Patent Grant
7238047
As per the characterizing clause given in Patent Claim 1, this is an invention of a coaxial connector plug and corresponding mating plug. A similar connector plug—mating plug combination is already known, for example, from EP 1 222 717 B1. In the known connector plug, a radial force is applied to the mating plug via a radially pre-stressed clamp sleeve. This applied radial force is converted to an axial force component via a surrounding clamp surface inclined towards the longitudinal axis of the mating plug. The known connector-mating plug combination therefore always requires a clamp surface inclined towards the longitudinal axis of the mating plug in order to convert the force applied radially to an axial force component.
The purpose of the invention is to create a connector plug of the sort described above, where an outer conductor contact surface of the mating plug can be axially clamped against an outer conductor contact surface of the connector plug, independent of the shape of the clamp surface, in other words even if the clamp surface is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mating plug.
This purpose is achieved with the characteristics described in Patent Claim 1.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the subordinate claims.
The invention is based on the idea of applying the axial force component directly from the clamp sleeve to the clamp surface of the mating plug without first applying a radial force, which then would have to be converted at the clamp surface to an axial force component.
Preference is thereby given to a coaxial connector plug and mating plug in which the connector plug has a connector housing that is open at the front end for plugging in or attaching the mating plug and is traversed by a canal holding an insulated internal conductor contact, with a clamp sleeve and a sliding sleeve that can be moved axially to mechanically connect the connector plug with the mating plug, wherein the sliding sleeve surrounds the clamp sleeve in the operating position and exerts on it a force directed radially inward, wherein a clamp sleeve can be made to rest against the mating plug at a clamp surface, wherein an outer conductor contact surface of the mating plug can be clamped axially against an outer conductor contact surface of the connector plug, wherein the clamp sleeve has an end section with a part extending diagonally outward followed by a part extending diagonally inward and backward, wherein in the operating position an axial force component is applied via the backward extending part from the clamp sleeve to the clamp surface and the clamp sleeve between the connector plug and the end section has a part that first widens and then narrows.
Of particular preference is a coaxial connector plug and mating plug in which the widening part and the narrowing part of the clamp sleeve are designed elastically with spring activation that allows them to stretch temporarily in the axial direction when moving from the stand-by position to the operating position.
Also of particular preference is a coaxial connector plug and mating plug in which the widening part and/or narrowing part between the connector plug and the end section is designed in the form of snap-in pins narrowing diagonally to the longitudinal extension.
Also of particular preference is a coaxial connector plug and mating plug in which the backward extending part of the end section runs either parallel or at an acute angle diagonally backward to the clamp surface.
Of particular preference is also a coaxial connector plug and mating plug in which the clamp surface extends either perpendicular or at an inclination to the outside and to the mating plug.
Of particular preference is also a coaxial connector plug and mating plug which has lugs on the clamp sleeve opposite the end section that are bent in the radial direction and act as a rear stop for the connector housing of the connector plug.
Of particular preference is also a coaxial connector plug and mating plug in which the end section of the clamp sleeve is designed as a snap-in pin with a spherical or spoon-shaped contact head.
Of particular preference is also a coaxial connector plug and mating plug whose contact head is widened by lateral lugs in relation to the normal width of the snap-in pin.
Of particular preference is also a coaxial connector plug and mating plug in which the contact head extends to the full radius of the part extending outward and the part of the end section extending diagonally inward and backward.
Of particular preference is also a coaxial connector plug and mating plug in which the contact head of the end section forms a crease or buckle line on the inside of the end section.
Of particular preference is also a coaxial connector plug and mating plug in which the force applied to the clamp sleeve in the operating position is converted by the clamp sleeve to an axial force component that is applied from the clamp sleeve directly to the clamp surface.
Of preference is also an independent clamp sleeve for rigging such a coaxial connector plug and mating plug, in which the clamp sleeve has an end section with a first part extending diagonally outward followed by a second part extending diagonally inward and backward, wherein an axial force component is applied in the operating position from the clamp sleeve to the clamp surface via the part extending backward and the clamp sleeve has a widening area between the connector plug and the end section followed by a narrowing part.
Since the axial force component is applied to the clamp surface directly by the clamp sleeve itself, i.e., because of the shape of the clamp sleeve, a rechanneling of force either at or in the clamp surface is not necessary, so that the clamp surface can, if necessary, be even perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mating plug. Because of this invention, it is no longer necessary to design the clamp surface in such a way that it is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the mating plug.
An advantage of the design of the invention is that a radial force component is also applied from the clamp sleeve directly, i.e., directly by the clamp sleeve, to a compensating surface of the mating plug. In this way, all radial force components acting on the mating plug are compensated, with the result that, even if the clamp surface is inclined, only one axial force component is applied to it.
