Fischer Connectors has brought its world-renowned Swiss engineering expertise to the universal USB-C standard. The Fischer UltiMate Series, the company’s flagship range for severe environments, now includes a pre-cabled USB-C connector with Fischer Connectors’ innovative Ratchet Locking System (RLS). This connector has unrivaled vibration and shock resistance, ensuring reliable connections for high-speed data transfer in industries such as defense, mining, construction, motorsports, and railways.
The newly launched Fischer UltiMate USB-C connector with Ratchet Locking System (RLS) combines high-speed data transmission with Fischer Connectors’ renowned mechanical performance.
Fischer Connectors designed the connector to provide maximum reliability in mission-critical environments, ensuring safe and stable connections in demanding applications and markets such as defense armored vehicles, UAVs and UGVs, mining, heavy machinery on construction sites, motorsports, and railways. These surroundings have high degrees of vibration and shock.
Ratchet Locking System (RLS) designed to resist high vibration and shock
The innovative Ratchet Locking System (RLS) serves as the foundation for this innovation. Its fastening mechanism employs an asymmetrical tooth design to lock securely under load and resist loosening during extreme vibration.
Key advantages include great vibration resistance (maintaining lock under high-frequency vibration), tool-free operation (easy mating and unmating in the field, even with gloves), and durability with high mating cycles.
Logically, Fischer Connectors included the RLS to its most durable product line, UltiMate. The RLS system provides the best vibration and shock resistance in the Fischer Connectors product portfolio, withstanding 37.8 g of random vibration and 300 g of shock amplitude, in the Fischer UltiMate’s classical size 15 contact block (with up to 27 pins and a 25.8-mm receptacle diameter).
Ruggedized USB-C connector for harsh environments
The UltiMate USB-C connector with RLS has been independently validated to withstand 5.35 g random vibration (50-2000 Hz, 3×1.5 hrs, no discontinuity >1 ?s), 10 g sinus vibration (10-500 Hz, 3×3 hrs, no discontinuity >1 ?s), and shock up to 100 g (half sine pulse, 6 ms, no discontinuity >1 ?s).
The plug has an IP68 sealing, the receptacle is hermetic (<10?? mbar l/s), the operational temperature range is -30 °C to +80 °C, the corrosion resistance is 350 hours of salt mist, the mating cycle is 3,000, and there is 360° EMC shielding.
“Our new USB-C RLS connector offers environmental and mechanical performance in compliance with IEC and MIL-STD norms,” says Alexandra Monchâtre, Head of Product Management at Fischer Connectors. “This new product truly offers the best of both worlds: the ultra-standard and the ultra-rugged.”
As part of a versatile portfolio of rugged, compact and high-speed connectors
The new Fischer UltiMate USB-C RLS connector, which supports high-speed data, video, and power transmission over a compact connector footprint, adds to Fischer Connectors’ existing line of rugged, high-speed data transmission solutions designed for signal integrity, mechanical endurance, and space-constrained environments.
The UltiMate USB-C connector RLS is available as a pre-cabled plug and receptacle (28 mm in diameter) with a flex PCB. This all-in-one solution offers robust connectivity and flexibility in a variety of design configurations for current electronic devices, particularly in applications requiring space, speed, and reliability.
It has a small design and supports USB 3.2 Gen 1×2 transmission at data speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s.
The new USB-C RLS connector complements Fischer Connectors’ high-speed Core, MiniMax, and UltiMate lines, which handle data protocols such as USB 3.2, Ethernet up to 10 Gbit/s, Audio/UHD Video up to 18 Gbit/s (HDMI 2.0 type), and Single Pair Ethernet (SPE).
“As part of our technology and innovation strategy, our Group R&D team offers engineers designing applications in extreme environments a versatile technology platform with various standards and connector types,” explains Alvaro Goncalves, Technology Director at the Conextivity Group, of which Fischer Connectors is a part. “This new USB-C connector with RLS is a good example of how we combine our technology ‘bricks’ – high-density miniaturization, high-speed data, and ruggedness – to increase integration capability, compatibility, and interoperability across customer markets. Conextivity has the innovation, agility, and precision skills needed to meet the most stringent requirements in demanding environments.”
• Fischer UltiMate™ Series USB-C with Ratchet Locking System (RLS) – flyer: https://fischerconnectors.com/app/uploads/Fischer_Connectors_Ultimate_Series_USB-C_Flyer_EN.pdf
• Fischer UltiMate™ Series – web page: https://fischerconnectors.com/en/circular-connectors/ultimate-series/
• Fischer UltiMate™ Series – Technical Specifications: https://fischerconnectors.com/app/uploads/2021/10/Fischer_Connectors_Technical_Specification_Volume_2_UltiMate.pdf
• High-speed data connectors – web page: https://fischerconnectors.com/en/circular-connectors/high-speed-data-connectors/
