Header connector for mounting in the PCB slot, does such thing exist? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 10:51:24 am
content: I need some header connector to be mounted in the PCB slot. Need to approximately match the height (need to be low profile) with another connector which cannot be changed + there are space constrains. Something with about 6mm pin length, through hole versions with shorter pins pins and therefore lower height do exist, but they are too short to reliably attach receptacle on them. The idea is something like SMD header mounted in the opposite way through slot in the PCB but pins are too short for to such mounting be reliable IMO. Does such a thing exist with longer mounting pins or maybe you have some smart alternative idea?Edit: the total height above the pcb should not exceed 7 mm, probably, 7.5 mm if there is no other way, best would be 6-6.5 mm height.

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 10:58:52 am
content: Can you provide youractualconstraints? How far from the near side (forget about the slot for now) of the PCB may the pins reach? How far may the plastic bar that normally holds headers together reach above the surface, again if hypothetically you didn't use a slot? These are the two numbers that actually define your problem and you haven't provided either.Edit: In other words, can you please provide the value of A, and the allowable range of values for B in this diagram?:EDIT: Fixed broken image link.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 11:04:13 am
content: Quote from: rs20 on March 09, 2015, 10:58:52 amTotal height above the pcb should not exceed 7 mm, probably, 7.5 mm if there is no other way, best would be 6-6.5 mm height.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 11:16:28 am
content: Existing connector is vertical micro USBhttp://gct.co/connector/?series=USB3145there must be a header nearby accessible from outside the case. It must not stick out of the enclosure of course. Device is already designed by mechanical engineer, it includes moving mechanics interacting with the switches on the PCB, so I need to fit to into what I have.

author: kurt
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 11:21:15 am
content: Is this a one-of project, or something that is to go into production? If it is a one-of, you might be able to solve it by pushing the pins down to desired height in a normal header, solder it, and then slide up and remove the plastic piece. Probably not feasible if it needs to be automated though.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 11:23:42 am
content: Small run, few tens at least, probably few hundreds if the things go well. All will be soldered by myself unless the things go crazy.

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 11:26:07 am
content: Just a couple of random thoughts: if you find a slightlylongerthan normal pin header, you can just push it through a standard through-hole footprint from the opposite side to normal (such that the plastic holding it together is on the opposite side of the board), and that'll render the pins effectively (thickness-of-PCB + thickness-of-plastic-bit) shorter. With a standard header, this would make it too short actually, but see below.Also, the pins in a standard through-hole header are quite easy to slide to a new position, it'd be fairly straightforward to make a little jig to very repeatably modify the length of the pins by just pushing them in or out of the housing like this, modifying the pins to be exactly the length you want (mounted either side of the board). [Already mentioned by someone else by the time I posted this]

author: enz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 11:33:31 am
content: Samtec (www.samtec.com) has some different length options for their connectors.I did not check the details, but maybe something like this could fit:http://cloud.samtec.com/catalog_english/HW_SM.PDFBut don't be surprised, Samtec can be expensive.MartinEdit: typo removed

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 11:39:52 am
content: How about this a vertical micro usb 2.0 plug from the same company?http://gct.co/connector/?series=USB3150PDF:http://gct.co/usb-connectors/pdf/USB3150.pdf7.13mm unless you can find a clever way to mount it.Edit: just noticed (Product Status: Preliminary)

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 12:00:49 pm
content: Quote from: kurt on March 09, 2015, 11:21:15 amThanks, probably will do this if there is no other way. Would prefer to just solder existing connector, though.

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 12:02:42 pm
content: Quote from: enz on March 09, 2015, 11:33:31 amThose parts are permanent board-to-board interconnects... I believe OP wants a temporary connection, probably some sort of programming header of some sort??Quote from: miguelvp on March 09, 2015, 11:39:52 amOP doesn't want a USB plug; OP only showed the female USB part to illustrate the other part that was driving the design constraint.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 12:05:34 pm
content: Quote from: rs20 on March 09, 2015, 12:02:42 pmMaybe I misunderstood what he meant by:Quote from: wraper on March 09, 2015, 11:16:28 am

