SUBMINIATURE COAXIAL CONTACT

• US 3,757,278 A
• Filed: 10/19/1971
• Issued: 09/04/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William Ludlow Schumacher
• Original Assignee: William Ludlow Schumacher
• Inventors: Schumacher, William Ludlow
• Primary Examiner(s): Champion, Marvin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Staab, Lawrence J.
• Application Number:
  US05/190,507
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 29/629 174/75C,88C,89 339/6C,89C,9C,91P,94C,126J,177R,177E,183
• US Class Current: 439/585
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0518 Connection to outer conductor by crimping or by crimping ferrule
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49123 Co-axial cable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

A subminiature coaxial contact is provided with a cavity in one end for receiving a center conductor of a small-size coaxial cable and has a dielectric sleeve movably positioned thereon being initially disposed intermediate the ends thereof. The contact is insertable into one end of a connector housing having a shoulder stop therein against which the dielectric sleeve registers so that upon continued insertion the dielectric sleeve is caused to slidably traverse the contact until it is positioned against the end of the coaxial cable insulating sheath. The dielectric sleeve thus may serve as a positioner or stop for use with a crimping tool so that crimping occurs on the extreme end of the contact whereby bending is at a minimum and also is operative to positively locate the contact in a predictably fixed position in the housing while simultaneously aligning the same diametrically in spaced relation within a small bore therein.

Claims

1. A method of terminating coaxial cable, comprising the steps of:

trimming a coaxial cable to expose a predetermined length of a center conductor thereof from one end of a surrounding insulating sheath;

inserting said center conductor into a forward end portion of a center conductor contact having a rear end portion of reduced diameter and a slidable dielectric member disposed on the rear end of said forward end portion;

crimping the forward end of said forward end portion of said center conductor contact against said center conductor;

inserting said crimped center conductor contact and said slidable dielectric member into an electrically conducting connector housing;

receiving said dielectric member agaiNst a stop inside said connector housing;

further inserting said center conductor contact into said connector housing and causing said dielectric member to slidably traverse said forward end portion of said center conductor contact so as to be disposed over said crimped forward end of said forward end portion;

stopping said dielectric member against an end of said coaxial cable insulating sheath; and

crimping the outer braid of said coaxial cable into electrical contact with the outer periphery of the end of said connector housing receiving said center conductor contact.

2. A coaxial connector comprising:

a first elongate center conductor contact having a cavity in one end portion for receiving a center conductor of a coaxial cable and a reduced diameter male contact member on the other end portion, said one end portion being crimpable at one end thereof on said center conductor;

a first dielectric sleeve movably disposed on said first center conductor contact and initially being positioned at another end of said one end portion adjacent said male contact member;

a connector housing having means therein for defining a series of at least three stepped bores of decreasing diameter from a front end of said connector housing for receiving said center conductor contact, thereby forming at least two spaced shoulder stops therein;

said first dielectric sleeve being slidable in the first of said series of stepped bores and engageable with the first of said at least two shoulder stops from said front end of said connector housing upon insertion of said first center conductor contact therein, and upon further insertion being slidably displaced on said one end portion of said first center conductor contact toward the crimpable end thereof;

a second dielectric sleeve disposed on said male contact member of said first center conductor contact being smaller in diameter than said first dielectric sleeve on said one end portion thereof and further being slidable in the second of said series of stepped bores and engageable with the second of said at least two shoulder stops from said front end of said connector housing;

a second elongate center conductor contact having a cavity in one end portion for receiving a center conductor of another coaxial cable and a reduced diameter female contact member on the other end portion, said one end portion being crimpable at one end thereof on said center conductor;

a third dielectric sleeve movably disposed on said second center conductor contact and initially being positioned at another end of said one end portion adjacent said female contact member;

a second connector housing having means for defining at least a pair of stepped bores of decreasing diameter from a front end of said second connector housing for receiving said second center conductor contact, thereby forming at least one shoulder stop therein;

said third dielectric sleeve upon insertion of said second center conductor contact into said second connector housing being engageable with said at least one shoulder stop and upon continued insertion of said second center conductor contact being caused to be displaced on said one end portion toward the crimpable end thereof;

a collar disposed in the rear bore of said second connector housing and projecting slightly therefrom;

spring contact members on the rear end of said first connector housing for engagably receiving the rear end of said second connector housing with said projecting collar being slidable in the rearmost of said series of stepped bores in said first connector housing so as to engage said male contact member in said female contact member; and

stop means in the rear end of said first connector housing for limiting the insertion therein of said second connector housing.