WO2002060012A1

WO2002060012A1 - Contact housing device

Info

Publication number: WO2002060012A1
Application number: PCT/NO2001/000512
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kåre JOHNSEN
Original assignee: Alu-Elektro As
Priority date: 2001-01-05
Filing date: 2001-12-28
Publication date: 2002-08-01
Also published as: NO313167B1; NO20010058D0; NO20010058L

Abstract

A contact housing for a coaxial cable (60) of the kind used for non-soldered electrical connection of the centre conductor (62) adn screen (66) of the coaxial cable (60) to the poles of the contact housing (1). The contact housing (1) is provided with one or more knife contacts (36) which are inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the coaxial cable (60), and which are arranged, when the mantle (22) of the contact housing (1) is squeezed, to displace the coaxial cable (60) axially relative to the contact housing (1), while at the same time the outer sheath (68) of the coaxial cable (60) is penetrated and electrical contact established between the screen (66) of the coaxial cable (60) and the knife contacts (36).

Description

CONTACT HOUSING DEVICE

This invention relates to a contact housing for a coaxial cable, the contact housing being of such configuration that the connection of a coaxial cable to the contact housing is simplified to a substantial degree as compared to known technique.

Soldered joints have been widely used for connecting the conductors of a coaxial cable to the contacts of a contact housing. This connecting method is time-consuming and cumbersome because it comprises many operations . By and by contact housings have been developed, in which the electrical connection between conductor and contact point is established and maintained by means of so-called clamping connectors. A clamping connector for the centre conductor of a cable typically comprises a split contact pin/tube and a clamping part in the form of a cuneiform displaceable and usually insulating sliding sleeve. By the connection the centre conductor is placed in the split projecting end portion of the contact pin. Then the cuneiform part of the clamping part is passed over the contact pin, thereby clamping the conductor in the pin. Contact-maintaining clamping of the screen of a coaxial cable may be implemented with stripped screen or by penetration through the outer insulating sheath. With stripped screen there is often used a clamping sleeve coupling or a device in which one or more locking washers are forced in through the side walls of the contact housing into contact with the screen. The same solutions are also used when the insulating outer sheath is not removed first at the contact point. The contact elements are then usually provided with a knife- or awl-like means which is pushed through the outer sheath, thereby establishing contact with the screen.

All known coupling methods for connecting a coaxial cable to a contact housing comprise separate installation operations for the centre conductor and screen. Normally it is also necessary to strip the coaxial cable in several steps. The centre conductor is thus uncovered over a length, the outer sheath is removed over a further length, whereas additionally the screen is cut or folded back. These operations are relatively time-consuming, at least for the adjusting of a suitable stripping tool.

It is an object of the invention to remedy the drawbacks of known techniques such as described above.

The object is achieved through a contact housing, in which the whole connecting operation, after the centre conductor of the coaxial cable has been stripped and inserted into the contact housing, comprises one operation.

A contact housing is provided with clamping connectors for the connection of the centre conductor and screen of the coaxial cable. The centre conductor is passed through a displaceable locking sleeve and then into a split contact pin, as the coaxial cable, possibly also with its outer sheath, is simultaneously being inserted into a mantle housing, until the end portion of the coaxial cable abuts the locking sleeve. The locking sleeve is arranged to squeeze the contact pin round the centre conductor. The coaxial cable is secured by means of one or more knife contacts carried inwards from the circumference of the mantle in an approximately radial direction relative to the coaxial cable. The knife contacts, which may be formed as knives/teeth/awls, are fixed to the mantle in an inward-projecting manner. The knife contacts form non-right angles to the central axis of the cable. As the knife contacts, when squeezing the mantle, penetrate into the cable, the inclination of the knifes contacts relative to the longitudinal axis of the cable causes the cable to be displaced longitudinally in the direction of the contact pin. Thereby the locking sleeve is also displaced along the longitudinal axis of the contact housing and coaxial cable. Through the displacement of theo locking sleeve the locking sleeve is brought into a locking position, in which its clamping hollow is positioned in a squeezing manner over the contact pin. The split projecting portions of the contact pin are thereby forced together over the centre conductor, whereby reliable and good electricals contact between the centre conductor and the contact pin is established and maintained.

The knife contacts, which preferably have their longitudinal axes along the circumference of the mantle, may be arranged in rows or be unequally distributed internally in the contact0 mantle. When a coaxial cable is being connected to a contact housing according to the invention, the centre conductor is first stripped. The coaxial cable is inserted into the mantle of the contact housing. The clamping part is of such design that the centre conductor is directed through the through bore of the clamping part into the split of the contact pin. The insulating sheaths of the coaxial cable and the end portions of the screen come to abut the clamping part. The outer insulating sheath may possibly be removed before the coaxial cable is inserted into the contact housing.

In a preferred embodiment the mantle of the contact housing is provided with several rows of knives. When the mantle is squeezed by means of a suitable tool, the knives are displaced so that they penetrate the outer sheath of the coaxial cable and penetrate into the screen within, where they establish and maintain good electrical contact. At the same time the coaxial cable is displaced axially in the direction towards the clamping part. Thereby the clamping part is displaced over the split end portion of the contact pin, clamping the projecting portions of the contact pin to the centre conductor.

