Electrical connectors – Self aligning contact – Contact mounted in floating nonconductive holder
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-15
2004-03-02
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Self aligning contact
Contact mounted in floating nonconductive holder
C439S063000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06699054
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a low profile surface mount coaxial connector that permits both axial and radial float relative to a mating connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A coaxial cable includes an inner conductor and an outer conductor that surrounds the inner conductor. Insulating or dielectric material typically is disposed between the inner and outer conductors to maintain the substantially concentric relationship therebetween. The inner conductor is used for carrying a signal, and the outer conductor functions as a shield. Thus, the signal carried by the inner conductor will not affect nearby electronic equipment, and conversely nearby electronic equipment will not adversely affect the signal carried by the inner conductor.
A coaxial connector may be mounted to an end of a coaxial cable so that the conductors of the cable can be connected to another coaxial cable, to an apparatus or to a circuit board. The coaxial connector includes a center contact that is connected to the inner conductor of the cable and an outer contact that is connected to the outer conductor of the cable. An insulation or dielectric material may be disposed between the inner and outer contacts to maintain a substantially coaxial relationship. Coaxial connectors typically are provided as a male and female pair of connectors configured so that the inner and outer contacts of one connector in the pair telescope into electrical contact with the inner and outer contacts of the mating connector.
Connections often must be made between one or more coaxial connectors on one panel or circuit board and a corresponding number of coaxial connectors on another panel or circuit board. These connections typically are made by placing the panels or circuit boards in opposed relationship to one another so that the connectors on one panel or circuit board face the connectors on the opposed panel or circuit board. The panels and circuit boards then are moved toward one another so that the respective connectors mate. The ability to mate the opposed pairs of panel-mounted or board-mounted electrical connectors in this manner depends partly upon the precision of mounting the connectors on the panels or boards. Even small mounting errors can significantly complicate the connection and can significantly increase the forces required to achieve proper mating. Excessive force on either panel or board can damage the panel or board and the circuits thereon. Accordingly, some coaxial connectors are configured to float transversely and/or radially relative to the panel or circuit board to facilitate alignment for mating. Coaxial connectors that are configured to float relative to the panel or circuit board are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,358,174 and 5,769,652.
There have been substantial efforts in recent years to reduce the size of electrical and electronic components. The electronics industry also is very competitive and continually seeks ways to reduce costs. The above-described U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,174 and much of the other prior art achieves a panel-to-panel connection by providing separate mateable connectors on each panel and then urging the mateable connectors into connection with one another. Significant size and cost savings have been achieved in some electrical connection art areas by employing surface mounting (e.g., surface mounted IC chips). A surface mount connector enables a connector on one panel to be connected directly to conductive regions on a mating panel. The known surface mount technology is not well suited for coaxial connectors in view of the need to provide shielding across the connection. A few attempts have been made to mount a small coaxial receptacle to conductive regions on a board and then to mate a coaxial plug with the receptacle. Such a connection is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,480. The above-described alignment problems that exist for panel-to-panel connections of coaxial connectors also exist for surface mounted connections.
In view of the above, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a coaxial connector assembly that enables axial and/or radial float for achieving panel-to-panel coaxial connections.
It is also an object of the subject invention to provide a low profile coaxial connector that is well suited for panel-to-panel connections.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to a coaxial connector for achieving connection between signal carrying circuits on first and second opposed circuit boards and for achieving a grounding connection and shielding between the first and second circuit boards. The first circuit board is provided with a plurality of conductive regions printed or otherwise disposed thereon. The conductive regions on the first circuit board include a first signal carrying region and a first ground that may substantially concentrically surround at least a portion of the signal carrying region. Similarly, the second circuit board may be provided with a plurality of conductive regions printed or otherwise disposed thereon. The conductive regions on the second circuit board may include a second signal carrying region and a second ground that may at least partly surround the signal carrying region. The signal carrying regions and the ground regions on the respective circuit boards are connected to other signal carrying circuit elements and ground circuit elements by techniques that are known to those skilled in this art.
The coaxial connector may be used with a short cylindrical electrically conductive guide sleeve that has a mounting end, a mating end and an inner circumferential surface extending between the ends. The mounting end of the guide sleeve is secured to the first circuit board and is connected electrically to the first ground region on the first circuit board. Additionally, the guide sleeve is mounted substantially concentrically around the first signal carrying region on the first circuit board. The inner circumferential surface of the guide sleeve may be substantially cylindrical at locations adjacent the mounting end of the guide sleeve. However, the inner circumferential surface of the guide sleeve may be chamfered to define an outward taper adjacent the mating end.
The coaxial connector includes an outer contact assembly with a generally tubular base. The base has a mounting end, a mating end and an inner circumferential surface extending between the ends. The mounting end of the base is fixed to the second circuit board and is connected electrically to the second ground. The mating end of the base may be characterized by an inwardly extending flange with an inside diameter less than the inside diameter of the inner circumferential surface of the base at locations spaced from the flange.
The outer contact assembly further includes a floating outer contact with a mounting end, a mating end and inner and outer circumferential surfaces extending between the ends. The floating outer contact preferably includes an outwardly extending flange at the mounting end. The outwardly extending flange of the floating outer contact is disposed between the second circuit board and the flange at the mating end of the base of the outer contact assembly. The flange at the mounting end of the floating outer contact defines an outside diameter that is greater than the inside diameter of the flange at the mating end of the base of the outer contact assembly. However, the outer diameter of the flange at the mounting end of the floating outer contact is less than the inside diameter of the inner circumferential surface of the base at locations adjacent the flange. The outside diameter of the floating outer contact at locations adjacent the flange are less than the inside diameter of the flange at the mating end of the base. Thus, the floating outer contact can float both radially and axially relative to the base of the outer contact assembly, but cannot be separated from the base of the outer contact assembly.
The mating end of the floating outer contact may have an inwardly extending flange. However,
Applied Engineering Products, Inc.
Hammond Briggitte R.
Paumen Gary
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