WO2001039329A2

WO2001039329A2 - Coaxial connector link

Info

Publication number: WO2001039329A2
Application number: PCT/GB2000/004461
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gary Elmes; Mark Newton; James Craven
Original assignee: Radiall Limited
Priority date: 1999-11-25
Filing date: 2000-11-23
Publication date: 2001-05-31
Also published as: GB2356746A; GB0028574D0; AU1534101A; GB2356746B; WO2001039329A3; GB9927925D0

Abstract

A coaxial connector link for coupling together two spaced, parallel coaxial connectors, comprises a U-shaped inner contact element with the arms of the inner contact element being electrically couplable to respective inner contacts of the coaxial connectors. The link further comprises an electrical insulator having two interconnected insulator members which are coaxial with and receive respective arms of the inner contact element. The interconnector between the insulator members is adjustable to compensate for different spacings of said arms.

Description

COAXIAL CONNECTOR LINK

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to electrical coaxial connector links, methods for assembling such links, and kits of parts of such links.

Background of the Invention

Electrical equipment or cabling is often provided with coaxial connectors which allows the equipment or cabling to be electrically coupled to other electrical items.

Links for such connectors usually have coaxial inner and outer contact elements which couple respectively to the inner and outer contacts of the coaxial connector, the outer contact element being of generally cylindrical sleeve-like form and being mounted on an insulator member which also retains the inner contact element .

Sometimes it is required to couple a pair of spaced parallel input/output coaxial connectors either to each other or in common to a third connector. Conventionally such coupling is accomplished by providing a coaxial connector link in which respective contact arms are coupled at their first ends to the inner contacts of the input/output pair, the arms being themselves electrically connected by a conducting bridging element soldered to the other ends of the arms so that the arms and bridging element define a U-shaped inner contact element of the conventional connector link. The outer contacts of the input/output pair are electrically coupled to respective cylindrical outer contact elements of the conventional connector link, the outer contact elements being coaxial with the arms and being electrically coupled to each other via a conductive housing of the connector link. In order to isolate the arms from the outer contact elements and maintain their relative positions, a generally cylindrical insulator member is provided to separate each arm and outer contact element, each insulator member having an axial through-hole to retain the arm and an outer cylindrical surface over which the outer contact element is push-fitted.

GB-A-2303746 discloses a coaxial connector link for coupling two spaced parallel coaxial connectors in which the inner contact element is stamped out in one piece from a sheet of conducting material, and the insulator members are provided by a single part moulded insulator, i.e. the insulator members corresponding to the cylindrical insulator members of the previously described conventional connector link are joined by an integral connecting portion of insulating material.

Compared with the conventional coaxial connector link, the connector link described in GB-A-2303746 has the advantage of fewer parts, but a drawback is that each one part insulator is only useable with one particular spacing of the coaxial connectors whereas the insulator members of the conventional connector link can be used with any coaxial connector spacing.

Summary of the Invention Consequently in a first aspect the present invention provides a coaxial connector link for coupling together two spaced, parallel coaxial connectors, the link comprising a U- shaped inner contact element with the arms of the inner contact element being electrically couplable to respective inner contacts of the coaxial connectors and an electrical insulator comprising two interconnected insulator members which are coaxial with and receive respective arms of the inner contact element, wherein the interconnector between the insulator members is adjustable to compensate for different spacings of said arms. The other parts of the connector link may be of known design.

By having two interconnected insulator members the connector link preserves the advantage of the conventional link in being able to compensate for different spacings of the arms of the inner contact element. However, when the insulator members are interconnected they may be handled like a one part insulator thereby simplifying assembly, particularly automated assembly, of the connector link. For example, during assembly of the conventional connector link two separate aligning and insertion operations are required to locate the pins in the insulator members, whereas in the connector link of the present invention the spacing of the insulator members can be preset to the spacing of the arms of the inner contact element, and then only one aligning and insertion operation is needed to receive the arms in the insulator members .

