Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means with distinct movement-actuating means to...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-19
2003-04-08
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means with distinct movement-actuating means to...
C439S362000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06544062
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to coupling of connector arrays, and more particularly to the coupling of coaxial cable connector arrays in which adjacent female members have outer surfaces in gear-to-gear contact with one another, and include inner surfaces having left-and right-hand threads engaging corresponding threads on male ports, such that rotation of one female member causes simultaneous rotation of the adjacent female member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Independent coaxial lines provide closed, controlled- impedance pathways for the transmission of electrical and RF energy. High electrical performance at high frequencies is possible using coaxial cable and connectors, as well as protection for signals that are sensitive to electrical interference. Coaxial cable and connectors are used in many applications requiring the transfer of signals between devices such as in radio base stations, test and measurement equipment, avionics, cable antenna television (CATV) systems and communication networks.
Conventional coaxial connectors function to supply the necessary electrical and mechanical connection between a terminated end of the coaxial cable and a port or terminal segment of a particular device, such as antenna and receiver sets in a CATV system or testing probes used in testing equipment. Coaxial connectors have three distinct groups of component features that solve three distinct functional problems. These include mating features for signal transmission, mechanical coupling features to attain and secure the mated position, and any additional features included for mechanically mounting the connector within a system. Connector coupling is typically accomplished by a bayonet, snap-on, or threaded mechanism. Bayonet and snap-on coupling mechanisms provide quick connect/disconnect functionality while threaded connections provide more mechanically and electrically robust coupling and connection. Connectors with threaded couplings tend to function better at higher frequencies with better shield continuity and with much greater resistance to the negative effects of bending forces and vibration. Actuation of coupling mechanisms is accomplished through manual rotation of bayonet style couplings, manual insertion of snap-on couplings, or manual operation of a torque wrench for threaded couplings; all without the advantage of power tools.
FIG. 10
shows the basic components of a prior art connector array. The prepared end of a coaxial cable
1
is terminated in one end of a connector
2
. The coaxial cable
1
and the connector body
2
utilize a coupling nut
4
, which serves as means to secure the other end of the connector onto a threaded port
5
positioned on a substrate
6
. In use, signals propagate from the terminated end of each of the coaxial cables to the device threadedly linked to the connectors.
As illustrated above, this prior art coaxial cable connector array employs coupling nuts to supply a suitable mechanical connection between the threaded surfaces of the connectors and the ports. However, independent rotation of each individual coupling nut is tedious and time-consuming, especially when it is desirable to repeatedly engage and disengage the connectors over a relatively short period of time, such as is the case in many testing probe applications.
Moreover, in addition to not being suitable for convenient and repeated engagement cycles, prior art threaded coaxial cable connector arrays have the additional inconvenience of requiring a minimum spacing between the outer circumferences of each rotatable coupling nut to allow tool access for the rotation of the coupling nuts upon mating with the ports. Bayonet and snap-on connectors that have been arranged in an array also require a minimum spacing between the outer circumference of adjacent connectors to allow access for fingers or for a tool to be used for mating and de-mating.
In some cases, increased density of RF connections can be accomplished with snap-on connectors that have been grouped together onto a common mounting bracket. However, this has practical limitations to a small group size because of the combined insertion forces that must be overcome, typically without the mechanical advantage of a tool. Consequently, the number of connectors that may be positioned in a particular area of a substrate or device is practically limited in prior art coaxial cable connector arrays for RF applications.
It would be desirable to provide an array of coaxial cable connectors that can be more readily and instantaneously secured to corresponding ports while maintaining sufficiently high integrity and propagation of signals (particularly RF signals) from the coaxial cables through the connectors. It would be desirable to provide a more compact coaxial cable connector array that allows for the connectors to be more highly concentrated in a particular area of a device, and thus, provide the added benefit of saving space. It would also be desirable to provide a coaxial cable connector array where coupling can be actuated with the mechanical advantage of a power tool to overcome the total coupling forces within a multi-RF connector, to provide reach into somewhat confined spaces, and to ensure that adequate coupling forces can be applied.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. In particular, a coaxial cable connector array is provided, wherein adjacent female members employing left-hand and right-hand threaded engagement surfaces are more readily and instantaneously mated to corresponding threads of male ports through the use of gear-to-gear intermeshing between the outer surfaces of the adjacent female members. Since the outer surfaces of adjacent female members are in intermeshing contact with one another, the coaxial cable connector array of the present invention allows the connectors to be more highly concentrated in a particular area of a device, and thus, provides compactness to achieve the added benefit of saving space. The gear-to-gear connection between female members also allows for the transmission of rotational power for mating and de-mating every connector in the array. Including an actuator (e.g., an electrically non-functional female member having a hex-head receiving hole) in the array allows the use of a power tool (e.g., cordless screwdriver) to accomplish coupling in a single operation. Preferably, the female members would mate during forward rotation of the power tool, and de-mate during reverse rotation of the power tool.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an array of coaxial cable connectors includes first and second female members and a mounting member. The first female member has a generally cylindrical shape about a longitudinal axis thereof and inner and outer surfaces. The inner surface includes at least one set of left-hand threads adapted to engage complementary threads on a first male port. The outer surface includes a gear configuration having gear teeth extending axially along the outer surface in substantial parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of the first female member. A first end of the first female member is located at a position near the left-hand threads and a second end is located at a position opposite that of the first end.
The second female member has a generally cylindrical shape about a longitudinal axis thereof and inner and outer surfaces. The inner surface includes at least one set of right-hand threads adapted to engage complementary threads on a second male port. The outer surface includes a gear configuration having gear teeth extending axially along the outer surface in substantial parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of the second female member. A first end of the second female member is located at a position near the right-hand threads and a second end is located at a position opposite that of the first end.
The mounting member can be attached to the first or second ends of each of the first and second female members. The mounting mem
Dix Thomas Peter
Loveless Richard Whitcomb
Bradley P. Austin
Burr & Brown
Gushi Ross
Huber & Suhner, Inc.
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