Seven Segment Display ELS-2326USOWA/S530-A4 Datasheet - Digit Height 57.0mm - Through-Hole - White Segments - English Technical Document

1. Product Overview

The ELS-2326USOWA/S530-A4 is a high-brightness, seven-segment alphanumeric display designed for clear readability in various lighting conditions. Its primary function is to provide digital readouts for electronic devices and instrumentation.

1.1 Core Advantages

This display offers several key advantages for designers and engineers. It features an industrial-standard footprint, ensuring compatibility with existing PCB layouts and sockets. The device is engineered for low power consumption, making it suitable for battery-powered or energy-conscious applications. Furthermore, the segments are categorized for luminous intensity, providing consistency in brightness across production batches. The product is also compliant with Pb-free and RoHS environmental directives.

1.2 Target Market

The display is targeted at applications requiring reliable, easy-to-read numeric or limited alphanumeric output. Its robustness and clarity make it ideal for integration into home appliances, various instrument panels, and general-purpose digital readout displays where through-hole mounting is preferred for durability and ease of assembly.

2. Technical Parameter Deep Dive

A detailed analysis of the device's specifications is crucial for proper circuit design and application.

2.1 Physical and Optical Characteristics

The display has a digit height of 57.0 millimeters (2.24 inches), which is considered a large format, offering excellent visibility from a distance. The device is constructed with white light-emitting segments against a gray surface, which enhances contrast and reduces glare in bright ambient light, thereby improving overall reliability and user experience.

2.2 Electrical Parameters

While the provided excerpt mentions "Absolute Maximum Ratings," the specific values for forward voltage, current, and power dissipation are not detailed in the given content. Designers must consult the full datasheet for these critical parameters to ensure the display is driven within its safe operating area (SOA) to prevent premature failure.

2.3 Thermal Considerations

Thermal management is implicitly addressed through the absolute maximum ratings, which typically include parameters like storage temperature, operating temperature, and soldering temperature. Adherence to these limits is essential for maintaining LED lifespan and performance stability.

3. Binning System Explanation

The datasheet indicates that the devices are "Categorized for luminous intensity." This refers to a binning process where displays are sorted and grouped based on their measured light output at a specified test current. This ensures that units within the same bin have very similar brightness levels, which is critical for applications using multiple displays where visual uniformity is required.

4. Performance Curve Analysis

The PDF references a "Typical Electro-Optical Characteristics Curves" section, which would typically contain graphical data essential for understanding device behavior under different conditions.

4.1 Spectrum Distribution

The "Spectrum Distribution" curve, measured at Ta=25°C, would plot the relative intensity of the emitted light against wavelength. For a white LED display, this curve would show a broad spectrum, likely peaking in the blue region (from the LED chip) with a broader emission in the yellow/red region from the phosphor coating, combining to produce white light. The shape and peak wavelength of this curve determine the perceived color temperature (e.g., cool white, neutral white) of the display.

4.2 Luminous Intensity vs. Forward Current (I-V Curve)

Although not explicitly shown in the excerpt, a standard characteristic curve would illustrate the relationship between the forward current (If) applied to an LED segment and its resulting luminous intensity (Iv). This curve is non-linear; brightness increases with current but at a diminishing rate. It also helps define the optimal drive current for balancing brightness with efficiency and longevity.

4.3 Temperature Dependency

Another crucial curve would show how luminous intensity degrades as the junction temperature of the LED increases. Typically, LED output decreases as temperature rises. Understanding this relationship is vital for applications operating in high-temperature environments, as it may necessitate thermal design or brightness compensation in the drive circuitry.

5. Mechanical and Package Information

5.1 Package Dimensions

The datasheet includes a "Package Dimension" diagram. This provides the critical physical measurements of the display module, including overall length, width, height, digit spacing, lead (pin) spacing, and lead diameter. The note specifies that tolerances are ±0.25mm unless otherwise stated. These dimensions are mandatory for creating accurate PCB footprints and ensuring proper fit within an enclosure.

5.2 Pad Design and Polarity Identification

The dimension drawing will precisely define the recommended solder pad layout on the PCB. The "Internal Circuit Diagram" shows the electrical connection of the individual segments (a-g) and the common anode or cathode points. This diagram is essential for correctly wiring the display to the driver circuit. The physical package or the diagram will also indicate polarity (e.g., a marking for pin 1) to prevent incorrect insertion during assembly.

6. Soldering and Assembly Guidelines

While specific reflow profiles are not provided in the excerpt, general guidelines for handling LEDs apply.

6.1 Precautions and Storage Conditions

The document strongly emphasizes Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection. The LED dice are sensitive to static electricity, which can cause latent or catastrophic damage. Recommended measures include using grounded wrist straps, ESD-safe footwear and workstations, conductive floor mats, and proper grounding of all equipment. The LEDs should be stored in their original conductive packaging in a controlled, low-humidity environment until use.

6.2 Soldering Considerations

For through-hole components, wave soldering or manual soldering is typical. The temperature and duration should be controlled to avoid thermal shock to the epoxy resin and the internal LED chips. The leads should not be subjected to excessive mechanical stress during insertion or soldering.

7. Packaging and Ordering Information

7.1 Packaging Specifications

The device follows a specific packing process: 10 pieces are packed in one tube, 10 tubes are placed in one box, and 2 boxes are packed in one master carton. This totals 200 pieces per carton. This information is vital for inventory planning, production line feeding, and understanding minimum order quantities.

