What Is A Connector?

What Is A Connector? 
 
Connectors, an electro-mechanical device, generally refers to electrical connectors. That is, a device connects two active devices and transmits current or signal.

Connectors are a kind of component that electronic engineers often come into contact with. Its function is very simple: to bridge the communication between the blocked or isolated circuits in the circuit, so that the current can circulate. The connector is an indispensable part of an electronic device. If you look at the path of the current flow, you will always find one or more connectors.

The form and structure of connectors vary greatly, which is depending on the object, frequency, power, environment, etc. For example, connectors for on-court lights and hard drives, and connectors for rocket ignition are very different. But no matter what kind of connector is, it should ensure that the current flowing smoothly, continuously, and reliably. In general terms, the connector is not just used to connected current. With the rapid development of optoelectronic technology, the carrier of signal transmission in optical fiber system is light, glass and plastic also replaced the wire in the ordinary circuit. However, connectors are also used in optical signal pathways, which act the same as circuit connectors.

The birth of the connector came from the manufacturing technology of fighter planes. Aircraft in battle had to be refueled and repaired on the ground, and the duration of stay on the ground was an important factor in the victory or defeat of a battle. Therefore, in World War II, the US authorities are determined to reduce ground maintenance time and increase the combat time for fighter jets. They first unitized the various control instruments and machine parts, and then connect them with the connectors to form a complete system. During repair, the faulty units are taken apart and the new units are replaced and the plane will soon be able to fly into combat. After the war, AT-T Bell Labs successfully developed the Bell telephone system, followed by the rise of industries such as computers, communications, and so on, which gives more opportunities for the development of connectors derived from stand-alone technology.