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 12:06:50 pm
content: Quote from: miguelvp on March 09, 2015, 11:39:52 amI would prefer to stick with the header connector. The reason is this connector will be used by less than 10% of the users. Devices which will be connected to this connector, most likely will have header connector too for this purpose. If I use header connector, that's it, I don't need to supply any (probably custom) cables. If I use anything else, I very likely will have a PITA with supplying cables afterwards.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 12:09:09 pm
content: Quote from: rs20 on March 09, 2015, 12:02:42 pmThis is for bypassing USB and directly accessing switches on the PCB.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 12:32:32 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on March 09, 2015, 12:06:50 pmI meant on the matting board, not to replace the connector.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 12:56:23 pm
content: Quote from: miguelvp on March 09, 2015, 12:32:32 pmI made that post before reading post about misunderstanding. There is no mating board. Those connectors need to be slightly recessed into the hole on the back panel.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 02:25:28 pm
content: Found a picture with google. Seem to exist, would be nice to fina single row and where to buy them actually.

author: krivx
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 02:51:16 pm
content: Do you require that the pins are staggered left and right? Right angled headers are available nearly everywhere eghttp://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/68016-106HLF/609-3313-ND/1878482

author: max666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 02:59:04 pm
content: http://at.rs-online.com/web/p/leiterplatten-header/7188829/http://at.rs-online.com/web/p/leiterplatten-header/3606370/http://at.rs-online.com/web/p/leiterplatten-header/7656578/

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 03:38:01 pm
content: Quote from: krivx on March 09, 2015, 02:51:16 pmIn such connector pins are bent too far away from the plastic part therefore actually there is no advantage in height compared to the through hole part. Also soldering only on one side lets me think it would be rather easy to break that off. I want such as SMT ones (pins bent in both sides close to the plastic) but with longer mounting pins.max666Thanks but first and third are just SMT parts, exactly like on the pictures I posted, therefore with short mounting pins. Second is exactly as krivx suggested, therefore not good too.

author: max666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 04:12:30 pm
content: Aren't you a tough customer(j/k)Well, I leave it up to you to got through the rs or any other suppliers product list to find anything still buried there, maybe someone else still knows them at hand.But since the amount you need is still manageable, might I suggest to get just the long ones and bent them yourself?

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 04:28:19 pm
content: Quote from: max666 on March 09, 2015, 04:12:30 pmOf course I had an idea about that passing in my head but doubt I will able to do that nicely in any significant amount.I have another crazy idea how to use 90oheader SMT soldered on on the opposite side, plasic part being drown into the PCB slot and pins passing through the holesWill try to draw that after a bit of time

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 04:37:27 pm
content: Talk to a local machine shop (or perhaps a machinist hobbiest). With an appropriate jig you COULD bend your own neatly, repeatably and fairly easily. This simplest jig would require a two step operation, flipping the header over to bend the interleaved pins the opposite direction. While you could build the jig by yourself with a saw and files, someone who works metal a lot will have more appropriate tools to hand.

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 04:39:05 pm
content: Maybe I haven't read through the entire thread carefully, but a Google image search for SMD header reveals dozens of options.There is no clear reason why an ordinary SMD header can't be mounted from the bottom of the board through a slot as shown in the first illustration.And furthermore, they make low-profile (2mm) versions of those SMD headers....http://katalog.we-online.de/en/em/621_0xx_245_821

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 04:54:00 pm
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on March 09, 2015, 04:39:05 pmQuote from: wraper on March 09, 2015, 10:51:24 amPins will barely touch the pads from inside. Also I should allow some tolerance for the slot.

author: ion54
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 05:29:07 pm
content: This is the best I could find. It gives you almost 1 mm of soldering surface. Mechanically is still not a very good solution as the soldering joints are stressed when connecting the mating female connector.http://portal.fciconnect.com/Comergent//fci/drawing/95293.pdf

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 05:41:22 pm
content: Quote from: ion54 on March 09, 2015, 05:29:07 pmThat's exactly the same as on my illustration. Considering that slot needs some tolerance and pads usually are not allowed closer than about 20 mil to the edge, that does not sound good. Thanks for your time spent, though.

author: ion54
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 06:14:23 pm
content: I agree it is the same as your illustration, but the plastic holder is 2.4 mm and the pins are 4.8 mm from tip to tip, which will give you about 1mm overlap of the pin to the pad. 3M and other suppliers have shorter soldering pins. Check the drawing.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2015, 07:27:12 pm
content: Quote from: ion54 on March 09, 2015, 06:14:23 pm3D model I downloaded and used in the illustration is for this connector:http://gct.co/pcb-board-to-board/pdf/BG055.pdf.It has 5.30 mm from tip to tip and plastic is 2.50 mm wide. Actually it is better for this purpose than suggested by you but does't look good at all.