Patent Grant
8182285
The subject of the present invention is a connection assembly comprising an elbow coaxial electric connector mounted on a coaxial cable and a method to assemble said assembly.
The invention applies more particularly to connection assemblies for the motor vehicle market, notably conforming to FAKRA (Automobile Expert Group) and USCAR standards.
Patent EP 1 653 574 to the applicant discloses a straight coaxial electric connector mounted on a coaxial cable by crimping the central contact of the connector onto the central conductor of the coaxial cable.
Applications DE 10 2004 041809 and DE 20 2008 014409 disclose elbow coaxial connectors comprising a straight central contact whose mounting on a coaxial cable requires an additional centring part and/or an additional fastening part. The coaxial connector disclosed by application DE 10 2004 041 809 is received inside the casing inside which it is able to rotate depending on whether a sliding lug is or is not in locked position. The coaxial connector disclosed by application DE 20 2008 014 409 is also received in a casing relative to which it can or cannot rotate depending on whether an additional connector is or is not coupled to the connector.
The solutions disclosed by applications DE 10 2004 041 809 and DE 20 2008 014 409 require a relatively high number of parts, and the assembling of an assembly comprising said connector and/or the coupling of said assembly with an additional assembly may be relatively time-consuming and costly to fabricate and requiring specific tooling.
There is a need to overcome all or part of the above disadvantages.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a connection assembly comprising:
The connection assembly of these exemplary embodiments of the invention comprises a reduced number of parts and may be relatively easy to assemble.
The central contact of the connector is advantageously elbowed and consists of a single part, contrary to the central contacts of the elbow connectors disclosed by applications DE 10 2004 041 809 and DE 20 2008 014 409
The body of the connector advantageously comprises at least one crimping portion to crimp at least one of a shielding braid and an outer insulating sheath of the coaxial cable.
The body of the connector may also comprise at least one crimping portion to crimp an inner insulating sheath of the coaxial cable.
These exemplary embodiments of the invention advantageously permit crimping of the coaxial cable onto the elbow connector with a relatively reduced number of operations. At least one of the crimping portion of the central contact of the connector, and a crimping portion of the body of the connector advantageously comprises a substantially U-shaped or V-shaped cross-section.
Contrary to the disclosure of patent EP 1 653 574, the coaxial connector may be devoid of any space arranged either side of the bearing portion of the insulating element, and extending at least partly underneath the crimping portion of the central contact. The absence of said space may allow the passing of a larger, hence more resistant, tool when crimping.
The insulating element of the connector is advantageously configured so that the central contact of the connector is fastened thereto by a bayonet connection, which may allow relatively easy, reliable mounting of the central contact in the insulating element of the coaxial connector.
The first axis and the second axis of the sleeve are not parallel, advantageously being perpendicular, forming an elbow.
The sleeve is advantageously made in a single piece, in metal for example.
The sleeve may be different from the body of the connector, the sleeve and the body being for example separate elements.
The first portion of the sleeve, on its outer lateral surface, advantageously comprises at least one groove extending over at least part of the periphery of said first portion of the sleeve, notably over its entire periphery.
The first portion of the sleeve, on its inner surface, advantageously comprises at least one slot extending parallel to the first axis of the sleeve and configured to cooperate with tabs arranged on the outer surface of the body of the coaxial connector, so as to allow the removable fixing of the coaxial connector inside the first portion of the sleeve.
The casing extends along a longitudinal axis and advantageously comprises at least one elastic tab configured to cooperate with the groove of the first portion of the sleeve, to hold the casing on the sleeve by press-fitting or snap-fitting. The elastic tab may also allow the transmission of mechanical forces between the casing and the sleeve when they are assembled.
The casing may be straight or not form on elbow. The bottom of the groove advantageously comprises a plurality of notches extending parallel to the first axis of the sleeve and which may form indexing means for the casing relative to the first portion of the sleeve. These notches are advantageously uniformly distributed around the periphery of the first portion of the sleeve.
The groove is advantageously laterally bordered by a collar comprising at least two portions separated by a cut-out. This collar may contribute towards the transmission of mechanical forces between the sleeve and the casing when they are assembled.
The casing, on its inner side surface, advantageously comprises at least one pin configured to slide in the cut-out of the collar and/or to be held by friction in a notch of the groove. The pin or pins may allow transmission of mechanical forces between the casing and the sleeve when they are assembled.
The pins are advantageously arranged at or in the vicinity of a longitudinal end of the casing.
The collar of the sleeve comprises three cut-outs for example and the inner surface of the casing has three pins. The cooperation between the pins and the cut-outs may allow the elastic tab(s) of the casing to be brought to a press-fit position in the groove of the first portion of the sleeve, and once this press-fit position has been reached, the casing may be moved in rotation about the first portion of sleeve in predefined angle positions corresponding to the positions of the notches of the groove. The casing may be held in the predefined angle positions by cooperation between the pins and the notches.
The casing may advantageously ensure a retaining function by means of the elastic tab(s) and an indexing function by means of the pins, without the addition of an additional part of elastic washer type or plastic part/tab frequently used in known solutions.
