Hybrid connectors

Today’s devices are more complex, and they often require connections of fluid (liquid or gas such as helium, compressed air, etc.), optical fiber and electronics.

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Each of these connections must be made correctly, every time, without any room for error or misconnection.

 

With the variety of functionalities and options available, end users can find it confusing and overwhelming to figure out what to connect where. Wrong connections can lead to safety issues, time delays, and damaged equipment.

 

Fischer Connectors has developed several types of solutions that combine such critical connections into one single, small, multi-tasking connector and cable. These so-called hybrid* connectors simplify user interface and connect multiple electrical, fluidic and/or optical lines with just one touch.

 

* N.B. In the connector industry, the term hybrid is also used for mixed connectors combining several power and signal contacts within a single body, e.g., the highly engineered, ultra-dense Fischer MiniMax™ connector with 6 power and 24 signal contacts in Ø 14 mm (‘size 10’ per Fischer Connectors reference).

Our hybrid connector solutions

Fischer Connectors’ hybrid connector solutions are designed to withstand extreme conditions in harsh environments for medical devices, instrumentation, military equipment, oil & gas applications and transportation systems.

 

Our series have a rugged design and are made of high-quality materials in order to:

  • Endure mechanical stress
  • Resist environmental conditions such as water, rain, sand, dirt, corrosion, high temperatures and pressure
  • Withstand sterilization

Power & fluid or gas

Reliable and robust

  • Push-pull locking system for safe & secure operations
  • High number of mating cycles
  • Autoclavable

 

Convenient

  • Decreased number of connections
  • Quicker machine and device setup/installation
  • Handpiece data monitoring

 

Seamless integration

  • Promotes sleek designs and enables miniaturization of devices

 

Power & fiber optic

Reliable and robust

  • Push-pull locking system with easy ball-locking mating
  • Best optical performances
  • Up to 1,000 mating cycles

 

Space-saving

  • Allows the design of compact and lightweight devices

 

Ease of use

  • The mono-block mate adapter for easy access to ferrules enables convenient field cleaning and easy installation and maintenance

 

 

Our product range

The Core series offers a hybrid connector in brass with 6 or 8 electrical contacts and fluidic inserts from 4 mm to 1.4 mm with various terminations/mounting options, resisting up to 6.5 bar pressure. Our ultra-rugged, compact and lightweight UltiMate series offers hermetic connectors in various configurations. The FiberOptic hybrid connector offers 2 optical channels and 2 electrical contacts with 10 A and 400 V. Choose between multimode with UPC polishing or single mode with either UPC or 8° APC polishing.
Number of contacts 2 to 55 2 to 42 4
Contact termination Solder | Crimp | PCB Solder | Crimp | PCB Optical | Solder (hybrid)
Locking system Push-pull | Quick-release | Friction Quick-release | Push-pull Push-pull
Blind mating

Mating cycles up to 10,000 up to 10,000 up to 1,000
Data transfer & power

Contact type Low voltage | High voltage | Coax | Triax | Hybrid Low voltage Low voltage | Fiber optic
Sealing level IP30 to IP69 | Hermetic IP68 to IP69 | Hermetic IP67 to IP68
Receptacle sealed unmated

Data protocol compliance USB 2.0 | Ethernet | Single Pair Ethernet | Audio/UHD Video USB 2.0 | Ethernet | Single Pair Ethernet
Test voltage DC (kV) up to 50 up to 3.7 up to 2.8
Current rating (A) up to 60 up to 26 up to 10
Housing material Brass | Stainless steel 316 L | Aluminum | PEI (405) | PBT (4032) | ABS Aluminum | Brass Brass
AWG 9 to 32 9 to 32 17 (hybrid)
Cable outer Ø (mm) 1.5 to 22.7 1.9 to 18.8 2.9 to 9.4
Plug size Ø (mm) 9 to 34 12 to 29 13 to 24

Learn more about hybrid connectors

Hybrid connectors provide a versatile and customizable solution for a wide range of applications that require multiple types of connections.

Examples of high-performance hybrid connector applications

hybrid_connectors_medical_devices

Power and fluid for medical devices

Medical practitioners work with complex connected devices requiring fluids, power and data in devices that are sterilized in the autoclave, manipulated multiple times, resist shock and vibration, and must cope with long lifecycles:

  • Medical pneumatic devices/instruments with compressed air supply (or other fluids) for puncturing, drilling, sawing, shockwave, etc.
  • Therapeutic (pain therapy, rehabilitation) using shock wave or for surgical handpieces and devices (urology surgery, dental surgery)
hybrid_connectors_Pfeiffer
Photo with Pfeiffer Vacuum’s kind support.

Power and fluid for test and measurement

For test and measurement applications, hybrid connectors with gas or liquid and low-voltage connections offer a flexible solution, enabling effective and precise testing and monitoring.

 

The helium and hydrogen sniffer leak detector from Pfeiffer Vacuum stands for high sensitivity (10-7 mbar l/s), accuracy and repeatability in industrial applications like refrigeration, air conditioning and e-mobility. It features two Fischer Core hybrid connectors with 8 electrical contacts and 1 fluidic tube resisting high mating cycles.

 

hybrid_connectors_ITTH

Power and fiber optic

For data transmission in the high-performance scanning systems used for the automatic optical inspection of brake shoes on Danish State Railways, ITTH GmbH & Co. KG relies on hybrid connectors from the Fischer FiberOptic Series.

 

The scanning systems at the Odense and Kolding stations that were installed in the track bed capture images of the brake shoes as the trains pass over them thanks to high-performance camera systems transmitting information at a speed of 10 Gbit/s. Since the system is located in the track bed, the connectors must withstand environmental conditions like snow, rain, dust and be resistant to damage from oil and gasoline.

 

Related case studies, news & blog

Product news

Fluidic as well – and rugged as ever

Tech insights

Reliability and durability specifics for rugged connectivity: four types of resistance

Tech insights

When a life is on the line, reliable connectivity is essential

Choose the hybrid connector that fits your needs.