Board-to-board connector shrinks by 71%

Hirose Electric Americas has introduced a multi-RF board-to-board connector that provides a size reduction of up to 71% compared to conventional designs. Claiming the industry’s smallest width of 2.2 mm, the BM56 Series supports multiple RF and digital signals with one connector. Applications for the flexible printed cable (FPC)-to-board BM56 connectors include smartphones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles and wearable devices.

(Source: Hirose Electric Americas)

By combining digital and RF signals into a single connector, the BM56 Series enables the development of smaller, lighter end-products, said Hirose. For additional spacing savings and design flexibility, the ultra-low profile BM56 Series, with a 0.6-mm stacking height, can be placed on top of a device’s battery.

“Conventional connector solutions require one board-to-board connector and two RF connectors to achieve the capability of one BM56 Series connector,” said Pete Lais, AVP of product management at Hirose Electric Americas, in a statement. “These traditional designs do not leave much room for other components. The BM56 connector offers significant PCB space savings allowing OEMs to add a larger battery, add components to increase functionality, or simply miniaturize end-products.”

The BM56 series supports a wide range of high-frequency applications, including 5G, thanks to the contacts designed for both high-speed digital transmission and RF signals.

The BM56 series supports the following RF signal transmissions (VSWR):

•      DC to 5 GHz: 1.3 Max
•      5 to 10 GHz: 1.4 Max
•      10 to 20 GHz: 1.5 Max

Key features include a double-shielded design for improved EMI protection and a fully armored design on both ends of the housing with metal for robustness and a reduction in the risk of housing damage from mating misalignment. The connector also provides a wide self-alignment range of ±0.3 mm in the pitch direction and ±0.3 mm in the width direction, with guidance ribs for smooth mating operation.