The casing advantageously comprises an area for coupling with an additional casing of another connection assembly, this area preferably being located on the upper face of the casing. This area advantageously comprises a hoop extending crosswise, notably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the casing, and a tab pivot-mounted on the casing about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the casing, said tab advantageously being at least partly covered by the hoop. The hoop may comprise at least one cut-out arranged opposite a longitudinal end of said tab, which may ensure satisfactory amplitude of movement for pivoting of the lug, without it being necessary to increase the height of the hoop for this purpose. The invention may therefore provide for better compactness of the casing.
If the casing is not coupled with a casing of a connection assembly of complementary type, the longitudinal axis of the tab in the coupling area advantageously lies parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casing.
The hoop and tab may be made in a single piece with the remainder of the casing, or as a variant, they can be fitted thereto.
Advantageously the hoop only extends over one portion of the length of the casing, for example one portion of the length of the casing from a longitudinal end thereof, said longitudinal end coming into contact with the casing of a connection assembly of complementary type when these are coupled together.
The assembly advantageously comprises a locking cover configured to close the housing arranged in the second portion of the sleeve.
The locking cover is advantageously metallic. The configuration of the sleeve and cover allows high frequency leaks to be limited and reinforces the mechanical supporting of the connector in the sleeve. The sleeve which is in metal for example, advantageously surrounds the body of the coaxial connector, which may reduce risks of deterioration of the latter for example by bending of the body, whilst facilitating coupling with a connection assembly of complementary type, since the sleeve ensures a guiding function.
The locking cover is advantageously pivot-mounted on the sleeve.
The locking cover advantageously comprises an elastic tab configured to bear upon the body of the connector when the connector is received in the housing of the second portion of the sleeve, and to oppose the closing of said cover.
The bearing of the elastic tab of the locking cover on the body of the connector may set up electric continuity with the coaxial connector, ensuring earth contact. Also, since the elastic tab opposes the closing of the cover, the cover is advantageously held open for as long as a sufficient force is not exerted on the cover for closing thereof.
The sleeve and cover may be two separate parts, preferably in metal, joined by a pivoting hinge or, as a variant, they may be made in a single piece notably in metalized plastic comprising an elastic hinge.
Other exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method to assemble a connection assembly comprising the following steps:
The hollowed casing may be mounted by press-fitting onto a portion of the elbow sleeve, this casing being able to be moved in rotation about the sleeve.
Crimping of the central conductor of the coaxial cable with the central contact of the coaxial connector may be accompanied by simultaneous crimping of at least one of a shielding braid, an inner insulating sheath and an outer insulating sheath with corresponding crimping portions of the body of the coaxial connector.
The method of these exemplary embodiments of the invention may be particularly fast and easy to implement, thereby simplifying the assembly operations for a connection assembly comprising an elbow coaxial connector, and coupling operations to join one said assembly with an assembly of complementary type.
The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of non-limiting examples of embodiment, and on examining the appending drawings in which:
This assembly 1 in the described example comprises an elbow coaxial connector globally referenced 2 and mounted on a coaxial cable globally referenced 3, a casing globally referenced 4, an elbow sleeve globally referenced 5 and a locking cover globally referenced 6.
This elbow connector 2 comprises a central contact 7, an insulating element 8 and a body 9.
The central contact 7, in the described example, is bent and made in a single piece using so-called <<cut-and-roll>> technology. The central contact 7 is in bronze for example coated with metal e.g. nickel, gold or tin depending on the area of the central contact concerned.
As may be seen, the central contact 7, at one end 10, comprises a crimping portion 11 comprising a U- or V-shaped cross-section with two opposite-facing branches 12 which may be folded down towards each other around the central conductor of the coaxial cable 3, as described below.
The crimping portion 11, as may be seen
The bearing portion 15 of the insulating element 8 comprises an upper face 16 for example provided with a recess arranged to receive at least part of the crimping portion 11 of the central contact 7. The bearing portion 15 comprises two facing walls 17 for example which are directed downwardly and may be planar or may comprise two non-parallel portions.
The insulating element 8, at a cylindrical portion 18, comprises means for example allowing a bayonet connection to be established with the central contact 7.
The body 9 of the coaxial connector 2 in the described example is bent, comprising a first portion 20 extending along an axis (X) and innerly receiving the cylindrical portion 18 of the insulating element 8, and a second portion 21 extending along an axis (Y) and carrying the bearing portion 15 of the insulating element 8.
In the described example, the axes (X) and (Y) are perpendicular but the invention may be applied to any non-parallel arrangement of the axes (X) and (Y).
As illustrated
The second portion 21 of the body 9 may comprise a supporting part 23 receiving the bearing part 15 of the insulating element 8. This supporting part 23 comprises a cross-section relative to axis (Y) which forms a connecting region and which for example may be substantially triangular, but the invention is not limited to any particular shape of the cross-section of the supporting part 23. This supporting part 23 is non-cylindrical for example being devoid of edges defining a space with the side walls 17 of the bearing portion 15 such as described in patent EP 1 653 574.
