Patent Grant
6840822
Certain embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a connector for interconnecting coaxial cables and more particularly to a connector having contacts arranged in a strip line geometry. Certain embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a ground shield and center contact arrangement for a connector.
In the past, connectors have been proposed for interconnecting coaxial cables. Generally, coaxial cables have a circular geometry formed with a central conductor (of one or more conductive wires) surrounded by a cable dielectric material. The dielectric material is surrounded by a cable braid (of one or more conductive wires), and the cable braid is surrounded by a cable jacket. In most coaxial cable applications, it is preferable to match the impedance between source and destination electrical components located at opposite ends of the coaxial cable. Consequently, when sections of coaxial cable are interconnected, it is preferable that the impedance remain matched through the interconnection.
Today, coaxial cables are becoming more widely used. The wider applicability of coaxial cables demands a high-volume, low-cost manufacturing process for coaxial cable connectors. Recently, demand has arisen for radio frequency (RF) coaxial cables in applications such as the automotive industry. The demand for RF coaxial cables in the automotive industry is due in part to the increased electrical content within automobiles, such as AM/FM radios, cellular phones, GPS, satellite radios, Blue Tooth™ compatibility systems and the like. Also, conventional techniques for assembling coaxial cables and connectors are not suitable for automation, and thus are time consuming and expensive. The conventional procedure for assembling a connector and coaxial cable is not easily automated and requires several manual steps that render the procedure time consuming and expensive.
Today's increased demand for coaxial cables has caused a need to improve the design for coaxial connectors and the methods of manufacture and assembly thereof.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a cable connector is provided. The cable connector includes a connector housing having a cavity for receiving a contact along an axis, and the cavity has a protrusion therein. The protrusion extends through the axis so that as the contact is received by the cavity along the axis, the contact is deflected by the protrusion until the contact moves past the protrusion into a locked position.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the contact has a body section with at least one wing extending therefrom. The wing contacts the protrusion as the contact is received by the cavity along the axis causing the contact to twist about the axis.
Optionally, the cavity of the cable connector has a top wall and a bottom wall defining a channel for receiving the contact along the axis. The protrusion extends from the top wall so as to bend the contact until the contact moves past the protrusion.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a connector housing is provided with a latch extending therefrom. The connector housing is receivable within an outer housing. The outer housing has a cantilever section formed into the housing. The cantilever section has a slot therethrough. The cantilever section is deflected by the latch as the connector housing is inserted into the outer housing until the latch extends through the slot.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a contact shell is provided. The contact shell includes a pair of side walls and a connecting wall extending therebetween. At least one side wall has at least one tab extending therefrom, with the tab having an arcuate tip. The contact shell is coupled to a strain relief by a separation plate.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a contact shell further includes a displacement section extending between a pair of side walls of the contact shell. The displacement section includes a displacement beam and a contact wall separated by a slot. The contact wall slopes upward to form a point for piercing a coaxial cable.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings, embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings.
The side walls 237 and 239, and corresponding connecting walls 233 and 235, are formed in U-shapes and have open faces 201 and 207, respectively. The side walls 237 and 239 include contact retention ends 203 and 209, and open ends 205 and 211, respectively, opposite one another. The open faces 201 and 207 extend from the contact retention ends 203 and 209 to the open ends 205 and 211, respectively.
At least one wing 326 extends laterally from the side edges 317 of body section 314 and is located along the body section 314 between the fingers 321 and 322 and the wire barrel 324. As shown in
At least one tab 352 extends from the top surface 345 of one of the side walls 344. As shown in
The connecting walls 348 includes a transition region 356 at a rear end thereof that is formed integrally with a laterally extending carrier strip or separation plate 360. The separation plate 360 includes a slot 363 to facilitate cutting of the separation plate 360 during assembly. The separation plate 360 is in turn formed integrally with a strain relief crimp 364. During assembly, the strain relief crimp 364 is physically separated from the transition region 356, such as through a stamping operation, and then secured to the coaxial cable.
