Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6447334
-
Patent Number
6,447,334
-
Date Filed
Monday, May 7, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 10, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 578
- 439 607
- 439 608
- 439 609
- 439 610
- 439 579
- 439 680
- 439 746
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A connector receptacle has an outer conductor inserted in its housing, the outer conductor having an insulator inserted in its inner space, and the insulator having a terminal piece embedded therein for connecting with a counter part. The housing has a longitudinal slot made therein, and the outer conductor includes a split conductor body having two opposite flap projections formed on its joint edges. The conductor body is inserted in the housing with the opposite flap projections press-fitted in the slot. This arrangement assures that complete shielding is provided and that the receptacle parts are tightly assembled.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector receptacle, and particularly to a shielded connector receptacle to be mated with a connector plug.
2. Related Arts
A conventional coaxial cable connector receptacle is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model H5-3 1164(A). Referring to
FIG. 20A
, a coaxial cable
1
comprises a core conductor
2
, an insulator covering the core conductor
2
, a fine-wire braided outer conductor
3
covering the insulator, and an outermost sheath covering the outer conductor
3
.
A coaxial cable connector receptacle
4
is used in connecting the coaxial cable
1
with a counter part via an associated connector plug. As seen in the drawing, the coaxial cable connector
4
comprises a hollow cylinder-like housing
5
, a grounding split metal cylinder
6
having engagement nails formed on its circumference, thus allowing it to be caught in the housing
5
, an insulator
7
press-fitted in the grounded metal cylinder
6
, and a hollow center pin
8
embedded in the insulator
7
.
In fixing the coaxial cable
1
to the coaxial cable connector receptacle
4
, the outermost sheath end is peeled off to expose the braided outer conductor
3
, and then the braided outer conductor
3
, thus exposed, is folded back onto the outermost sheath end. The so treated coaxial cable
1
is inserted in the housing
5
, and then, the housing
5
is put apart from the end of the coaxial cable
1
.
The insulator
7
having the hollow center pin
8
embedded therein is inserted from an opening side
6
d
of the grounding split metal cylinder
6
(
FIG. 20B
) so that the core conductor
2
has been press-fitted in the hollow center pin
8
. Then, the insulator-and-grounding metal cylinder assembly is applied to the end of the coaxial cable
1
by inserting the end of the coaxial cable
1
in a clamp section
6
a
, and by crimping the clamp section
6
a
on the braided outer conductor
3
of the coaxial cable
1
. Finally, the housing
5
is moved forward on the coaxial cable
1
until stopper flaps
6
b
of the grounding split metal cylinder
6
and a projection
7
a
of the insulator
7
have been caught by recesses
5
a
made in the inner surface of the housing
5
. Thus, the grounding split metal cylinder
6
along with assembling parts are fixed firmly to the housing
5
.
The grounding split metal cylinder
6
has rounded projections
11
formed on its circumference. These rounded projections are arranged at regular intervals in the vicinity of the opening side. Also, the grounding split metal cylinder
6
has a loop hole
6
e
between its opposite longitudinal edges (see FIG.
20
C).
When the grounding split metal cylinder
6
is inserted into the housing
5
, the loophole
6
e
and the rounded projections
11
permit the grounding split metal cylinder
6
to adapt itself to the surrounding inner wall of the housing.
This arrangement, however, allows leakage of the electromagnetic energy from the loophole, resulting in incomplete shielding.
Also, disadvantageously significant spaces are apt to be left between the stopper flaps
6
b
of the grounding split metal cylinder
6
and the recesses
5
a
formed in the inner surface of the housing
5
, thus causing the grounding split metal cylinder
6
to be loosely fixed to the housing
5
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a connector receptacle free of such defects as described above, assuring that complete shielding is provided and that the parts are tightly assembled.
To attain this object, a connector receptacle having an outer conductor inserted in its housing, the outer conductor having an insulator inserted in its inner space, and the insulator having a terminal piece embedded therein for connecting with a counter part, is improved according to the present invention in that the housing has a longitudinal slot made therein. Further, the outer conductor comprises a split conductor body having two opposite projections formed on its joint edges, the conductor body being inserted in the housing with the opposite projections press-fitted in the slot.
The outer conductor may comprise a split hollow cylinder having two projections formed on its opposite edges. The outer conductor may have engagement pieces formed on its circumference for fixedly holding the insulator inside. The outer conductor may have engagement projections formed on its circumference for fixedly retaining itself in the housing.