Also, whereas with connector links of the type described in GB-A-2303746 it can be necessary to produce and hold stocks of different one part insulators for different spacings of the coaxial connectors, with the present invention one insulator, albeit comprising two members, suffices for forming connector links for a range of coaxial connector spacings.

Preferably the two insulator members are identical, each insulator member having e.g. at least one male and at least one female portion which interconnect to corresponding male and female portions on the other insulator member. In this way a single supply of identical insulator members can produce insulators for a range of coaxial connector spacings. Preferably the inner contact element is produced using a length of wire which is bent into a U-shape. Alternatively the inner contact element may be produced using a flat strip of conducting material which is bent into a U-shape. These avoid the soldering steps needed to connect the bridging element to the arms of the conventional connector link.

A problem found with conventional connector links is that the inner conducting element can be short circuited on a conductive housing when the inner contact of the coaxial connectors are pushed against the inner conducting element . Therefore, in a second aspect the present invention provides a coaxial connector link for coupling together two spaced parallel coaxial connectors, the link comprising a U- shaped inner contact element with the arms of said inner contact element being electrically couplable to respective inner contacts of the coaxial connectors and two insulator members which respectively receive said arms, at least one of the insulator members having a stop adjacent the bridging element of the inner contact element on the side of said bridging element furthest from said arms, the stop being for preventing or limiting movement of the inner contact element in the direction in which the arms extend.

The other parts of the connector link may be of known design, or the coaxial connector link may be a connector link of the first aspect of the invention. In particular the insulator members may be two interconnected insulator members with one or both of the insulator members having a limit member. The insulator members receive the arms of the inner contact element, but the tightness of fit alone of the arms in the insulator members may be insufficient to prevent some movement of the inner contact element in the axial direction of the arms. This is particularly the case when the inner contacts of the coaxial connectors slide along or bear against the arms of the inner contact element tending to urge the inner contact element away in front of them. In conventional connectors this can sometimes overcome the retaining grip of the insulator members on the arms of the inner contact element so that the inner contact element moves and makes contact with the housing of the connector link at the bridging element, thereby forming a short circuit. However, the stop of the connector link of this aspect of the invention prevents such movement, or allows only limited movement, so that a short circuit cannot occur in this way. This increases the reliability of the connector link of this aspect of the invention over the conventional connector link.

The stop may be pivotally hinged to the insulator member, whereby it can be pivoted out of position to allow an arm of the inner contact element to be received in the insulator and then pivoted back and fixed (e.g. by welding, by adhesive or mechanically) into position to locate adjacent the bridging element of the inner contact element. Alternatively the stop may be a fixed member defined by an L-shaped slot in a wall of the insulator member and under which said bridging element is located with a bayonet-type movement in the slot, or it may be a separate part of the insulator member which part is positioned adjacent said bridging element and joined to the insulator member only after the inner contact element has been fully received by the insulator member. However, preferably the stop is formed in si tu by plastically deforming a deformable portion of the insulator member after the arm of the inner contact element has been received therein. With a plastics material insulator member the plastic deformation may be performed e.g. by ultrasonic welding or with a hot knife.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a coaxial connector link for coupling to a coaxial connector, the link comprising a sleeve- like cylindrical outer contact element electrically couplable to the outer contact of the coaxial connector and a conductive housing which is in electrical contact with the outer contact element, the outer contact element being push- fitted over a corresponding cylindrical outer surface of an insulator member, whereupon cooperating elements of the outer contact element and insulator member form a snap-fit connection to secure the outer contact element to the insulator member.

Preferably the connector link of this aspect of the invention is for coupling together two spaced parallel coaxial connectors, in which case the link comprises two outer contact elements which are maintained in electrical contact with each other via a conductive housing, and two insulator members on which the cylindrical outer contact elements are respectively secured by snap-fit connections.

The other parts of the connector link may be of known design, or the connector link may be a connector link of the first or second aspect of the present invention.

