need a connector/extender

[Newz2000]

I've got this connector, I want to extend it by several inches. It's got 18 contacts, and the two outer contacts are slightly bigger than the rest. I don't know if you can buy a something like this...

Sorry if the pictures make you go cross eyed, my camera is no good at close ups. But if you look in the first picture, where it connects on the right side, the spacing between the pins could be soldered to. That's where the wire is connected directly to the circuit board. However, where it connects at the top there is a tiny socket, and the leads it uses are too small for me to easily solder to.

Therefore I was wondering if anyone knows:
a: is this a common connector (i.e. are they standardized in some way)
b: if you can buy extenders
c: if there's another alternative

The width of the wire where it attaches to the connector is 11-12 mm.

[Externet]

Hi Matthew.
From what I can discern in the picture, both ends of the flat foil printed cable are unterminated, meant to attach to a 'biting' connector.

a: is this a common connector (i.e. are they standardized in some way) Yes; we use them at my workplace; it has a tab to release the bite.

b: if you can buy extenders
I do not see it probable to find an extension.

c: if there's another alternative
Make it! If you are not concerned with reversibility to original condition, use a modern fine pitched ide flat cable, get a magnifying glass and solder the ends at the needed lenght. Apply some hot glue over the solder joints after tested, and should perform fine.

Anyway, check with the DigiKey catalog, they carry several mini connectors of that style, and should carry the flat foil cable, with prepared bare ends.
A defunct CD/DVD/CDROM may provide something similar if lucky.

Miguel

[haklesup]

Depending on the signal contained on the flex cable, you may be able to simply desolder the flex connector from the PCB and solder a round cable in its place. Might use a salvaged VGA cable or some CAT5 cables.

Sounds like you have 16 data or I/O lines. The two outer conductors are either both ground or ground and VDD (easy enough to measure). If the two outer conductors are both ground, you may be able to use two CAT5 cables with shield. Else you might trry splitting it onto four CAT5 cables and grounding the twisted pair complement wire (twisted sister) for each bit line. That should get you 100Mhz bandwidth. Might even be able to wire in an ethernet plug connector to make it removable but that would probably require a piggyback PCB to serve as an adapter for the different connector footprint. Just depends on your requirement.

The easiest place to salvage a flex cable approximately fitting your description would be in an ink jet printer. By now most of us have junked at least one.