What are Edge Connectors?
An edge connector, commonly referred to as a card edge connector, is a female socket that mates straight away with the edge component of a single or double-sided printed circuit board. An external electrical connection is made via the metallic rails on the PCB's edge that interact with the contacts in the socket. In this manner, the PCB's edge serves as a male connection. The friction between the board and the socket keeps the connector in place.
Features of an Edge Connector
A plastic enclosure that has an aperture on one side where the edge of the PCB is placed makes up the female edge connection. To guarantee that they are used the correct way up and prevent assembly mistakes, edge connector socket housings are frequently keyed. In order to prevent the wrong device from being installed, the housing has a notch or bump feature.
Contacts located within the edge connector housing make contact with the metal traces on the PCB's edge upon insertion. The contacts are constructed of metal with a thin layer of metallic plating that enhances conductivity and wards against rust and corrosion.
Ribbon cables can be terminated directly into connectors with IDC contacts. A PCB has connectors with pins soldered on them.
Variations
Edge connectors are different in the sense of the following:
These connectors are made with either one or two rows of contacts.
These connectors are available with a wide range of contact pitches.
These connectors exist with various numbers of contacts.
Connectors are made with a vertical or right-angle mounting orientation.
Where are edge connectors used?
In most personal computers, connectors are used to attach expansion cards, also known as daughter cards, and computer memory to the motherboard. PCI, PCI Express, and AGP cards are among these expansion cards.
What does an edge connector do?
An edge connector, which is a component of a printed circuit board, is a portion on the edge of the board that is inserted into the appropriate socket of a machine or computer. Broad metallic rails are often present, and these tracks are utilized to provide the electrical connection. A quick and secure connection may be offered through connectors.
