COAXIAL RF CONNECTION DEVICE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AS WELL AS ASSOICATED CONNECTOR UNIT

Abstract

An improved plug connection device has projections aligned parallel with the axial direction of the connectors, by means of which the connector unit is positioned or can be positioned perpendicularly to the plane of the printed circuit board. The connector unit has, on the side facing the printed circuit board, devices forming a support surface and/or boundary plane, on which the adjacent plane of the printed circuit board lies on the connector unit. The connector unit has on a side facing the printed circuit board, at least in sections, a free space (X1), provided with at least one recess and/or recesses. The recesses lie at a distance to the adjacent plane of the printed circuit board, and/or bathe outer contacts of the connectors are arranged transversely offset to one another in such a way that a free space (X2) is formed between the connectors. The free space (X1) and/or the free space (X2) serve as room for routing and/or populating the printed circuit board.

Description

Further details, features and advantages of the invention are evident from the exemplary embodiments discussed below. There are shown in detail:

FIG. 1: a schematic three-dimensional illustration of a first exemplary embodiment of a vehicle antenna with an understructure, a printed circuit board, a patch antenna and a connector unit protruding over the base on the lower side;

FIG. 2: a plan view onto the exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 1;

FIG. 3: an illustration corresponding to FIG. 1; however with an exploded view of the main parts,

FIG. 4: a plan view onto a vehicle antenna comparable with the plan view of FIG. 2, however with an arrangement of a patch antenna deviating therefrom;

FIG. 5: a three-dimensional illustration corresponding to FIG. 4 comparable with the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 6: a three-dimensional illustration of a first exemplary embodiment of the connector unit according to the invention, forming four axis-parallel coaxial connectors;

FIG. 7: an illustration comparable with FIG. 6, however only reproducing the electrically conductive connector housing without centre contacts assigned therein using corresponding dielectrics;

FIG. 8: a plan view onto the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6;

FIG. 9: a view of the opposite side onto the connector unit in accordance with FIG. 6;

FIG. 10: an exemplary embodiment of a connector unit with differently configured connecting bridges, modified compared with FIG. 6;

FIG. 11: a modified exemplary embodiment of an inventive connector unit with a retaining and fixing frame for four axis-parallel coaxial connectors;

FIG. 12: an exploded view of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 11;

FIG. 13: an exemplary embodiment, again modified compared with the preceding figures, with retaining and fixing frame for the coaxial connectors from non-conductive (dielectric) material and an additional, metal plate electrically connecting the outer contacts of the connectors;

FIG. 14: an exploded view of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 13;

FIG. 15: a schematic plan view onto a modified exemplary embodiment of a connector unit, whose coaxial connectors are arranged in plan view next to one another along a line at a distance from each other;

FIG. 16: an exemplary embodiment again modified compared with FIG. 15, in which the connecting device comprising the connecting bridges is openly formed, whereby not all central axes of the connectors lie in one plane;

FIGS. 17 a to 17c a three-dimensional plan view onto a connector unit comprising four coaxial connectors provided with an additional housing as protective function, and also said housing in a three-dimensional separate illustration and the connector unit with housing removed;

FIGS. 18 a to 18c an exemplary embodiment comparable with FIGS. 17a-17c, in which however in place of a coaxial connector 19 a shielded connector is provided with four centre contacts;

FIGS. 19 a to 19e a three-dimensional plan view onto a modified exemplary embodiment, in which in place of a coaxial shielded connector a four-pole unshielded connector is formed on the connector unit, as well as two illustrations rotated by 180° in relation to the removed housing as well as the connector unit shown without housing;

FIGS. 20 a to 20c an exemplary embodiment modified in relation to FIGS. 19a—19e so far as a shielded connection for a four-pole connector is provided here;

FIGS. 21 a to 21e an exemplary embodiment modified compared with FIGS. 19a-19e, in which sitting on four corners of the connector unit, four shielded coaxial connectors are provided and an additional unshielded multi-pole connector is arranged between two coaxial connectors, and

FIGS. 22 a to 22c an exemplary embodiment modified compared with FIGS. 21a-21e, in which the additionally provided multi-pole connector is formed as shielded connector.

Claims

1. Coaxial RF connection device, electrically connected to a printed circuit board, comprising: a printed circuit board;a coaxial multiple connection device comprising at least two coaxial connectorsthe at least two coaxial connectors being arranged axis-parallel with each other with a preset or pre-determined axis distance,further coaxial connectors connected to the at least two connectors and electrically connected to the printed circuit boardthe at least two and the further connectors providing a connector unit firmly connected to one another and/or joined to a connector unit firmly connected to one another,the connector unit and/or the connectors joined solidly with the connector unite being mechanically firmly bonded to the printed circuit board,the center contacts of the coaxial connectors ae being electrically connected on the second side or lower side, facing the connector unit, of the printed circuit board,at least one projection electrically and mechanically firmly bonded with at least one outer contact of a connector,the projections engaging into recesses in the printed circuit board, as a result of which they are mechanically firmly anchored with the printed circuit board,the projections being aligned parallel with the axial direction of the connectors, by means of which the connector unit is positioned or can be positioned perpendicularly to the plane of the printed circuit board,the connector unit having, on a side facing the printed circuit board, devices forming a support surface and/or boundary plane, on which the adjacent plane of the printed circuit board lies on the connector unit,the connector unit having on the side facing the printed circuit board at least in sections a free space (X1), provided with at least one recess and/or recesses, which finally lie at a distance to the adjacent plane of the printed circuit board, and/orb) the outer contacts of the connectors being arranged transversely offset to one another in such a way that a free space (X2) is formed between the connectors,the free space (X1) and/or the free space (X2) serve as room for routing and/or populating the printed circuit board.

