So, this is one that has me pondering for quite a while now.
For a slotcar controller project, I'd quite like it to have a detachable cable for easier transportation. The actual hand piece is separated from the controller itself, sort of like in the pictures below.
Thus, a type of connector is needed. These things tend to have a hard life, so it should be something robust. I'd also like it to have a locking mechanism, one that is ideally easy enough to operate.
Unfortunately, so far I have struck out, with every connector type I know disqualifying itself for one reason or another, as I am fairly boxed in by my design. I have a 5 conductor cable at the moment, maybe more for future features, space is also fairly limited by the handpiece, the biggest panel cutout that would realistically work is 10mm it seems.
At work, I encounter these LEMO push-pull connectors
https://www.lemo.com/int_en/solutions/originals/b-indoor-keyed.html everywhere, which are awesome, so I have equipped a prototype with them. However a cable and two sockets ended up costing over 120€, which I can't possibly justify, much though I'd like to.
The other option I have tried out is TinyXLR (like these
https://www.thomann.de/intl/neutrik_rean_rt5_fc_b.htm), for one since I can get all the variants I need: Panel mount for the handle, PCB mount for the control box, and premade cables if I'm feeling lazy. However the locking mechanism has proven unreliable, on the Rean brand it fails after a short while, on the more expensive Amphenol brand ones it tends to get badly stuck.
I've also seen these M8 circular connectors
https://www.cuidevices.com/news/press-releases/m8-connector-models-added-to-cui-devices-circular-connectors-line on some lab gear, they seem quite sturdy too and not too expensive, however I can't for the life of me find connectors without a cable on, that have more than 4 pins.
So I thought, I might brainstorm with the hive mind, since there's quite a bunch of people here and someone's bound to have come across a connector before that might work.
Feel free to throw anything at me, let's see if it sticks.