AU737412B2

AU737412B2 - Arrangement of a sleeve, a coaxial cable, and a female coaxial connector for coaxial connector for telecommunication systems

Info

Publication number: AU737412B2
Application number: AU77103/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Umberto Di Mario
Original assignee: Microproject Di Capani L & C S
Current assignee: Microproject Di Capani L & C SNC
Priority date: 1996-11-29
Filing date: 1996-11-29
Publication date: 2001-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 2016-11-29
Also published as: EP0941564B1; CA2272957A1; DE69618992T2; HK1024987A1; DE69618992D1; DK0941564T3; ATE212755T1; CA2272957C; WO1998024155A1; PT941564E; EP0941564A1; ES2173333T3; JP2001505711A; AU7710396A

Abstract

The invention concerns a coaxial connector (1), particularly for the mechanical and electrical connection of the outer screening conductor (21) of a coaxial cable (20) with the outer screening (41) of a female coaxial connector (40), said coaxial connector (1) comprising a slidable sleeve (1) having a first (2) and a second (3) coaxial inner cylindrical seat, said first seat (2) having an inner diameter (d1) corresponding to or slightly greater than the outer diameter of said cable (20) and said second seat (3) having an inner diameter (d2) slightly greater than the outer diameter of the outer wall (41) of said connector (40), in such a way to obtain a pressure coupling of the coaxial cable (20) screen (21) between the sleeve of coaxial connector (1) and the outer wall (41) of the female coaxial connector (40).

Description

ARRANGEMENT OF A SLEEVE, A COAXIAL CABLE, AND A FEMALE COAXIAL CONNECTOR FOR COAXIAL CONNECTOR FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS Technical Field The present invention concerns a sleeve for coaxial connection couplable by pressure for telecommunications systems.

More specifically, the invention concerns an arrangement of a sleeve, a coaxial cable and a female coaxial connector for coaxial connection of the above kind to be employed to couple in a quick and electrically perfect way a coaxial cable with a female coaxial connector, for example provided with an outer thread and a central contact, e.g. an elastic central contact of the F kind connectors.

15 Background to the Invention To connect coaxial cables with electrical or electronic circuits, and more particularly for coaxial connections employed for the realisation of systems for the distribution of radio TV signals, metallic clamps are generally employed, said clamps being cheap but having different technical drawbacks.

20 The above drawbacks may be more pronounced when considering that, :with the advancement of the state of the art, the use of signal reception and distribution systems having frequencies higher than 2000 MHz, such as S.satellite reception systems, cable networks, MMDS systems and so on, has become common.

In order to obviate these drawbacks it is advisable to use male and female coaxial connectors, the first one coupled to the coaxial cable and the other one to the final circuit.

This technique generally provides, for the connection of coaxial cables with coaxial connectors, welding or screwing of the two poles to the cable of the connector ends or screwing or crimping of the male coaxial connector on the screen conductor of the coaxial cable.

Further, the coupling of the cable with a connector is realised by screwing or by coupling or introduction of two metallic parts, a rigid one and an elastic one, respectively.

On the basis of these solutions, all the past and present systems, patented or not, and all the commercial coaxial connectors have been developed.

The choice of this kind of solution for the coupling of coaxial cables is due to the limited use of the coaxial joints employed on professional apparatuses only, which can be highly expensive with respect to the cost of one or two traditional coaxial joints.

The most updated technological development has greatly widened the fields of use of coaxial cables and consequently of the relevant connectors which, if employed for uses such as the radio frequencies distribution in the domestic buildings, highly influence the cost of the work necessary to obtain a technically efficient but cheap and easy to apply coupling.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the 15 purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed in Australia before the priority date of each claim of this application.

