Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – For receiving coaxial connector
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-30
2001-10-02
Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
For receiving coaxial connector
C439S188000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296492
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a receptacle for a coaxial plug connector, and more particularly to such a receptacle of compact design.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As disclosed in WO 98/31078, a receptacle has been proposed in combination with a self-aligning coaxial plug connector to facilitate a one-touch connection, while compensating for misalignment of the plug and the receptacle. Particularly in the field of connecting a mobile phone to a cradle in a vehicle for switching a signal line from a phone's internal antenna to an external antenna installed on the vehicle, the receptacle on the side of the mobile phone is required to have a set of contacts for switching the signal line, in addition to a center electrode and an outer electrode respectively for connection with a center conductor post and an outer conductor tube of the plug connector. The above publication teaches the use of a pin as the center electrode projecting into a socket for receiving the plug end and two other separate parts, one being a spring member carrying a movable contact, and the other defining a fixed contact which is engageable with the movable contact to provide a normally-closed switch for switching the signal line. The pin is mounted to a dielectric mold to have its one end projecting into the socket and to have the other end engaged with the spring member so that, upon the pin comes into contact with the center conductor post, the pin pushes and deform the spring member resiliently for opening the contacts, thus establishing the signal line leading to an transceiver circuit of the mobile phone from the external antenna through the plug connector, the pin, and the spring member. As the pin and the spring member are arranged in tandem along the axis of the receptacle for enabling the above switching, the length of the pin adds an extra height dimension to the receptacle, which is a hindrance to making the receptacle compact. Further, the pin itself adds the number of discrete parts for assembly the receptacle, resulting in a manufacture cost increase.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above insufficiency has been reduced in the present invention which provides an improved receptacle adapted for mating connection with a coaxial plug connector and capable of being made compact with a reduced manufacturing cost. The receptacle in accordance with the present invention comprises a dielectric mold having a cavity, an outer conductor shield fitted on top of the mold, a single spring member, and a single fixed contact member. The conductor shield is formed with an electrode socket for connection with an outer conductor tube of the coaxial plug connector. The electrode socket has at its axial end a bottom with a center opening which communicates with the cavity of the mold. The outer conductor shield includes a ground terminal lug projecting outwardly of the mold for electrical connection with an external circuit. The spring member is mounted to the mold and has a center electrode resiliently movable along the axis of the socket. The center electrode extends from the cavity into the center opening of the socket for pressed contact with a center conductor post of the coaxial plug connector. The spring member carries a movable contact which is disposed within the cavity and is movable together with the center electrode, and includes a first signal terminal lug projecting outwardly of the mold for electrical connection with the external circuit. The fixed contact member is also mounted to the mold and has a fixed contact which is normally engaged with the movable contact due to the bias of the spring member and is disengaged from the movable contact when the center electrode is depressed by the center conductor post of the coaxial plug connector. The fixed contact member includes a second terminal lug projecting outwardly of the mold for electrical connection with the external circuit. Thus, the receptacle can be assembled from only four discrete parts, while giving the signal line switching operation in response to receiving the coaxial plug connector. Further, since the center electrode extends integrally from the spring member into the socket for direct contact with the center conductor post of the coaxial plug connector, the receptacle can be dispensed with any additional separate contact member which would adds an extra length or height to the receptacle. Accordingly, the receptacle can be made compact particularly with respect to the height dimension and be assembled with the reduced manufacturing cost.
In the preferred embodiment, the outer conductor shield is supported onto the peripheral wall of the mold to project the bottom of the socket into the cavity. Thus, the mold can absorb a fraction of the socket length required for receiving the plug connector, thereby minimizing the height of the receptacle.
The spring member is preferably formed by a single metal sheet to have the center electrode integrally struck therefrom and the movable contact bulged therefrom, simplifying the structure of the combination of the center electrode and the movable contact for reduced manufacturing cost.
Further, the spring member may be formed with a first stab at an intermediate portion between the first terminal lug and the center electrode. The first stab is inserted into the mold for mounting the spring member to the mold. The movable contact is located at a portion adjacent the center electrode and opposite of the first stab from the center electrode so as to have sufficient stroke for opening the contacts.
The center electrode may be designed to have a resiliently deformable contact tip for pressed contact with the center conductor post of the coaxial plug connector.
Preferably, the movable contact is disposed within the cavity behind the bottom of the socket to be spaced from the center opening in a lateral direction perpendicular to the axis of the socket. Thus, the movable contact is concealed behind the bottom of the socket and to be protected from being jammed up by a foreign matter.
In order to give a sufficient stroke to the center electrode as well as the movable spring with a limited length of the spring member, the spring member is specially configured to have a bent portion extending between the first stab and the center electrode.
In the preferred embodiment, the center electrode is of an L-shaped configuration to have a vertical leg extending along the axis of the socket and a contact tip extending horizontally from one end of the leg in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the socket for direct contact with the center conductor post of the coaxial plug connector. Further, the contact tip may have a return bent tab extending back into the center opening to reduce a gap between the contact tip and the periphery of the opening so as to prevent the clogging of a foreign matter which would impede the movement of the center electrode.
In the meanwhile, thus configured receptacle can be suitably combined with the coaxial plug connector having a compact structure. The plug connector includes a mount base adapted to be fixed to a mounting structure; and a coaxial plug having a longitudinal axis and supported to the mount base to project therefrom. The coaxial plug has an insertion end at one axial end thereof for mating connection with the receptacle and has an anchor end at the opposite axial end for connection with the coaxial cable. The outer conductor tube of the plug surrounds the center conductor post in an electrically insulating relation therefrom by means of a dielectric member fitted within the outer conductor tube. The dielectric member occupies a fraction of a space between the center conductor post and the outer conductor tube, thereby leaving an air layer extending along the length of the coaxial plug within the space. By provision of the air layer along the coaxial plug, the outer conductor tube can be spaced from the center conductor post by a reduced radial distance due to the large dielectric constant of the air layer, t
Fujimoto Masaki
Hashimoto Takeshi
Hoshino Narutoshi
Inaba Yoshihisa
Kato Shuji
Matsushita Electric & Works Ltd.
Nguyen Khiem
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
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