Introduction | Part Products | European Products
Introduction
The Miniature Ribbon connector has been a mainstay in the electronics
industry for decades. First widely used in telecommunications, it has proven itself to be a very reliable interconnection system, with generous wiping action, high contact pressure, large mating surface area in a relatively compact format, and polarized shells to ensure proper orientation in mating.
The Miniature Ribbon connector gets its name from the ribbon-like shape of the mating end of the contact. It is a derivative of the first connector design to incorporate this type of interconnection where mating members are equally flexible. Each contact is backed up by its respective insulator, resulting in high contact pressure without concern over relaxation that can occur with a beam or cantilever design. Industry standard sizes for this product are 50, and 64 positions. Cinch adheres to industry-standard contact numbering and mating geometry.
Cinch has led the way in making the Miniature Ribbon connector one of the most cost-effective yet high-quality connector systems in the industry. From its roots in the telecommunications industry where it is traditionally known as the “Key Telephone” style connector (USOC Type RJ21), Cinch’s innovations in termination, latching, and accessories have helped make the Miniature Ribbon family the choice for applications in computers and instrumentation as well. It is called out as the standard connector for a parallel printer interface (IEEE 1284-B, also known as “Centronics”), multi-purpose peripheral interface (SCSI-1), and instrumentation interface (IEEE-488, also know as “GPIB”).
Cinch manufactures one of the most diverse lines of Miniature Ribbon products in the industry. From SUPERIBBON™ all-plastic products with solderless termination to full-metal shell products with solder terminations, and even filtered versions designed to solve EMI problems, Cinch can provide the Miniature Ribbon products you need.
Several options are available so you can find the right Cinch Miniature Ribbon product for your application. Cinch’s method of integrating features into the product often reduces overall installed cost compared to other alternatives. Select the termination type, the configuration, the latching and mounting methods to be used, and any accessories that would make the installation of the connector complete.
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Features
Termination Options
Cinch offers products suitable for termination by various methods:
- IDC — Cinch’s patented Insulation Displacement Contact (IDC) provides reliable, low-cost termination to discrete wire, either loose or in jacketed cable. With the use of special tools designed for field and/or factory use, wires can be terminated to the connector without individual cutting, stripping, or soldering. Reliable performance is ensured by the exclusive 4-point contact termination, and the built-in wire strain relief prevents mechanical stress from reaching the termination points.
Cinch IDC connectors are available in both Metal Shell and All-Plastic SUPERIBBON versions. They are available to terminate solid conductor (some 22 AWG, and 24-26 AWG) or stranded (24-28 AWG) wire. Likewise, a full range of termination tooling is available.
- Wire Wrap — This termination style, which is also solderless, is often used when termination must be done in place, such as in wired backplanes, etc. Cinch wire-wrap terminated Miniature Ribbon connectors are available in both Metal Shell and All-Plastic versions, with either .025" or .045" sq. tails.
- Solder Cup — For those applications where nothing but the lowest termination resistance will do, Cinch offers Metal Shell Miniature Ribbon connectors with solder-cup termination. Available with or without insulator barriers between contact terminal areas, these products will accept up to one 22 AWG solid wire or one 24 AWG stranded wire per contact.
- Solder Tail — This style allows Cinch Miniature Ribbon connectors to be through-hole soldered directly to a printed circuit board. They are available in Vertical Mount and Right-Angle Mount versions.
Configuration
Cinch Miniature Ribbon and SUPERIBBON products are available as connectors alone to be mounted to a system’s panel or printed circuit board, or complete with hoods for use on various types of cable assemblies. Hooded products are available with cable exits straight back 180 degrees from the mating face (Top-Entry) or with cable exits on either end, 90, or 270 degrees from the mating face (Standard and Reverse Orientation End- Entry). Finally, overmold kits are available allowing you to efficiently and economically manufacture your own “custom” cable assemblies.
End-Entry SuperShieldTM connectors and All-Plastic SUPERIBBON connectors feature an integral cable clamp that prevents stress on the termination area, even when the hood is removed during assembly or repair.
Top-Entry products have cable clamps built into the hoods. These clamps are adjustable to fit a range of cable sizes.
Latching Options
Miniature Ribbon and SUPERIBBON products exhibit a degree of self-locking inherent in the contact design; however, additional locking means are recommended to prevent connectors from being unmated inadvertently. Choices include:
- Screwlock Hardware — the simplest connectors require the use of separate threaded hardware to lock mating connectors together. Some Cinch Miniature Ribbon cable connectors include locking screws; hardware for other configurations may be found in the Accessories section of the Miniature Ribbon line.
Some panel-mount products are available with fixed female (internal thread) screwlocks that provide an integral threaded screwlock as part of the connector.
- Bail Latches — as an alternative to screwlock hardware, Cinch offers many configurations with industry-standard bail latches. These connectors have wire clips on each end of the socket, and mating plugs have notched ends that these clips snap into.
Bail latches offer the advantage of operating without any tools. Because of this, they have been standardized into several applications, including “Centronics” 36-position parallel printer interface and SCSI-1 peripheral interface bus.
Bail latch sockets include standard “straight” latches, suitable for top entry configurations. Special latches can be ordered to replace one standard latch to fit under the cable on end entry mating plug assemblies.
- InstaLatchTM — all Cinch SUPERIBBON all-plastic sockets and some metal shell Miniature Ribbon sockets are available with a Cinch-patented latching system called InstaLatch. In this passive latching system, spring clips at each end of the socket automatically lock into windows in the shell of the mating plug securing the two connectors together. Audible feedback confirms that the connectors are indeed locked.
InstaLatches may be unlocked by depressing the latch at either end of the connector, using almost any small, pointed-end tool. A special tool is also available to unlatch InstaLatches when connectors are laid out in a tight arrangement.
- J-Hooks — These devices, available on selected Miniature Ribbon products, automatically lock onto the nose and hood of mating end entry connectors. They are easily unlatched without special tools and are more accessible than other latches in certain applications.
Mounting Options
Various mounting options are available with Cinch Miniature Ribbon
and SUPERIBBON products:
- Through-Hole/Threaded Hole — These products require separate hardware to mount the connector to a panel or other component. Versions are available to accommodate #3, #4, and in some cases, through #8 hardware.
Standard size cutouts are adequate for mounting panel-mount connectors to system panels with this type of hardware. They may be front- or rear-mounted. (Sockets with bail latches, however, must be front-mounted unless a modified cutout is used to clear the latch retaining hardware.)
Metal Shell PC Mount products are available in some versions with standoffs to the printed circuit board. These may be conductive or insulated.
- Panel Clips — These devices are add-on accessories for All-Plastic products and are available as optional configurations on certain Metal Shell products. They allow you to mount the connector to the system panel without screws, nuts, or spacers, and leave the connector’s mounting holes free for use in latching, if so desired.
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Products
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European Products
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