COAXIAL CONNECTOR WITH INTEGRATED MATING FORCE SENSOR AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF
First Claim
1. A male coaxial cable connector for connecting a coaxial cable to a female mating component, the female mating component having a conductive interface sleeve, the male coaxial cable connector comprising:
- a connector body, configured to receive a coaxial cable;
a male center conductor contact, electrically coupled to the coaxial cable;
a conductive interface sleeve, coaxially surrounding at least a portion of the male center conductor contact;
a sensor insulator, spanning a radial distance between the conductive interface sleeve and the male center conductor contact;
a capacitive circuit positioned on a sensor face of the sensor insulator; and
,a flexible abutment member having a cavity wall, wherein the cavity wall at least partially defines a capacitive space between the sensor face of the sensor insulator and the flexible abutment member, wherein the cavity wall is movable upon the application of mating forces upon the flexible abutment member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mating force sensing coaxial cable connector is provided, the connector comprising: a connector body; a sensing circuit positioned on a face of an sensor insulator, the sensor insulator located at least partially within the connector body; a capacitive space in immediate proximity with the face of the sensor insulator upon which the sensing circuit is positioned; and a flexible abutment member having a portion thereof forming at least one boundary surface of the capacitive space, said flexible abutment member being movable due to mating forces.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A male coaxial cable connector for connecting a coaxial cable to a female mating component, the female mating component having a conductive interface sleeve, the male coaxial cable connector comprising:
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a connector body, configured to receive a coaxial cable; a male center conductor contact, electrically coupled to the coaxial cable; a conductive interface sleeve, coaxially surrounding at least a portion of the male center conductor contact; a sensor insulator, spanning a radial distance between the conductive interface sleeve and the male center conductor contact; a capacitive circuit positioned on a sensor face of the sensor insulator; and
,a flexible abutment member having a cavity wall, wherein the cavity wall at least partially defines a capacitive space between the sensor face of the sensor insulator and the flexible abutment member, wherein the cavity wall is movable upon the application of mating forces upon the flexible abutment member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A male coaxial cable connector comprising:
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a male center conductor; a capacitive circuit positioned on a sensor face of a sensor insulator, the sensor insulator positioned within the connector to rigidly suspend the male center conductor contact in a coaxial location with respect to an outer connector body; a flexible abutment member having a cavity wall, the cavity wall located proximate the sensor face of the sensor insulator, the cavity wall of the flexible abutment member being movable due to mating forces when the connector is connected to a mating component; and a capacitive cavity located between the sensor face of the sensor insulator and the cavity wall of the flexible abutment member;
wherein the cavity wall of the flexible abutment member forms at least one boundary surface of the capacitive cavity, and the sensor face of the sensor insulator forms at least another boundary surface of the capacitive space. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A mating force sensing male coaxial cable connector comprising:
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a sensing circuit printed on the face of a sensor insulator positioned to rigidly suspend a male center conductor contact within an outer conducting sleeve; and a capacitive space in proximity with the sensing circuit, said capacitive space having at least one defining wall configured to undergo elastic deformation as a result of mating forces. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A male coaxial cable connector comprising:
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a connector body; an sensor insulator and a flexible abutment member at least partially housed by the connector body; a capacitive space formed between the sensor insulator and the flexible abutment member; and means for sensing proper mating by determining a change in size of the capacitive space due to mating forces. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method for detecting mating force of a mated male coaxial cable connector, said method comprising:
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providing a male coaxial cable connector including; a sensing circuit positioned on a face of a spacer component located within a connector body; a capacitive space in immediate proximity with the sensing circuit; and a flexible abutment member having a portion thereof forming at least one boundary surface of the capacitive space, said portion of the flexible abutment member being movable due to mating forces; mating the male connector with a connecting female device; bending the an axially displaceable element of the flexible abutment member to move the boundary surface portion thereof due to contact with the connecting female device during mating, thereby reducing the size of capacitive space; and detecting mating force by sensing the reduction of size of the capacitive space by the sensing circuit. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification