Patent Grant
9099797
The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors that provide a signal path along right angles or other transverse angles.
Some electrical connectors are right angle connectors with mating and terminating ends that are oriented generally perpendicular to one another. As opposed to in-line electrical connectors, the right angle connectors are configured to provide a signal path through a bend or corner in a housing. Right angle connectors may be advantageous over linear connectors in certain applications, such as if there is limited clearance in the surrounding environment to load a mating plug in-line with the connector. However, right angle connectors may be complex and costly to design, manufacture, and assemble. It is difficult to maintain the impedance of such connectors between the mating and terminating ends as the signal path turns 90°, for example, within the connector housing. Additionally, some right angle connectors do not enable automated manufacturing. For example, in some existing right angle connectors, a center contact is inserted into the connector housing and then bent 90° manually using a tool in order to convey the signal path through the right angle corner. This manual assembly process is slow, and the manual bending may damage the center contact.
In other existing right angle connectors, two separate contacts are loaded within the right angle housing and are configured to connect with each other within the corner or bend of the housing to provide a signal path through the housing, instead of bending a single contact through the corner. For example, a first contact may have a pin and a second contact may have a double back socket, where the contacts connect when the pin is pushed between two opposing double back beams. The double back beams engage and retain the pin by an interference fit. For example, each double back beam forces the pin towards the other beam. But, the friction caused by the interference fit is the only force that prohibits the pin from moving relative to the socket. Therefore, during operation of the connector, vibration or other forces on the connector may cause the pin to slide relative to the socket, which at best decreases the electrical performance of the connector and at worst may cause the pin to back out of the socket altogether, breaking the signal path through the connector. Another problem with pin and double back socket connections is that the distal tip of the pin extends at least partially beyond the socket and creates an electrical stub. During operation of the connector, at least some of the electrical signal may be diverted through the distal tip of the pin instead of along the signal path, producing an antenna effect that potentially could broadcast a signal from the connector (although the connector shielding would prohibit signal transmission therethrough). The diversion of the electrical signals through the distal tip of the pin significantly reduces the electrical performance of the right angle connector, and the issue only increases as the signals are transmitted at higher frequencies. For example, the electrical performance of the connector may be much more degraded due to the antenna effect with radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted at higher frequencies of around 4-6 gigahertz (GHz) as opposed to RF signals transmitted at a lower frequency of about 2 GHz. A need remains for an electrical connector that provides effective electrical performance along a right angle or other transverse angle, especially when used to transmit electrical signals over higher frequencies.
In an exemplary embodiment, an electrical connector includes a housing, a first contact, and a second contact. The housing has a first segment and a second segment oriented transverse to the first segment. The housing defines a cavity extending through the first and second segments between a distal end of the first segment and a distal end of the second segment. The first contact has a mating end and a terminating end. The first contact is received in the cavity within the first segment of the housing. The second contact has a mating end and a terminating end. The second contact is received in the cavity within the second segment of the housing. The mating end of the second contact is configured to mechanically and electrically connect to the mating end of the first contact within the cavity. The second contact is oriented transverse to the first contact within the cavity. The mating end of the first contact includes a cap and at least one deflectable arm that define an attachment region therebetween. The mating end of the second contact includes a bulb that is received in the attachment region as the mating ends of the first and second contacts are connected. The at least one deflectable arm engages a proximal portion of the bulb, and the cap engages a distal portion of the bulb to retain the bulb in the attachment region.
