1-Wire Contact (SFN) Package

Add Authentication, Calibration, or Data Collection to Non-Electronic Products

Maxim's patented 1-Wire^® Contact Package solution makes it easy to add functional circuitry to a product that wasn't originally designed to accommodate such circuitry. The package is useful in situations where authentication, calibration, or data collection functionality needs to be added to an existing product.

Adding electronic functionality to traditionally non-electronic peripherals and consumables is a common application requirement. This is typically driven by system requirements including storage of calibration data, manufacturing information, or OEM authentication of the peripheral, accessory, or consumable. In addition to selecting the proper IC feature set to provide security and memory for these applications, a reliable and cost effective solution is needed to attach the IC to the peripheral and make an electro-mechanical connection between the peripheral and host system.

The 1-Wire Contact Package, also referred to as an SFN package, provides a cost-effective method for attachment of a 1-Wire IC to the non-electronic peripheral combined with a reliable electro-mechanical contact surface. It eliminates the need and costs associated with the comparable IC+PCB module approach.

Maxim currently offers three different sizes of the 1-Wire Contact Package.

The above diagram shows available SFN packages with actual dimensions, though the images are scaled up for viewing comparison. The actual package drawings can be viewed from the links below:

• SFN 3.5mm x 5mm x 0.35mm
• SFN 3.5mm x 6.5mm x 0.75mm
• SFN 6mm x 6mm x 0.9mm

Attachment Options

Several options exist to attach the 1-Wire Contact Package to a peripheral including adhesive, heat stake, slot retention, or combinations of these. Attachment guidelines as well as information on the contact surface reliability can be found in application note 4132, "Attachment Methods for the Electro-Mechanical 1-Wire Contact Package."