Connectors are also called connectors. To build a communication bridge between blocked or isolated circuits within a circuit, allowing current to flow and enabling the circuit to achieve its intended function. Also known as connectors and sockets in China, they generally refer to electrical connectors. A device that connects two active components and transmits current or signals.

Performance of connectors

1. Mechanical performance: In terms of connection function, insertion and extraction force is an important mechanical performance.

Insertion and extraction forces are divided into insertion force and extraction force (also known as separation force), and their requirements are different. In the relevant standards, there are provisions for large insertion force and small separation force, indicating that from a usage perspective, the insertion force should be small (resulting in structures with low insertion force LIF and no insertion force ZIF), and if the separation force is too small, it will affect the reliability of the contact.

Another important mechanical performance is the mechanical lifespan of the connector. Mechanical lifespan is actually a durability indicator, referred to as mechanical operation in the national standard GB5095. It is evaluated based on whether the connector can complete its connection function (such as contact resistance value) normally after a specified insertion and extraction cycle, with one insertion and one extraction as one cycle. The insertion and extraction force and mechanical life of connectors are related to the contact structure (positive pressure size), the coating quality (sliding friction coefficient) of the contact area, and the accuracy of the contact arrangement dimensions (alignment).

2. Electrical performance: The main electrical performance of connectors includes contact resistance, insulation resistance, and electrical strength.

① Contact resistance: High quality electrical connectors should have low and stable contact resistance. The contact resistance of connectors varies from a few milliohms to tens of milliohms.

② Insulation resistance: an indicator that measures the insulation performance between the contact parts of an electrical connector and between the contact parts and the housing, with an order of magnitude ranging from several hundred megaohms to several gigaohms.

③ Electrical strength: also known as withstand voltage or dielectric withstand voltage, is the ability to withstand the rated test voltage between connector contacts or between contacts and the housing.

④ Other electrical performance: Electromagnetic interference leakage attenuation is used to evaluate the electromagnetic interference shielding effect of connectors. Electromagnetic interference leakage attenuation is used to evaluate the electromagnetic interference shielding effect of connectors, and is generally tested in the frequency range of 100MHz~10GHz.

For RF coaxial connectors, there are also electrical indicators such as characteristic impedance, insertion loss, reflection coefficient, and voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR). Due to the development of digital technology, a new type of connector called high-speed signal connector has emerged to connect and transmit high-speed digital pulse signals. Correspondingly, in terms of electrical performance, in addition to characteristic impedance, some new electrical indicators have also emerged, such as crosstalk, transmission delay, skew, etc.