In an exemplary embodiment, an electrical connector includes a housing, a center contact, and a cable contact. The housing has a first segment and a second segment oriented transverse to the first segment. The housing defines a cavity extending through the first and second segments between a distal end of the first segment and a distal end of the second segment. The center contact has a mating end and a terminating end. The center contact is received in the cavity within the first segment of the housing. The terminating end is configured to terminate to a mating contact of a mating connector. The cable contact has a mating end and a terminating end. The cable contact is received in the cavity within the second segment of the housing. The terminating end of the cable contact is terminated to a conductive core of a cable. The mating end is configured to mechanically and electrically connect to the mating end of the center contact within the cavity. The cable contact is oriented transverse to the center contact within the cavity. The mating end of the center contact includes a cap and at least one deflectable arm that define an attachment region therebetween. The mating end of the cable contact includes a bulb that is received in the attachment region as the mating ends of the center and cable contacts are connected. The at least one deflectable arm engages a proximal portion of the bulb, and the cap engages a distal portion of the bulb to retain the bulb in the attachment region.
The electrical connector 100 may have a right angle shape. As used herein, “right angle” generally refers to two planes that are generally perpendicular and/or have a relative angle of approximately 90°, though the angle does not have to be exact. For example, the loading direction 108 of the mating connector (not shown) towards the mating end 102 may be generally perpendicular to the loading direction 110 of the cable 104 towards the terminating end 106. In other embodiments, the electrical connector 100 may have a transverse shape that is other than a right angle. As used herein, “transverse” refers to a relative angle between two planes that is not 180°, such that the two planes are not parallel and would eventually intersect. A right angle is considered a transverse angle. For example, the connector 100 may have an angle between the loading direction 108 of the mating connector and the loading direction 110 of the cable 104 in the range of 35° to 145°, or greater.
The electrical connector 100 may be used in various applications in various industries. For example, the electrical connector 100 may transmit radio frequency (RF) communications in the automotive industry. As an example, the connector 100 may electrically couple an antenna to a radio within an automobile. The electrical connector 100 may be designed to operate at radio frequencies in the megahertz (MHz) and gigahertz (GHz) ranges. In other applications, the connector 100 may be applied in various other industries that utilize RF communications, as known in the art.
The first contact 202 is configured to be received in the cavity 222 within the first segment 216 of the housing 204. The first contact 202 includes a terminating end 228 and a mating end 230. The second contact 232 is configured to be received in the cavity 222 within the second segment 218 of the housing 204. The second contact 232 also includes a terminating end 231 and a mating end 233. The mating end 233 of the second contact 232 is configured to mechanically and electrically connect to the mating end 230 of the first contact 202 within the cavity 222. For example, the mating ends 230, 233 may connect within the cavity 222 along the corner or bend region 220 of the housing 204. When the first and second contacts 202, 232 are within the respective first and second segments 216, 218 of the housing 204, the second contact 232 may be oriented transverse to the first contact 202 in an embodiment. The first and second contacts 202, 232 are each formed of an electrically conductive material, such as metal. Optionally, the first and/or second contact 202, 232 may be formed by a stamping and forming process. Alternatively, the first and/or second contact 202, 232 may be formed by a molding process, such as die casting, or another process. Because the contacts 202, 232 mechanically and electrically connect to each other, an electrical signal path is formed through the cavity 222, including across the transverse angle at the corner or bend 220 of the housing 204.
In an embodiment, the first contact 202 may be a center contact, in which the terminating end 228 of the first contact 202 is configured to electrically connect to a mating contact (not shown) of a mating connector (not shown). The second contact 232 may be a cable contact, in which the terminating end 231 of the second contact 232 is configured to electrically connect to a conductive core 259 of the cable 104. Therefore, electrical signals may be transmitted between the mating connector and the cable 104 through the contacts 202, 232 of the electrical connector 100. The mating contact is fixed to the mating connector, the cable contact is fixed to the cable 104, and the center contact acts as a transition element that provides a conductive link between the mating contact and the cable contact. Therefore, a signal may be transmitted between the mating contact and the cable contact even though the mating contact may be oriented transverse to the cable contact.
In an alternative embodiment, the first contact 202 may be a cable contact, and the second contact 232 may be a center contact. For example, the terminating end 228 of the first contact 202 may be electrically connected to a conductive core 259 of a cable 104, and the terminating end 231 of the second contact 232 may be configured to electrically connect to the mating contact (not shown) of the mating connector (not shown). However, for descriptive purposes, the first contact 202 is referred to herein as center contact 202, and the second contact 232 is referred to herein as cable contact 232, unless otherwise specified.
