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Removable/latchable PLCC socket solution?

TTL

Oct 24, 2013
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I would like to attach a daughterboard to a mainboard using a 68 pin PLCC socket, plug or whatever, but it should be both removable and sturdy enough so it won't shake loose or pop out by itself -some kind of latch or lock.

As I haven't attached any kind of PLCC socket or plug to the circuit boards I'm free to use whichever 68-pin PLCC footprint solution I want. What do you suggest I do?
 

Harald Kapp

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I'm not aware of any PLCC sockets with a latching mechanism. You could use a PLCC socket plus a matching adapter to insert a daughterboard into a carrier board, but you'd have to provide a separate locking/latching mechanism.

What you're looking for is called aboard-to-board connector. You can get these from different manufacturers. Here's just one example I Googled: http://www.avx.com/docs/masterpubs/BTB.pdf
AVX even offers retaining clips to lock a mated connector pair into place.
 

TTL

Oct 24, 2013
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I'm not sure I understand what you're referring to as I looked through the PDF and couldn't find anything resembling a PLCC connector/plug/socket etc.

Here's a couple of photos of the daughterboard I'm about to buy:
file-1_zps8ed0fa97.jpg



file_zpsd86df372.jpg


The daughterboard should mate just fine with my mainboard (which has a 68 pin PLCC socket just like the brown one in the top photo). That's all fine except it probably won't make for a very sturdy connection. I'm worried the daughterboard will easily pop out if the device is affected by movement, vibration, mechanical shock etc. So I've come up with two possible solutions:
  1. Replace the white socket in the photo with wire wrap pins or similar (the manufacturer might be willing to do this for me as the board is hand assembled), which I will solder directly to the mainboard (the existing PLCC socket there has actually been desoldered and removed because of damage to the socket pins, so this would be an easy task).
  2. Solder a new PLCC socket to my mainboard and attach the daughterboard through the white PLCC plug as intended, but find some sort of mechanical latch or lock between the two so as to prevent any disconnection due to vibration, shocks etc.
Solution #1 would eliminate any risk of contact issues due to vibration or shock, but would also be a nuisance if it was ever to be removed/replaced if the daughterboard malfunctions. Solution #2 would easily allow for interchangeability but unless there's a way to lock them together I'm not sure how to solve the problem with contact reliability.

By the way, what's that white plug called? Can't seem to locate it anywhere.
 

Harald Kapp

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I'm not sure I understand what you're referring to as I looked through the PDF and couldn't find anything resembling a PLCC connector/plug/socket etc
As I asid, I'm not aware of locking PLCC sockets or adapters. I guess you'll have to find some other means of fixing the daughter board in place (your solution #2).

The white thing I'd call a PLCC adapter.
 

TTL

Oct 24, 2013
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Thanks.
I think the best solution in that case is #2 as you suggested and add a metal railing or some other physical barrier above and across the board, attached to my project enclosure. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best, but it takes some brainstorming to get there ;)
 
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