SE535946C2 - Contact and signal transfer device with spreader for twisted conductors - Google Patents

Abstract

A connector for termination of at least two incoming and pairwise twisted wires is shown comprising a spreader (5) connectable to a cable terminator (4), the spreader having contact pins (19) embedded in a dielectric material, the contact pins extending through the spreader and in at least a part of its extension having a radial direction. The spreader is further separable into at least two parts, the parts comprises paths arranged for the contact pins.

Description

10 15 20 25 30 35 535 B45 must operate during a relatively small number of in- and out-connections.

The contacts are usually only loosened during service and repair of the vehicle.

If signal transmission is to take place in a train comprising fl your included rail vehicles such as locomotives and carriages, completely different requirements are usually placed on the connections which are to connect the various vehicles in the train in terms of signals.

The signal connection in a rail-bound train generally takes place by means of a special connection terminal, where various connectors are arranged for, for example, power supply and signal transmission. The terminal block is divided into rows and columns with fasteners for the connectors arranged with a predetermined pitch. The pitch is dimensioned so that the connectors are robust enough to allow a secure connection. This robustness of the connectors means that the terminal block is quite large in terms of dimensions in relation to the cables for the actual signal transmission.

These couplings must of course be divisible to allow automatic coupling and disengagement of the rail vehicles included in the train. The couplings must also withstand large loads in the operating environment in the form of moisture, dust, dirt, cold, heat and vibrations.

When splicing or terminating cables comprising twisted pairs of conductors, the twisted pair is traditionally divided, whereby the twisted structure is interrupted in the vicinity of the shank vein / termination. The conductors in the pair are passed on to individual connectors, which in turn are read into the said terminal block or connected to a corresponding complementary connector.

This interruption in the twisted structure will impair immunity to disturbances, which is typically reflected in the fact that problems with, for example, crosstalk arise or increase. The problem becomes even greater if the cable is equipped with a shield that must be broken during termination in order for the twisted pair to be connected to the terminal block.

This problem has been solved in such a way that a contact with a conductive housing has been used to which the screen has been connected. The constituent conductors of the twisted pair are divided to a length corresponding to the distance that must be scaled for the electrical contact and the division in the contact. The contact has a body arranged to be enclosed by a sleeve. The body usually comprises connecting elements to which the individual conductors in the pair are distributed and connected. This solution presents a problem with the wiring in the contact, as the individual conductors are not twisted in the contact and are exposed, which causes a spread in crosstalk properties and varying contact impedance between different contacts of the same type. A large spread in the contact impedance means that the impedance matching in the cable becomes compromise-like, which in turn leads to a reduction in the bandwidth of the signal transmission, whereby a lower transmission speed is obtained.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to eliminate the problem of varying contact impedance and crosstalk properties when distributing the conductors in a cable with twisted conductors in pairs in a contact suitable for automatic train coupling.

The set-up object is achieved according to the invention in that a contact of the initially specified type comprises a diffuser connectable to a cable termination with contact pins embedded in a dielectric material, which extend through the diffuser and in at least a part of its extension through the diffuser have a radial directional component. The spreader is further divisible into at least two parts, which parts comprise paths arranged for the contact pins.

This spreader means that the conductor of the twisted cable is connected in a controlled and repeatable manner to the contact pins in the spreader, whereby they are spread out geometrically with the aid of the spreader. Because the contact pins are embedded in a dielectric material, the technical effect is achieved that the position of the contact pins in the diffuser is fixed, whereby the contact impedance becomes constant between different contacts and different connection times.

Because the diffuser is divisible into at least two parts, the possibility of manufacturing diffusers and contact pins separately is achieved. This also means that an individual contact pin can be dismantled and replaced. According to a preferred embodiment, said paths extend partly in a dividing plane between the two parts of the spreader, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and preferably angularly evenly distributed in the dividing plane.

Thereby the additional advantage is gained that the contact pins become easily disassembled and replaceable.

