BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The various embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings, in which like items are identified by the same reference designation, wherein:
FIG. 1A is an exploded assembly view of the present connector for one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 1B is a partial assembled and partial exploded assembly view of a female electrical contact member assembled to a base member with a silicone tubing sleeve secured over the base member, and a cap member in position to be inserted thereon;
FIG. 1C shows the completion of the partial assembly view of FIG. 1B;
FIG. 1D shows the completion of the assembly of FIG. 1C into a connector shell or housing;
FIG. 2A is a right-side elevational view of the cap member, the left-side elevational view being identical thereto;
FIG. 2B is a front elevational view of the cap member, the back elevational view being identical thereto;
FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view taken along to 2C-2C of FIG. 2A;
FIG. 2D is a top plan view of the cap member;
FIG. 2E is a bottom plan view of the cap member, this view in association with the views of FIGS. 2A through 2D, representing an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3A is a front elevational view of a circular silicone sleeve for an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3B is a top plan view of the sleeve of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a blank form of an electrical contact before folding in half for one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4B is a top view of the contact of FIG. 4A;
FIG. 4C shows a front elevational view of the assembly of the folded electrical contact of FIG. 4A as assembled to a wire or electrical conductor;
FIG. 4D is a pictorial view of the assembled electrical contact with an electrical conductor;
FIG. 5A is a pictorial view of a portion of a base member for one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5B is a right-side elevational view, the left-side being identical therewith, of the base member of FIG. 5A;
FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of the base member taken along 5C-5C of FIG. 5B;
FIG. 5D is a top plan view of the base member of FIG. 5A;
FIG. 5E is a bottom plan view of the base member of FIG. 5A; and
FIG. 6 is an assembled view of a female electrical connector assembly for an alternative embodiment of the invention utilizing an extended length base member to accommodate placement of the connector assembly within an elongated connector shell.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIGS. 1A through 1D, the present female coaxial connector includes the assembly of a cap 2, an elastomeric sleeve 4, an electrical contact 6, a base member 8, and a coaxial cable connector shell 10 having a peening collar 13 and threads 11. In FIG. 1B, a partial subassembly of the present connector shows installation of the electrical contact 6 within the base member 8, with the elastomeric sleeve 4 installed over a portion of the base member 8, and with the cap 2 being positioned for later installation for the aforesaid partial subassembly. The completed subassembly is shown in FIG. 1C, with the cap 2 installed over the sleeve 4, and base member 8. Note that the completed subassembly of FIG. 1C is rotated 90° relative to the partial subassembly view of FIG. 1A. The completed subassembly 12 is mounted within an electrically conductive barrel or shell 10, as shown in FIG. 1D. As shown in FIG. 1B, the sleeve 4 is installed with its top end even with the top of base 8. One application for the present coaxial connector is to provide an F-port connector configured for accommodating RG6 or RG59 coaxial cable, but is not so limited, and can be utilized with other port sizes and coaxial cable configurations. Also note further that the contact assembly 12 mounted within the port or connector shell 10 has an uppermost reduced diameter portion 14 of the cap 2 (see FIGS. 2A-2E, as described below).
Various features of the cap 2 will now be described with reference to FIG. 2A through 2E. The cap 2 consists of a single piece of appropriate dielectric plastic material. As shown, cap 2 includes a reduced diameter top most portion 14 concentric with a relatively increased diameter underlying circular top portion 16. The centrally located countersunk through hole 18 is provided through the top portions 14, 16, respectively, as shown. Extending downward from the top portion 16 are two opposing relatively narrow width side members 20, with the space therebetween dimensioned to permit the cap to be snugly retained over the sleeve 4 and base member 8. Each of the side members 20 have a radial horizontal cross-section.
The sleeve 4 as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in this embodiment consists of silicone tubing material, but can be made from any suitable elastomeric material. The sleeve 4 includes a centrally-located circular through hole 22, which is dimensioned to compressively slide onto base member 8, as will be further described below.
Electrical contact 6, configured to provide a substantially tubular female contact member, is fabricated from appropriate material, such as beryllium copper (BeCu). This material is preferred, but other suitable contact materials can be utilized. To form the contact 6, a blank 24 of BeCu material is configured to have a centrally located hole 26 for receiving an electrically conductive wire 28 (see FIG. 4C). The blank 24 is formed to include a centrally located longitudinal semicircular groove or channel 30. The blank 24 is folded in half along fold line 35 to have the semicircular grooves 30 of each half 33 opposing one another. Side-wings 37 are formed on opposite sides of the grooves 30. Note that the half-sections 33 of the blank 24 are identical, and have equal lengths XA, respectively. FIG. 4E is a top view showing two half-sections 33 opposing one another, and forming a substantially circular open groove or pathway 32. In FIG. 4C the assembled contact 6 is shown with an end of an electrically conductive wire 28 being soldered or electronically welded, or otherwise both mechanically and electrically connected within the hole 26 now located at the bottom of the formed electrical contact 6. A pictorial view of the completed electrical contact 6 is shown in FIG. 4D. Note in this example that in the preferred embodiment the thickness of the BeCu material for contact 6 is 0.002 inch, but it is not so limited in that through use of other materials or in other applications the thickness may be otherwise. Also, in this example, solder 34 is shown for securing the wire 28 to the contact 6.
