TE Connectivity designs solderless LED socket for new Nichia Chip-on-board LEDs

Connecting LEDs without the need to solder manually offers many benefits. Soldering is a time consuming and painstaking process, as LEDs are difficult to solder to, with solder flux splatter possibly
damaging the light emitting area of the LED. In addition, a solder termination is awkward to undo and
over time can become a weak point which can considerably reduce the reliability of the connection.
The heat from the soldering process can also transfer to the LED and shorten its lifespan. In contrast,
the solderless socket enables greater uniformity in connections with a strong yet removable connection and no need for heat application.

The one-piece connector assembly features TE’s proven poke-in wire termination method for 18
through 22 AWG solid,18 through 20 AWG prebonded and 18 AWG stranded wires. Termination to the
COB-L LED is simplified with locating features that position the LED into the socket during the
assembly process. This creates mechanical protection for the ceramic LED edges. In addition, the
integrated polarization feature enables a secure and lasting connection, which fits solid, stranded or
fused wire. This makes the installation process extremely quick and easy with minimal manual work,
thus helping to reduce time and costs.

Additional product features include:

• A cleared area designated for reflector mounting that accepts custom or commercially-available
optics
• UV-resistant housing material to prevent housing discoloration
• Molded polarity indicator on housing.

The socket has been designed specifically for chip-on-board LEDs from NICHIA. It is suitable for
applications such as retail lighting, commercial down lights and high bay lighting. It is UL-recognized to
UL 1977 for use in UL 8750 applications and is RoHS compliant.