MXPA97001557A - System for the termination of the protection of a high speed cable - Google Patents
System for the termination of the protection of a high speed cableInfo
- Publication number
- MXPA97001557A MXPA97001557A MXPA/A/1997/001557A MX9701557A MXPA97001557A MX PA97001557 A MXPA97001557 A MX PA97001557A MX 9701557 A MX9701557 A MX 9701557A MX PA97001557 A MXPA97001557 A MX PA97001557A
- Authority
- MX
- Mexico
- Prior art keywords
- additional
- termination
- spine
- exposed portion
- exposed
- Prior art date
Links
Abstract
A terminal for terminating the protection of a high-speed cable having an outer jacket and an inner metallic shield with a portion of the outer jacket removed to expose a portion of the metal shield is disclosed. The terminal includes a portion of the grounding plate. A spine projects from the grounding plate portion and has a slot for receiving the cable at a location along the wire in register with its metal shield exposed. A solder connection is established between the metal shield and the grounding plate portion in the
Description
SYSTEM FOR THE TERMINATION OF THE PROTECTION OF A HIGH SPEED CABLE Field of the Invention The invention is generally related to the technique of electrical connectors and, particularly, to a system for the termination of the metallic protection of a high speed cable, such as a metallic braid of the cable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A typical high speed cable includes a core or central conductor surrounded by an internal dielectric element similar to a tube. A screen or protection is disposed outside the internal dielectric element to protect and / or ground the cable. The shield or screen is typically a tubular metal braid. However, one or more longitudinal conductive wires have also been used and are commonly referred to as "consumer wires". An insulating jacket surrounds the composite cable to the outside of the shield. Various types of connectors are used for the termination of high-speed cables. The connectors typically have contacts that are terminated in the core or center conductor of the cable. The connectors also have one form or another of a termination member to terminate the metal shield of the high speed cable, usually for grounding purposes. A typical system for such connectors terminate the metallic protection in the termination member by welding. Other systems use bending procedures to bend at least a portion of the terminating member securely to the metal interlock for common purposes. With the ever increasing miniaturization of electronic elements in various industries, such as in the computer and telecommunications industries, along with miniaturization accompanied by electrical connectors, considerable problems have been encountered in terminating miniaturized high-speed cables, particularly for the termination of the protection or metallic screen of the cable. For example, the external diameter of a small coaxial cable may be in the order of 0.22 cm (0.090 inch). The outer diameter of the internal dielectric element surrounding the core / conductor may be in the order of 0.12 cm (0.051 inch), and the diameter of the core / central conductor may be in the order of 0.030 cm (0.012 inch). Coaxial cables have been used that still have smaller dimensional parameters. The problems for the termination of such very small coaxial cables often revolve around the termination of the metallic protection of the cable. For example, in case welding methods are used, applying heat (necessarily for welding) in a direct proximity to the metal shield, the heat can cause damage to the underlying internal dielectric element, in effect, substantially disintegrates or degrades the dielectric element internal. If conventional bending type terminations are used, typical bending forces often crush or deform the internal dielectric element surrounding the core / center conductor of the cable. The above problems are further complicated when the metallic protection of the high speed cable is not terminated with a cylindrical termination member, but the protection is terminated in a flat termination member or contact. For example, this is known to terminate the tubular or braided metal protection of the coaxial cable in a dimmer with a flat grounding circuit on a printed circuit board. This is often accomplished by simply providing the tubular metal braid of the coaxial cable in a "flexible connecting cable" or twisted strand, which, in turn, is soldered to the grounding attenuator flat on the circuit board.
