ALPS Develops Header Type Connector for micro SDCards

Achieving the Industry’s Lowest-Profile Connector

Duesseldorf, Germany, April 23, 2007 – ALPS ELECTRIC EUROPA GmbH has completed the development of the SCHD Series Header Type Connectors for microSD™ Cards, which are widely used with mobile telephones, digital cameras and other compact mobile devices, and will commence their mass production from April 2007. Today’s mobile telephones offer not only such basic communication functions as phone and e-mail services but also value-added functions including digital cameras and audio players. The volume of data these multifunction mobile telephones handle is constantly increasing, with users saving still and video images captured using the units’ built-in high-resolution digital cameras as well as saving and playing music data. The large memory capacity these functions require often exceeds units’ default memory capacity, forcing users to employ high-capacity memory cards. The current trend with regard to the development of finished products that use peripheral memory cards – including mobile telephones, digital cameras and compact portable audio devices – is toward further compactness, thinness and functional variety. Due to this ongoing drive toward improvement, however, finished product manufacturers have to deal with reduced mounting space in their products. This situation is fuelling these manufacturers’ demand for more compact, lower-profile parts. The SCHD Series is a header type connector for microSD™ Cards. The thinnest in the industry at only 1.6mm, the connector houses a microSD™ Card that can be manually inserted into or ejected from the connector. The connector itself is designed to have a height almost equal to that of the microSD™ Cards, which measure 11.0mm wide, 15.0mm deep and 1.0mm high. This low-profile connector will contribute to dimensional reduction of finished products. In addition to the dimensional advantage, a card guide structure has been introduced at the memory card insert slot on the connector. This mechanism has been made possible by Alps’ unique insert moulding technology. The card guide structure not only facilitates the smooth insertion of memory cards into the connector, it also protects both the circuit board and connector terminals. Often, when a memory card is inserted into a slot, it is at a random angle and may make contact with circuit boards and terminals and damage them, which is precisely what the card guide structure is designed to prevent. Thus, the card guide structure obviates the risk of terminals detaching from circuit boards. Features The industry’s lowest-profile header type connector SCHD Series for microSD™ Cards. The thinnest in the industry at only 1.6mm, the connector enables the dimensional reduction of finished products. The card guide structure facilitates smooth memory card insertion into the card slot, thereby protecting circuit boards and connector terminals. Principal Applications Mobile telephones, digital cameras, compact portable audio devices etc. Specifications Download press release including table of specifications . Note: microSD is a trademark or registered trademark of the SD Card Association.

ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. Since its establishment in 1948 ALPS has grown as a comprehensive manufacturer of electronic components. At present ALPS is creating innovative high-value-added products in its main business segments – Components, Magnetic Devices, Communications, Peripheral Products, and Automotive Electronics – which are contributing to the advance of a digital society. ALPS is a global company that carries out its operations with 22 production bases in 9 countries as well as 57 sales bases in 14 countries. Consolidated net sales in the year ended March 31, 2005 amounted to YEN 644 billion. ALPS ELECTRIC EUROPA GmbH, a subsidiary of ALPS Electric Co., Ltd., was established in 1979. Since 1989, the European Head Office has been located in Düsseldorf, where a team of specialists works in Sales, Marketing, and Product Engineering. The activities of our branch offices in Munich, Paris and Milton Keynes, our sales office in Milan and our European distribution work are co-ordinated from Düsseldorf. ALPS Nordic AB, a 100 percent subsidiary of ALPS ELECTRIC EUROPA GmbH, is based in Sweden and services the Scandinavian market.