The housing may have an engagement nail formed in the vicinity of one end thereof for engaging a counter connector plug. The housing may have a hollow cylindrical space defined therein, thereby permitting the outer conductor to be inserted in the housing.
Such a connector receptacle can be used as a coaxial cable connector receptacle. It can be mounted to a round substrate.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from a connector receptacle according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a connector receptacle according to the present invention as seen from the side of the receptacle connector on which a counter connector plug is inserted (plug-inserting side);
FIG. 2
is a longitudinal section taken along the line “
2
”—“
2
” in
FIG. 1
, and seen in the direction indicated by arrows;
FIG. 3
is another longitudinal section taken along the line “
3
”—“
3
” in
FIG. 1
, and seen in the direction indicated by arrows;
FIG. 4
is an end view of the connector receptacle, showing the plug-inserting side of the connector receptacle;
FIG. 5
is another end view of the connector receptacle, showing the side of the connector receptacle on which a coaxial cable is connected to the connector receptacle (cable-applying side);
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of the connector receptacle as seen from the cable-applying side of the receptacle connector;
FIG. 7
is a side view of a housing of the connector receptacle;
FIG. 8
is a plane view of the housing of the connector receptacle;
FIG. 9
is a longitudinal section of the receptacle housing taken along the line “
9
”—“
9
” in
FIG. 7
;
FIG. 10
is another longitudinal section of the receptacle housing taken along the line “
10
”—“
10
” in
FIG. 8
;
FIG. 11
is an end view of the housing as seen from the plug-inserting side of the connector receptacle;
FIG. 12
is another side view of the housing as seen from the cable-applying side of the connector receptacle;
FIG. 13
is a side view of an outer conductor partly appearing in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 14
is an end view of the outer conductor;
FIG. 15
is a plane view of the outer conductor;
FIG. 16
is a bottom view of the outer conductor;
FIG. 17A
is a plane view of an insulator, and
FIG. 17B
is an end view of the insulator;
FIG. 18A
is a plane view of a terminal piece, and
FIG. 18B
is a longitudinal section of the terminal piece;
FIGS. 19A-D
are an exploded view of the connector receptacle, showing sequential steps of assembling the parts to the connector plug:
FIG. 19A
shows the step of inserting a semi-assembly in the housing;
FIG. 19B
shows the step of inserting a terminal-and-insulator combination into the outer conductor;
FIG. 19C
shows the step of inserting a terminal piece in the insulator; and
FIG. 19D
shows the terminal piece; and
FIGS. 20A-C
show a conventional connector receptacle:
FIG. 20A
is a longitudinal section of the coaxial connector;
FIG. 20B
is a side view of grounding metal; and
FIG. 20C
is an end view of the grounding metal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 1
to
5
, a connector receptacle
20
includes a box-like housing
21
, which has longitudinal rectangular plateaus
22
and round-roofed engagement projections
26
and
27
integrally connected to its opposite side walls, each round-roofed engagement projection
26
or
27
has a through hole
24
or
25
made therein.
The housing
21
has a catch nail
29
formed inside in the vicinity of a plug-inserting end
28
, which is opposite to a cable-applying side
30
of the housing
21
, on which an outer cable is connected to the connector receptacle.
The housing
21
has a rectangular semi-housing
34
formed inside, extending toward the plug-inserting end
28
. As seen from
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the rectangular semi-housing
34
is integrally connected to an inward projection of the housing
21
at the cable-applying end
30
.
The rectangular semi-housing
34
has a hollow cylinder formed therein. As shown, a cylindrical outer conductor
31
is inserted in the hollow cylinder of the semi-housing
34
. The cylindrical outer conductor
31
reaches short of the cable-applying end
30
. A cylindrical insulator
32
has a cylindrical hollow terminal piece
33
embedded therein. The cylindrical insulator
32
is inserted in the cylindrical outer conductor
31
to reach half of the way to the open end of the rectangular semihousing
34
.
Referring to
FIG. 4
, showing the receptacle connector as seen from the plug-inserting side, a counter connector plug (not shown) can be applied onto the semi-housing
34
, allowing the catch nail
29
to hold the counter plug. Referring to
FIG. 5
, showing the receptacle connector as seen from the cable-applying side, the insulator
32
is covered and shielded by the outer conductor
31
, and the hollow terminal piece
33
is embedded in the insulator
32
. The hollow terminal
33
can accommodate the core conductor of a coaxial cable.
