The micro ribbon or miniature ribbon connector is a common type of electrical connector

Electrical connector

An electrical connector is an electro-mechanical device for joining electrical circuits as an interface using a mechanical assembly. The connection may be temporary, as for portable equipment, require a tool for assembly and removal, or serve as a permanent electrical joint between two wires or...

 used particularly in computer

Computer

A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...

 and telecommunications applications. Popularly referred to as a Centronics

Centronics

Centronics Data Computer Corporation was a pioneering American manufacturer of computer printers, now remembered primarily for the parallel interface that bears its name.-The beginning:Centronics began as a division of Wang Laboratories...

 connector due to the widely used Centronics parallel interface, it is also known as a Telco, Amphenol, 25-pair, Delta ribbon or CHAMP connector. Although it was invented by Amphenol

Amphenol

Amphenol Corporation is a major producer of electronic and fiber optic connectors, cable and interconnect systems such as Coaxial cables. Amphenol is a portmanteau from the corporation's original name, American Phenolic Corp....

, many companies now produce it, such as 3M

3M

3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....

, Cinch Connectors, Tyco Electronics

Tyco Electronics

TE Connectivity, Ltd., previously known as Tyco Electronics, Ltd., and formerly a segment of Tyco International, is a leading global provider of engineered electronic components, network solutions, undersea telecommunication systems, and specialty products for customers in more than 150 countries...

 (formerly AMP), and Hirose Electric Group

Hirose Electric Group

Hirose Electric Group is a Japanese company specializing in the manufacturing of electric connectors. The company was founded in 1937 and started selling internationally in 1968. The annual revenue is 104 billion yen and the gross profit is 38 billion yen , the number of employees 3975, as of 2006....

.

Description

A micro ribbon connector contains two parallel rows of pins

Lead (electronics)

In electronics, a lead is an electrical connection consisting of a length of wire or soldering pad that comes from a device. Leads are used for physical support, to transfer power, to probe circuits , and to transmit information...

 within a shielded

Electromagnetic shielding

Electromagnetic shielding is the process of reducing the electromagnetic field in a space by blocking the field with barriers made of conductive and/or magnetic materials. Shielding is typically applied to enclosures to isolate electrical devices from the 'outside world' and to cables to isolate...

 case. There are 14, 24, 36, 50 and 64 pin varieties, for mounting on boards

Printed circuit board

A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...

, panels, or terminating cables

Telco cable

A telco cable, also known as a Telecom cable or Amphenol cable, is a thick cable used for connecting multiple voice or data lines for LANs or Telecommunications. The ends use 25 pairs of polarized pins . This cable handles up to 25 data channels or phone lines...

. Contact is achieved by means of solder

Solder

Solder is a fusible metal alloy used to join together metal workpieces and having a melting point below that of the workpiece.Soft solder is what is most often thought of when solder or soldering are mentioned and it typically has a melting range of . It is commonly used in electronics and...

, crimping

Crimp (joining)

Crimping is joining two pieces of metal or other malleable material by deforming one or both of them to hold the other. The bend or deformity is called the crimp.- Uses :...

 or insulation displacement. Female connectors have bail locks for a sturdy connection to the male

Gender of connectors and fasteners

In electrical and mechanical trades and manufacturing, each half of a pair of mating connectors or fasteners is conventionally assigned the designation male or female...

 connector. In the telecommunications sector screws are used instead, since a loose connector would have a greater impact.

Applications

• 24 pin connector: IEEE 488 (GPIB) interface
• 36 pin connector: IEEE 1284
  IEEE 1284
  IEEE 1284 is a standard that defines bi-directional parallel communications between computers and other devices.-History:In the 1970s, Centronics developed the now-familiar printer parallel port that soon became a de facto standard...
  
   parallel interface
• 50 pin connector: SCSI-1 interface (SCSI connector
  SCSI connector
  A SCSI connector is used to connect together computer parts that use a system called SCSI to communicate with each other. Generally, two connectors, designated male and female, plug together to form a connection which allows two components, such as a computer and a disk drive, to communicate with...
  
  )
• 50 pin connector: RJ21X "telco
  Telephone company
  A telephone company is a service provider of telecommunications services such as telephony and data communications access. Many were at one time nationalized or state-regulated monopolies...
  
  connector" (telephone systems)