In conventional connector links the outer contact element is simply push-fitted onto the insulator member. However this arrangement may allow some undesirable axial movement of the outer contact element to occur relative to the insulator member, and particularly when a coaxial connector is attached to or detached from the connector link. Such movement may be sufficient to e.g. interrupt or weaken the electrical contact of the outer contact element with a housing of the connector link.

Therefore, an advantage of this aspect of the invention is that the snap-fit connection can prevent undesirable axial movement of the outer contact element on the insulator portion from occurring. This makes the connector link more reliable in operation. Also the snap-fit correction is formed when the outer contact element is push- fitted over said cylindrical outer surface so that it does not require any additional connector link assembly steps.

Preferably the outer contact element and cylindrical outer surface of the insulator member have more than one circumferentially spaced snap-fit connection.

Preferably the snap-fit connection comprises a cam portion which projects outwardly from the cylindrical outer surface of the insulator member and a cooperating resiliently deflectable tongue portion of the outer contact element, which tongue portion is aligned substantially parallel to the axis of the outer contact element and has a receiving hole or depression for the cam portion, whereupon when the outer contact element is pushed onto said cylindrical outer surface the cam portion slides along and bears against said tongue portion so that said tongue portion is resiliently and outwardly deflected, and when the cam portion reaches the receiving hole or depression said tongue position resiles back to snap-fit over the cam portion.

Advantageously the elements of the preferred snap-fit connection can be produced without any additional manufacturing steps. For example, if the insulator member is formed by injection moulding the cam portion can be moulded simultaneously with the insulator portion, and if the outer contact element is formed from a stamped and rolled sheet of metal, as is conventional, the tongue portion and the receiving hole or depression can be formed as part of the stamping operation.

The receiving hole or depression of the snap-fit connection may be smaller than the cam portion so that the cam portion is not completely received therein and said tongue portion remains proud of the outer surface of the outer contact element when the tongue portion resiles back. In a connector link with a conductive housing this can help to promote electrical contact between the outer contact element and the housing, particularly if the outwardly projecting tongue portion scores the inner surface of the housing when the outer contact element and insulator member are inserted into the housing during assembly of the connector link. Such scoring encourages a more intimate contact between the outer contact element and the housing. It also provides some additional physical engagement of the outer contact element with the housing which can help to prevent undesirable axial movement of the outer contact element with respect to the housing. Intimate contact between said tongue portion and the housing is further promoted when the housing has a tapered bore, the bore tapering in the direction of insertion of the outer contact element and insulator member so that the housing effectively closes in around the outer contact element as it is inserted.

Preferably the connector link also comprises mating guide portions on the outer contact element and said cylindrical outer surface so that the elements of the snap-fit connection, e.g. the cam portion and said tongue portion, are properly aligned. Suitable guide portions may comprise a longitudinal slot extending from the leading edge, with respect to the push-fitting direction, of the outer contact element and a projection on said cylindrical outer surface which fits into and slides along the slot to impose a predetermined angular relationship between the outer contact element and the cylindrical outer surface of the insulator member.

The present invention also includes methods for assembling the connector links of any of the previous aspects, and kits of parts of the connector links of any of the previous aspects.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be described in relation to specific embodiments and with reference to the following figures in which: - Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of the elements of a connector link according to the three aspects of the present invention,

Fig. 2 shows a detailed view of the insulator portions of the connector link, Fig. 3 shows a detailed view of the inner contact element of the connector link being inserted into the interconnected insulator parts. Fig. 4a shows a detailed view of the U-shaped inner contact element, and Fig. 4b shows a detailed view of an alternative form of the element .

Figs. 5a-c show consecutive stages in the assembly step of push- fitting an outer contact element onto an insulator member,

Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal cross-section through the connector link,

Figs . 7a and b show a variant of the insulator members of the connector link, Fig. 8 shows a second variant of the insulator members,

Fig. 9 shows a third variant of the insulator members, and

Fig. 10 shows a fourth variant of the insulator members.

Detailed Description of the Invention Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of the elements of a connector link 2 according to the present invention, with arrowed lines to indicate when the parts are assembled.