Another example of the termination of the metal braid or protection of a coaxial cable in a flat grounding member is shown in US Pat. No. 5,304,069, dated April 19, 994 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In this patent, the metallic braids of a plurality of coaxial cables are terminated in a grounding plate of a high speed signal transmission terminal module. The conductors / cores of the coaxial cables are terminated at the terminals of the module signals. In the termination of tubular metal braids or braids of high-speed cables in flat grounding contact attenuators such as in a printed circuit board, or in a flat grounding plate as referenced above in the Patent of the USA, or in any other flat or non-tubular termination member, the present invention has found various considerations about the designs considered. It will be understood that there is a transition zone created where the central core / conductor of the high speed cable goes from a "controlled environment" where the core / conductor is completely surrounded by a tubular metal braid or protection, in an "environment not controlled ", wherein the braid is extended away from the core / conductor for termination in the non-tubular termination member. It is desirable that this transition zone be maintained as small an area as possible and as short a length as possible (ie, lengthwise of the cable). Preferably, the metallic braid or protection will be terminated over an area (or at least two points) approximately 180 ° apart, relative to the core / center conductor of the cable. Preferably, the flat termination member will overlap or at least extend to the point where the metal shield or braid is separated from its tubular configuration surrounding the core / conductor of the cable. It is still further desirable that the metal braid or protection of any given high speed cable be terminated on the same side of the flat termination member as the core / center conductor of the cable. The present invention is directed to solve many of the problems identified above and to satisfy many of the design parameters identified above as possible in an improved system for terminating the metal shielding of a high speed cable in a termination member, such as a grounding plate. Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved system or terminal for the termination of the metallic protection of a high speed cable. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least one high speed cable is prepared by removing a portion of the outer jacket of the cable to expose a portion of the metal shield. The terminal includes a portion of conductive ground connection plate. A spine projects from one side of the portion of the grounding plate, and the spine has a slot to receive the cable at a location along the cable in the register with its metal shield exposed. A solder connection is provided between the metal shield and the portion of the earth plate on the spine. As disclosed herein, the terminal is die cut and formed of a conductive sheet metal material with a portion of the generally flat grounding plate and with the spine formed outside of the grounding plate portion, The weld connection is located substantially within the groove. Preferably, the slot has a width that is sized to receive the high speed cable with a snap fit on its exposed metal shield. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes one of the loins on each opposite side of the grounding plate portion. Each of the spines includes a pair of slots for receiving a pair of cables in a generally parallel side-by-side relationship on each opposite side of the grounding plate portion. Therefore, the terminal can terminate the metallic protections of four generally parallel cables. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent with the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The characteristics of this invention that are considered to be novel are described with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and its advantages, can be better understood with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers identify similar elements in the figures and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector of the type in which the invention is applicable; Figure 2 is a fragmented vertical section taken generally along line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the terminal or grounding plate of die-cut metal formed; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the grounding plate that receives a coaxial cable on one of its sides; Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 4, but showing the grounding plate welded on two coaxial cables; Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5, but showing the inverted ground connection plate and with a third coaxial cable received therein; Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 6, but showing all four coaxial cables welded to the grounding plate; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the terminal module mountable in the connector of Figures 1 and 2. With reference first to the drawings and in greater detail to Figures 1 and 2, the invention is included in a protected or shielded electrical connector , generally designated 10, which is a hybrid electric connector to terminate both the conductors of the slower data transmission lines and the conductors of the high speed or high frequency transmission lines. In particular, the electrical connector 10 includes a dielectric housing 12 (Figure 2) that mounts a plurality of data transmission terminals 14 (Figure 1). A conductive shield, generally designated 16, substantially surrounds the dielectric housing 12 and has a socket portion 18 projecting forward about the corresponding ends of the data transmission terminals 14. A two-piece counter-cap (not shown) of substantially consistent with what is shown in the US Patent No. 5,358,428 dated October 25, 1994, is projected rearwardly of the housing 12 and of the shield or screen 16. A molded sleeve 20 includes a strain relief element of the integral cable 22 which is in engagement with an electrical cable compound 24, which includes both data transmission lines and high-speed and high-frequency transmission lines. A pair of wing or butterfly screws 26 projects through the molded sleeve and includes externally threaded front distal ends 26a to secure the connector to a connector, panel or other corresponding complementary structure. As best seen in Figure 2, a high-speed signal transmission terminal module, generally designated 30, is inserted into a passage 31 in a dielectric housing 12 from the rear thereof. The terminal module includes a pair of identical terminal blocks 30a and 30b, which hold a grounding plate, generally designated 32, between them. Each