Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – For receiving coaxial connector
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-05
2001-05-08
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
For receiving coaxial connector
C439S638000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227868
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to coaxial cable connectors, and more specifically to a connector with an end section of substantially tubular shape contact member having physical deformations adapted to slidably receive a coaxial wire.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical connecting devices are commonly used in today's industry. Connections need to be inserted in many sections of a particular electrical network for all types of reasons. Because of their increased usage in high frequency power, the connecting devices need to be more efficient to carry signals, have good impedance characteristics and be easy to install and remove with minimum loss of time and no physical damages to the connecting device itself or to the other components being connected or disconnected, and reliable in terms of electrical conducting efficiency.
Dual beam connector has been disclosed in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,187 issued on Aug. 6, 1985 to Kirkman. The connector has contacts having opposing reverse-bend contact arms which gives an increased soldering reliability. However, in this invention intended mainly for printed circuit board the end of the device is relatively large. It will be noted also that no real planar contact can exist, and that the contact pin is not axially directed towards the device. Furthermore, it is not specified that the extremities of the contact arms are not touching, potentially causing damage to the pin when it is removed.
Prior art of various but similar structure improvements for connectors of coaxial cable have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,409 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,226 issued on Sep. 16, 1997 and Jan. 26, 1999 respectively to Wong et al. and Lan et al. respectively. These patents basically have at each end of the contact component two holes with the tab material of the holes inwardly pushed (not removed) forming at each end a pair of inclined planes extending toward the interior of the tube. One of these inventions also furthermore has two narrow slits at each end of the contact member. However, although the surface of the contact between a wire and the contact member may be increased, it will still generally remain on an axially oriented line, rather than on a plane; this undesired resulting effect is caused by the fact that one end of each inclined plane is free. Furthermore, if a large wire is used, the effectiveness of the connector could suffer with the subsequent used wires, especially if they are smaller, since after many utilization the material of the holes inwardly pushed could have been deformed by the large size wire. Oppositely, if the closing spring action of the pair of inclined planes is too strong, damages could be sustained by the wire upon removal, once again because of the small surface in contact.
In coaxial cable connector as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,654 issued on Feb. 2, 1999 to Shimirak et al., the contact member has a spring-tab with one fixed and one free ends. As in the other inventions mentioned earlier, because of the free end of the spring-tab, the contact between the tab and the wire of the cable may not be a symmetrical and circumferential planar one. Furthermore in this case, the wire and the connecting member will not be on a same axis, maybe damaging and deforming the engaging wire or pin.
Also, this type of spring-tab shape is not easily obtained and requires expensive cutting and forming processes.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a coaxial cable connector of the character described which obviates the above noted disadvantages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coaxial cable connector that provides a large effective contact zone between the contact member and a wire, or a pin, with a wide range of diameters.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coaxial cable connector that keeps a connecting wire in the same axis as the connector.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a coaxial cable connector that provides for an easy, smooth and non-damaging guiding insertion, a strong and non-damaging retaining force, and a smooth and non-damaging removal of a wire within or from the coaxial cable connector.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a coaxial cable connector that has a contact member on which a plating or a coating can easily be applied both on the inside and on the outside tubular section, especially at the wire contacting area.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coaxial cable connector that has outstanding mechanical characteristics to minimize electrical perturbations of transmitted signals.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and a careful consideration of the following description.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention consists of an electrical connector comprising:
a main body made out of an electrically conductive material and having an inner passage therethrough;
a pair of insulating sleeves fitted inside said inner passage, an outer end face of each insulating sleeve include a small diameter section; and
a cylindrical contact member made out of an electrically conductive material and being fitted between said small diameter sections of said insulating sleeves, said cylindrical contact member having a first and second ends with a central section therebetween, said first end of said contact member is substantially tubular and is adapted to be axially slidably engaged by a center conductor, said first end includes two equally spaced radially opposed and axially elongated continuous beams forming two adjacent equally spaced radially opposed holes therebetween each of said beams having a concave inner surface and being substantially symmetrically, radially, inwardly cambered towards the axis of said contact member to define an apex contact region, both of said contact regions forming an axially transverse and partially closed opening defined by both of said inner surfaces to receive said center conductor, each of said beams being resilient and adapted for biasing said center conductor against said contact region of the other of said beams, said beams being adapted to flatten out at said contact regions against said center conductor thereby providing axial linear contacts with the latter.
Preferably, the second end of said contact member is also substantially tubular and is adapted to be axially slidably engaged by a second center conductor, said second end includes two second equally spaced radially opposed and axially elongated continuous beams forming two adjacent second equally spaced radially opposed holes therebetween, each of said second beams having a second concave inner surface and being substantially symmetrically, radially, inwardly cambered towards the axis of said contact member to define a second apex contact region, both of said second contact regions forming an axially transverse and partially closed second opening defined by both of said second inner surfaces to receive said second center conductor, each of said second beams being resilient and adapted for biasing said second center conductor against said second contact region of the other of said second beams, said second beams being adapted to flatten out at said second contact regions against said second center conductor thereby providing second axial linear contacts with the latter.
Alternatively, the second end of said contact member may be of substantially cylindrical shape, said second end of said contact member having a diameter smaller than said central section of said contact member.
Preferably, each of said smaller diameter sections of said insulating sleeves includes a bore hole adapted to sealably receive one of said ends of said contact member.
Preferably, the first and second ends of said contact member have their respective beams axially aligned with respect to each other.
Alternatively, the first and second ends of said contact member
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