In a preferred embodiment, the axial force component is applied from the clamp sleeve to the clamp surface only when the sliding sleeve is moved into the operating position. This means that the axial force component is not transferred automatically from the clamp sleeve to the clamp surface after the connector plug and the mating plug are connected. For this to happen, the sliding sleeve must first be moved into the operating position which then exerts a radial force to the clamp sleeve. This presses the free end of the clamp sleeve axially in the direction of the clamp surface, in the process of which an axial force component is applied by the clamp sleeve to the mating plug. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamp sleeve is first at a distance from the clamp surface after the connector and the mating plug are connected and is moved in the direction of the clamp surface only after the sliding sleeve is moved to the operating position and clamped in axial direction against the clamp surface.
In a further preferred embodiment, the radial force component is applied to the compensating surface only by moving the sliding sleeve into the operating position. In the process, the clamp sleeve is first at a distance from the compensating surface and is moved radially against the compensating surface only after moving the sliding sleeve to the operating position.
It is, of course, also conceivable that the clamp sleeve is already pre-stressed in the radial direction in such a way that a radial force component is already applied directly to the compensating surface of the counterpart when the sliding sleeve is still in the stand-by position and has not yet been moved to the operating position.
In a preferred variant of the embodiment, the clamp surface is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mating plug. A preferred design of the invention provides that the clamp surface is located on a ridge of the mating plug protruding radially outward and/or an indent of the mating plug pointing radially inward. In this set-up, it is an advantage if the clamp surface and/or the compensating surface are designed such that they surround the mating plug.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamp sleeve is designed in such a way that it extends from the connector plug or the front-end opening of the connector plug along the axis past the clamp surface of the mating plug, with the end part being angled or bent back in the direction of the clamp surface. In the process, the end part of the clamp sleeve extends in particular in an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the mating plug. In order to improve the clamping force along the axis, the clamp sleeve preferably has an area widening radially outward and is located preferably directly next to the bent end part.
To facilitate the radial movement of the clamp sleeve, the clamp sleeve has axially extending slits forming snap-in pins. The snap-in pins are connected to each other at one end by a surrounding ring section. As an alternative, the clamp sleeve consists of tension springs separated from each other, distributed over the circumference of the connector and extending along the axis.
The sliding sleeve preferably also surrounds the clamp sleeve, even in the stand-by mode, during which the clamp sleeve exerts no axial force on the clamp surface. The sliding sleeve may also be moved axially between the stand-by position and the operating position. Normally the sliding sleeve is designed in such a way that a radial force, albeit small, is exerted on the clamp sleeve even in the stand-by mode. The radial force exerted by the sliding sleeve on the clamp sleeve is, however, only large enough in the working position for the clamp sleeve to exert an axial force component on the clamp surface of the mating plug.
Of course, the sliding sleeve may be designed also in such a way that the sliding sleeve in the stand-by position does not exert any force on the clamp sleeve.
It is preferred if the clamp sleeve fits with its radially outermost, in particular its front-end area, into an indent on the inner circumference of the sliding sleeve circumference. The indent preferably has a radially narrowing axial section, making it easy to move the sliding sleeve from the stand-by position to the operating position.
An example of embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with the help of illustrations as follows:
The coaxial connector plug 1 has a connector housing 2 that is open in front and is traversed by a canal 3. An interior conductor contact 4 is located in the canal 3 and is insulated from the connector housing 2 via a sleeve-shaped insulator 5. The connector housing 2 forms an outer conductor and has a ring-shaped, circumferential outer conductor surface 6 in the opening in front. The insulating sleeve as insulator 5 is preferably flush in front with the outer conductor surface 6 or indented relative to it.
The clamp sleeve 8 that protrudes in the axial direction and is inserted and, in particular, pressed firmly radially into the opening 7, is attached within the front-end opening of the connector plug 1. The clamp sleeve 8 has axial slits 10 at the front-end forming several elastic spring-activated snap-in pins 9.
In the opposing side area of the back section 80 there is a lug 82 with a contour matching the indent 81, with the result that a lug 82 fits into the indent 81 after being rolled together in order to maintain the arc in the form of a sleeve. On the back of the back section 80, stop tabs 83, which are bent preferably by 90° in an inside radial direction, form lugs in order to form an end stop in the mounted state for the respective opposing end stop 2a at a backward extending lug or the back wall of the housing 2 of the connector plug 1. One or more such stop tabs 83 thus prevent the clamp sleeve 8 from sliding from the connector plug 1 toward the front, something that could otherwise be prevented in the operating position, when the mating plug 15 is stressed against the connector plug 1 via the clamp sleeve 8, only at great expense, such as by firmly connecting laterally or pressing together the clamp sleeve 8 and the housing 2.