terminal block includes a post 34 and a recess. The post of each terminal block extends from each terminal block through a hole or slot 44 (Figure 3) in the grounding plate and into a recess in the other terminal block to secure the terminal blocks 30a and 30b to the grounding plate 32 as a subassembly. Once this subassembly is inserted into the passage 31 in the housing 12 as shown in Figure 2, the terminal blocks are effective to hold the grounding plate between them. The terminal module is held within the dielectric housing by ramp or inclined locks 36 in each terminal block. Each terminal block 30a and 30b is over-molded around at least one high-speed signal terminal 38. The contact ends of a pair of terminals 38, together with the front end of the grounding plate 32 are shown projecting towards in front of the connector in Figure 1, inside the surrounding casquel portion 18 of the shield or screen 16. The rear ends 38a of the terminals 38 (Figure 7) are terminated in the central cores / conductors 52 of a plurality of coaxial cables, generally designated 40 in Figure 2. The invention is particularly directed to the shape of the terminations of the metal protections 56 of the coaxial cables in the grounding plates 32 as described below. More particularly, Figure 3 shows a grounding plate 32 die cut and formed of a conductive sheet metal material. The grounding plate includes a generally flat leg or rod portion 42, which forms a blade portion for the grounding plate. The blade portion includes an opening or slot 44 through which the posts 34 (Figure 2) of the terminal blocks 30a and 30b extend. A pair of transversely extended elongated loins 46a and 46b are formed at one end of the termination 42a of the knife portion 42. As seen in Figure 3, the loin 46a can be considered the upper loin and the loin 46b can be considered the lower spine 46b. The spine 46a is closer to the end of the termination 42a than the spine 46b. Finally, the teeth or prongs 48 are punched on opposite edges of the knife portion 42 to facilitate holding the subassembly of the grounding plate 32 and terminal blocks 30a and 30b within the housing. As can be seen in Figure 3, each spine 46a and 46b includes a pair of transversely spaced slots 50. As will be seen hereinafter, these slots are sized to receive four coaxial cables with the metal shields of the cables terminated in the grounding plate 32. In essence, the grounding plate terminates a pair of coaxial cables on each opposite side of the blade portion 42 within the pair of slots 50 in one of the spines 46a or 46b. With this structure, the grounding plate can terminate with one to four coaxial cables depending on the specifications of the connector. In some computer applications, you can use three cables to carry the network, the signals with a green and blue intensity for a monitor. A fourth cable can be used for flat screen monitors to carry the clock signals of the pixel clock. Figure 4 shows coaxial cable 40 positioned in the grounding plate 32. At this point, it will be understood that each coaxial cable 40 is of a conventional construction, since each cable includes a core or central conductor 52 surrounded by a dielectric material. inner tube-like member 54. A metal shield in the form of a tubular metal braid 56 surrounds the inner dielectric member 54. An insulating sleeve 58, such as plastic or the like, surrounds the metallic braid 56 to form the entire composite coaxial cable. Figure 4 also shows that the central core / conductor 52 of each coaxial cable 40 has been unprotected to expose a given length thereof, which will be welded or otherwise secured to the inner ends 38a of one of the terminals of transmission of high speed signals 38 (Figures 2 and 8). The outer insulating jacket 58 of each cable 40 has also been recessed to expose a given length of the respective metal shield 56. The coaxial cable is shown in Figure 4 received in the left slot 50 of the upper spine 46a at a longitudinal location of the cable in registry with the exposed metal protection of the cable. In other words, the exposed metal shield is placed inside the slot. The slot has a width that is sized to receive the coaxial cable with a slight snap fit on the exposed metal shield 56 thereof. The grounding plate 32 is then mechanically and electrically connected to the metallic protections 56 of the coaxial cables when welding the metal shields 46a and 46b inside the slots 50. Figure 4 shows one of the coaxial cables placed with the exposed metal shield 56 thereof placed within one of the slots of the upper spine of the end 46a. Figure 5 shows two coaxial cables 40 positioned within both slots 50 of spine 46a. An "S" connection is formed between the metal shields 56 and the spine 46a within the slots 50 as shown in Figure 5. In an alternate embodiment, a solder material pellet (not shown) can snap into the spine 46a in the slots 50 and then flow again during the welding operation. In yet another embodiment, a secunaneous metal member (not shown) can be snapped into the spine 46a to mechanically and electrically interconnect the shields of the cables and the grounding plate 32. Figure 6 shows the grounding plate
32 which has been inverted or cast thereon so that the lower spine 46b is now placed upwards, after the two previous coaxial cables 40 have been soldered by welding into the slots 50 of the end spine 46a as described above in connection with Figure 5. A third coaxial cable 40 'is placed with its exposed metal shield 46 inside the left hand slot 40 of the spine 46b. Figure 7 shows a fourth coaxial cable placed with its metal shield 56 inside the right slot of the spine 46b. The respective third and fourth cables 40 'and 40", are terminated in the grounding plate 32 by means of solder" S "connections applied between the metallic protections 56 of the cables and the spine 46b within the grooves 50. It can be seen that the termination end 42a of the grounding plate is superimposed at the points where the metallic protections 56 of the coaxial cables are exposed to the outside of the external sleeves 58 of the cables. of Figure 7 is fabricated, including the welding procedures, this subassembly is assembled to the terminal blocks 30a and 30b including the high speed signal transmission terminals 38 to form the terminal module 30 as shown in Figure 8 and is described above in relation to Figure 2. The cores / core conductors 52 of the coaxial cables are then connected, soldered or otherwise secured to the The internal ends 38a of the terminals 38, while the terminal blocks 30a and 30b hold the blade portion 42 of the grounding plate 32 between them, as shown in Figures 2 and 8 and described above. The terminal module of Figure 8 is then mounted within the dielectric housing 12 as shown in Figure 2.