20 Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not .the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a sleeve for coaxial connection couplable by pressure for telecommunication systems employing as central pin of the connection the rigid central conductor of the coaxial cable fixed by pressure on the outer surface of the female connector by a sleeve slidable or the cable and having on its rear portion a diameter corresponding to or slightly greater than the diameter of the coaxial cable and on its front portion a diameter slightly greater than the one of the outer surface of the female connector.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides an arrangement of a sleeve a coaxial cable and a female coaxial connector suitable for coaxial connection, particularly for the mechanical and electrical connection of the outer screening conductor of the coaxial cable with the outer wall of the female coaxial connector, said female coaxial connector being of the kind providing a substantially cylindrical outer wall and an inner, insulated central female contact, characterised in that said sleeve has a first and a second coaxial inner cylindrical seat, said first seat having an inner diameter corresponding to or slightly greater than the outer diameter of said cable and said second seat having an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the outer wall of said female connector, and being realised by an elastic material, in such a way to obtain a pressure coupling of the outer screening conductor of the coaxial cable between the sleeve and the outer wall of the female coaxial connector, the connection zone between said *fee first and second seats being realised by a sloped wall.

According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a method 15 for joining a cable directly onto a female connector by using a sleeve having a first and a second coaxial inner cylindrical seat, said first seat having an inner diameter corresponding to or slightly greater than the outer diameter of said S"cable and said second seat having an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the outer wall of said female connector, and being realised 20 by an elastic material, in such a way to obtain a pressure coupling of the outer screening conductor of the coaxial cable between the sleeve and the outer wall of the female coaxial connector, connection zone between said first second seats is realised by a sloped wall.

Preferably, according to the invention, at least one projection can be provided within said second seat.

Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the invention, outside said second seat, close to the outer connection zone with said first seat, a circular projection can be provided.

In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, spaced longitudinal ribs can be provided outside said second seat.

According to further embodiments of the invention, on the inner surface of said first and second seat a roughness can be provided.

Within said first seat, longitudinal lugs can be further provided, preferably three lugs circumferentially spaced at 1200.

Furthermore, within said second seat, longitudinal lugs can be further S provided, preferably three lugs circumferentially spaced at 1200.

4 According to yet further embodiments of the invention, said sleeve for coaxial connection is used for the connection of the coaxial cable screen made up of metallic braid, with the threaded outer screening of a female coaxial connector, or it is used for the connection of the coaxial cable screen made up of one or more metallic foils, with the threaded outer screening of a female coaxial cable, or still for the connection of the coaxial cable screen, made up of metallic braid and one or more metallic foils, with the outer screening of a female coaxial connector.

Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the invention, said sleeve for coaxial connection can be made up with plastic material, elastic material, such as rubber, or elastic metallic material.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention may provide a sleeve for coaxial connection to realise a coupling between a coaxial cable and a female coaxial connector so as to obtain, within a frequency range between 0 g 15 and more than 2000 MHz, a constant impedance power transfer, with maximum concentricity, maximum electromagnetic screening, minimum loss of signal, minimum mismatching and minimum parasitic capacitance.

Further embodiments of the present invention may provide a sleeve for coaxial connection allowing a connection between a coaxial cable and a .o 20 female coaxial connector having a good mechanical coupling but which is at the same time easily removable.

Further embodiments of the invention may provide a sleeve for coaxial connection allowing a connection between a coaxial cable and a female coaxial connector to be easily realised, to be used without the need of any specific tool, with minimum sizes and inexpensively.

Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figure of the enclosed drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a sleeve for coaxial connection according to the invention; figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a sleeve for coaxial connection, according to the invention; figure 3 is a section lateral view of the head of the coaxial cable ready for the connection; figure 4 is a section view of a sleeve for coaxial connection, according to the invention; figure 5 is a section view of the coaxial cable, of the sleeve for coaxial connection and of the female coaxial connector of the F kind ready for the realisation of the coaxial connection; figure 6 is a section view of a connection of a coaxial cable with a female coaxial connector of the F kind realised employing the sleeve for coaxial connection according to the invention; and figure 7 is a partially sectioned view of a connection between two cables realised employing two sleeve for coaxial connection according to the invention and a double female coaxial connector of the F kind.

0 *o Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments 1 seMaking reference to the figures of the drawings enclosed, the slidable sleeve for coaxial connection 1 according to the present invention is comprised of an integral body of material preferably semirigid or elastic, in the hollow inner part of which two coaxial cylindrical seats 2, 3 are obtained, •said seats being connected by a sloped wall 4, and having the inner smaller diameter dl corresponding to or greater than the outer diameter of the coaxial 20 cable 20 used for the connection and the bigger inner diameter d2 slightly bigger than the outer diameter of the threaded surface or wall 41 of the coaxial connector 40 in order to allow to fix the screen 21 of the coaxial cable between the threaded outer surface 41 of the coaxial connector 40 and the S0 inner surface 5 having the diameter d2 of the slidable sleeve for coaxial connection.

