connector advice

[Ian]

Hello,

I am looking for a connector that will work like a d-sub (9 pin) but does
not have quite as tight a connection. I have a rather unique application
for it. I have a box whose inner temperature and humidity I need to be able
to control. The temperature and humidity controls funnel through the
connector. The entire box sits on a base with another connector of the
opposite gender. This way, the temperature and humidity controls can be
connected to the power supply (through the base) without a lot of loose
wires. Loose wires create several problems, the worst being that they can
block the beam of light that we use to make measurements of our samples.

I was originally planning on using d-sub 9 connectors, but their tight
connection makes removing the box from the base a challenge. Furthermore,
since the box is removed from and put back on the base several times a day,
I'm worried that the d-subs will break quickly. Can anyone recommend any
items that will solve these problems? I need something about as small as a
d-sub, and it must be mountable. I only need 6 pins, not 9.

Thanks,
Ian Hlavacek
hlavacek@rice.edu

 

[WEBPA]

Hello,

I am looking for a connector that will work like a d-sub (9 pin) but does
not have quite as tight a connection. I have a rather unique application
for it. I have a box whose inner temperature and humidity I need to be able
to control. The temperature and humidity controls funnel through the
connector. The entire box sits on a base with another connector of the
opposite gender. This way, the temperature and humidity controls can be
connected to the power supply (through the base) without a lot of loose
wires. Loose wires create several problems, the worst being that they can
block the beam of light that we use to make measurements of our samples.

I was originally planning on using d-sub 9 connectors, but their tight
connection makes removing the box from the base a challenge. Furthermore,
since the box is removed from and put back on the base several times a day,
I'm worried that the d-subs will break quickly. Can anyone recommend any
items that will solve these problems? I need something about as small as a
d-sub, and it must be mountable. I only need 6 pins, not 9.

Thanks,
Ian Hlavacek
hlavacek@rice.edu

Have you considered springs? The base has 6 springs...the bottom of the box
has a piece of pc board with an array of (large) squares matching the springs.
Make the box rectangular; put the pc board on one bottom corner. The base has
a rim so that the box just fits inside...and cannot make contact with the
springs in any way other than correctly.
webpa

 

[Steve Dunbar]

Ian wrote:

Hello,

I am looking for a connector that will work like a d-sub (9 pin) but does
not have quite as tight a connection. ... The entire box sits on a base
with another connector of the
opposite gender. ...

Another poster suggested using an array of springs to make contact with pads
on a PCB. Pogo pins (spring-loaded test pins) should make more reliable
connections than springs.

See <http://www.ectinfo.com/>.



--
Steve

 

[Harry Conover]

"Ian" <superholycrap@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<bh10c1$glp$1@joe.rice.edu>...

Hello,

I am looking for a connector that will work like a d-sub (9 pin) but does
not have quite as tight a connection. I have a rather unique application
for it. I have a box whose inner temperature and humidity I need to be able
to control. The temperature and humidity controls funnel through the
connector. The entire box sits on a base with another connector of the
opposite gender. This way, the temperature and humidity controls can be
connected to the power supply (through the base) without a lot of loose
wires. Loose wires create several problems, the worst being that they can
block the beam of light that we use to make measurements of our samples.

I was originally planning on using d-sub 9 connectors, but their tight
connection makes removing the box from the base a challenge. Furthermore,
since the box is removed from and put back on the base several times a day,
I'm worried that the d-subs will break quickly. Can anyone recommend any
items that will solve these problems? I need something about as small as a
d-sub, and it must be mountable. I only need 6 pins, not 9.

Thanks,
Ian Hlavacek
hlavacek@rice.edu

Try using a zero insertion force (ZIF) 14-pin DIL IC socket and a plug
designed to mate with an IC socket. This will allow connection with no
insertion or removal force. A lever applies pressure to the pins only
when needed. The ZIF sockets that I've used are from Barnes
Engineering and made for use on IC testers, but they work great for
physics lab experimental setups.

The downside is that our Barnes ZIF sockets were priced at from $30 to
$60 each (at last count) but hopefully other less expensive sources
for similar products now exist.

Harry C.