Spotlight

SPOTLIGHT

Electrical connectors

An electrical connector consists of a canted-coil spring retained in a metal housing. The Bal Conn is designed to ensure a uniform, reliable electrical connection between the battery and the lead in implantable electronic devices used for cardiac healthcare management, neurostimulation, and sensing applications. The connector’s compact design reduces the connection envelope for cardiac and neurostimulation devices. The Bal Conn’s spring coils adjust independently to maintain maximum contact with the lead electrodes inserted into the device header. Its spring element can be customized to accommodate specific requirements for contact resistance and insertion/removal forces. At work in more than a million implantable medical devices worldwide, the electrical connectors provide multipoint conductivity and compression set resistance. Diameters are available to fit any lead configuration from IS1 and IS4 down to 0.040 in. Bal Seal Engineering B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hospital-grade cord sets

UL-listed and CSA-approved hospital-grade power cords and cord sets have solid pins and large plug bodies that virtually eliminate the risk of wire-to-outer-contour shock. Capable of withstanding substantial pull forces, the cord sets are suited for equipment marketed in North America that comes into patient contact. The plugs have additional surface skin testing and are individually date coded to allow tracing of lots. Custom cord sets also can be produced. Cord sets and power cords for European hospital environments are also available from stock. Mega Electronics Inc., New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Medical connectors

A company specializes in custom design, moulding, and assembly of medical connector and cable systems. It also provides a range of standard connector components. Certified with US FDA, the contract manufacturer works with companies that produce sophisticated systems for applications such as body-worn diagnostic testing and monitoring components. The firm has 59 years of experience in the medical industry manufacturing cable and connector systems for patient diagnostic testing and monitoring. Plastics One, Roanoke, VA, USA

Centre probe test socket

A manufacturer of standard, programmed, and custom interconnection products offers a high-frequency centre probe test socket. The socket can accommodate devices 6.5 mm or smaller in size. The test socket is suitable for use with test and dynamic burn-in of CSP, MicroBGA, DSP, LGA, SRAM, DRAM, and Flash devices. The test socket offers machined pressure pads and interposers; custom versions are available for large quantities. The socket’s pressure pad compression spring is designed to accomodate devices of
different thicknesses. Aries Electronics, Bristol, PA, USA

Single-use and reusable connectors

A company manufactures a range of connectors with both plastic and metal shells for medical and other applications. The connectors are suited for disposable use as well as re-useable applications where sterilization is required. Disposable connectors come with pin counts from 2 to 14, and are available in various colours. The firm’s standard connectors come with pin counts ranging from 2 to 40 contact points. The company also can develop custom connectors and cables. ODU Steckverbindungssysteme GmbH & Co. KG, Mühldorf/Inn, Germany

Low-profile connectors

A manufacturer offers 1-mm connectors suited for 1-mm pitch micro board-to-board and flex cable-to-board applications. The screw-machined, low-profile Mezza-pede connector system is especially suited for high-reliability applications such as providing power to a tunable laser. With a mated height of 4 mm, Mezza-pede connectors are suitable for mezzanine board applications where z-axis space is a constraint. The patented pin and lead frame design is surface mountable and features screw-machined terminals with multifinger contacts with a per contact current rating >1A at 80°C. An overmoulded lead frame seals the surface-mount pins to prevent solder wicking and ensures a solid solder joint at the PCB level. Advanced Interconnections Corp., West Warwick, RI, USA

Cable management products

A manufacturer of interconnect systems offers a line of cable management products including cord grips and cable glands. The products offer a range of options to ensure that cable connections are set. The line, which ranges from industrial cord grips and cable glands to ATEX and IECEx explosion-proof cable glands, are suited for a variety of applications that require sturdy cable connections. A number of sealing and cable retention options available for both the cord grips and cable glands provide moistureproof strain relief at the entry of a cord, cable, or other flexible conduit into electrical equipment. Amphenol Industrial
Sidney, NY, USA

Quick-connect fittings

A company has expanded its line of quick-connect fittings and quick-disconnect couplings with eight new configurations and an additional raw material family. The XQC series of quick-connect fittings feature ergonomic grips and single barbs to offer tubing retention and to support ease of assembly. The fittings offer support for plastic and metal button-type connectors from other suppliers. Available options for the product family include open-flow and valved-panel-mount male and female versions, open-flow straight male and female connectors, and open-flow and valved male elbows, all offered in acetal copolymer resin with Buna-N O-rings. White polypropylene versions, with EPDM O-ring seals, are available in straight-valved male and female connectors. Value Plastics Inc., Fort Collins, CO, USA