1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector having an outer connector member, a center conductor member, an insertion end for connection by insertion to a complementary plug/socket co-axial connector, and a cable end for connection to a co-axial cable, the center conductor member being formed in two parts to have an insertion-end part which has a contact end and a cable-end part which has a contact end, the cable-end part of the center conductor being so designed that it can be connected to a center conductor of a co-axial cable which is to be connected to the right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector, the contact ends of the insertion-end part of the center conductor and of the cable-end part thereof being adjacent one another in such a way that they make electrical contact between the insertion-end part of the center conductor and the cable-end part of the center conductor, the insertion-end part of the center conductor taking the form, at its contact end, of a pin which, at a free end of the said pin, is of a predetermined diameter.
2. Description of Related Art
Known from EP 1 019 982 B1 is a co-axial connector member which is intended to be fitted to the end of a co-axial cable. This co-axial connector member has the following: a center conductor, an outer conductor, a center contact which has a longitudinal axis and a rear end connected to the center conductor of the co-axial cable and a front end which is designed to allow the co-axial connector member to be connected to a complementary connector member, an outer contact which is connected to the outer conductor of the co-axial cable, and a transition piece which is fitted to the center conductor of the co-axial cable. The rear end of the center contact has a surrounding neck whose axis coincides with the longitudinal axis of the center contact, whereas the transition piece has an elastic fork having two prongs which form, between them, a seat for the neck. The snapping of the neck into the seat formed by the prongs is performed by pressing the neck into the fork in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the contact. The free end of each prong of the fork is shaped into a point which is defined by two cylindrical recesses, the axes of which cylindrical recesses are perpendicular to the plane dividing the two prongs and which rectangular recesses are situated on the two sides of a center plane of the transition piece which is at right angles to the plane dividing the two prongs of the fork so that, if the transition piece comes into contact with the neck on the center contact in a position where the transition piece is twisted out of its normal position for snapping-in, a torque is exerted on the transition piece to rotate it to a position in which the neck is able to snap into the fork. However, this has the disadvantage that the transition piece has to be pushed onto the center conductor contact in opposition to a certain resistance, which results in an unwanted axial force acting on the center conductor of the co-axial cable and may cause damage to the center conductor of the co-axial cable. Also, when the co-axial connector is being assembled, the neck of the center conductor contact has to be positioned precisely on the longitudinal axis of the transition piece. This positioning has to be monitored at the time of assembly and, at the same time, only small tolerances are permitted on the individual components. This results in correspondingly high production costs.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to improve a right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector of the above kind in respect of assembly and production costs.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by a right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector of the above kind which has the features which are characterized in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the other claims.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The above and other objects, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, are achieved in the present invention which is directed to a right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector including an outer connector member, a center conductor member, an insertion end for connection by insertion to a complementary plug/socket co-axial connector, and a cable end for connection to a co-axial cable, the center conductor member being formed in two parts including an insertion-end part which has a contact end, and a cable-end part which has a contact end, the cable-end part of the center conductor capable of being connected to a center conductor of a co-axial cable which is to be connected to the right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector, the contact ends of the insertion-end part of the center conductor and of the cable-end part thereof being adjacent one another and in electrical communication with the insertion-end part of the center conductor and the cable-end part of the center conductor, the insertion-end part of the center conductor, at its contact end, forming a pin which, at a free end of the pin, is of a predetermined diameter, wherein the cable-end part of the center conductor comprises, at the contact end, two contact cross-pieces which are arranged to be parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor and spaced away from one another in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the insertion-end part of the center conductor, with a spacing between the contact cross-pieces in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the insertion-end part of the center conductor being larger, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor, than the predetermined diameter of the pin of the insertion-end part of the center conductor, and further including a contact member arranged on each contact cross-piece in plate form connected to the contact cross-piece on one side and which has a free edge on a side remote from the contact cross-piece, the contact members in plate form each being tilted relative to the contact cross-pieces, in such a way that the free edges of the contact members in plate form include, between them, a longitudinal slot parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor, with a spacing between the free edges of the contact members in plate form being smaller, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor, than the predetermined diameter of the pin at the free end of the latter.
The right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector having the cable-end part of the center conductor include, at the contact end, two U-shaped holding members each comprising two sides of the U-shape and each comprising one of the cross-pieces which acts as a base of the U-shaped holding member and connects the sides of the U-shaped holding member, the longitudinal slot being formed between the free edges of the contact members in plate form in a space between the U-shaped holding members.
At least one side, or both sides, of the U-shape of one U-shaped holding member is connected by an additional connecting cross-piece to a side of the other U-shaped holding member which is situated opposite in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor. The additional connecting cross-piece may be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor. The sides of the U-shaped holding member and the contact cross-piece of at least one of the U-shaped holding members are preferably arranged in a plane.
The U-shaped holding members may be so arranged that the planes defined by the sides of the U-shape and the contact cross-pieces of the respective U-shaped holding members are aligned parallel to one another.
The right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector includes an outer conductor member comprising two parts, an insertion-end part and a cable-end part. The insertion-end part of the center conductor is arranged in the insertion-end part of the outer conductor and the cable-end part of the center conductor is arranged in the cable-end part of the outer conductor.
Starting from the predetermined diameter at the free end, the diameter of the pin increases or remains constant in the axial direction. Additionally, the contact members in plate-form, or the contact cross-pieces, or the cable-end part of the center conductor, or any combination thereof, may comprise an elastically resilient material.
