Circular plastic connector for the medical industry

Paul Boughton

Smiths ConnectorsHyperGrip (HG) circular plastic connector series are engineered specifically for the medical industry. The connectors offer a wide range of benefits including user-configurability, an aesthetic design with push-pull latching for easy one-hand mating, and various sealing and shielding options.

The HyperGrip is manufactured with Hypertac hyperboloid contacts ensuring low contact resistance and high signal integrity. Suitable for many applications, this variation is available as an inventoried item in multiple layout configurations including: 5 (HG0), 12 (HG2), 19 (HG3), 33 (HG4), and 80 (HG6) pin positions.

Applications requiring extremely high-density configurations can be designed utilising Smiths Connectors’ IDI spring probe technology which more than doubles the contact density of standard connector options.

Available in 1mm pitch or smaller, this technology offers a clean, sealed mating surface, outstanding tolerance of target misalignment and exceptional signal integrity. Incorporated into th e customary HG housing, the spring probe variant of the HG Series delivers in excess 20,000 mating cycles and can be mated to simple target contacts or directly to a PCB, representing an ideal solution for disposable applications. 

For environments requiring heightened electrical integrity, the HG format is available with edge card, coaxial and fibre optic (expanded beam and butt joint) technologies as well as EMI/RFI shielding to ensure against signal interference in electrically noisy environments.  Sealed connectors deliver up to IP67 protection when mated. 

The HyperGrip connectors have a keying system and colour-coding to make recognition simple and incorrect mating impossible. This not only saves time in highly stressed situations but also allows customers greater freedom and diversity to build connectors with six different keying options from a set of common components; reducing cost, lead time and inventory.

HyperGrip is designed to meet medical industry requirements such as finger-proofing to IEC60601, is flammability rated to UL94 V0, and is also compatible with most sterilisation requirements, including Autoclaving, Gamma, EtO and Sterrad.

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