Connector Alleviates SMT Limitations

Designed to eliminate the limitations associated with current surface-mount connectors, the Circuit Aligning Restraining Locking (CARL) system claims to offer increased reliability at a reduced cost. A high-density connector, the CARL interconnects flexible printed circuits and/or flat flexible cables to a mating pad on a printed circuit board. This self-aligning connector does not require a mating connector or soldering. It uses a clamp-pressure system that forces the stress-hardened terminals to break through the surface oxides of the printed-circuit conductor, creating a conductor-to-conductor connection.