The contact comprises a sleeve extending coaxially with the contact, which sleeve has a seat arranged at its front end, which seat is arranged to receive the spreader.

Because the seat and spreader are designed with mutual fit, the spreader can be mounted rotatably in the sleeve. Furthermore, the sleeve extends around the spreader, whereby effective shielding of the spreader is achieved.

According to a preferred embodiment, the contact comprises a cable termination which comprises an electrical connection element for each conductor which connects the conductor to a contact pin embedded in the diffuser. The cable termination is also effective for fixing the cable conductor.

In this way, the axial properties of the cable termination in the contact are optimized, whereby the repeatable properties of the contact impedance are also affected in a meritorious manner.

According to the preferred embodiment, said sleeve is internally dimensioned to radially fix the cable termination in the sleeve. This achieves mechanical stability and vibration protection.

Said sleeve preferably comprises a seat arranged to receive a clamping ring insertable in the rear end of the sleeve, which seat comprises a stop for said clamping ring. The clamping ring forms a rear axial stop for the cable termination in the sleeve.

When the seat of the clamping ring is arranged in the sleeve, the clamping ring will in one direction constitute an axial stop for all the details included in the contact. The contact comprises a housing arranged to go into threaded engagement with a threaded rear section of the sleeve, which housing comprises a stop which, when the cover is screwed onto the sleeve, is pressed against the clamping ring which is thereby locked in the sleeve.

This means that the casing will compress the clamping ring and the sleeve, whereby the clamping ring will compress the cable termination and spreader in the sleeve and fix these relative to the casing.

Said contact suitably comprises a locking washer, which is arranged to be releasably mounted on the front end surface of the sleeve, whereby the spreader is fixed in the sleeve.

Said locking washer comprises at least two contact sleeves, which are arranged centrally around the contact pins. The contact sleeves can be integrated in the lock washer or alternatively constitute separate elements which are fixed by said lock washer in its mounted position.

Because the contact is set up in this way with detachable contact sleeves, these can easily be dismantled if the contact sleeves have been damaged.

The twisted conductors have an enclosing shield, which shield is connected to the sleeve by means of the clamping ring, whereby electrical contact arises between the shield and the sleeve.

By connecting the shield to the contact sleeve, the advantage is achieved that the conductors remain shielded throughout the length of the contact, which is of great importance for the signal integrity and the signal-to-noise ratio.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a signal transmission device comprises a terminal block mountable on a coupling for automatic coupling of rail vehicles, and a contact insertable in the terminal block arranged for terminating at least two incoming and paired twisted conductors, the terminal having contact seats arranged in rows and columns.

The signal transmission device is characterized in that the contact has a diffuser which can be connected to the cable termination with contact pins embedded in a dielectric material, which extend through the diffuser and in at least a part of its stretch have a radial directional component adapted to the center distance between said contact seats.

In this way, a signal transmission device is provided in an automatic coupling which avoids the problems usually associated with data transmission at higher signal transmission speeds between coupled rail vehicles.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set out in the independent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is explained in more detail below by the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawing figures. In the drawings, Figure 1a shows the contact in longitudinal cross-sectional view in assembled condition; Figure 1b shows the contact in a corresponding and exploded cross-sectional view; Figure 2 shows the contact in an end view, and Figures 3 a-g show corresponding end views of alternative embodiments of a diffuser included in the contact.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT It should be emphasized that the drawings are schematic and only suitable for illustrating the concept of invention as it appears from the written description and from the appended claims. The invention should therefore not be considered limited to the dimensions, geometries shown or to the design of construction details in the exemplary embodiment, since these must be considered by the person skilled in the art in each individual application of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that wall thicknesses and other dimensions can be over-dimensioned and the constructive design of details simplified, for technical reasons of drawing.

I fi g. 1 schematically shows a shielded cable generally designated 1 which comprises twisted pairs of electrical conductors 2 which are connected to a contact generally designated by the reference numeral 3.

