The trend toward smaller and thinner electronic devices continues unabated. As the smart society and big data society become realized, the number of electronic devices around us will increase, and in proportion to the increase in the number of devices, the trend toward smaller and thinner electronic devices will continue to advance.

As electronic devices become smaller and thinner, the space available for electronic components becomes more limited, and connectors have evolved to be smaller and lower profile. However, while smaller and lower profile connectors offer the advantage of being able to be used in smaller spaces, they may also be more difficult to handle, and, depending on where they are used, there may be concerns about connection reliability.

Therefore, I-PEX offers a wide lineup of connectors with various mating heights to meet various designs and use cases.

This page introduces board-to-board connectors that combines compact size and functionality with a mating height of 1.5 mm, making them ideal for space-constrained applications.
 

Mating Height 1.5mm Board to Board Connector Features

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The advantages of 1.5mm mating height board-to-board connectors are mating workability and connection reliability.

 

Excellent Mating Workability

The quality of mating workability is difficult to quantify because it is an area of sensory perception that varies from person to person, but it is mainly determined by the following factors:

・Intuitive Operation with a Click Feeling

A clicking feeling when inserting a PLUG connector into a RECEPTACLE connector confirms that the connectors are firmly mated. This prevents damage to the connectors due to additional weight after mating and also prevents poor connection due to the semi-mating of connectors that are not firmly mated.

The main methods of creating a clicking feeling when mating is the utilization of a spring structure placed in the contact or metal shell and the placement of pimples. Pimples are inevitably worn off by repeated mating, resulting in a loss of click feeling. However, the spring structure of the connector makes it difficult for the click feeling to change after repeated mating operations.

 

・The Mating Guide Guides Connectors to the Proper Mating Position

Board to board connectors cannot be visually mated because the connectors are hidden by the PCB or FPC during the mating process. In this case, it is important to provide a guide to ensure that the connectors are mated in the proper position. Taller connectors are easier to guide by design than shorter connectors, allowing for optimal mating by hand even in blind mating situations.

 

Connectors with excellent mating performance solve a variety of problems.

Selecting connectors with excellent mating workability will contribute to lower assembly failure rates at mass-production plants and lower overall production costs. In recent years, the concept of ESG and SDGs has become more common, and users tend to repair and use electronic equipment for a longer period.

Therefore, when users who do not handle connectors daily perform repairs, there may be cases where connector damage is caused by operating a connector that is not easy to work with. We believe that selecting connectors that are easy to mate with will help to avoid such problems.

 

High Connection Reliability

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Connection reliability is an indicator that the physical contact between connector contacts is secure. When connectors maintain high connection reliability, stable signal transmission and power supply are realized.

 

・Long Effective Mating Length for a Stable Connection

Connectors with higher mating height have higher connection reliability because the effective mating length of the contacts can be longer. Therefore, even if the connector mating is slightly misaligned due to vibration or shock in the electronic equipment, the connection can be maintained as long as the misalignment is within the effective mating length.

The long effective mating length also increases the function of eliminating contamination during connector insertion. Contamination on connector contacts can lead to poor contact, signal distortion, malfunctions, etc. The long effective mating length has a high wiping effect, and even if contaminants adhere to the contacts, they are swept away to secure electrical and signal continuity paths.

※The wiping effect refers to the action of contacts removing foreign matter (contamination) during connector mating.

・Maintains Mating even under Stress from FPC

As signal transmission speeds have increased in recent years, FPCs have become stiffer, as needed. Therefore, depending on the location of the connector and the way the FPC is routed, the FPC is constantly stressed against the connector and pressure may be applied in the direction of unmating. Tall connectors with excellent mating retention are effective for use in such locations.

The 1.5mm mating height board-to-board connector is reliable in the essential "connecting" function of a connector.

The most important role of a connector is to connect signals. Board to board connectors with a mating height of 1.5mm, which have a long effective mating length and high mating retention force, deliver important signals securely.

A mating height of 1.5mm x 0.35mm pitch contributes to product miniaturization

I-PEX currently offers two types of board-to-board connectors with a mating height of 1.5 mm. While most board-to-board connectors with a mating height of 1.5 mm have a pitch width of 0.4 mm, I-PEX is designed with a 0.35 mm pitch to reduce the pitch direction. Furthermore, the depth dimension is shorter than that of other companies’ products, making it a very compact connector. I-PEX also meets space-saving design requirements without sacrificing workability and connection reliability.

Please consider I-PEX's board to board connectors with 1.5mm mating height, which are compact, offer excellent mating workability and high connection reliability, for your next product design.

 

Related Products

NOVASTACK^® 35-HDH
1.5 mm height, 0.35 mm pitch , Fully-shielded and high-profile design, High-speed 20 GHz (≒40 Gbps)/lane transmission

• Capable of 20 GHz (≒40 Gbps)/lane transmission, ideal for the latest high-speed signals
• ZenShield^® fully-shielded with multi-point grounds to prevent EMI leakage
• High-profile connector designed for excellent mating workability

NOVASTACK^® 35-PH
1.5 mm height connector with long effective contact wipe length, power contacts, 0.35 mm pitch, vertical mating

• Dedicated high-profile design that promotes high-retention using a distinct clicking feeling
• Robust design with hold down feature and prevents half-mating
• 0.35 mm pitch contributes to space saving on the board

 

Recommended Applications

Laptops, home appliances, audio equipment, in-car cameras, in-car monitors, industrial equipment.