96-Position DIN 41612 Header — Style F, Right-Angle, Partially Loaded
The TE Connectivity 188753-4 is a DIN 41612 Style F header with 96 position cavities arranged in three rows, but only 31 positions are loaded with pins. This is a right-angle, through-hole mount connector — the standard orientation for a daughtercard that plugs into a backplane at 90 degrees. The 3-row, 96-position format is the full-size Eurocard configuration, and Style F defines the contact layout and keying for the mating receptacle. The insulator is polyester thermoplastic.
What the Partial Population Means for Your BOM
The 188753-4 is not a fully populated 96-position header — it carries pins in only 31 of the 96 cavities. This is a custom or application-specific loading pattern, likely for a backplane design that uses a subset of the DIN 41612 signal rows. Before committing this to a BOM, verify that the 31 loaded positions match your circuit count and that the unloaded cavities are acceptable for your layout (they remain as empty holes in the insulator). If your design requires all 96 positions populated, this is not the correct variant.
Right-Angle Through-Hole — Board Fit and Mechanical Retention
Through-hole solder tails provide the mechanical strength needed to withstand the insertion force of a 96-position mate — surface mount would risk pad lift under the mating cycle load. The 3-row layout means the footprint spans the full width of a standard DIN 41612 connector zone on the PCB.