High-Voltage Medical Connector

CHALLENGE

Methode was tasked with designing an 800VAC, blind-mate panel-mount connector that included thirteen contacts, each rated for 150A.

SOLUTION

Use PowerBud® contacts in three custom connector housings, each holding six contacts.

STORY

For this application, Methode engineers determined PowerBud® would satisfy the total current requirement without introducing excessive mating or unmating force, and designed a housing to hold six 9.1 mm PowerBud contacts. These contacts are rated 175A at a 30ºC temperature rise when used with a 1/0 AWG crimp, and are insertable/removable using 1/0 AWG crimp barrels. However, the heat generated by the cluster of six contacts required each contact to be de-rated to 145A at a 30ºC. To compensate for this temperature rise, PowerStuds were included on the termination bodies, which acted as a heat sink and allowed the contacts to safely carry 150A.

The contact housings incorporated guideposts to self-align the connector halves for blind-mate applications. To satisfy the high voltage requirement, the housings included separation ribs and air gaps to achieve pin-to-pin and pin-to-chassis creepage and clearance distances.