In the following will be described a non-limiting example of a preferred embodiment which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a sectional top view of an angular contact housing;

Fig. 2 shows a sectional top view of an angular contact housing, in which the coaxial cable is placed in a position ready to be clamped; Fig. 3 shows in a sectional side view the angular contact housing according to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows in a section the angular contact housing according to fig. 2, after clamping;

Fig. 5 shows in a sectional side view the angular contact housing according to Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 shows in a section a straight contact housing, in which the coaxial cable is placed in a position ready to be clamped;

Fig. 7 shows in a section the contact housing of Fig. 4 after clamping;

Fig. 8 shows a section II-II of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 shows in a section an angular coupling in an embodiment in which the outer sheath has been removed.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 identifies a contact housing according to the invention comprising an electrically conductive housing 10, an insulator 12 surrounding a contact pin 14 which is provided, at its inner end portion, with a split 16 between two projecting end portions 18, 18', and an electrically insulating locking sleeve 20. Part of the housing 10 is formed by a tubular mantle 22, arranged to receive a coaxial cable 60. The locking sleeve 20 is formed with a recession 24, a through bore 26, a clamping hollow 30 and two inclined entrance surfaces 32, 32'.

The mantle 22 is provided with preferably several rows of electrically conductive knife contacts 36 projecting inwards at non-right angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the mantle 22 from the bore/inner periphery 38 of the mantle 22, see Figs. 1 and 6.

The locking sleeve 20 is displaceably disposed in the bores 38 and 46 of the housing, see Fig. 1. In the drawings the locking sleeve 20 is shown as a mainly cylindrical body, but the locking sleeve 20 may be shaped in any suitable geometry, e.g. cuneiform. In its inactive position the entering surfaces 32, 32' of the locking sleeve 20 bear on the projecting portions 18, 18' of the contact pin 14.

When a coaxial cable 60 comprising a centre conductor 62, an inner insulation 64, a screen 66 and an outer insulating sheath 68 is being connected to a contact housing 1, see Fig. 1, the coaxial cable 60 is inserted into the bore 38 of the mantle 22, and thus in between the knife contacts 36 which are in their inactive positions. The stripped, projecting centre conductor 62 is moved in through the through bore 26 of the locking sleeve 20 and further into the split 16 of the contact pin 14. The end portions of the insulation 64, 68 and screen 66 of the coaxial cable 60 are inserted until they abut the end wall 25 of the locking sleeve 20.

With the coaxial cable 60 in this position prepared for connection, the mantle 22 is squeezed together radially by means of a suitable tool, as shown in Fig. 3. The knife contacts 36 penetrate the outer sheath 68 of the coaxial cable 60, establishing and maintaining electrical contact with the screen 66 lying within. The knife contacts 36 are configured in such a way that they do not extend in to the centre conductor 62. Concurrently with the displacement of the knife contacts 36 into the coaxial cable 60, the inclination of the knife contacts 36 relative to the longitudinal axis of the mantle 22 causes the coaxial cable 60, and thereby the locking sleeve 20, to be displaced in a direction towards the contact pin 14. Through the displacement of the locking sleeve 20 towards the contact pin 14, the clamping hollow 30 adopts a position round the projecting portions 18, 18' of the contact pin 14. The opening of the clamping hollow 30 is smaller than the external diameter of the contact pin 14, whereby the projecting portions 18 are forced together, clamping the intermediate central conductor 62.

Figs. 4 and 5 show an exemplary embodiment of the invention used in a straight coupling. The same reference numerals are used for components corresponding to the components described in the above.

In an alternative embodiment, see Fig. 7, the screen 66 is stripped, which involves that the outer insulating sheath 68 is removed in the area where the knife contacts 36 establish contact with the screen 66.

The use of a contact housing according to the invention substantially simplifies the installation work connected with the use of a coaxial cable, as the connection itself between the coaxial cable and the contact housing only comprises one clamping operation.

Claims

C L A I M S . A contact housing for a coaxial cable (60) of the kind used for non-soldered electrical connection of the centre conductor (62) and screen (66) of the coaxial cable (60) to the poles of the contact housing (1), in which the contact housing (1) is provided with a split/slotted/bored-through contact pin (14) which is arranged, when the centre conductor (62) of the coaxial cable (60) is placed in a split (16), to clamp, for example through the displacement of a locking sleeve/means (20), against the centre conductor (62) in a contact-establishing and maintaining manner, and in which the contact housing (1) is provided with a mantle (22) and a device establishing and maintaining contact with the screen (66) of the coaxial cable (60), of the kind which is arranged to penetrate the outer sheath (68) of the coaxial cable, ch ar ac ter i z ed i n that from its internal surface the mantle (22) is provided with at least a knife contact (36) projecting inwards, which is not at a right angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the mantle (22), and which is arranged through its inclination to make the coaxial cable (60) be displaced axially relative to the mantle (22) when the mantle (22) is squeezed.

2. A contact housing in accordance with claim 1, c h ar ac ter i z ed in that the knife contact(s) (36) is (are) arranged to penetrate the outer sheath (68) of the coaxial cable (60) and establish electrical contact with the screen (66) of the coaxial cable (60). A contact housing in accordance with one or more of the preceding claims, c har acter i ze d i n that the locking sleeve (20) is provided with a clamping hollow (30) which is arranged to be displaced over the split projecting end portion (18) of a contact pin (14), the opening of the clamping hollow (30) being smaller than the thickness of the contact pin (14).