The cylindrical portion 2 of the sleeve for coaxial connection wounding the coaxial cable 20 is quite long, as shown in figure 1, in order to obtain a greater mechanical stability for the connection, or shorter, as shown in figure 2, to realise a connection in limited spaces, such as the embedded boxes for the fittings of the distribution systems of the radio TV signals.

The inner surfaces of the sl1eeve ror czaxial :r-cir 1 accordirg Lo the invention can be rough in order to increase the -,dherence of the sleeve foCr coaxial connection 1 with the outer sheath 22 olf the coaxial catle 20 and with the threaded cutear surface cr vvall 41 cf thie femnale eca;-ai ccn.nPc-,1or 40. The z-ii-uir opceniing 65 Te *v coaxial ccnnec,*icn 1 hlaving diameter dl ends with a flered par- makr it easier t-e inserticin of thet sleeve for coax<ial ccrnect icr, I !onr *,le terminai of Uie coaxial cable The circular opening 8 of the sleeve for coa)xial ccnec~ticn I having the diameter d2 ends with a flared Portion 09 making ilk easier ttie insertion the sleeve for coaxial connection on the famaie cc ax iai connector F-cr partic.-lar uses "ne slidable sleeve sleeve fcr C'oaxial connectioni 1 can be provided in the inner part with prciections 1C. makilng I it mucl- rnore dificuilt the removal c*f the female coaxial ccnn7ec~cr The thickness o- h slidable sleeve coaxial connector ;i5 a furcticn of the dimensions cf the coaxial cable 20 to be connected and of the material employed fcr th-e realisation cf the sleeve for ocaxiai connec:!cr 1. The cuter wall 11 of the slidatle sleeve fo1r =oaxial connection 1 has a circumrferencial ridge 12 to make it easier, by creating a grip upcn which it is possible to exert a higher pressure wit", 'he h7ands, during the insertfcri'and removal operations of the slidable sleeve tor coaxial cornecl.ion 1 frctm the female coaxial connector Lugs (not -shown) can be provided within the seat 2, r.referably lugs at 1200', to avoid Ilia sliding of the sleeve for Cotuial ccnniecticn I along cables having smaller diameter.

The use of the stidable sleeve for coaxial con~nection I as described is particularly simple; as 11irst step, the sleeve for coa.xial ccinnectiori 1 is irtrcCduced from the part with the smaller diameter dl or the terminal of the coaxialf cable 20 to Le ccnnected: th~en, the coaxiai cable 20 is suitably prepared as shown in figure 3, widening the screen 21 of the same cable and obtaining tne situation shcwn in figure now the central conductor 23 of the coaxial cable 20 within tihe central tap 4'2 of the Femaie coaxial connector 8 ff:93,i,q66Cz IPLOL 610+ -8 Ra ~ij~fP-: WOA 'ADS finally, the sleeve for coaxial connection I slides along the coaxial cable 20 toward the female connector 40 up to the complete coupling with the threaded cuter surface or wall 41 of the connector 40 with the sleeve for coaxial connection I, as shown in figure 6: by this step, the screen 21 of the coaxial cable 20 is automatically lied on and tightened on the threaded outer surface or wall 41 of the female coaxial connector 40 at the same time obtaining the double, mechanical and electrical coupling between the cable 20 and the connector From the description of the coaxial coupling cbtained by the solution according to the present invention, the advantages that said coaxial slidable sleeve for coaxial connection 1 allows to obtain with respect to the known coaxial connection systems are quite evident.

It is in fact evident the ease and the convenience of use of the solution according to the invention, which can be set up without employing any tool but the one necessary to strip the coaxial cable Further, the electrical features of the coaxial coupling are optimal: the concentricity and the complete screening of the connection are ensured by the immediate electric contact between the cable screen 21 and the outer surface or wall 41 of the connector 40, contact obtained.

immediately after that the screen 21 of the coaxial cable 20 is widened and detached from the dielectric 24 dividing the same screen 21 from the central conductor 23 of the coaxial cable These features allow to have a perfect working of the coaxial connection within a frequencies range between 0 and more than 2000 MHz.

