Plug and Display
The process of physically locating, connecting, and protecting devices or components.
See Density.
See Levels of Packaging.
A machine at the end of an assembly machine (after the inspect/reject station) that automatically packs products into trays, tubes or other packing.
The portion of the conductive pattern on printed circuits designated for the mounting or attachment of components. Also called land.
PCB contact pads may be gold, copper, tin, lead, or silver-coated. Plating methods can result in significant variations in contact pad thickness that must be considered when calculating separation distance between contacts.
A connector that joins a conductor to the terminal pad (solid or laminated block) of electrical apparatus.
A small PCB used as an intermediate step in terminating wire to an I/O connector. Typically the wire is soldered to one edge of the small PCB paddle card and the other edge presents "edge" surface contact pads for connection to outside female contacts. The use of paddle cards has decreased with improved soldering and other technologies.
See also Card Edge Connector.
One of several conductive materials used for shielding, repairing, connecting, and adhesion purposes. Paint can be applied by brushing, dispensing, silk screening, dipping, spraying, stenciling or firing.
The side or front of a piece of equipment, usually metal, on which connectors are mounted.
An inexpensive input/output connector that is attached to a box via mounting ears molded to its housing. These mounting ears snap into a pre-cut holes in the panel.
Method of fixing a connector half to a board, panel, or frame. Usually, the female portion of the connector is mounted, and the male half is removable.
An RF connector used to make a connection to electronics enclosed inside a device with a panel located on the front.
A data transmission protocol in which data is transferred eight or more bits of data simultaneously through several parallel lines; contrasted with a serial bus, which transmits data one bit at at time.
A bus that transfers eight or more bits of data simultaneously through several parallel lines; contrasted with a serial bus, which transmits data one bit at at time.
A circuit in which the identical voltage is presented to all components, and the current divides among the components according to the resistance or impedance of each component.
A duplex construction in which two insulated conductors are laid parallel and then covered overall with a braid or jacket. It is often referred to as "duplex cable".
A device for joining two or more conductors in which the conductors lie parallel and adjacent.
See also Lap Joint.
Small, stray, secondary or tertiary element(s) or their combinations (of resistance, inductance, or capacitance) which exist within real circuit elements. In contrast, pure circuit elements are represented by only a single pure resistance or pure reactance, respectively.
The weight of the molded part.
Components that have no gain characteristics, such as inductors, capacitors and resistors.
A static device that requires no power for its intended functions.
A latch that can be disengaged by pulling.
A system of terminal blocks, patch cords and back boards used to make cross-connections for moves and rearrangements.
That portion of a printed circuit pattern that carries current between two pads or between a pad and the terminal area (printed contact, edge pad).
Polybutylene Terephthalate. A plastic molding material used in the housing of wire trap connectors. PBT is commonly used throughout the connector industry.
Private Branch Exchange. A customer premises switch designed to provide voice interconnection, both intrapremises and interpremises. More highly featured than a key system. Latest generation equipment is designed to switch voice and data. Sometimes called PABX (Private Automated Branch Exchange) outside the U.S.
See Board-In Connector.
PC Card
A memory or I/O card that is compatible with PC card standards established by PCMCIA. PC card uses a 68-circuit receptacle as an interface with the host system.
A terminal connector assembly with terminals (usually male) designed for solder-attachment to a PCB.
The PC board end (back end). The tail passes through a hole in the board and is soldered to a copper foil connection on the underside.
A polarization design that assures proper socket orientation to PCB.
Printed Circuit Board. An insulating base material, usually of rosin polymer, onto which interconnecting conductive strips have been printed, usually via an etching process. A PCB is a labor and cost saving method of mounting and interconnecting electronic components with uniform results.
An RF connector used in conjunction with cable connectors to bring signals carried by cables to a PCB.
Plastic Chip Carrier. A chip carrier package which has a molded plastic body.
See also Chip Carrier.
Portable mine cable with power, control, and ground conductors.
Peripheral Component Interface. A system architecture bus and interconnect standard for PCs that is replacing EISA, ISA, and MC to become the primary industry standard. PCI has mezzanine definition (IEEE 1386) for industrial PCs (VME).
