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Enhanced Terminal Connections for Designers

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2023/04/06

Enhanced Terminal Connections for Designers
Printed circuit boards need to interface with power, sensor, and other devices via wiring connections. A new family of Push-in Lever-Up terminal blocks and connectors provides superior performance and usability for these types of applications.
Most people are familiar with the unassuming printed circuit board (PCB) installed in almost every conceivable consumer, commercial, and industrial electrical/electronic device to perform digital control and power handling. While much of the heart and brains of these devices are operated by the PCB, not all of the magic happens there, as a multitude of connections must be made to and from the PCB for power, sensors, and controlled devices.
 
Sometimes these connections are made with soldered wires, but this method does not allow for easy disconnection and service. Screw terminals are often an option, but they are relatively labor intensive and can loosen over time. Designers need compact, efficient, and reliable ways to connect external devices to PCBs, both as pluggable connectors and also as convenient terminal blocks. Dinkle’s new family of Push-in Lever-Up (P-LUP) products provide an advantageous answer for many OEMs and electronics designers.
 
Connection choices
Much of the electronics industry is moving toward push-in and lever-operated terminal blocks due to the labor savings and greater reliability as compared with other options in high vibration and other challenging environments. Some estimates indicate a 70% wiring time savings when using push-in connections compared with other more labor-intensive methods (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Dinkle P-LUP terminal blocks are easy to use, and they readily accept stranded wire, solid wire, or ferrules while providing robust connectivity and labor savings compared with using traditional screw terminals.
Figure 1: Dinkle P-LUP terminal blocks are easy to use, and they readily accept stranded wire, solid wire, or ferrules while providing robust connectivity and labor savings compared with using traditional screw terminals.
To realize these benefits, users need a choice of sizes and configurations, and suppliers have responded with a large product family of connectors with pitch sizes ranging from 3.5mm to 14.5mm, UL-rated voltages of 300V, 600V or 1000V, and ampacities from 8A to 66A—accepting wires ranging from 18 to 4 AWG—depending on the model. Specifiers should also look for contact materials using be tin-plated copper to provide best conductivity and corrosion resistance. The available span of products and options covers the most-needed requirements, from simple signaling to power distribution, and two basic versions are typically used (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Terminal blocks in the P-LUP family are available in a range of sizes and ampacities, in arrangements for soldering into PCB through-holes or for connecting to standard on-board pluggable sockets.
Figure 2: Terminal blocks in the P-LUP family are available in a range of sizes and ampacities, in arrangements for soldering into PCB through-holes or for connecting to standard on-board pluggable sockets.
The 0274 and 0275 series are one type of Push-in Lever-Up terminal block, using solderable pins compatible with PCB through-hole technology. This version provides excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical strength.
 
In addition, many PCBs and other electronic equipment use standard on-board sockets to accept pluggable connectors. Therefore, a second type of Push-in Lever-up connector, 0256 and 0257 series is designed to plug right into these sockets (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Because so many types of electronics use PCB-mounted connector sockets, the Dinkle P-LUP family of terminal blocks is also available in a connectorized style.
Figure 3: Because so many types of electronics use PCB-mounted connector sockets, the Dinkle P-LUP family of terminal blocks is also available in a connectorized style.
In many cases, existing pluggable connectors with screw terminals can be upgraded to Push-in Lever-Up connectors as the form factor and wire connection orientation is typically compatible, and this easy upgrade provides the aforementioned benefits.
 
Focus on flexibility
These modern Push-in Lever-Up terminal blocks and connectors accept bare stranded wire, bare solid wire, or wires finished with ferrules. Solid wires and ferrules can simply be pushed into the terminal block for a rapid and secure connection, with no additional action needed. Or, users can choose to lift a lever to release the terminal tension so stranded wire, solid wire, or ferrules can be inserted, and then secured by pushing the lever.
 
This 100% tool-free operation is a key feature for maximum usability. The lever is ergonomically designed for easy one-hand use, with only a single finger needed to perform release or clamping of a wire or ferrule. Operation is completely intuitive, and the lever also allows wires to be effortlessly released for service, testing, or replacement (Figure 4).
Figure 4: Ergonomic design and easy one-hand use were prime considerations in the design of Dinkle P-LUP terminal blocks.
Figure 4: Ergonomic design and easy one-hand use were prime considerations in the design of Dinkle P-LUP terminal blocks.
For added flexibility, the product is available in standard pole counts, and also as individual modular units which can be tightly assembled for any practical number of poles. Housings are completely touch-safe, and they are provided with a visible test point accessible on top and sized to accommodate standard test probes.
 
The housings are available in a wide range of colors so designers can provide additional functional clarity for users. Terminal housings are imprinted with wire stripping dimensions for easy reference by installers, and they accept marking labels in a clearly visible location. A thermal printer TMP-004 and labels are available as accessories.
 
Enhancing applications
One OEM manufactures power supplies, which had used conventional screw terminals because that style is a universal technology accepted by all. They were hesitant to move towards basic push in technology because of limitations with the use of stranded wire. However, once they investigated the benefits and application of Push-in Lever-Up technology, specifically the Dinkle 0274-21XX and 0274-31XX series, they specified this new product line for their designs. The new connection maintains all the basic push-in connection benefits, while the P-LUP lever overcomes any previous drawbacks (Figure 5).
Figure 5: For a power supply OEM, specifying the Dinkle P-LUP 0274 series for their products delivered all the benefits of basic push-in technology, while adding the capability to easily use stranded wire.
Figure 5: For a power supply OEM, specifying the Dinkle P-LUP 0274 series for their products delivered all the benefits of basic push-in technology, while adding the capability to easily use stranded wire.
PCB designers for any type of electronic products can also benefit from the new P-LUP product lines, due to compatibility with industry standards. For PCB designers, and component changes can mean an expensive redesign to an entire PCB layout, which ripples through to the manufacturing process and other aspects such as housings and enclosures. This often makes it impractical to adopt new components (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Due to compatibility with industrial standards, and a suitable form factor and wire connection orientation, PCB designers can seamlessly upgrade from screw to P-LUP lever connection technology without affecting existing PCB designs.
Figure 6: Due to compatibility with industrial standards, and a suitable form factor and wire connection orientation, PCB designers can seamlessly upgrade from screw to P-LUP lever connection technology without affecting existing PCB designs.
Because the Dinkle 0256 and 0257 series blocks are compatible with industrial standard sockets—in sizes of 3.50mm, 3.81mm, 5.00mm, and 5.08mm pitch (ECH350, ECH381, 5EHD, and 2EHD sockets)—designers can now seamlessly upgrade from screw to P-LUP lever connection technology with no impact to existing PCB designs.
 
Improving PCB performance
In order for PCBs to interface with power, sensors, and controlled devices, it is necessary for designers to establish robust and reliable connections. While traditional soldered and screw terminals have been the norm for many years, push-in lever-up terminal blocks and connectors provide a multitude of advantages. Designers should explore the options available, and they should focus on working with suppliers with industry experience and a large portfolio of UL- and IEC-rated products able to meet the widest range of requirements.
 
Figures, all courtesy of Dinkle International