The design of the base member 8 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 5A through 5E. The base member 8 includes a circular lowermost portion 40 from which two spaced apart opposing and vertically oriented contact receiving arms 42 extend. The interior opposing walls of the arms 42 are configured for receiving the opposing half-sections 33 of contact 6. The outside walls of the contact receiving arms 42 each have a radius, as best shown in FIG. 5D. The arms 42 also each include a longitudinal semicircular groove 44 on either side of flat wall portions 45. The grooves 44 are for receiving the semicircular outer wall portions or ribs 31 of the grooves 30 of the opposing half-sections 33 of contact 6. The flat wall portions 45 oppose the sidewall portions 37 of contact 6. The topmost outer and inner walls of the arms 42 include beveled portions 46, 48, respectively, on either side of the top portion 41. The expanded diameter circular lower portion 40 includes a centrally located through hole 50, as shown.
The length of the base member 8 is adjusted for either use in a vertical or horizontal RF connector port or shell 10. Typically, for use in a horizontal port shell 10, the base member 8 must be made longer than that for use in a vertical RF connector shell or port 10. In another embodiment of the invention, the base member 8, as shown in the configuration of 1C, is in this example designed or configured for use in a vertical RF connector shell or port 10. In FIG. 6, the base member 8, relative to the configuration of 1C, is lengthened for use in a horizontal RF connector shell or port 10 via the inclusion of an extended portion 52 from the lower circular portion 40, as shown. The base member 8, in this embodiment, is made from a single piece of dielectric plastic material, whereby any suitable plastic material that is soft enough to minimize resistance to bending can be utilized. In other words, the plastic material used for the base member 8 must be soft enough to permit the contact receiving arms 42 to move toward one another when an inwardly directed force is applied to each of the arms 42, as will be described in greater detail below, but have memory to return to or toward their rest position when the inward force is reduced.
The operation of the present coaxial connector will now be described. When the male pin or center conductor of a coaxial cable (not shown) is inserted into the contact assembly 12 contained within an RF conductor shell or port 10, the elastomeric sleeve 4 applies a constant radially inward pressure forcing the split halves 33 of the electrical contact 6 into contact with one another. The inward force or pressure is such that the male contact can be pushed into the female contact 6. The contact receiving arms 42 of the base member 8 are continually bent inwardly via the inward force provided by the elastomeric sleeve 4, for forcing the two halves 33 of the contact 6 to have their grooves 30 move into intimate mechanical contact with the male pin or center conductor of the coaxial cable for insuring very low electrical resistance therebetween. At the same time, almost 180° of mechanical contact between each half of the electrical contact 6 and the male pin or coaxial center conductor is maintained, for substantially the full length of the inserted male pin or conductor. In other words, each half-section 33 has their respective groove 30 surrounding almost half of the circumference for the length of the male pin or center conductor. In this manner, the lowest possible electrical resistance connection is maintained between the electrical contact 6 and the mating male pin or center conductor of a coaxial cable.
Note also that the preferred use of BeCu material for the female contact 6 provides a “memory.” For example, when a large size male pin or center conductor is inserted, it will increase the radius of the grooves 30 to accommodate the size of the male pin or coaxial cable center conductor. Electrical contact 6 will still mechanically and electrically contact a substantial amount of surface of the male pin of coaxial center conductor. When the pin or conductor is removed from the connector assembly 12, the BeCu contact material of the grooves 30 will return to the original or rest radius thereof, thereby permitting contact 6 to perform as indicated for a smaller wire size relative to a previous larger wire size male pin or coaxial center conductor previously inserted therein. It should be noted that presently there are two common wire sizes for cable television systems in which the present coaxial connectors are expected to be used. The wire size for the center conductor of an RG-59 coaxial cable is 0.032 inch diameter, and for an RG-6 coaxial cable is 0.04 inch diameter.
In engineering prototypes for the present coaxial cable connector, electrical contact 6 consisted of 0.002 inch thick beryllium copper material, as previously indicated. More specifically, the material utilized in the prototype was Alloy 390HT manufactured by Brush Wellman. The groove 30 in each half 33 of the electrical contact 6 is formed around a 0.03 inch diameter wire, and each groove 30 has a semicircular cross-section, thereby permitting each to cover about half of the diameter or circumference surface of a male pin or conductor. The radius of the grooves 30 was 0.015 inch. As a result, when the two halves 33 of the contact 6 are opposing one another, with side-wing portions 37 in contact, the inside diameter of the circular groove 30 formed was 0.03 inch. It was determined through experimenting with the engineering prototype that the contact 6, upon receiving a 0.032 inch male pin, can readily expand to accommodate or receive the same. It was also found that the contact 6 can readily expand to accommodate a 0.040 inch male pin. Also, it was determined that when a 0.040 inch wire was removed, the contact 6 through the memory factor of BeCu material returns to its original previous dimension.
In the engineering prototype, the plastic material utilized for the cap member 2, base member 8, was UHMW Polyethylene.
In the engineering prototype, the cap 2 was 0.495 inch long, had a diameter of 0.185 inch in its topmost portion 14, and an outside diameter of 0.250 inch. The inside flat portions of its side members 20 were spaced at 0.175. The base 8 was 0.510 inch long, had 0.375 inch long contact receiving arms 42, a diameter of 0.25 inch in its lower portion 40, the latter's hole 50 having a diameter of 0.040 inch, the at-rest spacing between arms 42 was 0.020 inch, the grooves 44 had a radius of 0.020 inch, and the width of each arm 42 was 0.090 inch. Each half-section of female contact 6 was 0.435 inch long and 0.100 inch wide. The sleeve 4 was 0.30 inch long, had an inside diameter of 0.104 inch, and an outside diameter of 0.192 inch. These dimensions are not meant to be limiting, and are determined in accordance with the particular application for use of the present connector.
Although various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, they are not meant to be limiting. Those of skill in the art may recognize certain modifications to these embodiments, which modifications are meant to be covered by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, the present connector can be configured to be compatible with 75 ohm impedance cable television systems, but is not so limited.
Patent Application
20070243771
