Author Topic: USB-A receptacle spring pins?  (Read 4913 times)

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Offline ferrixTopic starter

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USB-A receptacle spring pins?
« on: July 26, 2013, 08:47:33 pm »
I have flat trays of USB standard A male/"plug" devices with pins exposed (no metal shield) like so: https://www.yubico.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/YubiKeys-in-tray.jpg

and I want to create a cheap fast pogo-pin-like connector on the end of a cable in order to press it down briefly onto each device for programming.  In the manufacturer's factory, they have a hugely expensive bed-of-nails surface that can lower onto a whole tray and zap them all at once.... My needs are much more humble.  But I want to be able to touch the contacts quickly without having to remove each device from the tray and plug it in to a USB receptacle.

So my best idea so far is to create a plug using the same spring pins that are normally found in USB A female/"receptacle" connectors.  For the life of me I can't figure out what the pins are called and how to search for them.  100% of the things I find are already-constructed receptacles (the 4-pins mounted in a plastic form surrounded by a metal shield).  What I'd really like instead is a handful of the actual loose copper pins.  I could graduate up to real pogo pins, but that leads to a nest of other issues I'd like to avoid.

Can someone who is not a total noob tell me what these bastards are called and how to get like a bag of them?

ETA: An illustration of the parts I want: =P
« Last Edit: July 26, 2013, 08:59:23 pm by ferrix »
 

Offline ferrixTopic starter

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Re: USB-A receptacle spring pins?
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2013, 09:35:39 pm »
Meh...  I just destroyed one to get at the pins :)
https://webapi.bumpserver.com/v1/data/7be6863f-0995-431d-b93e-7687546d4c16

I'd still like to know what these buggers are called and how to get em.
 

Offline Short Circuit

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Re: USB-A receptacle spring pins?
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2013, 04:43:59 am »
pogo probes?
Not the same, but you could build a probing adapter for your purposes using these.

edit
Guess I overlooked you remarks regarding real pogo pins  :-[

Anyway, for bare USB2 contacts, nobody is stopping you from ripping USB2 sockets apart. A bit of work, but that is usually of little concern for test and programming fixtures.
Alternatively, RF spring clips might give some implementation ideas; http://www.harwin.com/catalogue/featured/rfi_spring_contacts.html
« Last Edit: July 27, 2013, 07:19:34 am by Short Circuit »
 

Offline free_electron

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Re: USB-A receptacle spring pins?
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2013, 06:08:42 am »
Rip apart the old centronix connectors. . The males should have these.
Otherwise try keystone.

Now, you gave me an idea. Take a usb plug, peel away the metal. Glue the white plastic bit on the inside of one leg of a plastic or wooden clothespin .
if you layout your pcb so the 4 pads are at the edge , you can use the clothespin to hold the pins down !

Or, you leave the usb connector intact and simply make two slots in the board. You can then slide the connector over the edge contacts.. Hmmm even better !
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Any comments, or points of view expressed, are my own and not endorsed , induced or compensated by my employer(s).
 

Offline fcb

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Re: USB-A receptacle spring pins?
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2013, 10:40:27 am »
Bourns 70 series : http://www.bourns.com/ProductLine.aspx?name=modular_contacts

Farnell also sell these: http://uk.farnell.com/battery-contacts-modular

I've been using Coda brand pins for years on test/programming jigs - they are lovely people to deal with:
http://www.coda-systems.co.uk/catalog/index.html

https://electron.plus Power Analysers, VI Signature Testers, Voltage References, Picoammeters, Curve Tracers.
 

Offline ferrixTopic starter

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Re: USB-A receptacle spring pins?
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2013, 02:50:34 pm »
 


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