Electrical connectors – Including or for use with coaxial cable – Having means for interconnecting outer conductors of three...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2001-10-23
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Including or for use with coaxial cable
Having means for interconnecting outer conductors of three...
C439S695000, C439S697000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305979
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a micro connector assembly for link with a remote micro coaxial cable, and particularity to a micro connector assembly for electrical and mechanical contact with an external mating connector.
2. The Prior Art
In a conventional micro connector as introduced in U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,369 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 09-055243, a plurality of conductive cores of a flat cable are respectively fitted into several notches defined inside a main body of the connector. An elongated contact bar composed of an insulating material is then placed inside a groove of the main body defined perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each notch thereby locating above the conductive cores in perpendicular relationship. Eventually, an insulative cover is restrainedly attached above the main body to press down the conductive cores via the contact bar. Thus, the conductive cores each relatively deflects down a spring contact arm of one of the contacts in a main body of the connector thereby establishing electrical connection between the cable and the contacts.
However, such a said connector has poor mechanical connection with the cable because of the absence of an efficient horizontal retention means to prevent the separation of the cable from connector or the conductive cores of the cable from cable after action of an excessive withdrawing force thereon. Furthermore, during the process of the moveable installation of the cover within the main body, a permanent deformation may happen in either of the spring contact arms due to improper operation. The minimized dimension and flexibility of the conductive cores will increase difficulty and inconvenience of the assembly with the corresponding notches of the main body or the poor engagement with the contact arm under the absence of an orientation means thereon.
Another conventional design on the micro type connector like Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 10-321314 and 10-255921 introduces that a cable holder of the connector defines a row of U-shaped grooves at a front end for reception of the corresponding conductive cores of the coaxial cable therein. When the grooves of the cable holder are respectively fitted and inserted between a tuning fork type tips of the corresponding contact, the upper and lower side tips of the contacts are brought to press down the conductive cores on one side/reversed sides of the U-shaped grooves. However, the fork type tips of the contact or the conductive cores are easily damaged or permanently deformed due to tight fit therebetween resulting from restriction of a housing where the contacts are received. The tight fit is still insufficient to firmly retain the cable holder with the housing, especially in exercise of an excessive full force on the cable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved micro connector assembly for easily and firmly linking with a plurality of micro coaxial cables.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an orientation means formed within several passageways of a rear housing member of the connector so as to accurately and speedily placing a plurality of conductive cores within the corresponding passageways.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved micro connector assembly having improved structure for securely retaining contact sections of a plurality of contacts therein and enabling the contacts to reliably engage with contacts of a mating connector.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of a male connector and a female connector firmly linking with a plurality of micro coaxial cables.
To fulfill the above mentioned objects, according to several embodiments of the present invention, a micro coaxial cable connector includes a front and a rear housing members, a cable set with a plurality of cables, and a plurality of contacts. The front housing member includes a plurality of grooves horizontally extending therethrough and a pair of channels with swellings formed therein. Each contact consists of a contact section at a free end for electrical contact with the mating connector, a first retention section at a middle region, a tail section at an opposite end, and a second retention section formed on the tail section. The cable set consists of juxtaposed cables and grounding bar. Each cable includes a signal segment at a free end thereof and a grounding segment insulated from and adjacent to the signal segment. The grounding bar consists of an upper and lower conductive plates soldered to opposite surfaces of the grounding segment of each of the cables. The rear housing member defines a plurality of passageways, a pair of latch portions with bow sections, and a pair of spaced orientating walls adjacent to a rear portion of the passageways thereby constituting an elongated slot for receiving the grounding bar jointed with the cables therein. Each passageway further forms a pair of protrusions on opposite lateral walls thereof for cooperating with said second retention section of the contacts. An orientating raise is selectively disposed at a rear of each of the passageways to orient the signal segment of each of the cables in front-and-rear direction. The front housing member includes improved structure that reliably urges and partially encloses contact sections of the contacts, thereby protecting the contact sections and ensuring secure engagement of the contact sections with contact elements of a mating connector.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4169650 (1979-10-01), Schweizer
patent: 4365856 (1982-12-01), Yaegashi et al.
patent: 4550971 (1985-11-01), Gentric
patent: 4682840 (1987-07-01), Lockard
patent: 4993968 (1991-02-01), Guletsky et al.
patent: 5026304 (1991-06-01), Furrow
patent: 5085596 (1992-02-01), Bowen et al.
patent: 5241135 (1993-08-01), Fetzer
patent: 3733070 (1989-04-01), None
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Paumen Gary F.
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