The connector link has a U-shaped strip of conducting material forming an inner contact element 1 with parallel contact arms 3 which are push- fittingly received in through-holes 7 of respective insulator members 5. The insulator members are interconnected at mating male pegs 9 and female holes 11 formed on each insulator member and discussed in more detail below in relation to Fig. 2. Sleeve-like cylindrical outer contact elements 13 formed of resiliently deformable material are push-fitted onto corresponding cylindrical outer surfaces 15 of the insulator members 5. The outer contact elements are retained in position by snap-fit connections which are discussed in more detail below in relation to Fig. 5. The outer contact elements have resilient tines 14 which engage the outer contacts of the coaxial connectors (not shown) .

The assembled contact elements and insulator members are inserted into an electrically conductive housing 17 via a mouth 18 which leads to two spaced parallel bores 19 in which the contact elements 1, 13 and insulator members 5 are located. The outer contact elements 13 make electrical contact with the housing which thereby provides a conductive path between the outer contact elements. A lid 21 closes the mouth 18 and is sealed thereto by any suitable method, such as bevelling of lip portions of the mouth around the edges of the lid. The ends of the bores 19 furthest from mouth 18 have respective openings 20 to receive a spaced pair of parallel coaxial connectors (not shown) , the inner and outer contacts of which are thereby couplable to the inner 1 and outer 13 contact elements of the connector link. In this way the inner contacts of the coaxial connector links can be electrically connected to each other, and likewise the outer contacts of the coaxial connector links. The inner and outer contacts, respectively, may also be coupled to third or further connectors.

The parts of the connector link are adapted for automated assembly. During such assembly the insulator members 5 are interconnected by pushing pegs 9 into corresponding holes 11. The pegs and holes are sufficiently long and deep to be able to space the interconnected insulator members at any of a range of spacings, thereby allowing the interconnected members to be matched to the spacing of the contact arms 3. Typical spacing are 9, 10 and 13 mm.

Fig. 2 shows a detailed view of the insulator members 5 which are formed of injection moulded polypropylene. The pegs 9 have a cruciform cross section which helps to promote the physical engagement of the pegs with the holes 11 and thereby maintain the predetermined spacing of the interconnected insulator members. It is not necessary for facing surfaces 23 of the insulator members to contact each other when the insulator members are interconnected, although this can happen at the smallest spacing.

The arms 3 are then aligned with and inserted into the through-holes 7 of the insulator members 5, as shown in Fig. 3. The snug-fit of the pegs 9 in the holes 11 helps to ensure that the insulator members remain at the predetermined spacing until this stage of the assembly process is completed, whereupon bridging portion 25 of the U-shaped inner contact element fixes the spacing. After the arms 3 of the inner contact element 1 have been inserted into the insulator members 5, portions 27 of the insulator members are deformed, e.g. by ultrasonic welding or with a hot knife, to form closed loops (not shown) of insulating material around the bridging portion 25 of the inner contact element . These closed loops form stops to limit rearward movement of the inner contact element in the direction of the axis of the arms 3 (i.e. movement directed towards lid 21), thereby helping to prevent the inner contact element from short circuiting on the housing 17. Indeed, together with through- holes 7, the closed loops prevent any substantial movement of the inner contact element 1, which increases the reliability of the connector link.

Fig. 4a shows a detailed view of the inner contact element which is produced using a strip of flat conducting material. The strip is then bent at two positions to form a U-shape and the end portions of the strip are further deformed to provide two outwardly curved spring contact ends 30 for sliding engagement with the inner contacts of the coaxial connectors. Fig. 4b shows a detailed view of an alternative form of the inner contact element. It is formed from a single initially straight piece of wire which has been bent at two positions to form a U-shape. The ends of the wire are machined and slotted two form female contact ends 29 which in use engage male inner contacts (not shown) of the coaxial connectors.

Figs. 5a-c show consecutive stages in the assembly step of push-fitting an outer contact elements 13 onto the corresponding cylindrical outer surface 15 of one of the insulator members 5. The insulator member is shown not interconnected to the other insulator member, although this step of the assembly may in practice follow the step of interconnecting the insulator member and inserting the arms 3 of the inner contact element into the through-holes 7.