So far described is the connector receptacle as viewed from the plug-inserting side. Furthermore, the connector receptacle as viewed from the cable-applying side is described by referring to FIG.
6
. As seen from the drawing, the hollow terminal piece
33
appears from the insulator
32
, which is shielded by the outer conductor
31
, and therefore, the hollow terminal piece
33
can connect the outer cable to the counter connector plug in a shielded condition.
The parts to be assembled to a connector receptacle (see FIGS.
1
and
6
), i.e. the housing
21
, the outer conductor
31
, the insulator
32
and the terminal piece
33
are described below in detail.
The housing
21
is rectangular in appearance,.and it has two opposite rectangular sides
28
(see
FIG. 7
) and a rectangular flat top
30
(see FIG.
8
). The cable-applying end of the housing
21
is chamfered on its outer circumference as indicated by the reference numeral
39
.
As for the inner shape of the housing
21
(see FIGS.
9
and
10
), the housing
21
has a length “L
1
” long, and it has a rectangular space (horizontal size “L
2
”, vertical size “L
3
”, and longitudinal size “L
4
”) defined by its opposite side walls, floor and ceiling, although a side wall
40
with the plateau-and-ear projection
23
and
27
has the catch nail
29
projecting inward, thereby reducing the horizontal size “L
2
” by as much as the catch nail
29
(see FIGS.
9
and
10
).
The sidewall
40
with the plateau-and-ear projection
23
and
27
has upper and lower longitudinal projections
41
and
42
extending a length “L
5
” (=“L
4
”) toward the cable-applying end
30
, and sandwiching the catch nail
29
at the plug-inserting end (see FIG.
10
).
The rectangular semi-housing
34
has a hollow cylinder
44
formed inside. The hollow cylinder
44
extends a length “L
6
” from the cable-applying end
30
toward the plug-inserting end
28
, ending with a hook-like projection
45
rising inward. The hollow cylinder
44
is integrally connected to the ceiling, the floor and the sidewall having no catch nail fixed thereto.
As seen from
FIG. 9
, the hollow cylinder
44
has a “T”-shaped engagement slot
35
formed on its floor. The “T”-shaped engagement slot
35
extends a length “L
7
” long, and it comprises two parallel shallow grooves
35
B and an intervening deep groove
35
A (see FIG.
6
).
Referring to
FIG. 11
, showing the connector receptacle as seen from the plug-inserting side
28
, the rectangular semi-housing
34
has four triangular comer recesses
46
A to
46
D between the square sides
34
and the circular circumference
44
.
Referring to
FIG. 12
, showing the connector receptacle as seen from the cable-applying side
30
, the rectangular housing
21
has four triangular comer recesses
49
A to
49
D between the square
39
and the circle
44
.
Referring to
FIGS. 13
,
14
and
16
, a sheet of metal is formed into cylindrical shape, and the opposite longitudinal edges of the hollow cylinder are bent outward to form bent flaps
54
A and
54
B.
As seen from
FIG. 15
, a cylindrical outer conductor
55
has a carrier strap
57
extending from one side, and the cylinder
55
has “V”-shaped cuts
56
on both sides of a bridge extension to the carrier strap
57
, thereby facilitating removal of the carrier strap
57
after inserting the outer conductor
31
in the hollow cylinder
44
.
As seen from
FIGS. 13
to
16
, the cylindrical outer conductor
55
has “L”-shaped grip pieces
58
and
59
integrally connected to the one end. These “L”-shaped grip pieces are directed toward the carrier strap
57
with their horizontal legs diametrically extending outward in opposite directions.
As seen from
FIGS. 15 and 16
, three flaps
60
,
61
and
62
are formed to be a distance “L
8
” apart from the other end of the cylindrical hollow outer conductor
55
by cutting the cylinder surface at regular intervals in the form of the letter “U”. These flaps
60
,
61
and
62
are bent somewhat inward.
The hollow outer conductor cylinder
55
has three triangular engagement projections
63
,
64
and
65
formed at regular intervals on its cylindrical surface. These triangular engagement pieces are arranged with their apexes directed to the flaps
60
,
61
and
62
. The triangular engagement pieces are raised somewhat on their horizontal sides.
