ensures a temperature rise of less than 30C when carrying 5A. In addition, the board-to-FPC connector system supports USB 3.1 gen.2 (10Gbps) transmission.

The 10-position BM24 Series model has dimensions of only 2.3mm x 5.25mm x 0.8mm with a lead pitch of 0.35mm, and includes 10 signal plus 2 power pins. Each connector features two power pins, regardless of position number. Utilizing a highly reliable 2-point contact structure on both power and signal contacts, the BM24 Series delivers ruggedized connectivity that is resistant to shock and vibration. Guide ribs broaden the range of self-alignment to 0.3mm in XY axis directions during mating, delivering an easy and smooth mating operation, says the company.

"The small BM24 Series hybrid board-to-FPC connector system combines power and signal into one cost-efficient solution. By eliminating the need for traditional separate power and signal wire-to-board connectors, the BM24 Series simplifies design and assembly, while providing significant cost savings," said Rick van Weezel, vice-president of sales and marketing, Hirose Electric USA.

The BM24 Series connector has a rated voltage of 30V AC/DC, a power contact resistance of 15mohm maximum and a signal contact resistance of 100mohm maximum, an insulation resistance of 100Mohm minimum, and an operating temperature of -40C to +85C.