Do you know how card socket connectors are classified in a concise way?
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- Issue Time
- Mar 19,2025
Summary
The following is a concise classification guide for card socket connectors.
The following is a concise classification guide for card socket connectors.
Core Categories and Features
1. By Application
- Board-to-Board: Connects multilayer PCBs, with pitches ranging from 0.4mm (smartphones) to 1.27mm (industrial equipment).
- Wire-to-Board: Crimp-type (high current) or IDC (insulation displacement, no stripping), e.g., power adapters.
- Wire-to-Wire: JST series (consumer electronics) or waterproof types (automotive wiring harnesses).
2. By Structure
- Through-Hole: Vertical pin insertion (DIP package), ideal for manual soldering.
- Right-Angle: 90° bent pins (e.g., HDMI ports), space-saving.
- Surface-Mount (SMT): Miniaturized design (smartwatches), compatible with automated production.
3. By Contact Mechanism
- Spring-Loaded: Pogo Pins (wearable device charging contacts) with 50–300gf contact force.
- Pin Header: Single/double-row pins (Arduino), high-speed variants support 10Gbps+.
- Clamp-Type: Screw terminals (industrial power cabinets) or spring clamps (tool-free wiring).
4. By Protection Level
- Waterproof: IP67/IP68 (outdoor lighting) or automotive-grade (EV charging ports).
- Dustproof: Silicone seals (mining equipment).
- Explosion-Proof: Flameproof enclosures (petrochemical applications).
5. Special Functions
- Locking Mechanism: Push-pull (Hirose) or rotary locks (aviation plugs) to prevent disconnection.
- Shielded: Metal shells (D-Sub ports) or ferrite cores (HDMI cables) for EMI resistance.
- High-Frequency: Coaxial connectors (SMA/BNC) for RF signals.
Key Selection Criteria
1. Electrical Requirements:
- Current/Voltage: High-current options use gold-plated terminals (e.g., 3μm coating); high-voltage types withstand 600V.
- Signal Frequency: High-frequency designs require 50Ω impedance matching (coaxial cables).
2. Mechanical Performance:
- Durability: Consumer-grade (500 cycles) vs. industrial-grade (10,000 cycles).
- Temperature Range: Industrial (-40°C~125°C) vs. commercial (0°C~70°C).
3. Environmental Adaptability:
- IP ratings (water/dust resistance), vibration resistance (automotive/aerospace).
Typical Applications
- Consumer Electronics: Miniature SMT connectors (0.5mm pitch) + Pogo Pin charging contacts.
- Automotive: High-voltage connectors (800V rated) + FAKRA (in-car cameras).
- Industrial: Shielded M12 connectors (EMI protection) + screw terminals (high current).
Summary: Choose connectors based on current, signal, space, and environment, prioritizing industry standards (e.g., automotive LV214, military MIL-DTL).