If desired, the terminal blocks 30a and 30b can be mounted on the blade portion 42 of the grounding plate 32 before inserting the cables 40 into the clamping arms 50a and 50b. In other words, the grounding plate will have the terminal blocks mounted on it when starting the termination process. The concepts of the invention have been shown and described herein in conjunction with the termination of the metal shield of the coaxial cable in a termination member 32 in the form of a ground connection plate 42. However, it will be understood that the Concepts of the invention are equally applicable for the termination of metal shield 56 with other types of termination members, such as individual electrical terminals. It will be understood that the invention can be included in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. Therefore, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention will not be limited by the details provided herein.
Claims (20)
- NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the invention as above it is considered of our property that contained in the following: CLAIMS 1. An electrical connector for termination in a pair of cables, each of which includes an internal conductor, an internal dielectric element which surrounds at least a portion of said inner conductor, a metallic shield that surrounds at least a portion of the internal dielectric element and an outer insulating jacket that surrounds at least a portion of said metal shield, a portion of said outer jacket is removed to expose an exposed portion of said metal shield, said electrical connector comprises: a dielectric housing having a corresponding surface, a termination surface and a plurality of passages receiving the terminals between said corresponding surface and said termination surface; a plurality of terminals extending through at least part of said passages that receive the terminals; and a generally flat metallic grounding member having a portion of grounding plate disposed in said housing relative to said terminals, said portion of grounding plate includes a spine projecting from a side of said portion of said ground portion. ground connection plate, said spine has a pair of slots for receiving said cables at a location along said cables in register with their exposed metal protections, to maintain said metallic protections exposed in said portion of grounding plate . The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the slots has a width that is dimen- sioned to receive said exposed portion of said metal shield from said cable with a press fit on its exposed portion and a depth with one dimension greater than the external diameter of said exposed portion of said metal shield. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein said spine includes a pair of said slots, such that said pair of cables are maintained in a generally parallel side-by-side relationship in said portion of the grounding plate. 4. The electrical connector of claim 1, further including an additional lcmo on one side of said portion of grounding plate opposite said side. 5. The electrical connector of claim 4, which includes at least one additional cable for being terminated in said portion of grounding plate, said additional wire includes an additional internal conductor, an additional internal dielectric element surrounding at least a portion of the additional internal conductor, an additional metallic shield that surrounds at least a portion of said additional internal dielectric element and an additional external insulating jacket surrounding at least a portion of the additional metal shield, a portion of said additional outer jacket being removed to expose an additional exposed portion of said additional metallic shield and wherein said portion of the grounding plate includes an additional spine with a pair of slots for receiving at least said exposed portion of said additional metallic shield of said additional cable, so that such additional cable is kept in the opposite side of said portion of grounding plate. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein said grounding plate portion is punched out and formed of a conductive sheet metal material with said spine formed outside of the grounding plate portion. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein said portion of the grounding plate is generally planar and said spine is longitudinally spaced along said portion of the grounding plate with respect to the additional spine. 8. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein each of the additional slots has a width that is dimensioned to receive said additional exposed portion of said additional metal shield of said additional wire with a snap fit on its additional exposed portion, and a depth that is of a larger dimension than the external diameter of said exposed portion of said additional metal shield. 9. A terminating assembly comprising: a pair of wires, each of said wires having an internal conductor, an internal dielectric element surrounding at least a portion of said internal conductor, a metal shield surrounding at least a portion of said internal dielectric element and an outer insulating jacket surrounding at least a portion of said metal shield, a portion of said external jacket being removed to expose an exposed portion of said metal shield; a conductive member having a termination portion, said conductive member at least partially arranged in a dielectric housing of an electrical connector; and a spine projecting from one side of said termination portion, said spine having a pair of slots for receiving said cables at a location along said register wires with their metal shields exposed to maintain said metal shields exposed on said termination portion. The termination assembly of claim 9, wherein each of said slots has a width that is dimensioned to receive said exposed portion of said metallic shield of said cable with a snap fit on its exposed portion and a depth that is of a dimension greater than the external diameter of said exposed portion of said metallic shield. The termination assembly of claim 9, wherein said spine includes a pair of said slots, so that such a pair of cables are maintained in a generally parallel side-by-side relationship in said portion of the grounding plate. 