Molex is introducing board-to-board connectors that are ideal for space-constrained smartphones, smartwatches, wearables, and AR/VR devices, and are expected to enable design freedom for small devices.

Molex announced today the launch of the Molex Quad-Row board-to-board connector, an industry-first staggered circuit layout that saves 30 percent space compared to existing connector products.

This patent-pending connector gives product developers and device manufacturers greater freedom and flexibility to implement smaller form factors, including smartphones, smartwatches, wearables, game consoles, and augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) devices.

“Molex continues to drive connectivity innovation to support increasingly smaller yet more powerful devices,” said Justin Kerr, vice president and general manager of Molex’s Micro Solutions business unit. “With our high-density Quad-Row board-to-board connectors, customers can integrate more features, sensors and functionality into extremely tight spaces without compromising device performance. Molex is setting a new connectivity standard for space optimization.”

Molex has worked closely with product developers at major smartwatch manufacturers on the initial design of this Quad Row board-to-board connector. Molex engineers collaborated with experts from global leaders in the design, development and manufacturing of flexible printed circuits (FPCs). Together, the engineering teams validated the first-ever staggered circuit layout with pins arranged in four rows at a 0.175mm signal contact pitch, achieving unprecedented space savings while achieving high-density circuit connections.

The new Quad-Row board-to-board connector meets customer requirements for high power in a small form factor with a 3.0A current rating. It also complies with standards and is soldered at a 0.35mm pitch, making it easy to manufacture using common surface mount technology (SMT) processes. Reliable and robust performance is ensured by the interior armor and insert-molded power nails that protect the pins from damage during high-volume manufacturing and assembly. Together with the wide alignment area, these features support easy and secure mating and reduce defect rates.

Since 2020, more than 50 million Quad-Row connectors have been delivered and used in the world’s best-selling smartwatches. Molex has overcome the obstacles of mass production through careful design with manufacturing in mind from the beginning. The connector also supports large reel sizes, which improves production efficiency and yield.

Additionally, Quad-Row board-to-board connectors are ideal for a wide range of applications that require small PCBs and flexible assembly due to their small size and reliable performance. This creates virtually limitless opportunities in AR/VR, automotive, communications, consumer, defense, IoT, medical, and wearable sectors that require small connectors.

Molex Quad-Row board-to-board connectors are available worldwide in 32-pin and 36-pin configurations, with 20-pin and 64-pin options coming soon. Molex has plans to develop connectors that support up to 100 pins.