Hypertac’s new SnapTac connectors offer designers of military systems improved signal integrity, IP67 sealing and the robustness required for use in extreme environments. The SnapTac connectors combine the company’s high-reliability hyperboloid contact technology with the mechanical features of a spring-loaded contact. The connectors have been designed for high-speed data-audio-video transmission by upgrading commercial Ethernet, USB, IEEE 1394 interconnect to Mil Spec performance.
The SnapTac range was originally designed for use in the Future Soldier programme, which aims to develop wearable electronic systems for communication, identification/recognition, and other tasks critical to military personnel. As a SnapTac products can satisfy even the most demanding of design requirements, offering quick and easy mating and unmating with hardware coding to avoid mis-matching, and IP67 sealing, both when mated and unmated.
Like all wearable electronics, the Future Soldier application also requires the compact size and reduced weight provided by the SnapTac range. The new connector family incorporates full line EMI shielding and uses Hypertac’s Hyperspring connector technology to ensure low contact resistance and hence excellent signal integrity.
SnapTac connectors also provide for high robustness throughout their lifetime. They provide an inherent self-cleaning wiping action, eliminating the need for a protection cap, while the nature of the electrical contacts also substantially reduces contact fretting for increased reliability.
Available in both circular (seven-, 13-, or 19-way) and rectangular (12- and 21-way) form factors, SnapTac connectors combine a Hypertac socket placed between the barrel and the plunger of a common spring-loaded contact. This means that separate structures provide the physical spring action and the electrical conduction function, allowing Hypertac to employ two different materials to optimise the physical and electrical performance of the connector. In particular this reduces ohmic losses and eliminates the inductive effects that can be caused by the coiled topology of a spring contact.
About Hypertac
Hypertac is a leading supplier of high reliability, high performance interconnect solutions and electrical/electronic connectors. The company has particular expertise in the rapid development of innovative interconnect solutions for high reliability applications in military, aerospace, industrial, mass transit, test & measurement and medical electronics markets.
The Hypertac range includes filtered ARINC and circular connectors, modular types and printed circuit board connectors. Hypertac connectors achieve outstanding performance through the use of patented Hyperboloid contacts.
About Hyperboloid contacts
Hypertac hyperboloid contact is an advanced design that satisfies the most demanding performance requirements. The shape of the contact sleeve is formed by wires strung at an angle to the socket axis. When the pin is inserted into the sleeve, the wires stretch around it, providing a number of linear contact paths.
This ensures high reliability, a high number of mating cycles, shock and vibration immunity, low contact resistance and low insertion and extraction force.