12. The termination assembly of claim 9, further including an additional spine on one side of said termination portion opposite said side 13. The termination assembly of claim 12, which includes at least one additional cable that will to be terminated in said portion of grounding plate, said additional wire includes an additional internal conductor, an additional internal dielectric element surrounding at least a portion of said additional internal conductor, an additional metallic shielding surrounding at least a portion of said additional internal dielectric element and an additional external insulating jacket surrounding at least a portion of said additional metal shield, a portion of said additional outer jacket is removed to expose an additional exposed portion of said additional metal shield and wherein said portion of said additional metal shield ground connection includes an additional lome with a pair of additional slots to receive at least said additional exposed portion of said additional metal shield of said additional cable, so that said additional cable is maintained on said opposite side of said portion of the grounding plate. The termination assembly of claim 13, wherein said portion of the grounding plate is generally planar and said spine is longitudinally spaced along said grounding plate with respect to said additional spine. The termination assembly of claim 13, wherein each of said additional slots has a width that is dimensioned to receive said additional exposed portion of said additional metal shield from said additional wire with a press fit in its additional exposed portion. and a depth that is one dimension greater than the outer diameter of said additional exposed portion of said additional metallic shield. 16. A method for terminating a pair of cables, each having an internal conductor, an internal dielectric element surrounding said internal conductor, a metallic shield that surrounds at least a portion of said internal dielectric element and an insulating jacket external surrounding at least a portion of said metallic shield in an electrical connector having a dielectric housing with a corresponding surface, a termination surface and a plurality of passages receiving the terminals between said corresponding surface and said termination surface, and having a grounding member secured within said housing, said grounding member includes a corresponding portion generally adjacent said corresponding surface and a ground termination termination portion generally adjacent said termination surface comprising the steps from: provide dic cables with a portion of said external insulating jacket of each of said cables that is removed approximately from said metallic protection, in order to expose an exposed portion of said metallic protection; placing said exposed portion of said metal shield of each of said wires into a groove of a spine projecting from one side of said ground termination portion, whereby the exposed portions of said metal shields are maintained in said termination portion; and joining said exposed portion of said metal shield of each of said wires to the ground termination portion, while said exposed portion is placed in said slot. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said slots has a width that is dimensioned to receive said exposed portion of said metal shield from said cable with a press fit in its exposed portion and a depth that is dimension greater than the external diameter of said exposed portion of said metal shield. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one additional cable is to be terminated in said grounding member, said additional wire includes an additional internal connector, an additional internal dielectric element surrounding at least a portion of said additional internal conductor, an additional dielectric element surrounding at least a portion of said additional internal conductor, an additional metallic shield surrounding at least a portion of said additional internal dielectric element and an additional external insulating jacket surrounding at least a portion of said additional metal shielding, a portion of said additional outer jacket is removed to expose an additional exposed portion of said additional metal shield and wherein said method further includes placing said additional exposed portion of said additional metallic shield of said additional wire within a pair of additional slots on an additional spine extended from the grounding member on a side of said grounding member opposite to the side from which the spine extends, said additional slot holding said additional wire with respect to said opposite side of said side. termination portion and attached to said additional exposed portion of said additional metal shield of said additional cable in said ground connection member, while said additional exposed portion is placed in one of the additional slots. The method of claim 18, wherein said termination portion is an elongated ground connection plate and said spine is longitudinally spaced along said ground connection plate with respect to said additional spine. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the additional slots has a width that is dimensioned to receive said additional exposed portion of said additional metallic shield of said additional wire with a press fit in its additional exposed portion and a depth that is greater than the outer diameter of said additional exposed portion of said additional metallic shield.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US60930296A | 1996-03-01 | 1996-03-01 | |
US609302 | 1996-03-01 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
MX9701557A MX9701557A (en) | 1997-09-30 |
MXPA97001557A true MXPA97001557A (en) | 1998-07-03 |
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