The sleeve for coaxial connection 1 according to the invention further allows to make coaxial connection within small spaces, such as the space available within the usual connection blocks of the radio TV signal distribution systems provided within the houses.

A further remarkable advantage is due to the low total cost of the coaxial connection that such a connector allows to realise, cost obtained adding the cost for the material of the connector with the cost of the labour necessary for the realisation of the connection: as it is evident from the above specification of the solution according to the invention and of its use, both costs are very low and in any case lower than the costs necessary to make a valid coaxial connection errplyingdffteret me The cable 20 can freely rotate about the central axis of the connector also after the coupling.

Further, the sleeve for coaxial connection 1 according to the invention completely covers the connector, protecting the same.

.1: Another~ aAatgei u to the fact that the sleeve for coaxial connection 1 according to the invention can be used mo, re than once in case it is necessary to make the connecion again.

moreover, the Squeezing of the cable does rict cccr, squeezing instead occurring with the other scluticfls of the prior art.

All the at-ove mentioned advantages are such to make the present invention acvantageOusly usable in any applicationl invcliin-; the coupling of ccaxial cables.

The present inventionl has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embcdimlenlts, tut it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. An arrangement of a sleeve a coaxial cable and a female coaxial connector suitable for coaxial connection, particularly for the mechanical and electrical connection of the outer screening conductor of the coaxial cable with the outer wall of the female coaxial connector, said female coaxial connector being of the kind providing a substantially cylindrical outer wall and an inner, insulated central female contact, characterised in that said sleeve has a first and a second coaxial inner cylindrical seat, said first seat having an inner diameter corresponding to or slightly greater than the outer diameter of said cable and said second seat having an inner diameter slightly :00 to greater than the outer diameter of the outer wall of said female connector, and being realised by an elastic material, in such a way to obtain a pressure coupling of the outer screening conductor of the coaxial cable between the 15 sleeve and the outer wall of the female coaxial connector, the connection zone between said first and second seats being realised by a sloped wall.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one projection is provided within said second seat.

3. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in 20 that outside said second seat, close to the outer connection zone with said first seat, a circumferential projection is provided.

4. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that spaced longitudinal ribs are provided outside said second seat. S0

5. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that on the inner surface of said first and second seat a roughness is provided.

6. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that within said first seat, longitudinal lugs are provided, preferably three lugs circumferentially spaced at 1200.

7. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that within said second seat, longitudinal lugs are further provided, preferably three lugs circumferentially spaced at 1200.

8. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said sleeve is used for the connection of the outer screening conductor of the coaxial cable made up of metallic braid, with the outer wall of a female coaxial connector.

9. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims 1-8, characterised in that said sleeve is used for the connection of the outer screening conductor of the coaxial cable made up of one or more metallic foils with the outer wall of a female coaxial connector.

10. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims 1-8, characterised in that said sleeve is used for the connection of the outer screening conductor of the coaxial cable, made up of metallic braid and one or more metallic foils, with the outer wall of a female coaxial connector.

11. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said sleeve is made up with plastic material.

12. Arrangement according on one of the preceding claims 1-11, characterised in that said sleeve is made up with elastic material such as teoo rubber.

13. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims 1-11, 15 characterised in that said sleeve is made up with elastic metallic material.

14. Method for joining a cable directly onto a female connector by using a sleeve having a first and a second coaxial inner cylindrical seat, said first seat having an inner diameter corresponding to or slightly greater than the outer diameter of said cable and said second seat having an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the outer wall of said female connector, and being realised by an elastic material, in such a way to obtain a pressure coupling of the outer screening conductor of the coaxial cable between the sleeve and the outer wall of the female coaxial connector, connection zone t" between said first and second seats is realised by a sloped wall.

15. An arrangement of a sleeve, a coaxial cable and a female coaxial connector suitable for coaxial connection substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A method for joining a cable directly onto a female connector substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this twenty-ninth day of June 2001 Microproject di Capani L. C. s.n.c. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F B RICE CO