2. Connection device according to claim 1, further comprising for each connector, a projection which engages into a corresponding, preferably plated through recess in the printed circuit board and does not rise above the printed circuit board upper side, by means of which the projections are electrically connected to at least one earth- or potential-surface or corresponding earth- or potential-tracks on the printed circuit board, which are provided or formed on the first or upper side, lying opposite the second or lower side of the printed circuit board.

3. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the ends of the projections terminate before the plane of the upper side of the printed circuit board.

4. Connection device according to claim 1 to 3, wherein the recesses are arranged in the printed circuit boards so that a patch antenna, can be positioned therebetween.

5. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the recesses in the printed circuit board are arranged so that a patch antennae is positioned on the printed circuit board upper side so that only one part of the recesses and therefore part of the projections present therein are covered by the patch antenna positioned on the printed circuit board upper side.

6. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein center contacts have printed circuit board-side center contact ends, which are electrically bonded on the printed circuit board lower side.

7. Connection device according to claim 6, wherein the free ends of the projections of the connectors protrude further than the center contact ends.

8. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the projections are provided as axial extension of a section of the outer contacts of the connectors.

9. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the outer contacts of the connectors are provided with radially protruding earth-connecting shoulders, on which projections running parallel with the axes of the connectors are formed.

10. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connectors are linked by a connecting frame and/or by connecting bridges to form a solid connector unit.

11. Connection device according to claim 10, wherein the connector unit, on the lower side facing the printed circuit board is provided with projections, which run parallel with the axes of the connectors, whereby the connecting frame and/or the connecting bridges are electrically conductive.

12. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connectors are firmly linked to one another by a connecting frame and/or connecting bridges, which consist of electrically non-conductive material.

13. Connection device according to claim 12, wherein an electrically conductive connection part or metal plate is provided, which is electrically and mechanically bonded with the outer contacts of the connectors, whereby the connection part or metal plate lies and/or is supported on the printed circuit board side on the connecting frame and/or the connecting bridges and provided with electrically conductive projections, running parallel with the axial direction of the connectors.

14. Connection device according to claim 9, wherein the projections rise out from a support or boundary surface, which is formed on that of the printed circuit board lower side of the connector unit, the earth connection shoulders and/or of the connection part or metal plate, whereby the support or boundary surface in the assembled state lies on the lower side of the printed circuit board.

15. Connection device according to claim 9, wherein in the assembled state the printed circuit board-side boundary surfaces of the connectors lie at least at a small distance to the lower side of the printed circuit board.

16. Connection device according to claim 14, wherein the connecting frame and/or the connecting bridges and/or the electrically conductive connection part or metal plate in the assembled state lies at a distance to the lower side of the printed circuit board, as a result of which an area for feeder cables is created on the printed circuit board lower side.

17. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the printed circuit boards can be anchored in an understructure or chassis of a vehicle antenna, whereby recesses are formed in the understructure or chassis, as a result of which the connectors rise above the side opposite the printed circuit board of the understructure or chassis for connection to second coaxial connectors.

18. Connection device according to claim 17, wherein the connectors are mechanically bonded with the understructure or chassis indirectly by means of the interposed printed circuit board.

19. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connector unit consists of a die-cast part, particularly a metal die-cast part.

20. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connectors, which are mechanically solidly linked to one another by a connecting frame, are formed from a turned and/or milled part.

21. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connectors are configured by means of the connecting bridges and/or the connecting frames comprising the connecting bridges or connecting device in the form of an orbiting closed frame.

22. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connectors are implemented by means of the connecting bridges and/or the connecting frame comprising the connecting bridges or connecting device as open connecting device.

23. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the free space (X1) between the connector unit and the adjacent side of the printed circuit board at least in sections is more than 0.5 mm, particularly more than 130 mm and preferably less than 5 mm, particularly less than 4 mm, 3 mm or 2 mm respectively 1.5 mm.

24. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connector unit is constructed as an SMD modular unit.

25. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connector unit comprises a housing, which is mounted on the connectors and which surrounds the outer contacts in such a way that the connections lie free.

26. Connection device according to claim 1, further comprising at least two coaxial connectors, which as shielded coaxial connectors are provided with a conductive outer contact.

27. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein at least one second connector is provided, which is formed as single-pole or multi-pole unshielded connector or as shielded two-pole or multi-pole connector

28. Connection device according to claim 27, wherein the at least one single-pole unshielded or multi-pole shielded or unshielded connector has an outer contact form and/or dimensioning deviating from the form of the outer contacts of the shielded connectors.

29. Connection device according to claim 27, wherein the at least one single-pole unshielded or multi-pole shielded or unshielded connector has an outer contact form and/or dimensioning equal to the form of the outer contacts of the shielded connectors.

30. Connection device according to claim 27, wherein the connectors are arranged in the corner areas of an n-polygonal connector unit, preferably in the corners of a rectangular or square connector unit or one approximate to this shape.

31. Connection device according to claim 27, wherein the shielded coaxial connectors are arranged in the corners of an n-polygonal connector unit and that the at least additionally provided unshielded connector and/or the at least additionally provided multi-pole connector is arranged between two shielded coaxial connectors.

32. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one center contact of a single-pole or multi-pole unshielded connector rises above a base section.

33. Connection device according to claim 1, wherein the center contacts of a multi-pole shielded connector are surrounded by an extension, which rises above the base section and is part of the outer contact.

34. (canceled)