Dimensions are shown in mm (inch)
Dimensions subject to change
Performance Class 3 — Performance class per
European specification DIN 41652, specifying
contact performance to 50 mating cycles,
followed by testing per DIN 41640, Part 21. The
contact is subjected to severe environmental
conditions, including industrial gasses, after the
50 mating cycles, and must meet basic contact
resistance, engaging force, and separation force
tests.
Peripheral Seal — A resilient seal used to keep
moisture from entering the connector at the point
where the plug and receptacle shells meet. A
common method is to use flat gaskets on
receptacles and O-rings on plugs.
Phosphor Bronze — An alloy of copper, tin, and
phosphorus used to make spring contacts. It is
typically used in lower cost contacts where
frequent insertions and withdrawals and high
temperatures are not a factor.
Pin — A male contact. See PIN CONTACT.
Pin Contact — The contact which has a long shaft
at the engagement end which enters the socket
contact.
Plating — See FINISH.
Plug — The male portion of a connector pair
usually employing a coupling nut to secure it to the
receptacle half. A plug may have either pin or
socket contacts.
Polarization — A mechanical mechanism that
allows connector halves to intermate in only one
specific orientation. This can be accomplished by
asymmetrical shapes of the two halves as in a D
Subminiature connector, insulator rotation, keys,
keyways, ramps, or other means. Polarization
prevents connectors of the same size and/or same
layout from intermating when this is undesirable,
such as when two otherwise identical connectors
are used on the same panel. Polarization is
typically done by the assembler and can not be
changed by the user, while keying is typically done
by the user with an auxiliary keying device.
Polarizing Pin — A mechanism used to polarize
connectors, manufactured into the connector. See
KEYING.
Potting — The permanent sealing of a cable to a
connector using an insulating material such as
potting compound to exclude moisture or provide
strain relief. See POTTING CUP.
Potting Compound — A sealing material used in
potting to fill a potting cup.
Potting Cup — A bell-shaped (plastic) backshell
with an enlarged opening for the wires. After the
connector is loaded with wired contacts, the
potting cup is attached to the rear of the connector.
The inside of the cup is then filled with a potting
compound. When the compound hardens, it forms
a solid, permanent, watertight mass around the
wires.
Potting Ring — A portion of the POTTING CUP
which secures the bell shaped cup to the rear of the
connector, usually by means of internal threads.
Pre-Tin — To apply tin-lead solder to the contact
solder cup and/or conductor prior to soldering the
two together.
Rear Mounting — A receptacle that mounts
through the panel from the rear, with its mounting
flange inside the equipment. Typically, rear mount
receptacles are slightly longer than front mount
types to allow for the thickness of the panel. Flange
mount receptacles usually come in front and rear
mount versions. All Jam nut receptacles are rear
mount.
Rear Release — For crimp type removable
contacts, rear release means that the appropriate
extraction tool is
inserted from the rear
, or wire
side, of the connector. The contact is then pulled
out the rear of the connector.
Receptacle — The connector half that mates with
the plug. The receptacle has threads, pins or
ramps which engage the coupling nut on the plug,
locking the two halves together. A receptacle may
have either pin or socket contacts.
REF — Abbreviation for Reference.
Removable Contact — A contact which can be
inserted and removed from the insulator by the
user. An insertion tool and extraction tool are
normally required to insert and remove the contact.
Removal Tool — See EXTRACTION TOOL
Resistance — That property of a substance which
impedes current and results in the dissipation of
power in the form of heat. The unit of resistance is
the ohm.
Return Loss — The ratio of the power reflected
from a discontinuity in a transmission line to the
power incident.
RFI — See EMI/RFI.
Root Mean Square — The square root, of the
average of the squares, of the values of a periodic
quantity (like alternating current), taken through
one complete period. It is the effective quantity of a
periodic quantity. Abbreviated rms.
Salt Spray Test — A test, or series of tests, in
which mated and/or unmated connectors are
subjected to salt water under specified conditions.
Used to test the connector’s resistance to corrosion
and any associated degradation in electrical
function.
Screw Machine Contact — A contact made from a
solid bar or rod using screw machine operations.
Some screw machine contacts include secondary
elements which are welded, crimped, or formed
around the basic screw machined part to complete
the contact.
Selective Plating — The application of metal
PLATING to selective areas of the contact,
particularly those areas subject to wear. Precious
metal platings may be applied selectively to those
contact surfaces responsible for the electrical
connection, reducing the contact cost without
sacrificing electrical performance.
Shell — The outside case of a connector into which
the insulator and contacts are situated.
Shell Size — A standard system developed for
military circular connectors for indicating the
diameter of the shell. The system is based upon
1
⁄16⍯
increments, that is, a size 16 shell is one inch in
diameter.
Shield Effectiveness — The ability of a shield to
screen out undesirable signals.
Shock — An abrupt impact applied to a stationary
object. It is usually expressed in gravities (g).
Socket — A female contact. See SOCKET
CONTACT.
Socket Contact — The contact which has an
opening at the engagement end to accept the pin
contact.
Solder Contact — A contact which is terminated to
the wire with solder. Solder contacts are normally
bonded into the insulator and can not be removed
by the user. The alternative is crimp contacts to
which a wire is attached by crimping. Crimp
contacts can usually be inserted and removed by
the user.
Solder Cup — The end of a SOLDER CONTACT is
designed to accept a wire which will then be
soldered to the contact.
Stamped and Formed Contact — Contacts made
by stamping and forming a sheet of metal rather
than by machining metal stock. Also see SCREW
MACHINE CONTACTS.
D Subminiature Glossary of Terms
Glossary of Terms
R e a d e r ’ s R e s o u r c e
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