Reading a spec sheet for a power socket

For *power*? OK, seems an odd use (and one that might confuse folks!)

Appears to give neither position nor dimensions!

I'm not sure of this, but I think the plastic pins are stand-offs to prevent seating the connector all the way down on the center electrode that runs beneath.

Ah, no not power. I was looking at another for power. This is for a signal! As for confusing people, it would only be confusing me, and there's ample evidence that that's easy to do.

I think it's saying they're 1.4mm thick, but I haven't been able to deduce a position.

Sylvia.

OK, that makes a kind of sense.

Sylvia.

That was my initial assumption; but, the *photo* seems to show the pins as having a smaller diameter at the tips -- as if the body protruded through a mounting hole and the tips were melted over to secure it.

Thickness, yes. But, there doesn't seem to be any indication of how far beyond (below) the seating plane they extend. Note the wide conductor (outer shell of the cylinder) folding under the connector body between those pins -- do the plastic pins sit atop the PCB or does that metal folded-under piece form the seating plane (with the plastic pins protruding beyond, into the board)?

The first link you provided can show an enlarged photo. That was what I studied.

dimensions: diameter 1.4 length 3.0 and the middle pair are 2.0 from the front pair.

location of terminal "2" is also a mystery

perhaps ask for a footprint drawing.

they will have smaller diameter at the tips, but that's only because the part is injection moulded,

Yes, that's what it is. Here's a **much** better datasheet (for a different part but probably compatible)

It actually has a recommended PCB footprint/layout and a **schematic** showing **pin numbers**.

I'm guessing again, but yours is a three-circuit component whereas I think she wants a two-circuit component.

Also, the two outside pins are closer to each other by about 2mm, I think.

Right, and as you say it's not compatible. It is a good example of a proper datasheet.

Most of the two-contact ones seem to have only two electrical pins.

What's with the connector people not bothering to show internal schematics? It's supposed to be obvious I suppose.

These are phono jacks, is that what you wanted?

Sure. Leave the design engineer guessing. A good way to loose sales.

I'm sure you realize that they're stamped out of a long flat strip of material in a progressive die.

To make them round-ish would require a more complex die. It's done for things like those Molex connectors used for 3.5" disk drives.

A stamped slot in a PCB isn't much more difficult than a round hole, and you can call out drilled slots in non-stamped PCBs.

Making slots must be more time consuming on the machine, and thereby increase the cost.

Sylvia.

If it's a serious quantity application, the PCB punch die set won't be much different in cost. I know that for a fact.

CNC-PCB stuff is low quantity and wouldn't have been of much concern to the designers of a part that sells for pennies and is targeted at consumer applications.

That's my guess anyway.

Obviously it costs something but the edges of the board are usually routed (if not stamped) anyway. It's just another, small, routing operation.