Author Topic: Connecting Battery Charger Interface Pins to a PCB (Horizontally)  (Read 1640 times)

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Offline MixedSignalSystemsTopic starter

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    • Mixed Signal Systems
I've been stumped on something that I thought would be quite simple and could do with a little help please. Its always the simple things that trip you up! |O

I'm working on a small portable device with a LiPo battery. I'd like to place battery charger interface pins at the "bottom" of the device, similar to the majority of mobile phones. With that in mind, the long axis of the charger interface pins will run parallel to the PCB rather than perpendicular to it.

I'm looking for a way to connect the two charger interface pins to the PCB in a cheap and area efficient manner.

I noticed on an iFixit Teardown of the Fitbit Flex that the Fitbit guys seem to have done this in quite a good way.
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Fitbit+Flex+Teardown/16050

In the two images below (credit to iFixit for these), you can see how they have done it. In this case, the 3 charging pins are connected to the PCB through 3 surface mount "brackets"/"clips"/"holders"/"clamps"/"tabs"/"receptacles"/"grippers".





To me, this looks like a very simple solution (assuming you can ensure that the PCB will stay in place when installed).

My problem is that I can't seem to source the appropriate surface mount components to pair with the pins. Its beginning to drive me mad. I assume that they are out there somewhere but I haven't been able to find them on Digikey, Mouser, etc. I've come close with SMD fuse holders and terminal blocks and a few pogo pin target devices but the fuse holders and terminal blocks are too large and the pogo pin target devices are overkill (in terms of performance and associated cost).

These just need to handle 50mA DC to charge a small LiPo battery. I must have a blind spot for these. I can build up my own if I need to but at this stage, I'd like to know where to find them ... and what to call them :)

I'd really appreciate any help in sourcing these or any other suggestions for implementing this.

Many thanks,
Kieran
 


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