EP0055188B1 - Electrical connector for coaxial cables and bifilar cables - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to electrical connectors, in particular micro-contacts intended to be fixed to coaxial cables or two-wire cables and to be placed each in a cell of a connector housing, in particular a multi-contact connector. The connectors according to the invention are of the type comprising a cylindrical body inside which the male or female contact piece is mounted, the cylindrical body having in its wall elastic external portions, in particular cut tabs, which come into abutment against protruding parts inside the cell of the housing to immobilize the contact therein.

Such connectors are usually composed of a plurality of components to be assembled by the user when the contact is fixed to the cable. Thus, there are known such connectors whose separate components to be assembled are: the cylindrical body provided with elastic hooking portions, the male or female contact piece, an insulating sleeve intended to be interposed between the contact piece and the body and a ferrule intended to allow immobilization of the contact on the cable, in particular by crimping, in this case four components. In the case of two-wire cables, the contact usually also includes an adapter.

We therefore see that such connectors require to manufacture, maintain in stock and assemble at the place of use a fairly large number of components. Given the very small dimensions of these components which, in practice are intended for cables whose outside diameter is of the order of 1 to 3 millimeters, the contacts are relatively complicated to implement and in particular require very specialized personnel. .

We also know connectors made in one piece. These connectors have the disadvantage that their fixing to the cable by crimping carried out on the rear part of the contact, results in a deformation of the insulation, which on the one hand risks damaging the latter and on the other hand causes problems. electrical connection and mechanical strength.

The present invention proposes to provide a connector avoiding the drawbacks mentioned above and also allowing easy and quick connection to the cable.

The connector according to the invention is characterized by the fact that it consists of two interlocking components that can be assembled, the first component, exterior, comprising a cylindrical body provided externally with means for hooking in a socket of connector housing, extending by a tubular rear part, and inside which is fixed an insulating sleeve, and a second internal component, comprising a contact piece either for the internal conductor or for one of the two two-wire cables, a connection barrel of the 'other cable conductor and an insulator interposed between said barrel and said contact piece.

Thus, for mounting a coaxial or two-wire cable, it is fixed, after end stripping, by crimping on the second, interior, component comprising the contact piece, then this second component is fitted from behind in the first, the assembly being immobilized by crimping on the rear part of the first component.

According to the embodiment described below, the first external component described above is identical for two-wire cables and for coaxial cables. It is only necessary to have such a component for male contact and such a component for female contact, differing from one another by the conformation of their front part.

With regard to the second internal component, differences in structure exist between that intended for two-wire cables and that intended for coaxial cables owing to differences in conformation of the conductors of the cable to be fixed to this second component. Thus for two-wire cables, the barrel of the second component, cylindrical over most of its length, can advantageously have in its rear part a section comprising a flat against which comes a non-stripped part of one of the conductors of the cable. bifilar, the second component further comprising a ferrule surrounding the barrel over part of its length. There are, of course, furthermore, for each type of cable, second male and female type components differing from one another by the structure of the contact piece, in the form of a male pin in the first case and in the form of a female socket in the second. .

• - la figure 1 illustre un contact mâle réalisé selon l'invention monté dans l'alvéole d'un boitier de connecteur,
• - les figures 2 et 3 illustrent les deux composants formant le contact représenté à la figure 1,
• - la figure 4 est une coupe selin IV-IV de la figure 1,
• - la figure 5 illustre un contact mâle selon l'invention monté sur un câble bifilaire,
• - les figures 6 et 7 illustrent les deux composants formant le contact représenté à la figure 5,
• - la figure 8 est une vue en coupe selon VIII-VIII de la figure 5,
• - la figure 9 est une vue en coupe selon IX-IX de la figure 5,
• - les figures 10 à 18 illustrent les différentes phases de montage d'un contact selon l'invention sur un câble coaxial,
• - les figures 19 à 26 illustrent les différentes phases de montage d'un contact selon l'invention sur un câble bifilaire.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the following description of particular embodiments with reference to the appended drawing in which:

• FIG. 1 illustrates a male contact produced according to the invention mounted in the cell of a connector housing,
• FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the two components forming the contact shown in FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 is a selin IV-IV section of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 5 illustrates a male contact according to the invention mounted on a two-wire cable,
• FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the two components forming the contact shown in FIG. 5,
• FIG. 8 is a sectional view along VIII-VIII of FIG. 5,
• FIG. 9 is a sectional view along IX-IX of FIG. 5,
• FIGS. 10 to 18 illustrate the different stages of mounting a contact according to the invention on a coaxial cable,
• - Figures 19 to 26 illustrate the different phases of mounting a contact according to the invention on a two-wire cable.

We first refer to Figures 1 to 4 which illustrate a male type contact according to the invention for a coaxial cable.

