SCHURTER White Paper: Mating Connectors0 pages

White Paper

Mating Connectors

IEC Appliance Couplers Safe,

Simple and Flexible

Power Supply System Selection made easy

Detachable power systems (Appliance couplers) according to IEC 60320 provide a great

deal of flexibility and efficiency. Products must comply with the strictest safety agency re-

quirements to ensure user safety, while responding to the increasing need for user-friend-

liness. In SCHURTER's portfolio, this product line plays a central role [1]. Our website's

"Mating Connectors" [2] service provides support in selecting the right detachable power

configuration by simplifying product selection.

; Power Entry Module

Appliance Inlet

Appliance Outlet

Power Outlet (Mains Socket)

Power Plug (Mains Plug)

Power Supply Cord

Rewireable Connector

Interconnection Cord

Cord Retaining Clamp

Figure 1: Application example including

standard terms

Detachable power connectors are used in office

equipment, in measurement instruments, in IT

environments and in medical devices, among

many other types of equipment for worldwide

distribution. Therefore, each appliance's power

system must be adapted to country-specific

conditions (e.g. different power plugs in the US,

Germany, the UK, etc.). This, in turn, entails

differences in the requirements placed on the

appliances from the beginning of the life cycle

to assembly and testing to logistics and field

maintenance. In contrast to hard-wired power

components, detachable power systems

make it easier to comply with these diverse

requirements, thereby minimizing cost and

expenses in each phase of the product's life.

These trends toward power harmonization are

reasons why the need for appliance couplers

continues to grow.

Figure 1 illustrates the great variety of detachable

power systems (appliance couplers) and the

different components.

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