The contact walls 375 include tapered undercut edges 377 extending along the top of the coaxial cable displacement contacts 368. The undercut edges 377 end at lead tips 379 which face one another and are located at mouths 381 of the braid receiving slots 378. The contact walls 375 shear the cable jacket away from the outer conductor as the coaxial cable displacement contacts 368 engage and pierce the coaxial cable.
A rear end 424 of the shroud 406 is joined with a strain relief member 426 having a base 419 with a U-shaped notch 428 therein. The notch 428 in the strain relief member 426 includes an inner surface 421 having transverse arcuate grooves 423. Opposite ends of the notch 428 form ledges 425.
The cavity 405 has a side wall 444 and a bottom surface 446 defining a channel 448 for receiving the associated contact, such as the receptacle 310, along an axis A. A pair of posts 450 extend from the bottom surface 446 at an entrance to the cavity 405 defining a central passage 452 into the channel 448. The central passage 452 is substantially aligned with axis A. At least one protrusion 454, such as a rigid finger or a bump, extends from the bottom surface 446 and along one of the side walls 444 into the channel 448. The finger 454 extends into the channel 448 enough to intercept axis A so as to be an obstruction to the receptacle 310 as the receptacle 310 is received by the cavity 405 along axis A. Optionally, the finger 454 may extend from one of the sidewalls 444.
As shown in
As the receptacle 310 continues to move in the direction of arrow B, the respective wing travels along the twisting surface 456 of the finger 454. As the wing moves along the twisting surface 456, the wing twists or rotates the receptacle 310 about axis A. The receptacle 310 twists until the wing is past the finger 454 at which time the receptacle 310 springs back to its normal undeflected shape. Once the receptacle 310 is past the finger 454 and has returned to its normal shape, the receptacle 310 is locked into position by the first and second wings 327 and 328 contacting the locking surface 458 of the finger 454.
The body section 460 includes a chamber 469 adapted to receive a leading end of the coaxial cable and a crimp on a plug or receptacle contact 312 or 310 attached thereto. The front end 459 of the body section 460 also includes a ramp 471 angled downward to a ramp opening 472 into the chamber 469. The ramp 471 includes a slot 474 that accepts an associated one of the plug and receptacle contacts.
A rear end 476 of the shroud 462 is joined with a strain relief member 478 having a base 480 with a U-shaped notch 482 therein. The notch 482 in the strain relief member 478 includes an inner surface 484 having transverse arcuate grooves 485. Opposite ends of the notch 482 form ledges 486. Side walls 488 extend upward from the ledges 486 along opposite sides of the notch 482. Channels 490 are formed in each ledge 486 and extend through the strain relief member 478 to a rear side. The channels 490 are spaced apart to align with and receive the arms 365 when the contact shell 340 is laterally joined with insulated housing 455. The length of each channel 490 is slightly less than an outer dimension of the ribs 367 such that, as the arms 365 are pressed into channels 490, the ribs 367 engage ledge 486 to hold the strain relief crimp 364 and strain relief member 478.
At least one protrusion or ledge 494 extends from the top wall 491. The protrusion 494 or ledge extends into the channel 493 enough to intercept axis D so as to be an obstruction to the plug contact 312 as the plug contact 312 is received by the chamber 469 along axis D. As shown in
The plug contact 312 is received through channel 493 along axis D in the direction of arrow E, such that top and bottom surfaces 331 and 332 of the plug contact 312 are substantially parallel to the bottom wall 492. Once the outer end 334 of the plug contact 312 contacts the ledge 494, the plug contact 312 travels along the sliding surface 495 and is directed to the ramp 471. Initially, the outer end 334 or the plug contact 312 helps the plug contact 312 slide along sliding surface 495. As the plug contact 312 continues to travel along axis D, the ledge 494 deflects or bends the plug contact 312 while the plug contact 312 travels through the ramp opening 472 and upward along the ramp 471. The plug contact 312 continues to bend until the body section 330 moves past the ledge 494, resulting in the plug contact 312 to spring back to its normal or undeflected shape. Once the plug contact 312 is past the ledge 494 and returns to its normal shape, the plug contact 312 is locked into position by the retention surface 338 of the plug contact 312 contacting the locking surface 497 of the ledge 494.
