AVX has developed a coplanar, connector-less contact system that optimises lateral PCB alignment and maximises mating tolerances in linear LED lighting applications. Packaged on tape and reel for individual, automatic placement, the new 70-9159 horizontal contact system features a 5A current rating, absorbs significant X- and Y-axis assembly tolerances, provides a reliable gold-to-gold active contact interface for maximum contact integrity in rugged lighting environments, and can support both board-to-board and wire-to-board applications.
"To minimise LED pitch densities and maximise light output in SSL strip lighting applications, LEDs should run down the centre of a PCB. However, connectors usually interrupt this requirement at every board-to-board interface", said Tom Anderson, product manager at AVX. Consequently, since single-contact connectors were not an economically feasible solution, AVX has devised a way to remove the cost of the connector without affecting the functionality, providing both a technical and cost-effective solution for PCB optimisation in LED strip lighting.
 

AVX's new 70-9159 contacts remove the insulator from the connection solution, enabling LEDs to be placed in the centre of the PCB and contacts to be individually placed on its outer edges, effectively maximising function and mitigating costs. Featuring a contact height of 1.2mm above the PCB to prevent shadowing, the contacts may be individually spaced to support any voltage rating with a 5A current rating. Capable of supporting operating temperatures ranging from -40°C to +125°C, the 70-9159 copper alloy contacts have gold socket contacts with 1mm side-to-side tolerance, tin plugs with gold in the mating area and a 1mm mating tolerance, and five-cycle durability.

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