The second portion 21, similar to the description in patent EP 1 653 574, may comprise two crimping portions 25 and 26 each having a cross-section relative to axis (Y) that is substantially U- or V-shaped.
The crimping portion 25, respectively 26, comprises a pair of fold-down branches 25a and 25b, respectively 26a and 26b, allowing crimping of the shielding braid and outer insulating sheath respectively of the coaxial cable 3, as will be seen below.
With reference to
In the described example, the sleeve 5 is elbowed comprising a first tubular portion 30 extending along a first axis of the sleeve (A1) and a second portion 31 extending along a second axis of the sleeve (A2), the first and second axis of the sleeve respectively lying parallel to axis (X) and axis (Y) when the coaxial connector 2 is received in the sleeve 5.
The sleeve 5 may be made in a single piece. As shown
The collar 33 may, for example, comprise several discontinuous portions separated two by two by a cut-out 36. Each portion of the collar 33 may extend over a certain angular distance and the cut-outs 36 are distributed over the periphery of the first portion 30 of the sleeve 5.
The bottom of the groove 32 in the described example is provided with a plurality of notches 35 extending parallel to axis (A1). These notches 35 are distributed uniformly for example in the circumferential direction, being separated in the described example by an angle of 45° measured from axis (A1). Evidently, the invention is not limited this angle value.
As shown
A housing 38 extending parallel to axis (A2), as illustrated
With reference to
As shown in the figures, this casing 4 extends along a longitudinal axis (Z) which is parallel to axis (X) when the assembly 1 is assembled.
This casing 4 is made in polymer for example and is hollowed on the inside comprising a through passage along axis (Z).
The casing 4 comprises elastic tabs 44 for example arranged in its wall at one of its longitudinal ends 61. In the described example, the tabs 44 are two in number and lie diametrically opposite, but the invention is not limited to a number and to a precise position of the tabs 44.
As illustrated
The hoop 46 in the described example extends perpendicular to axis (Z) and over a portion of the length of the casing 4 from one longitudinal end 60 thereof, said longitudinal end 60 coming into contact with the casing of a connection assembly of complementary type when coupled thereto.
As illustrated
As may be seen, the area 45 also comprises an open portion 49 on which the tab 47 is not covered by the hoop 46, aiding pivoting of the other longitudinal end 66 of the tab 47.
As illustrated
With reference to
On completion of this sliding movement, the pins 48 are held by friction in notches 35 of the groove 32. A user is then able to move the casing 4 in rotation about the sleeve 5 bringing the pins 48 into other notches 35 of the groove 32.
The locking cover 6 is for example made in metal e.g. stainless steel or brass. The cover 6 in the described example is U-shaped comprising a back part 50 intended to close the housing 38 and two parallel sides 51 both perpendicular to the back part 50 and intended to cover the outside of surfaces 40 of the second portion 31 of the sleeve 5 when the cover is closed.
As may be seen
In the described example, the cover 6 is pivot mounted on the sleeve 5, the faces 51 each comprising an opening to receive one of the chamfers 41.
The back part 50 of the locking cover 6 at one end may comprise a tab 54 illustrated
This elastic tab 53 is configured for example to exert a force opposing the closing of the locking cover 6 on the sleeve 5, the cover then not being closed for as long as a sufficient force is not exerted thereupon.
With reference to
As illustrated
The bearing surface 57 of the tool 55 comprises for example two opposite-facing curved walls joining together at the bottom of the cavity 56. The form of the bearing surface 57 may be chosen substantially to follow the contour of at least part of the side walls 17 of the bearing portion 15 of the insulating element 8.
During crimping of the central conductor of the coaxial cable with the central contact 7, the tool 55 may be moved along an axis perpendicular to axis (Y), the branches 12 of the crimping part 11 being folded down gradually to avoid any outward buckling of these branches. The crimping portions 25 and 26 are similarly crimped, respectively on the shielding braid and the outer insulating sheath of the coaxial cable 2 using different parts of the tool. The connector 2 mounted on the coaxial cable 3 is then inserted in the sleeve 5 on which the casing 4 has previously been press-fitted, as illustrated
The cover 6 may then be folded back so as to close the housing 38 to ensure the mechanical supporting of the connector mounted on the cable in the sleeve 5, and to ensure electrical continuity so that the assembly lies in the configuration shown
As illustrated
The invention is not limited to the examples just described.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 54701 | Jul 2009 | FR | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6817899 | Zerebilov | Nov 2004 | B1 |
| 6860761 | Lee et al. | Mar 2005 | B2 |
| 6893291 | Wendling et al. | May 2005 | B2 |
| 7887359 | Manser | Feb 2011 | B2 |
| 20040058582 | Wendling et al. | Mar 2004 | A1 |
| 20100317226 | Schmid et al. | Dec 2010 | A1 |
| 20110230092 | Maier et al. | Sep 2011 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 10 2004 041 809 | Apr 2005 | DE |
| 20 2008 014 409 | Feb 2009 | DE |
| 1 194 984 | May 2003 | EP |
| 1 653 574 | May 2006 | EP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20110008999 A1 | Jan 2011 | US |
