Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) introduced a compact, robust, and low-cost method for interconnecting printed circuit boards (PCBs) without requiring soldering or additional components.
Berkeley Lab says its narrow board-in-board connectors can handle higher voltages and mechanical stresses compared to currently available miniature connector technologies. Multiple boards can be connected into a variety of shapes, including 3D shapes. Potential uses are broad–ranging, from vital aviation electronics to thin sensor probes. This technology is now available for licensing.
“This new type of PCB interconnects opens up a world of design opportunities for electronics,” said Stijn Wielandt, a researcher in Berkeley Lab’s Earth and Environmental Sciences Area. “The strong locking mechanism means simple assembly and less breakage in applications that produce mechanical stress or vibrations on circuit boards. The compact format also allows for use in 3D components.”
Because the contacts are spaced out along the length of the board, the connector can also handle higher voltages, which opens opportunities in the field of power electronics, for example in the domain of solar power, battery packs, and motor control.
