Connectors transparent for visual verification

Tom Shelley reports on a new range of miniature plug connectors with a unusual capability

New CIOC miniature plug connectors from Pheonix Contact have transparent, coloured, plastic covers to allow visual confirmation that a reliable connection has been made between the conductors and plug contact. The connectors are quite small, and from the sample sent us, we find that visual confirmation by naked eye observation is difficult. Hence, for reliable production line checking, they would need to be observed either beneath a magnifier lens, or by a machine vision system. The 4-pin plugs and base terminal strips have a miniature pitch of 2mm. Plug components allow conductors of between 0.14 and 0.5 mm2 to be connected to matching cross sections. Along with the single-row, four-pin base terminal, a four row design is also available that increases current density. Other versions are available for use in open wiring and panel feed-through systems. The main intended application area is to connect network controllers to sensor and actuator peripheral devices. They allow sensors, switches and buttons to be connected quickly and securely with protection category IP 20. Phoenix Contact