October 3, 2010 - Acromag announces USB Isolator Shields. This compact, industrial-rated isolator provides a high-voltage isolation barrier for USB 2.0 or 1.1 connections from computers to USB devices. It is useful to protect against over-voltage conditions caused by electrical surges and transient voltage spikes.
Isolation also helps to eliminate ground loop errors and will minimize conducted noise from static discharge, magnetic fields, and radio frequency interference. Acromag’s isolator offers high noise immunity with low radiated emissions for reliable data transfer in sensitive applications. Industrial-grade features offer additional control for advanced users, and the unit is designed to meet UL/cUL and CE approval requirements. Typical applications involve process control devices, automation equipment, test and measurement systems, and medical instrumentation.
The $99 isolator is less than 1 x 2.5 x 2 inches and includes a USB host cable.The isolator is inserted in-line with the USB connection and operates transparent to the devices with no software drivers required. It receives its power from USB and isolates that power to the connected device. A green power LED indicates that power is being received and will blink if the connected device is trying to draw more than 120mA.
Default communication is USB Full Speed (12Mbps) but can alternately be set for Low Speed (1.5Mbps) via an internal jumper. The reset button enables re-initialization of a connected device without breaking the cable connection. High-retention USB A and USB B sockets increase connection integrity under shock and vibration. A 1 meter USB A-B cable is included for connection to the host computer.
Electrical isolation of up to 1500V AC / 2100V DC separates the USB host from the USB peripheral. Built-in surge/transient suppression up to 8kV protects all ports. Common mode filtering is also applied on all data lines. Output short circuit protection adds further safety and includes an auto-retry function.