In the contact according to the invention, the conductor 2 of the cable, via a cable termination generally designated 4, is connected to a diffuser generally designated 5 which distributes the signals in a geometrically desired manner.

In order for a contact 3 to be mounted on a cable 1, the cable must be prepared, which means that the outer casing 6 of the cable is removed a suitable distance, furthermore an electromagnetic shield 7 must be exposed and finally the conductors in the twisted pair 2 must also be scaled in a suitable length.

The inner conductors 2 of the twisted pairs are provided with splice sleeves 8 which are electrically connected to the conductors 2, for example clamped or soldered to the conductors. Conductor 2 and splice sleeve 8 are mounted in the cable termination 4 described in more detail below.

The cable termination 4 is operative to fix the conductor 2 conductor 2 relative to each other and relative to the contact 3. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cable termination 4 is divisible into at least two parts, a front part 9 and a rear part 10. The cable termination 4 is further designed for to hold the splice sleeves 8 for forwarding.

The rear part 10 of the cable tenin has the shape of a cylinder made of a dielectric material, and has at least two grooves 13 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder, which extend along the circumferential surface of the cylinder and parallel to its center axis. The grooves 13 are of sufficient depth for the splice sleeves 8 to be completely inserted laterally therein. Furthermore, the grooves 13 can be arranged with a constriction 12 with which the disc sleeves 8 are fixed in the groove 13 in the longitudinal direction of the cable termination 4. The rear part 10 of the cable termination has a groove 11 running around the cylinder in its front part, which groove 1 1 is operative for snapping in and fixing the front part 9 of the cable termination by means of snap-locking means provided for this purpose. .

The front part 9 of the cable termination is designed as a cover adapted to the rear part 10, which front part 9 has grippers 14 arranged along the edge of the cover which engage with the groove 11 on the rear part 10 of the cable termination. When the front part 9 is snapped into the rear part 10, the splice sleeves 8 are fixed in the rear part 10. To ensure the relative positions of the splice sleeves 8, the front part 9 is provided with guide tubes 15 arranged on the outside of the lid.

The front end of the splice sleeve 8 projects into a rear part 16 of the diffuser 5, and connects to electrically conductive contact pins 19 which insert into holes 17 arranged in the rear part of the diffuser. In this way, the conductors 2 are electrically connected via the cable termination 4 to the contact pins 19 in the diffuser 5.

The diffuser 5 is made of a dielectric material with suitable material properties to obtain the desired impedance. The diffuser 5 of the embodiment comprises a front part 18 and a rear part 16. That the diffuser 5 is divisible in this way means that the contact pins 19 can be mounted in the diffuser 5 in a simple manner, which means that individual contact pins 19 are replaceable.

Replaceable contact pins 19 are also advantageous from a service aspect as individual damaged contact pins can be replaced, without the cable 1 having to be dismantled from the contact 3.

The contact pins 19 extend through the rear part 16 of the spreader, which has paths 38 arranged: for the contact pins 19. The paths run axially through the rear part 16 of the spreader, and run recessed or at least partially recessed and with radial extension in the front end plane of the rear part 16.

Correspondingly, the paths 38 of the contact pins may have a radial and at least partially recessed extension in the rear end plane of the front part 18 of the spreader, to run therefrom axially and parallel to the one-axis axis of the contact 3 through the front part 18 of the spreader. The contact pins 19 10 15 20 25 30 35 535 948 extend through the front part 18 and through a neck 37 formed thereon for connection to an oncoming contact.

The spreader 5 in the inventive contact 3 can have a number of shapes and also varying number of contact pins 19. Figure 3a shows a spreader with sharp corners and arranged for four contact pins Figure 3d shows a spreader with sharp corners but with two contact pins. Figures 3b, 3e, 3c, 3f and 3g all show diffusers with rounded shapes and varying numbers of contact pins 19. Of course, the other details included in the contact must also be adapted to the design of the diffuser.

