COAXIAL CONNECTOR WITH INTEGRATED MOLDED SUBSTRATE AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

• US 20110130034A1
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.), Rochester Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Vaughan, Ryan, Montena, Noah, Bowman, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,419,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/42 comprising impedance matching means or electrical components, e.g. filters or switches

Abstract

A substrate structure is provided, the substrate structure comprising: a molded substrate located within a connector body of a coaxial cable connector and an electrical structure mechanically connected to the molded substrate. The electrical structure is located in a position that is external to a signal path of a radio frequency (RF) signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector.

Claims

1. A substrate structure comprising:

a molded substrate located within a connector body of a coaxial cable connector; and

an electrical structure mechanically connected to the molded substrate, wherein the electrical structure is located in a position that is external to a signal path of a radio frequency (RF) signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector.

2. The substrate structure of claim 1, wherein the electrical structure comprises a metallic coupler circuit configured to sense the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector, and wherein the metallic coupler circuit is external to and mechanically isolated from a center conductor contact within the coaxial cable connector.

3. The substrate structure of claim 2, further comprising a signal processing circuit mechanically attached to the molded substrate, wherein metallic coupler circuit is configured to extract samples of the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector, and wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to report the samples of said RF signal to a location external to the coaxial cable connector.

4. The substrate structure of claim 2, wherein metallic coupler circuit is configured to extract an energy signal from the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector, and wherein the energy signal is configured to apply power to an electrical device located within the coaxial cable connector.

5. The substrate structure of claim 4, wherein the electrical device is mechanically attached to the molded substrate.

6. The substrate structure of claim 2, wherein the metallic coupler circuit is formed within a surface of the molded substrate structure.

7. The substrate structure of claim 1, wherein the electrical structure comprises metallic traces for connections between electrical components mechanically attached to the molded substrate.

8. The substrate structure of claim 1, wherein the molded substrate comprises a disk structure.

9. The substrate structure of claim 8, wherein the molded substrate is positioned to axially align center conductor contact within the connector body.

10. The substrate structure of claim 1, wherein the molded substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of syndiotactic polystyrene and a liquid crystal polymer.

11. A coaxial cable connector for connection to a coaxial cable, the connector comprising:

a connector body; and

a molded substrate structure located within the connector body, wherein the molded substrate structure comprises an electrical structure mechanically connected to the molded substrate structure, wherein the electrical structure is located in a position that is external to a signal path of a radio frequency (RF) signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector.

12. The coaxial cable connector of claim 11, further comprising a center conductor contact electrically and mechanically connected to a center conductor of the coaxial cable.

13. The coaxial cable connector of claim 12, wherein the molded substrate structure is positioned to axially align the center conductor contact within the connector body.

14. The coaxial cable connector of claim 12, wherein the molded substrate structure includes traces positioned at a location to make electrical contact between the center conductor contact and the electrical structure when the connector is assembled.

15. The coaxial cable connector of claim 11, wherein the electrical structure comprises a metallic coupler circuit configured to sense the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector, and wherein the metallic coupler circuit is external to and mechanically isolated from the center conductor contact.

16. The coaxial cable connector of claim 15, wherein the metallic coupler circuit is configured to extract samples of the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector.

17. The coaxial cable connector of claim 15, wherein the metallic coupler circuit is configured to extract an energy signal from the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector, and wherein the energy signal is configured to apply power to an electrical device located within the coaxial cable connector.

18. The coaxial cable connector of claim 15, wherein the metallic coupler circuit is formed within a surface of the molded substrate structure.

19. The coaxial cable connector of claim 11, wherein the electrical structure comprises metallic traces for connections between electrical components mechanically attached to the molded substrate structure.

20. A method comprising:

providing substrate structure comprising a molded substrate located within a connector body of a coaxial cable connector and an electrical structure mechanically connected to the molded substrate, wherein the electrical structure is located in a position that is external to a signal path of a radio frequency (RF) signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector; and

sensing, by the electrical structure, the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the substrate structure further comprises a signal processing circuit mechanically attached to the molded substrate and electrically connected to the electrical structure, and wherein the method further comprises:

extracting, by the electrical structure, samples of the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector; and

reporting, by the signal processing circuit, the samples of the RF signal to a location external to the coaxial cable connector.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

extracting, by the electrical structure, an energy signal from the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector; and

applying, by the energy signal, apply power to an electrical device located within the coaxial cable connector.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

axially aligning, by the molded substrate, a center conductor contact within the connector body.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

forming the substrate structure by a process selected from the group consisting of an injection molding process, a laser activation process, and an electro-less plating process.