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. A personal computer card standards organization consisting of over 300 hardware, software, and connector suppliers. The organization has two purposes:
Premium line is an Associate Member in PCMCIA and has meeting participation and voting rights.
PCMCIA is also used to indicate cards that comply with the standard. They include:
Specifications of the PCMCIA standard include:
PCMCIA card features:
Rubber insulated stranded conductors with cotton braid over each. Conductors twisted with braid overall. 300 in, 10 - 18 AWG, two or more conductors. With heavy insulation, voltage rating may be 600 in.
Personal Digital Assistant. A multi-functional hand held computing device with functions such as data storage, note keeping, schedule, etc. The Palm Pilot is an example.
The maximum instantaneous value of a varying current or voltage. Also called crest.
The type of plug and/or receptacle that is not mounted in a fixed position or attached to a panel or side of equipment. Also called free-hanging.
The conductivity of a material, expressed as the percentage of copper conductivity.
A method of rating DIN 41612 connectors. DIN 41612 connectors are rated by performance class or level, rather than by specifications. Products are tested for number of cycles under various environmental conditions. The three performance classes are:
Level I: 2x250 cycles and a 21 day environmental test.
Level II: 2x200 cycles and a 4 day environmental test.
Level III: 50 cycles with visual inspection only.
Level I connectors are suitable for high-end military and telecommunications applications.
Level II connectors are common in computer, office, and industrial equipment.
Level III connectors are suitable for low cost consumer and commercial applications.
Note that the term "levels" used here has no relationship to levels of interconnect packaging.
The time required for a periodic wave form to complete a full cycle.
The uniformly spaced variations in the insulation diameter of a transmission cable that result in reflections of a signal, when its wavelength or a multiple thereof is equal to the distance between two diameter variations.
A PCB design in which the connector and external components or terminals are located first, and the related components are radiated inwardly from these locations.
This method is appropriate when one connector handles all input and output connections or when components are located either at a board edge or off the board entirely.
A design feature that provides an environmental seal between the forward end of the receptacle even though they are not fully engaged.
A peripheral seal generally consists of a piece of rubber fastened around the inner sidewall of the receptacle from opening skirt or around the outer sidewall of the plug, engagement section.
A Premium line environmentally sealed family of crimped terminals. This is the ultimate in terminations and splicing. The insulation is a nylon shrink tubing with an inner wall of hot-melt adhesive. After the wire is crimped, heat is applied and the insulation shrinks and melts to give the crimp area a complete environmental seal. Wire range 10 to 22 AWG (0.10 to 6.60 mm).
The absolute property of free space which determines the magnetic energy stored per unit volume.
See also Relative Peremability.
The absolute property of free space or of a dielectric which determines the electrostatic energy stored per unit volume for an unit potential gradient (squared).
Picofarad.
Polyester Polyethylene Terephthalate. A popular material used on general applications of SMT connectors.
See Pin Grid Array.
The location of a position on a waveform of an alternating quality, in relation to the start of a cycle. Measured in degrees, with 360° corresponding to one complete cycle.
A change in the phase relationship between two alternating quantities.
The largest volume-produced thermosets, these impregnating resins produce low-cost coatings and varnishes used in insulation production. They are used for connector housings and inserts.
An insulating polymer material that offers one of the lowest specific gravities. Suitable for a wide variety of connector applications.
A metal alloy of copper, tin, and phosphorus used for contact springs in switches and relays. Phosphor bronze may be plated with tin. This 510 alloy improves mechanical characteristics and is suggested for applications where a high number of insertion/withdrawal cycles are required.
A device capable of sensing light. More specifically called photo diode, photo transistor, photo 5CR, or photo FET.
A transistor built so that illumination of the input of the transistor causes the transistor output current to vary with the light intensity.
A device whose electrical resistance varies with the amount of light striking it.
A semiconductor diode built with glass or clear plastic over its junction area so that the diode current varies with the intensity of the light striking it.
Pertaining to the process of converting light into electricity.
A light quantum, the smallest unit of light energy for a given frequency.
A two element electron tube, the cathode of which emits electrons when light strikes it.
A silicon PN junction that produces voltage from light energy. A solar cell.