On the front part 18 of the diffuser, contact sleeves 20 are arranged around the contact pins 19. The contact sleeves 20 are operative for controlling an oncoming contact during connection, and also fulfill the function of electrically connecting the cable shield 7 to the face of the oncoming contact. The contact sleeves 20 are connected to the sleeve 24 by means of a locking washer 21 which is releasably connected to the sleeve 24 and holds the contact sleeves 20 in place by the contact sleeves 20 having an end 22 at its base, and the lock washer 21 having a corresponding recess 40 formed around one for the contact sleeve 20 intended, through holes. The cable termination 4 and the spreader 5 are held together by means of a sleeve 24 which has a front seat 36 arranged to house the spreader 5, whereby it is rotatably connected to the sleeve 24 by fitting the seat.

The sleeve 24 is internally dimensioned to radially fix the cable termination 4 received in the sleeve. The sleeve 24 is provided with at least one threaded screw hole 25 which opens into the end surface of the sleeve, which screw hole 25 is used for mounting the lock washer 21 with which the contact sleeves 24 5 and the cable termination 4 are fixed radially and in one longitudinal direction of the contact 3.

The sleeve 24 also has a threaded section 26 at its rear end, which aims to bring a housing 32 into threaded engagement with the sleeve 24.

In the rear end of the sleeve 24 a seat 27 is arranged so that a clamping ring 28 can be accommodated, which clamping ring 28 is arranged to press the screen 7 of the cable 1 against the rear seat 27 of the sleeve 27 and thereby lock the screen 7 .

This connection also ensures an electrical connection between sleeve 24 and screen 7. An electrical connection between screen 7 and contact 3 is of the utmost importance to suppress interference and crosstalk.

The clamping ring 28 has a through hole for piercing the cable 1 and has a front stop 29, a rear stop 30 and a chamfer 31. The rear stop 30 is arranged to be brought into contact with the housing 32 when the housing is screwed onto the sleeve 24. The front stop of the clamping ring 29 brings the screen 7 into abutment with the sleeve 24.

The inner diameter of the clamping ring 28 is dimensionally adapted to the desired cable 1 and is provided with the inner chamfer 31 to facilitate insertion of the cable 1. By locking the shield 7 in the contact 3 by means of the clamping ring 28, a strain relief for the cable 1 is also obtained. , which strain relief protects the conductor 2 of the cable against breakage when an axial force is applied to the cable 1 in the longitudinal direction of the contact 3.

The housing 32 has an internal thread 33, which is arranged to be threaded into engagement with the threaded rear section 26 of the sleeve. The housing 32 also has a stop 34 arranged on its inside, which stop 34 is brought into contact with the clamping ring 28 at said threaded engagement. A relief 35 is also attached to the housing 32, which is to protect the cable 1 against external damage.

I fi g. 2, the connector is displayed in a spirit view. The lock washer 21 is releasably attached to the housing 32 by means of screws 23. Contact sleeves 20 are arranged around the necks 37 which project from the front part 18 of the spreader. The contact pins 19 are centered in said necks 37 and contact sleeves 20.

The reported design should generally be considered as an example of a solution to the problem of providing an interface between a dimensionally small cable of twisted pair conductors and a dimensionally robust contact suitable for use in a heavily loaded environment.

The indicated solution is specially developed and suitable for use in a device for transmitting data at higher speeds between units of vehicle included in a rail-bound train, in which the need to isolate the signal paths from external disturbances is particularly difficult to meet due to vibrations and shocks while driving, and on the one hand the requirement for sufficient robustness of the contact to withstand automatic coupling of the vehicle units must be met.