The end 518 has a cantilever member 522 formed into the outer housing 510 by substantially parallel housing slots 523. The cantilever member 522 has a slot 524 provided therethrough. As the housing 400 is loaded into the outer housing 510 in the direction of arrow F, the latch 432 of the housing 400 deflects the cantilever member 522 generally in the direction of arrow G. The sliding surface 433 of the latch 432 continues to slide under the cantilever member 522 until the latch 432 reaches the slot 524 of the cantilever member 522. Once the latch 432 is disposed within the slot 524, the cantilever section 522 returns to its normal and undeflected shape thereby locking the housing 400 within the outer housing 510. The housing 400 is retained within the outer housing 510 by the retaining surface 436 of the latch 432 extending outward through the slot 524.
The coaxial cable displacement contact 538 includes a gap 540 defining a channel between forked displacement sections 541 and 543. Each displacement section 541 and 543 includes a first displacement beam 544 and a contact wall 546 separated by a first slot 547 and a second displacement beam 548 separated by a second slot 549. Upper ends of the contact walls 546 include lead-in edges 550 and piercing edges 551. The piercing edges 551 slope upwards from outer edges 552 of the coaxial cable displacement contact 538 to meet the lead-in edges 550 at a point 553. The lead-in edges 550 slope inward and downward to join mouths 554 of the slots 547 proximate tips 556 on upper ends of the displacement beams 544. The lead-in edges 550 direct the cable jacket onto the displacement beams 544. Lower ends of the slots 547 include wells 558 configured to receive the outer jacket of the coaxial cable when the first and second displacement beams 544 and 548 pierce the outer jacket of the cable, thereby mechanically stabilizing the cable to the coaxial cable displacement contact 538. The spacing between the displacement beams 544, 548 and the slots 547, 549 is determined based upon the dimensions of a coaxial cable to be secured therein.
The separation plate 570 is in turn connected to a strain relief crimp 574 through a transition region 590. The separation plate 570 includes a slot 576 to facilitate cutting of the separation plate 570. Optionally, the strain relief crimp 574 is separated from the contact shell 560 at the separation plate 570, such as by cutting through the slot 576. Once the strain relief crimp 574 is separated from the contact shell 560, the mechanical function of the strain relief crimp 574 is separated from the electrical function of the contact shell 560. By separating the mechanical function to from the electrical function, the strain relief crimp 574 is prevented from acting like an antennae.
The strain relief crimp 574 is U-shaped and includes a body portion 577 having arms 578 on opposite sides thereof and extending upward therefrom. The arms 578 include ribs 580 on opposite sides thereof. The strain relief crimp 574 operates in the same manner as the strain relief crimps 364 (discussed above in connection with
Contact walls 634 include tapered edges 636 extending downward toward mouths 640 of the receiving slots 626. The contact walls 634 penetrate the cable jacket away from the outer conductor as the coaxial cable displacement contacts 612 engages and pierces the coaxial cable. The tapered edges 636 form an acute angle 638 with the horizontal (denoted by a dashed line) to facilitate shearing. By shearing the cable jacket away from the outer conductor before entering the mouth 640, the coaxial cable displacement contacts 612 prevent the cable jacket from becoming wedged in the braid receiving slots 626.
While particular elements, embodiments and applications of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. It is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover such modifications that incorporate those features which come within the spirit and scope of the invention
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/005,625, filed Dec. 5, 2001, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/004,979, filed Dec. 5, 2001, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/037,185, filed Jan. 4, 2002 describe subject matter related to the present application and are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3944312 | Koenig | Mar 1976 | A |
| 5017162 | Krehbiel et al. | May 1991 | A |
| 5910031 | Goto | Jun 1999 | A |
| 5993268 | Yamaguchi | Nov 1999 | A |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2036465 | Jun 1980 | GB |