The features of the invention believed to be novel and the elements characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The figures are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed description which follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
In describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made herein to
In a right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector of the above kind, provision is made in accordance with the invention for the cable-end part of the center conductor to have, at the contact end, two contact cross-pieces which are arranged to be parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor and to be spaced away from one another in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the insertion-end part of the center conductor, with a spacing between the contact cross-pieces in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the insertion-end part of the center conductor being larger, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor, than the predetermined diameter of the pin of the insertion-end part of the center conductor, there being arranged on each contact cross-piece a contact member in plate form which is connected to the contact cross-piece on one side and which has a free edge on a side remote from the contact cross-piece, the contact members in plate form each being tilted relative to the contact cross-pieces, i.e., to the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the insertion-end part of the center conductor, in such a way that the free edges of the contact members in plate form, between them, a longitudinal slot parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor, with a spacing between the free edges of the contact members in plate form being smaller, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor, than the predetermined diameter of the pin at the free end of the latter.
This has the advantage that easy assembly is possible because tolerances are automatically compensated for by the slotted aperture. At the same time, no axial force acts on the co-axial cable when the right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector is being assembled and damage to the co-axial cable at the time of assembly is thus effectively avoided because, as a result of the physical design of the cable-end part of the center conductor, the co-axial cable, together with the cable-end part of the center conductor fitted thereto, can first be slid into the right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector and only then can the insertion-end part of the center conductor be slid into the right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector in such a way that the pin of the insertion-end part of the center conductor presses itself into the longitudinal slot in the cable-end part of the center conductor in opposition to the elastic restorative force from the contact members in plate form at the contact end of the cable-end part of the center conductor. Also, the cable-end part of the center conductor is open in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the insertion-end part of the center conductor, and tolerances on the axial length of the pin of the insertion-end part of the center conductor are thus compensated for automatically. All in all, tolerances in the axial direction on the longitudinal axis of the insertion-end part of the center conductor and in the axial direction on the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor are compensated for.
To enable the longitudinal slot to be set up in a desired position spaced away from a plane defined by the contact cross-pieces, i.e., in line with a longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor, the cable-end part of the center conductor has, at the contact end, two U-shaped holding members each comprising two sides of the U and each comprising one of the cross-pieces which acts as a base of the U-shaped holding member and connects the sides of the U-shaped holding member, the longitudinal slot being formed between the free edges of the contact members in plate form in a space between the U-shaped holding members.
To increase the mechanical strength of the arrangement, at least one side, and in particular both sides, of the U of one U-shaped holding member is connected, by an additional connecting cross-piece, to a side of the other U-shaped holding member which is situated opposite in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor. The additional connecting cross-piece is preferably arranged to be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable-end part of the center conductor in this case.
In a preferred embodiment, the sides of the U and the contact cross-piece of at least one of the U-shaped holding members are arranged in a plane, with the U-shaped holding members preferably being so arranged that the planes defined by the sides of the U and the contact cross-pieces of the respective U-shaped holding members are aligned parallel to one another.
For assembly which is particularly simple and functions particularly reliably, the outer conductor member is formed in two parts to have an insertion-end part and a cable-end part, the insertion-end part of the center conductor being arranged in the insertion-end part of the outer conductor and the cable-end part of the center conductor being arranged in the cable-end part of the outer conductor.
Starting from the predetermined diameter at the free end, the diameter of the pin may for example increase or remain constant in the axial direction.
Particularly good contact-making force is obtained by making the contact members in plate-form and/or the contact cross-pieces and/or the cable-end part of the center conductor from an elastically resilient material.
Particularly inexpensive manufacture is achieved by allowing the cable-end part of the center conductor to take the form of a stamped or punched, and bent, part.
Particularly good dissipation of thermal energy from the region of the contact between the cable-end part of the center conductor and the insertion-end part of the center conductor is achieved by allowing the insertion-end part of the center conductor to take the form of a turned part. By this means, it is possible for even high electrical powers to be transmitted by the right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector according to the invention without any thermal over-heating and any corresponding damage occurring to the right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector.
The preferred embodiment of right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector which can be seen in
As can be seen from
The insertion-end part 22 of the center conductor has, at an end adjacent the cable-end part 20 of the center conductor, a pin 38 which is of a predetermined diameter at a free end, this diameter being constant in the axial direction, i.e. in the direction of the insertion end 10 along the first longitudinal axis 28.
As can be seen from
As can be seen from
When the right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector according to the invention is being assembled, the cable-end part 20 of the center conductor is first fastened to the exposed center conductor 32 of the co-axial cable 14 and the crimp sleeve 24 is crimped onto the exposed outer conductor 36 of the co-axial cable 14. Having been prepared in this way, the co-axial cable 14 is then slid into the cable end 12 of the cable-end part 18 of the outer conductor of the right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector according to the invention until the cable-end part 20 of the center conductor is in the position shown in
In the preferred embodiment of right-angle plug/socket co-axial connector according to the invention which is shown in
As can be seen from
The insertion-end part 16 of the outer conductor can easily be replaced by a different one, thus enabling right-angle plug/socket co-axial connectors making connections of different types, such for example as MCX (micro-coax), SMB, or QMA connectors, to be produced on one and the same machine without any major conversion work.
As can be seen in particular from
While the present invention has been particularly described, in conjunction with a specific preferred embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will embrace any such alternatives, modifications and variations as falling within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20 2008 001 905.2 | Feb 2008 | DE | national |
This application is a National Phase filing under 35 U.S.C. §371 of PCT/EP/2009/000068 which was filed Jan. 8, 2009, and claims priority to German Application No. DE 20 2008 001 905.2 filed Feb. 12, 2008.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP09/00068 | 1/8/2009 | WO | 00 | 8/12/2010 |