7.2 Label Explanation

The packing label contains several codes:

• CPN: Customer's Product Number (for internal tracking).
• P/N: The manufacturer's Product Number (ELS-2326USOWA/S530-A4).
• QTY: The quantity of devices in that specific package.
• CAT: The Luminous Intensity Rank or bin code.
• HUE/REF: Likely references for color or other optical characteristics.
• LOT No: Traceability code linking the devices to a specific manufacturing batch.

8. Application Recommendations

8.1 Typical Application Scenarios

This display is well-suited for:

• Home Appliances: Timers on ovens, microwaves, washing machines, or air conditioners.
• Instrument Panels: Readouts for test equipment, industrial controllers, or power supplies.
• Digital Readout Displays: Standalone counters, clocks, or simple measurement displays.

8.2 Design Considerations

Drive Circuitry: A constant current source is generally preferred over a constant voltage source to drive LED segments, as it provides stable brightness and protects the LEDs from current spikes. The circuit must be designed to ensure the LEDs are only subjected to forward bias. The datasheet explicitly warns against applying continuous reverse voltage, which can cause internal migration and permanent damage.

Current Limiting Resistors: When using a voltage source with series resistors, the resistor value must be carefully calculated based on the forward voltage (Vf) of the LED segment and the desired current, factoring in the power supply voltage.

Multiplexing: For multi-digit displays, a multiplexing technique is often used to control many segments with fewer I/O pins. This involves rapidly cycling power to each digit. The persistence of vision makes all digits appear lit simultaneously. The driver IC must be capable of supplying the higher peak current required during each digit's brief on-time.

9. Technical Comparison

Compared to smaller SMD (Surface Mount Device) seven-segment displays, this through-hole version offers distinct advantages and trade-offs.p>

9.1 Differentiation Advantages

Durability and Serviceability: Through-hole mounting generally provides stronger mechanical bonds, making the display more resistant to vibration and physical stress. It is also easier to replace manually if needed.

Visibility: The 57.0mm digit height is significantly larger than most SMD alternatives, offering superior visibility for applications where the user may be at a distance.

Heat Dissipation: The leads can act as additional thermal paths to the PCB, potentially offering slightly better heat dissipation than some SMD packages, depending on the design.

9.2 Trade-offs

Board Space and Automation: Through-hole components require drilling holes in the PCB, consume more board space on the top side, and are less suited to fully automated pick-and-place assembly lines compared to SMD parts.

Profile: The overall assembly will have a higher profile than an SMD-based design.

10. Frequently Asked Questions (Based on Technical Parameters)

Q1: What is the purpose of the luminous intensity categorization (binning)?
A1: Binning ensures visual consistency. If you are using multiple displays side-by-side (e.g., in a multi-digit clock), purchasing devices from the same intensity bin guarantees they will have nearly identical brightness, preventing one digit from appearing dimmer or brighter than its neighbors.

Q2: Can I drive this display directly from a microcontroller pin?
A2: Generally, no. A typical microcontroller GPIO pin can only source or sink a limited current (often 20-40mA), which is likely insufficient for a large digit segment. Furthermore, connecting an LED directly to a pin without a current-limiting resistor risks damaging both the LED and the microcontroller. An external driver circuit (using transistors, dedicated LED driver ICs, or constant current sources) is required.

Q3: Why is ESD protection so heavily emphasized?
A3: The semiconductor junctions inside the LED are extremely sensitive to high-voltage electrostatic discharges, which can occur simply from human handling. ESD damage may not cause immediate failure but can severely degrade the LED's performance and lifespan. Following ESD protocols is a critical step in ensuring product reliability.

11. Practical Use Case

Scenario: Designing a Simple Industrial Timer.
An engineer is designing a countdown timer for a manufacturing process. The timer needs to be readable from several meters away in a well-lit factory. The ELS-2326USOWA/S530-A4 is selected for its large digit size and high contrast gray/white design.

Implementation: A 4-digit version is planned. The engineer uses the package dimensions to create the PCB footprint. A dedicated LED driver IC with multiplexing capability is chosen to control the 28 segments (7 segments x 4 digits) efficiently. The driver is configured to supply the appropriate constant current as specified in the full datasheet. Current-limiting resistors are sized accordingly. The circuit includes reverse voltage protection diodes as per the datasheet warning. During assembly, the production line uses ESD-safe practices. The final product provides a clear, reliable, and uniform display for the operator.

12. Operating Principle

A seven-segment display is an assembly of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a figure-eight pattern. Each of the seven segments (labeled a through g) is an individual LED (or a series/parallel combination of LED chips). An additional LED is often used for the decimal point (dp). In a common-anode display, all the anodes of the segment LEDs are connected together to a common positive voltage pin. To illuminate a specific segment, its cathode is connected to a lower voltage (ground) through a current-limiting circuit. In a common-cathode display, the opposite is true. By selectively turning on different combinations of these seven segments, the numerals 0-9 and some letters (like A, C, E, F) can be formed. The white color in this specific model is achieved by using a blue or ultraviolet LED chip coated with a broad-spectrum phosphor that emits white light.

13. Technology Trends

While through-hole displays like this one remain relevant for specific durability and serviceability requirements, the overall trend in electronics is toward miniaturization and surface-mount technology (SMT). SMD LED displays offer smaller footprints, lower profiles, and are better suited for high-speed, automated assembly. Furthermore, advancements in LED chip technology continue to improve luminous efficacy (more light output per watt of electrical input), allowing for brighter displays with lower power consumption or enabling the use of smaller chips for the same brightness. There is also a growing integration of display drivers and controllers into more complex system-on-chip (SoC) solutions. However, for applications demanding large, robust, and easily serviceable numeric readouts, through-hole segmented displays maintain a solid position in the component ecosystem.