The present invention relates generally to wireless communications. In particular, the present invention relates to improvements in wireless base station antenna and radio deployments.
One known wireless radio network system that may be mounted at the top of the tower comprises a remote radio unit (RRU) and a separate antenna. These components are mounted in separate locations and often are cabled together using jumper cables to pass radio frequency (RF) signals between them. In other installations, the RRU may be mounted on the antenna and the RRU and the antenna have printed circuit boards (PCBs) (typically disposed parallel to each other) on which arrays of coaxial connectors are mounted that may plug into each other. So-called “board-to-board” connectors (B2B) may extend between the PCBs to interconnect the connectors on each PCB. Similarly, either an RRU or an antenna may be connected with a filter using a similar type of connector, although often the filter does not a PCB on which the connector mounts. As used herein, the term “B2B” connector is intended to include both situations in which the connector mounts to PCBs at each end and in which the connector mounts at one end to a PCB of an antenna or RRU and at the other end to a filter.
As can be imagined, the tolerances of the PCBs may require that some “float” (both axially and radially) be possible for the B2B connectors in order for them to connect fully. As such, it may be desirable for B2B connectors to have floating capability. It may also be desirable for the manufacture of B2B connectors to provide flexibility for the production of different sizes and lengths of B2B connectors.
As a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a connector assembly. The assembly comprises: a coaxial cable portion including an inner conductor, a dielectric layer circumferentially overlying the inner conductor, and an outer conductor circumferentially overlying the dielectric layer; a printed circuit board (PCB); a first connector mounted to the PCB, the first connector including a first inner contact in electrical contact with the inner conductor, and a first outer contact in electrical contact with the outer conductor; and a second connector having a second inner contact in electrical contact with the inner conductor and a second outer contact in electrical contact with the outer conductor. At least one of the first outer contact and the second outer contact is in electrical contact with the outer conductor via a conductive gasket.
As a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a connector assembly comprising: a coaxial cable portion including an inner conductor, a dielectric layer circumferentially overlying the inner conductor, and an outer conductor circumferentially overlying the dielectric layer; a printed circuit board (PCB); a first connector mounted to the PCB, the first connector including a first outer contact in electrical contact with the outer conductor; and a second connector having a second inner contact in electrical contact with the inner conductor and a second outer contact in electrical contact with the outer conductor. At least one of the first outer contact and the second outer contact is in electrical contact with the outer conductor via a conductive gasket. The inner conductor is electrically directly connected to the PCB.
The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
Like numbers refer to like elements throughout and different embodiments of like elements can be designated using a different number of superscript indicator apostrophes (e.g., 10′, 10″, 10′″).
In the figures, certain layers, components or features may be exaggerated for clarity, and broken lines illustrate optional features or operations unless specified otherwise. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention. The sequence of operations (or steps) is not limited to the order presented in the claims or figures unless specifically indicated otherwise.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising”, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y.” As used herein, phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.”
Referring now the drawings,
Referring now to
As shown in
At its opposite end, the coaxial cable portion 102 is inserted into an annular conductive gasket 120. The conductive gasket 120 is formed of a resilient material, such as silicone rubber, that is electrically conductive (e.g., it may include conductive fillers, such as copper, aluminum, silver, graphite, nickel-plated silver, nickel-plated graphite, silver-coated copper and/or silver coated aluminum, and/or combinations of these filler materials). The gasket 120 includes corrugations 122 on its inner surface that can mate with the corrugations of the outer conductor 108. In the illustrated embodiment, the gasket 120 also includes a radially-inward lip 124 that partially overlies the free end of the outer conductor 108.
As shown in
The coaxial connector assembly 100 is constructed by mounting the outer contact 114 and the inner contact 112 of the SMY connector 115 on the PCB 130, and soldering the outer conductor 108 to the outer contact 114. The press-in connector 140 can then be slid into place on the coaxial cable portion 102, with the gasket 120 being forced into the outer contact 146 and the tip 110 being forced into the receptacle 150.
Referring now to
At its opposite end, the coaxial cable portion 202 is attached to a press-in coaxial connector 240 that has an inner contact 242 that is similar to the inner contact 142, and a dielectric layer 244 that is similar to the dielectric layer 144. An outer contact 246 of the press-in connector 240 has a proximal portion 248 that encircles the end of the outer conductor 208, and is soldered thereto. A distal portion 250 of the outer contact 246 receives the fingers 252 of the dielectric layer 244.
The assembly 200 can be constructed by mounting the connector 212 on the PCB 230, and by inserting the inner conductor 204 into the inner contact 242 of the press-in connector 240 (such that the dielectric layer 244 fits within the distal portion 250). The outer conductor 208 is then soldered (see S in
Referring now to
Construction of the assembly 300 commences with the attachment of the SMT connector 312 to a PCB 330. The coaxial cable portion 302, with the gasket 320 encircling one end of the outer conductor 308, is inserted into the outer contact 318, and the press-in connector 340 is slipped over the gasket 320′ at the opposite end of the coaxial cable portion 302. Thus, the assembly 300 can be constructing with no soldering steps for attachment of the coaxial cable portion 302 to either of the connectors 312, 340.
Referring now to
Referring now to
It should be understood that any of the arrangements shown and discussed above may be modified for use with either one SMT connector and one press-in or soldered connector, or alternatively with two SMT connectors.
For all of the coaxial cable portions 102, 202, 302, 402, 502 the axial length of the outer conductor 108, 208, 308, 408, 508 may be between about 10 and 150 mm. The axial length of the inner conductors 104, 204, 304, 404, 504 may be between about 15 and 160 mm. When the length of the outer conductor is more than about 50 mm, the assemblies may have the capability to flex in the transverse direction to adjust for the tolerances between two PCBs or a PCB and a filter.
The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims. The invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.
The present application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/254,583, filed Oct. 12, 2021, the disclosure of which is b=hereby incorporated herein by reference in full.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63254583 | Oct 2021 | US |