In addition, the hollow outer conductor cylinder
55
has three rectangular engagement pieces
66
,
67
and
68
formed at regular intervals on its cylindrical surface. These rectangular engagement pieces
66
,
67
and
68
are arranged behind the triangular engagement projections
63
,
64
and
65
. Each rectangular engagement projection has three sides depressed relative to the remaining side on the cylindrical surface.
Referring to
FIG. 17
the cylindrical insulator
32
has a frusto-conical end
70
on one side, and a through hole
71
made at its center for accommodating the terminal piece
33
.
Referring to
FIG. 18
, the terminal piece
33
is a hollow cylinder
72
closing at its slender tip
73
. The hollow cylinder
72
has a recess
74
formed a predetermined distance apart from its open end.
In assembling, these parts into a connector receptacle, first, the terminal piece
33
is inserted in the through hole
71
of the cylindrical insulator
32
, as seen from
FIGS. 19C and 19D
. The terminal-and-insulator assembly AS is inserted in the outer conductor
31
to provide an insulator-and-outer conductor assembly BS, as seen from
FIGS. 19B and 19C
. Finally the insulator-and-outer conductor assembly BS is inserted in the housing
21
with its bottom flap projections
54
A and
54
B fitted in the “T”-shaped slot
35
of the cylinder
44
, as seen from
FIGS. 19A and 19B
.
The total thickness of the bottom flap projections
54
A and
54
B is equal to the width of the intervening deep slot
35
A, and the cylindrical outer conductor
31
having its opposite edges lying on each other is equal to the cylinder
44
of the housing
21
in diameter. Thus, insertion of the cylindrical outer conductor
31
with its opposite edges abutting each other will make it fit tightly in the housing
21
, leaving no space between the confronting bottom flap projections
54
A and
54
B. This arrangement assures that the outer conductor
31
is completely closed on its split joint
53
, thus providing a good shielding effect, and that the outer conductor
31
is tightly fixed to the housing, causing no looseness therebetween. Also, the insertion of the bottom flap projections
54
A and
54
B in the vertical slot
35
A has the effect of preventing the outer conductor
31
from turning in the housing
21
when a counter plug is inserted in the receptacle.
Finally, the carrier strap
57
is removed from the finished receptacle by bending and breaking the notched portion of the carrier strap
57
.
Claims
- 1. A connector receptacle comprising:a housing having a substantially cylindrical inner space and a longitudinal slot outward from the substantially cylindrical inner space; an outer substantially cylindrical hollow conductor inserted in the substantially cylindrical inner space of said housing, said outer substantially cylindrical hollow conductor comprising a split conductor body having joint edges and two opposite projections extending outward from said joint edges; a cylindrical insulator inserted in a hollow portion of said outer substantially cylindrical hollow conductor; and a terminal piece embedded in a central portion of said cylindrical insulator, said terminal piece extending in an axial direction of said cylindrical insulator and being connectable with a counter part thereto, wherein said split conductor body is inserted in the substantially cylindrical inner space of said housing with said two opposite projections press-fitted in the longitudinal slot.
- 2. A connector receptacle according to claim 1, wherein said split conductor body comprises a split hollow cylinder.
- 3. A connector receptacle according to claim 1 wherein a circumference of said outer substantially cylindrical hollow conductor has engagement pieces formed thereon, said engagement pieces being operable to fixedly hold said cylindrical insulator inside.
- 4. A connector receptacle according to claim 1 wherein a circumference of said outer substantially cylindrical hollow conductor has engagement pieces formed thereon, said engagement pieces being operable to fixedly retain said outer substantially cylindrical hollow conductor in said housing.
- 5. A connector receptacle according to claim 1, wherein a vicinity of one end of said housing has a catch nail formed thereat, said catch nail being operable to engage a counter connector plug.
- 6. A connector receptacle according to claim 1, wherein said connector receptacle is operable as a coaxial cable connector receptacle.
- 7. A connector receptacle according to claim 1, wherein said connector receptacle is operable to be mounted to a round substrate.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2000-134934 |
May 2000 |
JP |
|
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Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3671922 |
Zerlin et al. |
Jun 1972 |
A |
4878858 |
Dechelette |
Nov 1989 |
A |
5445535 |
Phillips, Jr. et al. |
Aug 1995 |
A |
5685745 |
Yamamoto et al. |
Nov 1997 |
A |
5913694 |
Wright |
Jun 1999 |
A |
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
5-31164 |
Apr 1993 |
JP |