As stated above, the mating end 230 of the center contact 202 is configured to mechanically and electrically connect to the mating end 233 of the cable contact 232. In an exemplary embodiment, the mating end 233 of the cable contact 232 may be a bulb 272 that is configured to be received within a receptacle 274 formed at the mating end 230 of the center contact 202, as described further herein. The terminating end 228 of the center contact 202 may define a socket that is designed to receive and mechanically connect to a male pin, blade, or the like, of the mating contact (not shown). In alternative embodiments, the terminating end 228 of the center contact 202 may include a pin, a crimp barrel, an insulation displacement connector, a solder connector, or the like. The terminating end 231 of the cable contact 232 may define a crimp barrel that is configured to be crimped to the conductive core 259 of the cable 104. Alternatively, the terminating end 231 of the cable contact 232 may define a pin, a socket, an insulation displacement connector, a solder connector, or the like.
In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical connector 100 may also include a front shield 206, a rear shield 208, an outer contact 210, and an outer housing 212. The front shield 206 is configured to receive and provide shielding to a front 234 of the housing 204. As used herein, relative or spatial terms such as “front,” “back,” “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right” are only used to distinguish the referenced elements and do not necessarily require particular positions or orientations in the electrical connector 100 or in the surrounding environment of the electrical connector 100. The front shield 206 defines a cavity 238 that extends through the front shield 206 between a front 240 and a rear 242 of the shield 206. The cavity 238 is sized to receive the first segment 216 of the housing 204 therethrough when the front 234 of the housing 204 is received in the front shield 206. The front shield 206 may be manufactured using a die cast process to provide strength to withstand the stresses of the mounted cable 104 being pulled in various directions. Alternatively, the front shield 206 may be stamped and formed. The rear shield 208 is designed to receive a rear 236 of the housing 204 and provide shielding along the rear 236. The rear shield 208 is configured to couple to the front shield 206 and at least partially surround the second segment 218 of the housing 204. The rear shield 208 may be made of sheet metal that is stamped and formed on a carrier strip for mass production and automated assembly. Alternatively, the rear shield 208 may be die cast, or formed of another molding process.
The outer contact 210 is configured to be electrically connected to an outer mating contact (not shown) of the mating connector (not shown), the outer mating contact being disposed radially around the inner mating contact (not shown). The outer contact 210 may include multiple biased deflectable fingers 244 that retain electrical and mechanical contact with the outer mating contact when the mating connector is coupled to the electrical connector 100. A mounting interface or end 246 of the outer contact 210 may be received within the cavity 238 of the front shield 206 from the front 240. The outer contact 210 also includes a mating end 248 that extends forwards of the front shield 206 and defines a socket for mating with the outer mating contact of the mating connector. The outer contact 210 has a hollow cylindrical shape configured to receive the first segment 216 of the housing 204 (and the center contact 202 within) therein. The first segment 216 extends through the cavity 238 of the front shield 206 and is received within the outer contact 210. The outer contact 210 may be stamped and formed of a conductive material.
The outer housing 212 is configured to couple to the front 240 of the front shield 206 at least partially surrounding the outer contact 210. The outer housing 212 has a mating interface 250 at a front 258 that defines a socket for mating with the mating connector (not shown). The mating interface 250 forms the separable mating end 102 of the electrical connector 100, shown in
The cable 104 may have an inner conductive core 259, a tubular insulating layer 260 surrounding the conductive core 259 along the length of the cable 104, a tubular conducting shield 262 surrounding the insulating layer 260, and an insulating outer sheath or jacket 264 surrounding the conducting shield 262. The cable 104 may be a coaxial cable. The tubular insulating layer 260 and/or the insulating outer jacket 264 may be formed of an electrically insulative dielectric material. The tubular conducting shield 262 may be manufactured as woven or braided metal strands, such as copper. The conductive core 259 may be a conductive metal or metal alloy, including a metal such as copper or silver. The conductive core 259 may be terminated to the cable contact 232 by a crimping process, a soldering process, or the like.
