Erni adds MicroBridge connector for automotive design
Compact and robust cable connectors, the MicroBridge family has high mating reliability and has been developed by Erni for the automotive environment.
The single-row MicroBridge family is a 1.27mm pitch cable-to-board connector that has been developed in accordance with the demanding automotive test specifications VW75174 and USCAR-2. Against this background, the robust MicroBridge offers superior mating integrity and simple and reliable processing.
Koshiri security, an optional electrical connector position assurance (e-CPA) and possible color and mechanical coding for any number of pins ensure safe and reliable connections. Koshiri security means protection against damage caused by improper or skewed insertion. With the MicroBridge, tongues on the female connector and grooves on the male connector allow the pre-alignment of the connector housings, ensuring a precise mating process. The contact pins of the male connector are not damaged by improper, skewed mating.
The e-CPA enables testing for secure contact between the female and male connectors even during the mating process, using a shortened test pin (without signal and power supply function) on the male connector.
The small pitch of 1.27mm makes the MicroBridge suitable for use in small spaces. It can withstand the harsh environmental conditions, such as vibrations or shock loads (as specified in VW75174, for example) and it can also withstand high temperatures in the vehicle of up to 150 degrees C.
The housing latching mechanism on both sides of the connector provides acoustic and haptic feedback of the interlocking during the mating process. The latching mechanism can be released without tools. The solder clips of the male connectors absorb mechanical stress and resist high shock and vibration loads. The high-temperature resistance allows the connectors to be used in areas exposed to demanding temperature conditions, e.g. close to LEDs in the headlights.
The MicroBridge is available as a single-row male connector in straight and angled SMT versions. The male connectors are supplied in tape-on-reel packaging for automatic assembly. The single-row female connectors are available as insulation displacement versions (IDC). They are currently available with a 90 degree cable outlet and are qualified according to internationally recognised standards. The double design of the insulation displacement terminal further ensures reliability. In addition, the integrated strain relief protects the IDC from mechanical stress caused by cable movements.
The MicroBridge cable connector is currently available in a single-row version and with pin counts from two to 20.