There is a sliding sleeve 11 around the clamp sleeve 8 that can be moved to a limited extent axially. Optionally another sleeve 11a can be arranged between the clamp sleeve 8 and the sliding sleeve 11 as a guide for the sliding sleeve 11, which is then movable with regard to the additional sleeve 11a. In
Elastic spring-activated catches 9 extend in front of the back section 80 which are separated from each other by the axial slits 10. The snap-in pins 9 extend axially and parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the connector plug 1 from a circumferentially closed area. They are followed in front by a part 12 that widens radially and diagonally toward the outside in which the snap-in pins 9 extend in an outside direction and bent away from the central longitudinal axis A. As shown in
The part 12, 12a of the snap-in pins 9 that widens radially outward and then narrows is followed by an end section 15. The end section 15 starts with a part 15a extending diagonally outward and slightly forward. This is followed by a part 15b of the snap-in pins 9 bent or angled in the direction of the front opening 7. With this bent part 15b, the snap-in pins 9 are returned axially in the direction of the clamp surface 13 and also radially in the direction of the longitudinal axis A of the mating plug 14. The bent part 15b thus leads backward in the direction of the open connector plug 1. The optional last end piece 15c of the snap-in pins 9 is bent again and extends radially outward to form an enlarged contact area on the clamp surface 13.
As can be seen in particular from
Preferably, the sperical or spoon-shaped contact head of the end section 15 is bent in a way that forms a crease or buckle line 15f from the inside of the end section 15.
If the clamp sleeve 8 is made of electrically conductive material, which is not absolutely necessary as such, an additional secure electrical connection between the housing 2 of the connector plug 1 and the housing 16 of the mating plug 14 can be supported via the clamp sleeve 8. The mating plug 14 has an outer conductor in the form of a housing 16, which is essentially cylindrical. In front, the housing 16 has a ring-shaped, circumferential outer conductor contact surface 17. In a canal 18 passing through this housing 16, there is an insulator 20, which in turn contains a conductor 19. On the front of conductor 19 is a socket 21 for accommodating the internal conductor contact 4 of the connector plug 1 protruding axially in the direction of the mating plug.
In the example of embodiment shown here, the clamp surface 13 is located on a ridge 22 of the mating plug 14 radially protruding on the outside, with the clamp surface 13 extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axis A of the mating plug 14. However, a clamp surface, inclined backward from the viewpoint of the mating plug 14, can also be used to advantage.
In
Aiming the angled part 15b of the end section 15 into a slightly backward axial direction has the result that the mating plug 4 can be inserted easily and the pressure is exerted against the side of the housing 16 of the mating plug 14 forming the compensating surface 27.
The distance between the stops 9 can be measured by moving the mating plug 14 into the position shown in
During the axial movement of the sliding sleeve 11, the axial section 26 is moved along the radially widening axial section 12 of the snap-in pins 9 until the radially outermost part 15d of the snap-in pins 9 rests against the inner circumference 25 of the sliding sleeve running parallel to the longitudinal axis A. In this way, the snap-in pins 9 exert an increasing radial force FR which generates an axial force component Fa in the snap-in pins 9 applied directly, thus immediately, to the clamp surface 13 of the mating plug 14. As can be seen in
Of preference is the design in the form of an open sling with a retracting arm in the shape of the bent part 15b of the snap-in pins 9. In the operating position in particular, the sliding sleeve 11 exerts pressure on the sling section that is located radially farthest out and has the effect of returning and stressing the bent part 15b in a primarily or entirely axial direction against the clamp surface 13.
Of special preference is a design in which the radially outermost part 15d of the snap-in pins 9 is designed as a transition area running in the form of an arc from the part 15a extending diagonally at the outside and slightly in front to the part 15 of the snap-in pins 9 bent in the direction of the front-side opening 7. This encourages a uniform tilting of the entire end section from a steeper, almost perpendicular position into an inclined position when switching from the stand-by position to the operating position, with the bent part 15b of the snap-in pins 9 in the inclined position extending parallel or almost parallel to the compensating surface.
For similar reasons, the transition area between the bent part 15b of the snap-in pins 9 and the last end piece 15c gliding on the compensating surface during the switch advantageously also takes the shape of an arc.
The axial force component Fa is exerted by the free end pieces 15c of the snap-in pins 9 directly on the clamp surface 13 extending preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the mating plug 14, where it generates a counterforce Fa1. The radial force component Fr is exerted directly by the free end pieces 15c of the snap-in pins 9 on the compensating surface 27 surrounding the mating plug 14 and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the mating plug, where it generates a counterforce or compensating force Fr′. Contrary to the embodiment shown schematically in
A comparison of
Because all radial force components Fr are compensated on the compensating surface 27, only an axial force component Fa is exerted against the clamp surface 13 even if the clamp surface 13 is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis A of the mating plug 14.
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