A ferrule 268 may be used to crimp the electrical connector 100 to the cable 104. The ferrule 268 may be stamped and formed on a carrier strip. The illustrated ferrule 268 has an open-barrel shape with at least one crimping arm 270. Alternatively, the ferrule 268 may include a closed-barrel shape. The ferrule 268 is used to mechanically and electrically connect the front and rear shields 206, 208 of the connector 100 to the cable 104, such as by crimping the front and rear shields 206, 208 to the tubular conducting shield 262 of the cable 104 for both electrical and mechanical coupling at the non-separable terminating end 106 (shown in
During assembly of the electrical connector 100, the center contact 202, the housing 204, the front and rear shields 206, 208, the outer contact 210 and the outer housing 212 are moved generally along an assembly axis 276 until the components are nested and/or coupled to each other. For example, the center contact 202 may be received in the cavity 222 within the first segment 216 of the housing 204 through an opening (not shown) along the rear 236 of the housing 204 near the corner or bend 220. The housing 204 may then be nested into the front and rear shields 206, 208, which surround the housing 204. Optionally, the shields 206, 208 may couple together. The outer contact 210 is loaded into the cavity 238 of the front shield 206 before or after the housing 204 is nested into the front shield 206. Similarly, the outer housing 212 may be coupled to the front shield 206 around the outer contact 210 prior to or after the housing 204 is loaded into the rear 242 of the front shield 206.
The receptacle 274 includes a cap 402 and at least one deflectable arm 404. The cap 402 and the at least one arm 404 define an attachment region 406 therebetween. The attachment region 406 is configured to receive the bulb 272 of the cable contact 232 therein. The receptacle 274 at the mating end 230 also includes a back wall 408. The back wall 408 extends from a body 410 of the center contact 202. The body 410 of the center contact 202 forms the socket or other connector mechanism that couples to the mating contact (not shown) of the mating connector (not shown). The body 410 of the center contact 202 extends along a longitudinal axis 412. The back wall 408 extends from the body 410 along a back wall axis 414 that is transverse to the longitudinal axis 412. For example, the back wall 408 may extend towards a top wall 416 of the housing 204.
In an embodiment, both the cap 402 and the at least one deflectable arm 404 may extend from the back wall 408. For example, the cap 402 extends from a distal end 420 of the back wall 408 along an orientation transverse to the back wall axis 414. The cap 402 may be curved or angled towards the rear 236 of the housing 204. The at least one arm 404 extends from a first side edge 418 of the back wall 408 along an orientation transverse to the back wall axis 414. For example, the at least one arm 404 may extend generally towards the rear 236 of the housing 204. In an embodiment, the at least one arm 404 may extend from the first side edge 418 and curve at least partially towards an opposite second side edge 422 of the back wall 408. In the illustrated embodiment, the center contact 202 includes two deflectable arms 404A, 404B. A first arm 404A extends from the first side edge 418 of the back wall 408, and a second arm 404B extends from the second side edge 422 of the back wall 408. The two arms 404A, 404B curve at least partially towards each other. The attachment region 406 is defined generally between the two arms 404A, 404B and in the space between the arms 404A, 404B and the cap 402. In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one deflectable arm 404 (for example, arms 404A, 404B) includes a flared end 424 that flares radially outward away from the attachment region 406 to accommodate the bulb 272 of the cable contact 232, as described below. In an embodiment, the receptacle 274 at the mating end 230 of the center contact 202 may be formed integral to the body 410 by a stamping and forming a panel of sheet metal.