The connector is illustrated mounted in a socket of a connector housing, in particular of a multi-contact connector. This contact is made by fitting then assembly then crimping, as will be described hereinafter only of two components, one shown in FIG. 2, the other shown in FIG. 3.

The first component, exterior, comprises a cylindrical body 1 provided externally with tongues 2 forming harpoons and serving for the attachment of the contact produced in the cell of the housing as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The body 1 is extended towards the rear by a tubular part 3. Inside the body 1 is fixed an insulating sleeve 4.

The second inner component illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises a front contact piece 5, in this case a male contact pin, to which the stripped end of the inner conductor 6 of the coaxial cable is fixed by crimping, the outer conductor 7 in the form of a braid of this cable being engaged around a connection barrel 8 constituting with the contact piece 5 and an insulator 9 the second component according to the invention.

We will now describe with reference to Figures 10 to 13 the different phases of mounting the contact according to the invention on a coaxial cable. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the outer sheath of the cable is first removed over a certain length revealing the metal braid 7 constituting the outer conductor of the cable. We then strip as seen in Figure 11 over a certain length from the end the dielectric separating the inner and outer conductors of the cable. We then strip as shown in Figure 12 over a certain length from the end of the core or inner conductor 6 of the cable.

The braid 7 constituting the outer ÷ conductor is then slightly flared, as shown in FIG. 13 then, as shown in FIG. 14, the dielectric and the central conductor 6 are introduced into the second component of the contact according to the invention, after what, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 15, the internal conductor 6 is crimped in this second component, the position that is best seen in FIG. 3.

Then fold the metal braid 7 on the barrel 8 as illustrated in Figure 16 and we introduce the assembly into the first component, as illustrated in Figure 17, and finally, as illustrated in Figure 18, we crimp the first component in its rear part, immobilizing it on the cable and the second component. We can better see the contact thus finished in Figure 1.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 6 to 9 which illustrate a contact according to the invention which can be used for two-wire cables.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the first component of such a contact is identical to the first component for coaxial contact shown in FIG. 2.

The second component represented in FIG. 7 has a front part identical to that of the component represented in FIG. 3, the contact barrel 8 'being on the other hand of different conformation in particular in its rear part 8'a which has a flat section as this is best seen in FIG. 9. In this embodiment, this component further comprises a ferrule 10 completely surrounding in the rear zone the barrel and the two conductors of the cable and having an open outline over the rest of its length as realizes this in particular by examining Figure 8.

One of the conductors of the cable 11 is placed in the second component of the connector, illustrated in FIG. 7, in the same way as the inner conductor 6 in the first embodiment.

The second conductor 12 is in its stripped part, as can be seen in FIG. 5 in contact with the barrel 8 'of the component, inside, and is immobilized between this barrel and the body 3 of the external component by crimping the latter by the same so that the outer conductor 7 of the first embodiment.

We will now describe with particular reference to Figures 19 to 26 the fixing of a contact according to the invention on a two-wire cable.

As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 19, the two wires of the cable of a certain length, marked by the arrow, are untwisted.

One of the cables is cut, as illustrated in FIG. 20, then the conductive core of this wire is stripped, as illustrated in FIG. 21. Then, as shown in FIG. 22, the conductive core of the second wire is stripped.

As shown in FIG. 23, this conductive core 11 is introduced into the second component described above of the contact according to the invention, the conductive core 12 of the second wire then being applied against the barrel 8 '.

Then, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 24, the second component is crimped onto the conductor 11. This arrangement corresponds to FIG. 7.

The assembly thus produced is then introduced into the first component and the crimping of the latter is carried out in its rear part 3, as in the first embodiment, until the finished contact which is best seen is obtained in figure 5.

All the operations which have been described above are of course identical in the case of female type contacts.

Claims (3)

1. Electrical connector for coaxial cables or bifilar cables of the type having a cylindrical body (1) within which is placed a contact part (5) said body (1) having in its wall elastic external portions (2) which can abut against parts projecting into a connector box recess, characterized in that it is constituted by two assemblable nestable components, the first external component comprising the cylindrical body (1) externally provided with means (2) for fastening in a connector box recess, extended by a tubular rear part (3) and within which is fixed an insulating sleeve (4), and the second internal component comprising the contact part (5), either for the inner conductor or for one of the two bifilar cables, a connection member (8) for the other cable conductor and an insulant (9) interposed between said member and said contact part.

2. Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the cable conductors (6, 11) is fixed, particularly by crimping to the second component, the first component being engaged around the assembly constituted by the second component and the cable fixed thereto by one of its conductors and fixed, particularly by crimping, in its rear part to the cable.

3. Connector according to either of the claims 1 and 2, for bifilar cables, characterized in that the member (8) of the second component has in its rear part a flat section and is surrounded by a ferrule (10) having a closed contour in its rear part and which is open over the remainder of its length.

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