The invention can therefore in a second aspect nevertheless be regarded as a signal transmission device between coupled rail vehicles, in which the contact described above is dimensioned to cooperate with a terminal block designed to be supported on a traction device intended for automatic coupling of rail vehicles. Such a terminal block is suitably designed as a block of electrically non-conductive material, such as a polymeric material, and comprises contact seats made in the form of through holes, arranged in rows and columns in the form of a rectangular matrix. The contact seats are designed to insert the contact sockets 20 on the back of the terminal block, after which an extension of the contact pins 19 is inserted from the front of the terminal block for electrical connection to the contact pins 19. This extension contact can be made as a male or female contact which is arranged to engage with a corresponding extension contact in the terminal block of the oncoming coupler. For fixing the contact 3 in the contact seats of the terminal block, the contact sleeves 20 can, as in the exemplary embodiment, be provided with snap-reading means in the form of lugs 39 which are arranged to grip behind a correspondingly shaped shoulder arranged internally in the contact seat. Inserting the contact sleeves in the seats of the terminal block is facilitated if the contact sleeves are axially slotted and elastically compressible in the radial direction.

Claims (9)

10 15 20 25 30 35 535 345 12 PATENT REQUIREMENTS A contact (3) for terminating at least two incoming and twisted-pair conductors (2), comprising a diffuser (5) connectable to a cable termination (4) with contact pins (19) embedded in a dielectric material, which extend through the spreader (5) and in at least a part of its extension through the spreader (5) has a radial directional component, characterized in that the spreader (5) is divisible into at least two parts, which parts comprise paths (38) arranged for the contact pins (19). A contact (3) according to claim 1, wherein said paths (38) extend at least partially in a pitch plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spreader (5) and are angularly evenly distributed in the pitch plane. Contact (3) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a cable termination (4), which for each conductor (2) has an electrical connection element (8) which connects the conductor (2) to a contact pin (19) in the diffuser (5) . A contact (3) according to claims 1 to 3, comprising a sleeve (24) extending coaxially with the spreader (5), said sleeve (24) comprising a seat (36) arranged at its front end, said seat (36) is arranged to receive the diffuser (5). Contact (3) according to claim 4, wherein said sleeve (24) has a through hole whose internal dimension is adapted to radially fix the cable termination (4) in the sleeve (24). Contact (3) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said sleeve (24) comprises a seat (27) arranged to receive a clamping ring (28) insertable in the rear end of the sleeve (24), which seat (27) comprises a stop for said clamping ring (28), wherein said clamping ring (28) forms a rear axial stop for the cable termination (4) in the sleeve (24). A contact (3) according to claims 4 to 6, comprising a housing (32) arranged to engage with a threaded rear section (26) of the sleeve (24), which housing 15 (25) comprises a stop (34) which, upon engagement of the housing (32) with the sleeve (24), presses against the clamping ring (28) for locking the same against the sleeve (24). Contact (3) according to claims 4 to 7, comprising a locking washer (21) arranged to be releasably mounted on the front end surface of the sleeve (24), whereby the spreader (5) is fixed axially in the sleeve (24). A contact (3) according to claim 8, wherein each of the contact pins (19) is associated with a respective contact sleeve (20) which is centered around the contact pin (19) and fixed by the locking washer (21) against the sleeve (24). . lO. Contact (3) according to claims 6 to 9, wherein said incoming twisted pair conductor (2) has an enclosing screen (7), which screen (7) is connected to the sleeve (24) by means of the clamping ring (28), whereby electrical contact occurs between the screen. (7) and the sleeve (24). A signal transmission device comprising a terminal block mountable on a coupling for automatic coupling of rail vehicles, and a contact (3) insertable in the terminal block arranged for terminating at least two incoming and twisted conductors (2), wherein the terminal block has contact seats arranged in rows and columns, and that the contact has a diffuser (5) connectable to the cable termination (4) with contact pins (19) embedded in a dielectric material, which extend through the diffuser (5) and for at least part of its extension through the diffuser (5). 5) has a radial directional component adapted to the center distance between said contact seats, characterized in that the spreader (5) is divisible into at least two parts, which parts comprise paths (38) arranged for the contact pins (19).