Electronics Weekly
The manufacturer describes the range as a more compact, lightweight alternative to conventional micro-D connectors.
The horizontal version of the Gecko-SL allows for a throughboard connector at 90° to the PCB, offering additional layout flexibility above the board.
Connectors can now be located at a PCB edge, routing a mated cable sideways outside the PCB stack.
This connection style is suitable for cubesats, where designs incorporate a series of PCBs in a dense stack, with all cabling routed into the space outside the stack.
Similar space restrictions occur in avionics (particularly UAV design), larger satellites, military (such as radar and portable communication equipment), robotics and motorsport.
The horizontal connectors can also be used with female PCB connectors to give a motherboard/daughterboard arrangement, which can be used for replacement modular PCBs or larger equipment systems.
Harwin’s horizontal format Gecko-SL connectors are fitted with stainless steel screw-loks, designed to mate-before-lock, operators can push the connectors fully together before engaging the screws.
Engineers can choose the standard screw-lok with board-mount (with the engaging screw on the female connector) or the reverse-fix (with the engaging screw on the male connector).
Pin counts match the rest of the Gecko-SL series, from 6 to 50 contacts.
Gecko-SL has an operating temperature range from -65°C to +150°C, exhibits vibration resilience of 20G at 2kHz for 6 hours, and shock resilience up to 100G, and outgassing to both NASA and ESA specifications. Current rating is set at 2.8A max single contact, 2A per contact if all are loaded.