The arrow indicates the direction of movement of the outer contact element. Extending from the leading edge 32 (with respect to the direction of movement) of the outer contact element are two circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots 33. The slots 33 define a resiliently deflectable tongue portion 35 which contains a through-hole 37. The tongue portion and through-hole 37 provide one half of a snap-fit connection, the other half being a cam projection 39 on the cylindrical outer surface 15 of the insulator member.

Longitudinal guide slot 41 circumferentially spaced from tongue portion 35 also extends from the leading edge 32 of the outer contact element 13. When the outer contact element is pushed onto the insulator member, guide slot 41 engages another projection 43 on the cylindrical outer surface 15 to maintain the angular alignment of tongue portion 35 with projection 39. Clearly the circumferential spacing of guide slot 41 from tongue portion 35 corresponds to the circumferential spacing of projection 43 from projection 39. Three guide slot 41 tongue portion 35 pairs are equidistantly spaced around the circumference of contact element 13, and corresponding pairs of projection 39, 43 are circumferentially spaced around cylindrical outer surface 15 of the insulator member. Fig. 5a shows the outer contact element and insulator member before they are joined together. Fig. 5b shows an intermediate stage of the push-fitting operation with projection 43 now engaged in guide slot 41 and cam projection 39 beginning to outwardly push on deflectable tongue portion 35. Fig. 5c shows the outer contact element fully engaged on the insulator member. Cam projection 39 is engaged in through- hole 37 allowing tongue portion 35 to resile back from its outwardly deflected position with a snap-fit action. The outer contact element is therefore securely fixed to the insulator portion with the snap-fit connection helping to prevent undesirable axial movement of the outer contact element on the insulator member.

However, cam projection 39 is slightly larger than through- hole 37 so that tongue portion 35 stands proud from the leading edge portion 31 of the outer contact element. Therefore, when the assembled contact elements 1, 13 and insulator members 5 are inserted into bores 19 of housing 17 the projecting tongue portions 35 score the inner surface of the housing, thereby promoting a more intimate contact between the outer contact elements 13 and the housing. This improves the electrical contact between the outer elements and the housing and also helps to prevent movement of the contact element/insulator assembly relative to the housing.

Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal cross-section through the fully assembled connector link along the axis of one of the arms 3 (not shown) , and shows in particular the point of contact between a tongue portion 35 and the inner surface of a bore 19. The bores 19 are tapered at approximately 1 degree in the direction of insertion of the contact element/insulator assembly into the housing. This further encourages an intimate contact between the outer connector elements and the housing. Figs. 7-10 show different forms of the insulator members. In particular they show various ways of providing a stop for the inner contact element . Some of the variants are not suitable for use with interconnectable insulator members.

Figs. 7a and 7b show interconnectable insulator members 51. The interconnection is made by two parallel spaced pegs 53 on one of the insulator members which are received in corresponding mating holes 55 of the other insulating member. Stop 57 is formed as a separate part which is positioned adjacent the bridging element of the inner contact element (not shown) when the arms of the inner contact element are inserted into the insulator members, and is then joined to at least one of the insulator members, e.g. by ultrasonic welding or with a hot knife .

Fig. 8 shows a pair of insulator members 61 which may be (although it is not shown) of the interconnecting type. Inner contact element 1 is shown with its arms partly inserted into the insulator members. When they are fully inserted, stops 63, which are pivotally hinged to respective insulator members, are rotated over bridging element 25 and are welded or otherwise fixed in position to fully encircle the bridging element and hold the inner contact element in place.

