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[gldvxx]

The LCD screen on my TR-505 burned out so I got a replacement. When I cracked open the TR-505 I discovered the LCD screen is sitting on with these rubber connectors that seem to be attached by some sort of adhesive. The only repair video I found with this type of connector shows they just pop right off, but I haven't found any information on a) how to re-attach them or b) how to line them up. The LCD in this video were mounted in a bracket face-plate thing so the person didn't need to re-attach them, the bracket face-plate thing held it all together and they could just screw that back into the thing they were repairing. So the question is, how do I make sure the rubber connectors are properly lined up on the PCB and then how do I attach them?

Here's a photo for reference in case my ramblings about rubbery things doesn't make any sense



Edit: embedding the photo didn't work so I'll just link it instead - https://goo.gl/photos/EoxZamRovB7GxJai9

[Circuitbenders]

Those rubber connector things are called zebra connectors, and they are incredibly difficult to line up and get working again once you've taken the screen off. I probably wouldn't have removed the actual LCD glass at all, and would have tried to track down a whole LCD board with the screen still attached from a junked 505.

As it is, assuming the 505 has plastic mountings to hold the screen glass in the right postilion, then your best bet is to probably to put the glass in, and then screw the board into place behind it and hope that everything lines up and is held together properly. It probably won't be lined up right and there will be parts of the screen missing, so it'll take several attempts, but i don't think theres much else you can do. As far as i'm aware there isn't any kind of adhesive you can use.

[gldvxx]

Thanks for the tip on what those connectors are called, that gave me enough information to complete the repair.

I'll share what I learned and what I did. "ZEBRA" is actually a brand name for "elastomeric". Elastomeric connectors don't require adhesive, rather they are typically seated and depend on about 10% compression to make the connection. Most devices that use these connectors have some kind of seating structure to hold the connectors in place and to maintain the compression.

I examined the faceplate of the TR-505 where I'd removed the LCD and found small grooves that matched the length of the elastomeric connectors. I placed the LCD face down in faceplate where I'd removed it from, and then placed the elastomeric connectors in the little grooves around the border of the LCD screen. I then replaced the PCB and screwed it in as tightly as I could and reattached the connector to the PCB. I powered the TR-505 on to test and the screen looked great on the first try.

I would definitely recommend to folks that if they can get a junked TR-505 with a good display for cheaper than what they can just find the replacement display for then it might be worth it. That was not the case in my situation, and I just want to reassure others in this situation that the screen replacement is actually very straightforward and simple.