Components & Connectors

Low profile 5G and 4G LTE antennas are slim for limited spaces

Tue, Oct 04, 2022

Two low profile antennas have a low height of just 1.6mm. This makes the Alcor and Atria suitable for a variety of applications, said Synzen Precision Technology.

The Alcor is a 5G low profile surface mount antenna that is compact but still covers bands from 617 to 6000MHz. It has a small footprint of 40 x 10 x 1.6mm, a minimal clearance of 40.0 x 13.5mm and a fallback to 4G / 3G / 2G.

Atria is even more compact at 30.0 x 7.0 x 1.6mm but still covers bands from 698 to 2690MHz. Minimal clearance is 30.0 x 12.0mm. It also falls back to 3G / 2G. It requires a small clearance area, added the company.  (don’t be fooled by claims of small antennas which often need a much bigger clearance area).

“Many antennas calling themselves low-profile are double the height – around 3.0mm. We’ve been able to halve that without losing any performance. Our elegant design solution is also cost-effective for customers because it doesn’t require any external RF switch circuits,” said Synzen’s technical director, Chris Tomlin. 

Alcor and Atria are suitable for MIMO applications and are designed to work in compact devices with limited space. These antennas are suitable for wearables, health monitoring, smart meters and other slim IoT devices, confirmed Synzen Precision Technology. Left and right corner mount versions are offered.

These latest antennas form part of Synzen’s Galaxy class, which all feature low-profile design.

Synzen Precision Technology is an antenna and module product design company based in Taipei, Taiwan. The company offers advice and support for customers for antenna choices. The company will advise on optimal placement and tuning and offers free testing to characterise the performance. The company can even test and prove a design within a day without charge.

For custom design or additional support for an ongoing project, the company offers free technical support for the lifecycle of a product.

http://www.synzen.com.tw

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Energy harvesting switches protect smart homes’ windows

Wed, Sep 21, 2022

Energy harvesting switches from ZF are able to detect if the windows in smart homes are open or closed. The energy harvesting switch can be integrated into the window handle and can inform of each opening or closing of the window. The mechanical actuation of the RF switch is created by the change of the window handle status. A small voltage is generated which transmits an RF protocol. This information is used to monitor the status of the window.   

The completely battery-free and wireless technology can be realised with different RF protocols such as Bluetooth, EnOcean or customer-specific RF protocols. The system can also be used for several applications within building automation, for example lighting, shutters, doors and windows. 

Despite its compact size and the high energy output, the generator provides a lifetime of one million switching cycles, confirmed ZF. 

ZF will present a window handle demonstration with solutions for status monitoring of windows and doors at Light + Building from 2nd to 6th October 2022 in Frankfurt (Hall 9.0, Stand B54).

ZF is a technology company supplying systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, enabling the next generation of mobility.

ZF allows vehicles to see, think and act. In the four technology domains of vehicle motion control, integrated safety, automated driving and electric mobility, ZF offers products and software for established vehicle manufacturers and newly emerging transport and mobility service providers. ZF electrifies a wide range of vehicle types and, with its products, contributes to reducing emissions, protecting the climate and enhancing safe mobility.

The company operates 188 production locations in 31 countries.

http://www.zf.com

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Schaffner adds two more EMC filters for robotics and data centres

Thu, Sep 08, 2022

Two EMC filters have been added by Schaffner. The FN2520 and FN2660 join the initial FN2500 and FN2640 models. 

The latest additions to the EMC filter range have been developed to meet the specific needs of the robotics and data centre markets.

These two applications, together with autonomous machines require power supplies to be mounted in 19 inch rack cabinets. To accommodate this, and provide systems builders with seamless integration, Schaffner has packaged the new EMC filter series in a space saving 1U rack-mount design.

Versatile connection options

The FN2520 and FN2660 EMC filters are available with a range of connection options, including on input and output include push-on terminals, cable glands, screw terminals or spring terminals for the new FN2520 and the existing FN2500 filters. The FN2640 and FN2660 offer IEC C14 (10 to 15A) or IEC C20 (16 to 20A) input connectors for direct mains connection and with a range of output connectors.

Key standard features include input voltage 250V AC at DC to 60Hz (277V AC / 400V DC in the case of the FN2500 filter), output current 10 to 20A at 40 degrees C, MTBF above 300,000 h and operating temperature range of -40 to +100 degrees C (with derating above 40 degrees C).

The FN2500 / FN2640 EMC filters meet the requirements of IEC 62368-1 – Audio/Video, Information and Communication Technology and equipment and IEC/EN 60335-1 – Household and similar appliances, Climatic Category 40/10 0/21 to IEC60068-1, Certified to UL 60939-3, IEC/EN 60939-3, GB/T 15287 and Protection category IP00 / IP20 for -103 terminals.

Data sheets are available to download. Sales representatives or partners can provide samples and quotations. 

Schaffner specialises in electromagnetic compatibility and power quality components for an efficient and reliable use of electric energy. Schaffner Group’s products and services contribute to the promotion of technologies for the generation of renewable energies, ensures the reliable functioning of electronic devices and systems in compliance with all important quality and performance standards, and meets the requirements for increasing energy efficiency.

http://schaffner.com

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WE-BMS signal transformers manage battery systems

Fri, Aug 26, 2022

Signal transformers with galvanic isolation of 4,300V DC / one minute and high operating voltage of up to 1,000V DC are part of the WE-BMS components for battery management systems by Würth Elektronik. 

The WE-BMS series components also include at least one common-mode choke to filter common-mode interference. Würth Elektronik claimed its design offers longer physical creepage than comparable products on the market despite their size. The low-profile models, for example are available with heights of 3.45mm. 

The transformers are optimised for battery management systems, primarily to ensure reliable operation and provide information about the charging status. The individual cells of a battery pack are connected in series, as are the downstream battery management system controllers. Voltage differences and electromagnetic interference (EMI) may occur between series-connected components or boards. To counter this, the WE-BMS transformer isolate components and suppress EMI. Applications include storage systems for solar installations or uninterrupted power supplies (UPS). The WE-BMS series is AEC-Q200-qualified, and is therefore suitable for energy storage in e-mobility applications, such as e-bikes and e-scooters. WE-BMS supports a variety of interfaces, including serial daisy chain, isoSPI and SPI.

The transformers are designed for the extended operating temperature range of -40 to +125 degrees C. The components are available from stock in various sizes, ranging from 7.6 x 9.5 x 5.5mm to 15.1 x 15.4 x 3.45mm. There is no minimum order quantity. In addition, Würth Elektronik provides free samples for engineers.

Würth Elektronik eiSos Group is a manufacturer of electronic and electromechanical components for the electronics industry and a technology company. Würth Elektronik eiSos says it is one of the largest European manufacturers of passive components and is active in 50 countries. Production sites are in Europe, Asia and North America. 

The company’s product range includes EMC components, inductors, transformers, RF components, varistors, capacitors, resistors, quartz crystals, oscillators, power modules, wireless power transfer, LEDs, sensors, connectors, power supply elements, switches, push-buttons, connection technology, fuse holders and solutions for wireless data transmission.

Würth Elektronik is part of the Würth Group, specialising in assembly and fastening technology. 

http://www.we-online.com

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