Fig. 9 shows an insulator member 71 which is not suitable for direct interconnection to a corresponding insulator member. L-shaped slot 73 in a wall of the insulator member defines a stop

74. To fit the insulator member to the inner contact element, arm 3 of the inner contact element is inserted into through-hole 77 and is aligned so that bridging portion 25 enters slot 73. The insulator member is then rotated about the axis of arm 3 to locate the bridging element underneath stop 74 and abut recess

75. In other words, the inner contact element is fitted to insulator member 71 with a bayonet-type action. A second such insulator member is similarly fitted over the second of the arms 3. At a minimum spacing, surface 78 of one member may abut surface 79 of the other.

Fig. 10 shows an insulator member 81 which also has a fixed stop 87 defined by an L-shaped slot 86 and which is fitted to the inner contact element (not shown) with the same bayonet -type action as insulator part 71. However, in this case stop 87 is part of a larger portion 89 of the insulator member which on assembly, together with the corresponding larger portion on the other insulator member, completely encircles bridging element 25 of the inner contact element 1 (not shown) when both insulators are fitted to the inner contact element . The insulator member can be interconnected to the other insulator member via pegs 83 and corresponding holes 85 on portion 89. This variant can only be used with one spacing of the arms 3 of the inner contact element.

Claims

CLAIMS : -

1. A coaxial connector link for coupling together two spaced, parallel coaxial connectors, the link comprising a U- shaped inner contact element with the arms of the inner contact element being electrically couplable to respective inner contacts of the coaxial connectors and an electrical insulator comprising two interconnected insulator members which are coaxial with and receive respective arms of the inner contact element, wherein the interconnector between the insulator members is adjustable to compensate for different spacings of said arms.

2. A coaxial connector link according to claim 1, in which the two insulator members are identical.

3. A coaxial connector link according to claim 1 or 2 , in which the inner contact element is an elongate member of conducting material which is bent into a U-shape.

4. A coaxial connector link for coupling together two spaced parallel coaxial connectors, the link comprising a U- shaped inner contact element with the arms of said inner contact element being electrically couplable to respective inner contacts of the coaxial connectors and two insulator members which respectively receive said arms, at least one of the insulator members having a stop adjacent the bridging element of the inner contact element on the side of said bridging element furthest from said arms, the stop being for preventing or limiting movement of the inner contact element in the direction in which the arms extend.

5. A coaxial connector link according to claim 4, in which the stop is formed in si tu by plastically deforming a deformable portion of the insulator member after the respective arm of the inner contact element has been received therein.

6. A coaxial connector link for coupling to a coaxial connector, the link comprising a sleeve-like cylindrical outer contact element electrically couplable to the outer contact of the coaxial connector and a conductive housing which is in electrical contact with the outer contact element, the outer contact element being push-fitted over a corresponding cylindrical outer surface of an insulator member, whereupon cooperating elements of the outer contact element and insulator member form a snap-fit connection to secure the outer contact element to the insulator member.

7. A coaxial connector link according to claim 6, in which the snap-fit connection comprises a cam portion which projects outwardly from the cylindrical outer surface of the insulator member and a cooperating resiliently deflectable tongue portion of the outer contact element, which tongue portion is aligned substantially parallel to the axis of the outer contact element and has a receiving hole or depression for the cam portion, whereupon when the outer contact element is pushed onto said cylindrical outer surface the cam portion slides along and bears against said tongue portion so that said tongue portion is resiliently and outwardly deflected, and when the cam portion reaches the receiving hole or depression said tongue position resiles back to snap-fit over the cam portion.

8. A coaxial connector according to claim 7, in which the receiving hole or depression of the snap-fit connection is smaller than the cam portion so that the cam portion is not completely received therein and said tongue portion remains proud of the outer surface of the outer contact element when the tongue portion resiles back.

9. A coaxial connector link according to any one of claims 6 to 8 , in which the outer contact element and cylindrical outer surface of the insulator member have more than one circumferentially spaced snap-fit connection.

10. A coaxial connector link according to any one of claims

6 to 9 , which further comprises a second outer contact element and a corresponding second insulating member, the outer contact elements being maintained in electrical contact with each other via the conductive housing, whereby two spaced parallel coaxial connectors are couplable together by the connector link.

11. A kit of parts of the connector link of any one of claims 1 to 10.