What are Disposable Connectors?

Meet the Connector: Disposable Connectors

Disposable single-use and limited-reuse connectors must do the same job as reusable versions, but cost, functionality, and environmental impact play a bigger role in their design. Disposables are largely used in medical applications to maximize patient safety by preventing cross-contamination and infection. They are also used in food processing, research labs, and industrial processes that require a sterile environment.

FDA regulations, EPA restrictions, Reach and RoHS compliance, the use of hazardous materials, or conflict minerals all impact the creation of a device that delivers a high level of care. Important considerations for disposable connectors include:

• Safety
• Cleanliness
• Reliability
• Cost per use
• Ability to combine single use with limited reuse or reusable components
• Trend toward higher voltage and higher densities

The HyperGrip Series from Smiths Interconnect includes disposable plugs and receptacles for HG2 and HG4 sizes. They are designed to support overmolding and high-volume production methods. They withstand at least 30 cycles while ensuring connector performance in terms of insulation resistance, dielectric withstanding voltage, current carrying, and low-level current resistance. HyperGrip is a circular plastic, user-configurable, color coded connector with push/pull latching design allowing for one-hand disconnect. HyperGrip is designed to meet medical industry requirements such as finger-proofing to IEC 60601, flammability rated to UL94, and is compatible with most sterilization requirements.

Design Notes

Standards: FDA, EPA, Reach, RoHS, IEC 60601, UL, CSA

Mating cycles: Limited number of mating cycles, typically 10-30.

Mating styles: Locking, non-locking, breakaway

Contacts: Screw machined hyperboloid contact systems, stamped hyperboloid contacts, edge-card contacts, and spring probes are often chosen based on performance requirements, suitability for the specific application, and cost effectiveness. Pneumatic and fluid contacts are used for handling gases, saline, or suction. Fiber contacts for imaging, sensing, and data transmission are important for many emerging technologies; however, their cost and complexity are quite high.

Termination: Lower cost termination methods, rather than soldering, may be used to lower cost while maintaining performance.

Material specifications: Material selection must balance cost effectiveness, robustness, and chemical compatibility. Housings and components are made from plastic and thermoplastics, such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyurethane (PUR). In medical applications, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), for example, are used for their resistance to sterilization and chemicals.

Environmental properties:  finger-proofing to IEC 60601, flammability rating (UL94), EtO sterilization, overmolding

IP rating depends on the specific application and the environmental conditions. Smith Interconnect’s HyperGrip, for example, is rated IPX4.

Markets

Medical, Industrial

Applications

Medical applications (e.g., ECG, endoscope), food processing, research labs

Suppliers

Smiths Interconnect, LEMO, Fischer Connectors, Amphenol Alden

Related products

Push-pull circular connectors

Like this article? Check out our other Meet the Connector and Connector Basics articles, our Military and Aerospace Market Page, and our 2024 and 2025 Article Archives. 

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