Electrical connectors – Including or for use with coaxial cable – Having means for interconnecting outer conductors of three...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-30
2001-03-13
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Including or for use with coaxial cable
Having means for interconnecting outer conductors of three...
C439S907000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200163
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to a connector for a plurality of coaxial cables and including a system for terminating the metallic shields of high speed cables, such as the metallic braids of the cables.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A typical high speed cable includes a center conductor or core surrounded by a tube-like inner dielectric. A shield is disposed outside the inner dielectric for shielding and/or grounding the cable. The shield typically is a tubular metallic braid. However, one or more longitudinal conductive wires have also been used and are commonly called “drain wires.” An insulating jacket surrounds the composite cable outside the shield.
Various types of connectors are used to terminate high speed cables. The connectors typically have contacts which are terminated to the center conductor or core of the cable. The connectors also have one form or another of a terminating member for terminating the metallic shield of the high speed cable, usually for grounding purposes. A typical system in such connectors terminates the metallic shield to the terminating member by soldering or welding. Other systems use crimping procedures to crimp at least a portion of the terminating member securely to the metallic braid.
With the ever-increasing miniaturization of the electronics in various industries, such as in the computer and telecommunications industries, along with the accompanying miniaturization of electrical connectors, considerable problems have been encountered in terminating miniature high speed cables, particularly in terminating the metallic shield of the cable. For instance, the outside diameter of a small coaxial cable may be on the order of 0.090 inch. The outside diameter of the inner dielectric surrounding the conductor/core may be on the order of 0.051 inch, and the diameter of the center conductor/core may be on the order of 0.012 inch. Coaxial cables having even smaller dimensional parameters have been used.
The problems in terminating small coaxial cables often revolve around terminating the metallic shield of the cable. For instance, if soldering methods are used, applying heat (necessary for soldering) in direct proximity to the metallic shield can cause heat damages to the underlying inner dielectric and, in fact, substantially disintegrate or degrade the inner dielectric. If conventional crimp-type terminations are used, typical crimping forces often will crush or deform the inner dielectric surrounding the center conductor/core of the cable. In either case, damage or deformation of the inner dielectric will change the electrical characteristics of the cable.
The above problems are further complicated when the metallic shield of the high speed cable is not terminated to a cylindrical terminating member, but the shield is terminated to a flat terminating member or contact. For instance, an example of terminating the metallic shield or braid of a coaxial cable to a flat ground member is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,069, dated Apr. 19, 1994 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In that patent, the metallic braids of a plurality of coaxial cables are terminated to a ground plate of a high speed signal transmission terminal module. The conductors/cores of the coaxial cables are terminated to signal terminals of the module. Other examples are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,711,686, dated Jan. 27, 1998; 5,716,236, dated Feb. 10, 1998; 5,718,607, dated Feb. 17, 1998; 5,725,387, dated Mar. 10, 1998; and 5,785,555, dated Jul. 28, 1998, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
The present invention is directed to further improvements in managing the termination of high speed coaxial cables, including the termination of the metallic shields of a plurality of cables to a terminating member, such as a ground blade.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector which includes a system for terminating the metallic shields of high speed cables.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the connector includes a dielectric housing having a front mating face and a rear terminating face, a plurality of terminal-receiving passages extending generally between the faces, and a blade-receiving passage extending generally between the faces . A plurality of terminals are received in the terminal-receiving passages. A conductive ground blade is received in the blade-receiving passage. The ground blade includes at least a pair of positioning arms projecting from the ground blade at the rear terminating face of the housing for engaging the metallic shields of a pair of coaxial cables. A partition on the housing extends between the positioning arms to separate the coaxial cables and maintain the metallic shields near the positioning arms.
As disclosed herein, the housing is molded of dielectric plastic material, and the partition is molded integrally therewith. The housing includes an abutment shoulder for engaging an abutment shoulder on the ground blade to prevent the blade from backing out of the blade-receiving passage. The ground blade is generally planar and includes a slot, and the partition comprises a wall projecting through the slot and between the positioning arms.
According to one aspect of the invention, a pair of the positioning arms project from each opposite side of the ground blade. A partition on the housing extends between each pair of arms to define four quadrants for accommodating four coaxial cables. Four of the terminal-receiving passages are provided in the housing aligned with the four quadrants for receiving four signal terminals. The four terminals have tail portions for connection to inner conductors of the four coaxial cables.
According to another aspect of the invention, the housing includes a front housing part having the passages therein for mounting the terminals and the ground blade. A rear housing part is juxtaposed against the front housing part and includes the partition. Complementary interengaging abutment means are provided between the rear housing part and the ground blade to prevent the ground blade from backing out of the blade-receiving passage in the front housing part.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4842544 (1989-06-01), Birch et al.
patent: 5256084 (1993-10-01), Kodama
patent: 5647764 (1997-07-01), Kimura
patent: 5660551 (1997-08-01), Sakurai
patent: 5711686 (1998-01-01), O'Sillivan et al.
patent: 5716236 (1998-02-01), O'Sullivan et al.
patent: 5725387 (1998-03-01), O'Sullivan et al.
patent: 0 740 367 A1 (1996-10-01), None
patent: 3-1463 (1991-01-01), None
Abrams Neil
Molex Incorporated
Nasri Javaid
Zeitler Robert J.
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