Electrical connectors – Including or for use with coaxial cable – Having crimpable metallic cable conductor grip
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2001-04-03
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Including or for use with coaxial cable
Having crimpable metallic cable conductor grip
C439S877000, C439S616000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210223
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shielded connector, a set of shielded connectors and a method for connecting a shielded connector with a shielded cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known shielded connector is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 5-27983, and is illustrated in
FIGS. 6-8
. This prior art terminal
1
is provided with an inner terminal
2
and an outer terminal
3
. Three crimping portions also are provided, namely, an inner conductor crimping portion
2
a
on the inner terminal
2
, an outer conductor crimping portion
3
b
on the outer terminal
3
and a sheath crimping portion
3
c
also on the outer terminal
3
.
A prior art shielded cable
2
is processed for connection to the prior art shielded connector
1
. As part of this processing, an inner conductor
51
of the shielded cable
50
is exposed by stripping a sheath
54
, an outer conductor
52
and an insulating element
53
at an end of the shielded cable
50
. The inner conductor crimping portion
2
a
of the prior art inner terminal
2
will be fastened to this exposed end of inner conductor
51
. An additional portion of the sheath
54
is stripped at this end of the shielded cable
50
to expose the outer conductor
52
. The outer conductor crimping portion
3
b
of the prior art terminal
3
will be fastened to the exposed portion
56
of the outer conductor
52
, and the sheath crimping portion
3
c
of the prior art terminal
3
will be fastened to the sheath
54
at the end of the shielded cable
50
located behind the exposed portion
56
.
The three crimping portions are crimped simultaneously after the aforementioned shielded connector
1
is placed in a crimper. Since the inner terminal
2
is crimped after being accommodated in the outer terminal
3
, it is essential for the outer terminal
3
to be formed with openings
3
a
in its top and bottom walls in order for crimping molds of the crimper to reach the inner terminal
2
accommodated in the outer terminal
3
. However, because of the presence of the openings
3
a
, a portion of the inner conductor
51
not covered by the outer conductor
52
and the inner terminal
2
are exposed to the outside through the openings
3
a
. This exposure reduces shielding. Thus, depending on the situation, it is necessary to apply additional shielding using another member.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to provide a shielded connector, a set of shielded connectors and a method for connecting a shielded connector with a shielded cable allowing for an improved shielding characteristic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a shielded connector that is connectable with a shielded cable. The shielded cable has an insulating element provided between inner and outer conductors. The outer surface of the outer conductor of the shielded cable is covered by a sheath. The shielded connector comprises an inner terminal that is connectable with the inner conductor. The connector also comprises an outer terminal which is adapted to at least partly accommodate the inner terminal with a dielectric element provided therebetween. The outer connector is connectable with the outer conductor of the shielded cable. The inner terminal is or can be fastened to the inner conductor of the shielded cable at a location that is at least partly outside the outer terminal. A covering portion extends from the outer connector and surrounds at least three sides of that portion of the inner terminal to be fastened to the inner conductor.
According to a preferred embodiment, the outer terminal is formed to be fastened to the outer conductor of the shielded cable while the inner terminal is connected with the inner conductor.
According to a further preferred embodiment, a shielded connector is connectable with a shielded cable. The cable includes an insulating element between inner and outer conductors, and the outer surface of the outer conductor is covered by a sheath. The shielded connector comprises an inner terminal connectable with the inner conductor. An outer terminal is adapted to accommodate the inner terminal with a dielectric element provided therebetween. The outer terminal also is connectable with the outer conductor. The inner terminal is fastened to the inner conductor of the shielded cable outside the outer terminal. The outer terminal is formed to be fastened to the outer conductor of the shielded cable with the inner terminal connected with the inner conductor. A portion of the inner terminal that is to be fastened to the inner conductor is surrounded at least on three sides by wall surfaces.
Accordingly, the outer terminal needs not be formed with openings for the insertion of crimping molds and are therefore allowed to have closed surfaces since the inner terminal is fastened outside the outer terminal. Thus, the inner conductor not covered by the outer conductor and a portion of the inner conductor fastened to the inner conductor can be covered at least on three sides by the wall surfaces of the outer terminal. As a result, shielding performance can be improved.
Preferably, the outer conductor is at least partly folded back over the sheath thereby forming a folded portion, and the outer terminal is formed with a crimping portion which can be fastened at least partly to the folded portion or both to the folded portion of the outer conductor and to the sheath. Thus the outer terminal can be fastened to the outer conductor and the sheath by one crimping operation. Accordingly, the crimping molds for crimping the outer terminal can be constructed to crimp one crimping portion, and do not need to be constructed in conformity with a plurality of crimping portions along the length of the outer terminal. Therefore, the crimping molds are allowed to have a simple construction and portions of the crimping molds that correspond to the crimping portion can be made shorter.
Most preferably, a portion of the inner terminal to be fastened to the inner conductor is surrounded on three sides by the wall surfaces. Thus, the outer terminal leaves only one surface open. A mating connector is constructed similarly. Additionally the two mateable connectors are oriented during mating such that open surfaces of the respective outer terminals face in opposite directions. Accordingly, the radiation characteristic can be balanced by connecting the male and female shielding connectors with the open surfaces thereof faced in opposite directions. The radiation characteristic is influential on the high-frequency signal transmitted. As a result the shielding characteristic can be improved by the balancing of the radiation characteristic.
According to the invention, there is further provided a set of shielded connectors. A first shielded connector in the set has a portion of the inner terminal to be fastened to the inner conductor substantially surrounded on three sides by the covering portion. Thus only one surface is left substantially open. A second mating connector in the set is constructed similarly, but is connectable to the first shielded connector such that the substantially open surface of its outer terminal faces in a different direction, and preferably a substantially opposite direction.
The invention also is directed to a method for connecting or crimping a shielded connector, with a shielded cable. The shielded cable has an insulating element provided between inner and outer conductors, and the outer surface of the outer conductor is covered by a sheath. The method comprises fastening an inner terminal of the shielded connector to the inner conductor of the shielded cable at least partly outside an outer terminal of the shielded connector. The method then comprises substantially covering with a covering portion of the outer terminal at least three sides of the section of the inner terminal to be fastened to the inner conductor.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method further compri
Aoyama Masahiko
Koide Takashi
Saito Masashi
Tanaka Masahiro
Casella Anthony J.
Hespos Gerald E.
Hyeon Hae Moon
Porco Michael J.
Sircus Brian
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