The bulb 272 at the mating end 233 of the cable contact 232 includes a proximal portion 426 and a distal portion 428. In the illustrated embodiment, both the proximal and distal portions 426, 428 of the bulb 272 are rounded. Optionally, the entire bulb 272 may be spherical, or at least part of the bulb 272 may be cylindrical. The proximal portion 426 extends from a neck 430. The neck 430 may have a diameter that is less than a diameter of the bulb 272. The neck 430 may extend from a body 434 of the cable contact 232. The body 434 of the cable contact 232 forms the crimp barrel or other connector mechanism that fixes to the conductive core 259 (shown in
During the assembly of the electrical connector 100, the center contact 202 may be pre-loaded in the cavity 222 of the housing 204 within the first segment 216, and the cable contact 232 may subsequently be advanced through the cavity 222 in the coupling direction 702 within the second segment 218 of the housing 204. In an embodiment, the distal portion 428 of the bulb 272 may engage the flared end 424 of the at least one deflectable arm 404 as the cable contact 232 is moved in the coupling direction 702. The flared end 424 is configured to accommodate the bulb 272 by guiding the bulb 272 into the attachment region 406 as the bulb 272 contacts the at least one arm 404. The force of the bulb 272 on the flared end 424 of the arm(s) 404 may cause the arm(s) to deflect radially outward to permit the bulb 272 to enter the attachment region 406. As the cable contact 232 is further advanced in the coupling direction 702, the bulb 272 is fully received in the attachment region 406. The bulb 272 is fully received in the attachment region 406 when the cap 402 of the center contact 202 engages the distal portion 428 of the bulb 272 and the at least one deflectable arm 404 engages the proximal portion 426 of the bulb 272.
In an exemplary embodiment, when the bulb 272 is received in the attachment region 406, the cap 402 engages the distal portion 428 of the bulb 272. The cap 402 blocks further movement of the cable contact 232 in the coupling direction 702. In addition, the contact of the cap 402 with the bulb 272 provides an electrical signal path between the center contact 202 and the cable contact 232. The at least one arm 404 is received at least partially within the neck 430 and engages the proximal portion 426 of the bulb 272, prohibiting movement of the cable contact 232 in an opposite, uncoupling direction 502 to retain the bulb 272 in the attachment region 406. In an embodiment, the at least one arm 404 includes a ridge 504 that extends radially inward towards the attachment region 406 and is received within the neck 430. The ridge 504, or the portion of the arm 404 above the ridge 504 (for example, towards the cap 402), may engage the proximal portion 426 of the bulb 272. If the cable contact 232 is pulled in the uncoupling direction 502, the ridge 504 (or the portion above the ridge 504) provides a force at least partially in the coupling direction 702 to retain the bulb 272 in the attachment region 406. If the cable contact 232 is pulled with sufficient force in the uncoupling direction 502, the bulb 272 may cause the ridge 504 to deflect radially outward to permit the bulb 272 to exit the attachment region 406. In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one deflectable arm 404 provides constant engagement of the bulb 272 when the bulb 272 is within the attachment region 406, which provides an electrical signal path between the center contact 202 and the cable contact 232. As such, both the cap 402 and the at least one arm 404 may constantly engage the bulb 272 within the attachment region 406.
In an embodiment, the at least one deflectable arm 404 extends at least partially around a perimeter of the bulb 272 when the bulb 272 is within the attachment region 406, which blocks at least some side-to-side movement of the bulb 272. For example, the mating end 230 of the center contact 202 may have two arms 404 that curve towards each other and together surround at least most of the perimeter of the bulb 272. In the illustrated embodiment, the cross-section of the arm 404 may show two different arms 404, or, alternatively, two different portions of a single arm 404.
Optionally, in the illustrated alternative embodiment, the terminating end 228 (shown in
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112(f), unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
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| Entry |
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| Tyco Electronics, Section Catalog 1308073-1; Issued Dec. 2009; Main Catalog 1654400-1; Chapter 7—Issued Mar. 2010; pp. 7/2-7/5. |
