Mobile phone connector minimizes breakage from improper insertion

BY MAJEED AHMAD

Kyocera Connector Products Corp. has unveiled a new connector series for mobile applications that saves space with a low pitch of 0.5 mm and profile height of 1.28 mm. The 6811-Series of flexible printed circuit/flexible flat cable (FPC/FFC) connectors is available in 4 to 16 pins.

These connectors, besides their space-saving profile and low pin counts, boost robustness with metal brackets that prevent cables from being lifted up out of the connector. The metal brackets, for instance, prevent actuators from being unlocked and minimize connector breakage from the unintentional lifting of mated FPC/FFC during the assembly process.

Moreover, Kyocera’s 6811 connectors enhance assembly efficiency by using tabbed FPC/FFC. That prevents contact misalignment from oblique or shallow insertions and enables proper mating conditions with visual confirmation of correct insertion. The connectors, for example, can prevent damage from moving the actuator in the wrong direction or inserting FPC/FFC too forcibly.

Mobile phones and similar devices have increasingly been demanding smaller and thinner FPC/FFC connectors. Kyocera’s 6809 Series of connectors were launched in 2014 to meet such requirements in mobile designs.

However, connectors in mobile devices also need delicate handling in the assembly process and may be damaged by improper insertion or unintentional manual contacts with certain parts. So the 6811-Series has added more robust features to ensure reliable connections.

Case in point: the 6811-Series incorporates a front locking mechanism — bottom contacts — to make sure it connects applicable FPC/FFC with a thickness of 0.3 mm. That’s how these connectors enable FPC/FFC to be fixed with actuator locks.

The actuator that locks FPC/FFC with tabbed cables ensures reliable connection even if the FPC/FFC is pulled forcibly. That, in turn, minimizes or eliminates the likelihood of deforming the contacts or connector structure.

Kyocera’s 6811-Series connectors are halogen-free and are compliant with RoHS standards.