Board to Board Connectors connection and Floating structure B2B connector
- Top
- Technical Info
- What is a connector
- Board to Board Connectors connection configuration and Floating structure
What is Board to Board Connectors?
As the name suggests, this is a connector that connects boards together. It is also known as Board to Board Connector (Be-to-Be) or board-to-board connector. It started with pins (called pin headers) that stand on the board and the sockets into which they are inserted. Since then, various types of Board to Board Connectors have emerged to meet various applications and size requirements. Compared to cases where connections are made via wires or FPC / FFC, this provides a neater and more compact connection.
Connection form
When Mating connectors, in principle there are male and female = plug and Socket, and depending on the mounting and Mating relationship to the board, there are straight types (hereinafter referred to as ST types) and right angle types (hereinafter referred to as RA types). Board to Board Connectors have three connection configurations depending on the combination of these.
Stacking connection ST type + ST type
Boards can be connected in parallel by using ST type for both Socket.
If one of the boards becomes a child board, it is called a mezzanine connection, etc., as if it were a two-story structure. Connectors for Stacking connection are therefore also called mezzanine connectors.
Adjust Mating Height by selecting the height of each plug and Socket. This is the most popular type of connection, and the type with the most variations for our company.
Right angle connection ST type + RA type
Boards can be connected vertically by using RA type for either plug or Socket.
Horizontal connection RA type + RA type
Boards can be connected horizontally by using RA type for both plugs and Socket.
Please click here to see the IRISO product lineup for each connection type.
Floating structure
Connecting boards Board to Board Connectors differs significantly from connections via wires or FPCs in that the relative positions of the boards are fixed. While this is often an advantage when assembling the final device, it can cause problems in certain situations.
For example, when multiple connectors are used to connect boards together, or when there is an effect due to the forced positioning of boards when assembling them into a housing, problems such as assembly becoming difficult depending on the mounting precision, or stress remaining in the mounting parts (soldered parts) even after assembly can arise. Ultimately, there is a risk that functionality cannot be guaranteed, such as when creep stress causes cracks in the soldered parts.
In order to avoid these problems, a function called "Floating structure" is created by providing a spring, so to speak, with "play". This function absorbs the misalignment between the boards and relieves the stress on the connection part with the board. At the same time, by providing a taper called a guide to the connector housing, it is possible to greatly improve the ease of assembly. We take pride in having the largest variety of Floating Connector in the industry.
On the other hand, the challenge with Floating Connector is size. The key to success is how to provide as much Floating structure as possible in as small a space as possible, but fixed/rigid connectors without Floating structure can be made smaller, and are also advantageous in terms of cost as they have a simpler structure. The best choice is to use them according to the customer's application and usage environment.
For example, if you are using two Board to Board Connectors, you can consider leaving one fixed and the other Floating structure. Please consult with your sales representative or contact us via our website and we will make a proposal to best suit your needs.
Evolutionary system of Floating Connector Vibration resistance solution Z-Move structure
Z-Move structure is our proprietary technology that takes Floating Connector technology one step further, and is characterized by Floating structure in the Mating direction. Assuming that the conventional two-dimensional Floating structure parallel to the board is the X-axis/Y-axis, this three-dimensional Floating structure is named Z-Move structure because the Mating direction is the Z-axis.
As I explained earlier, the proposition of Floating structure was "absorption of deviation". On the other hand, there is an effective Mating length in the Mating direction, and by making this length longer, it is possible to absorb misalignment even without Floating structure. In other words, the problem that Z-Move structure is trying to solve is not "fixed deviation".
Consider what happens to two boards connected by a connector when the device is under vibration. In particular, if a resonance phenomenon occurs in one of the boards, the influence on the vibration of each board will not necessarily match. Therefore, the mutual positional relationship of the boards, that is, the positional relationship of the male and female connectors mounted on each board, changes at a certain frequency, albeit minutely. At that time, the contacts of the connector terminals will behave as if they rub against each other. The problem at this time is the corrosion of the contact due to micro-sliding wear, a phenomenon known as microfretting corrosion. This creates the risk of not being able to maintain a healthy electrical connection.
On the other hand, in connectors with Z-Move structure technology, the contact part of the terminal absorbs the difference in the vibration of each board due to the Floating structure in the Mating direction, and even if the distance between the boards changes, fine sliding wear occurs. I don't. Z-Move structure is a solution with excellent anti-vibration properties.
Again, in order to absorb the discrepancy in Mating Height in devices that are not subject to vibrations, it is sufficient to select a normal Floating Connector with an appropriate effective Mating. . Of course, Z-Move structure is also acceptable, but since the terminal structure is complicated to achieve Floating structure in Mating direction, there may be disadvantages in terms of cost and size. If you consult with our sales representative or contact us via the web, we will make a proposal that best suits your needs.
Be sure to check out the Z-Move structure feature page as well.
Regarding the selection of Board to Board Connectors
We offer a wide variety of Board to Board Connectors to meet the various needs of our customers. Our website offers several search methods for different purposes, so please feel free to use them.
Search by connection type, Mating Height, etc.
Search from various ratings, etc.
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