Patent Application
20070257160
The present invention relates to the attachment of electrical cables to appliances. More specifically, the invention provides a clamp that simplifies the attachment of an electrical cable such as a coaxial cable to a base plate forming a portion of an appliance.
Various electrical cables, for example, radio frequency coaxial cables, are commonly used to carry various electrical signals to various appliances. One present method for attaching such a cable includes a machined cable block soldered to the base plate to which the cable will be attached. The cable is attached to the machined cable block, and then soldered in place. The result is a two-step soldering process: soldering the cable block to the base plate, and then soldering the cable to the cable block.
Other presently available attachment means include bushings that are attached to a cable prior to securing the cable to the base plate. The base plate is provided with a receiving boss that is either threaded to receive a threaded cable bushing, or is structured to receive a press fit cable bushing. The need to provide a boss to receive the cable bushing increases the cost of the connection.
Accordingly, a more cost effective method of joining a cable to a base plate of an appliance is desired.
The above described needs are met by the present invention, which provides a clamp for securing a cable to a base plate. The clamp is structured so that it may be crimped around a cable, and may fit within a slot defined within the base plate. A single soldering operation may be used to solder the cable to the clamp, and the clamp to the base plate.
According to one aspect of the invention, a clamp may include a base having at least one arm extending upward from the end of the base. The arm is structured to be secured within a slot defined within the base plate. The arm includes a cable securing portion at its free end.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of making a clamp is provided. The clamp may be made by cutting a one piece structure including the base, arms, and cable securing portions from a single piece of an appropriate material.
These and other features of the invention will become more apparent through the following description and drawings.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
Like reference characters denote like elements throughout the drawings.
The present invention provides a clamp for securing a cable, for example a radio frequency coaxial cable, to a base plate that may be a portion of an appliance. The appliance may be, for example, a wireless cellular telephone base station, a dual junction ferrite isolator/circulator, or any other appliance or application where a coaxial cable needs to be attached to a base plate at a point where the cable terminates.
Referring to
A cable securing portion 16 is disposed at the free end of each of the arms 14. The illustrated example of the cable securing portion 16 has a C-shaped configuration defining a cable receiving recess 18 therein. In the illustrated example, the opening 20 defined within the C-shaped structure of the cable securing portion 16 is opposite the arm 14, and faces upward. However, other locations for the opening 20 may be used without departing from the invention.
The clamp 10 may be made from any material that lends itself to crimping, and which is suitable for soldering. Examples include aluminum, copper, brass and steel. Alternatively, the cable securing portions 16 may be dimensioned and configured so that they secure a cable therein without crimping.
The clamp 10 may be made by cutting an intermediate structure 22 (
Referring to
The present invention therefore provides a clamp that may be used to secure a cable to a base plate in a manner that reduces the cost of the cable securing operation as compared to prior cable securing methods. The invention further provides a clamp that may be secured to a base plate without the use of any bosses provided on the base plate. Additionally, the invention provides a clamp that may be used to secure a cable to a base plate, requiring only a single soldering operation.
While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.
