Lighting strip connector

An inline connector from Tyco Electronics is designed to make connecting aluminium-clad printed circuit boards for LED lighting applications that include lighting controls and LED light modules faster and easier.

The low-profile surface-mount connector, available in two, four and six positions, uses a hermaphroditic blade and receptacle design to allow LED printed circuit board strips to be joined with more flexibility than with traditional post-and-receptacle headers.

Connections can be made by sliding the two boards together horizontally or vertically. The capability to slide the two boards together vertically makes replacement of a board in mid-strip easier by lifting up the strip to be replaced and lowering in the new one.

The connector features a flexible mating engagement allowance of 2.5 mm horizontally and 1.1 mm vertically to accommodate variations in the mounting of the PC boards. It also permits right-angle mating of the boards.

The hermaphroditic design results in only one part to be inventoried and simplifies design by allowing the same footprint on both ends of the strip.

The liquid-crystal polymer housings are available either tape or reel mounted, are compatible with vacuum pick-and-place equipment and reflow soldering, and feature a low, space-saving profile of 3.2 mm. They have a 5 A current rating.