Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-16
2004-02-17
Gilman, Alexander (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S350000, C439S582000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06692286
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to coaxial plug connector with a plug housing which is open on a front side to make it possible to plug in a mating connector and has a channel running through it, in which an inner conductor contact is located and isolated, with connecting means to mechanically connect the plug connector housing to the mating connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of such plug connectors of the prior art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,937, DE 3 117 320 and in EP 0 867 978 A2. These plug connectors each have a male thread onto which the mating connector is screwed. By means of this threaded fastening, the two outer conductor contact surfaces are placed in contact with each other under a clamping force. This clamping force must achieve a minimum axial force to guarantee the electrical contact of the outer contact between the plug connector and the mating connector. One disadvantage of these plug connectors is that the assembly process is relatively time-consuming, and that there must be a minimum distance between the plugs in a row of plugs for the use of a tool.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to create a plug connector of the type described above which can be assembled more easily and quickly and is also more reliable.
The invention teaches that this object can be achieved with a coaxial plug connector which is characterized by the fact that the mating connector locks with the connecting means when it is attached, and the connecting means are realized so that they exert an axial clamping force on the mating connector, which clamps an outer conductor contact surface of the mating connector against an outer conductor contact surface of the plug connector. The necessary axial clamping force which clamps the two outer conductor contact surfaces against each other is guaranteed by the connecting means. The connecting means make possible on one hand a very quick and easy coupling of the plug connector with the mating connector and simultaneously guarantee a minimum contact force, which can be 300 N for example. After the mating connector has been connected, the two parts are thus mechanically connected to each other and the above mentioned contact is guaranteed without the requirement for additional measures.
In one development of the invention, the connecting means have a radially flexible and elastically expandable outer conductor sleeve which can be locked with the mating connector. The mating connector can be inserted with its forward end into this outer conductor sleeve, whereby this outer conductor sleeve locks onto the mating connector. Preferably the mating connector has, on the outside, an encircling rib onto which the outer conductor sleeve can be locked. To generate the above mentioned axial clamping force, the above mentioned rib preferably has an inclined clamping surface on the back. On this clamping surface, a radial clamping force of the outer conductor sleeve can be diverted into an axial application force. This arrangement has the special advantage that the axial force is essentially independent of dimensional tolerances, because it is essentially independent of the location in which the radial force is exerted on the clamping surface.
A continuous clamping force can be guaranteed in particular if, as in one development of the invention, the outer conductor sleeve is surrounded by a locking sleeve. This locking sleeve can preferably move axially and in a working position surrounds the outer conductor sleeve. The locking sleeve preferably exerts an inwardly directed force on the outer conductor sleeve. The outer conductor sleeve diverts at least part of this radial force into the above mentioned axial clamping force.
The plug connector is preferably an SMA connector. A connector of this type has a passage running through it that has a diameter of approximately 4.1 millimeters. On such relatively small connectors, the necessary axial clamping force can be achieved with the above mentioned rib on the outside of the mating connector. The plug connector claimed by the invention can be used as an angle plug connector or as a straight-line plug connector. When it is used as an angle plug connector, it has the special advantage that the mating connector and the plug connector can be twisted continuously and at any desired angle around their common longitudinal axis in relation to each other. The bent connecting part of the plug connector can therefore be oriented accurately and at any desired angle without adversely affecting the connection.
Additional advantageous features of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims, the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawing.
One exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in greater detail below and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
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Gilman Alexander
Huber + Suhner AG
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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