Coaxial cable angle connector

• US 4,911,660 A
• Filed: 02/23/1989
• Issued: 03/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Rustenbach, Bernd, Alf, Reinhard, Klinkwitz, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Pirlot, David
• Application Number:
  US07/315,212
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578-585, 439/675, 439/877-882, 439/322, 439/466, 439/468, 439/473, 439/694, 439/749, 439/855, 439/736, 439/607-610
• US Class Current: 439/585
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0518 Connection to outer conductor by crimping or by crimping ferrule

Abstract

To provide for rapid manufacture and ease of assembly, the coaxial connector is formed by an inner center terminal element having a central prong and two clamping elements projecting radially therefrom, the one closest to the prong being clamped over the center conductor (16) of the connecting cable and a further one being clamped or crimped over the insulating jacket of the coaxial cable to be connected, to provide for strain relief. The outer terminal element (25) is a cup-shaped structure which is also formed with a clamping extension (24) projecting radially from the bottom of the wall of the clamping projection and crimped over the outer or sleeve conductor of the coaxial cable (15); the entire assembly is surrounded by injection molding compound which also maintains separation of the clamping extension (24) and the connecting strap (23) with respect to the clamping extensions (13, 14) of the inner conductor.

Claims

1. A fast-assembling internally strain-relieved angle connector (11) in combination with a coaxial cable (15), in which the coaxial cable has

a center conductor (16);

an insulating jacket (17) surrounding the center conductor; and

wherein

the angle connector (11) comprises

a unitary metallic center terminal element (10) including

a cylindrical prong (12) which is formed as a cylindrical sheet-metal element;

two generally U-shaped clamping elements (13,

     14);

a first strap or bridge portion (18) angled off radially at essentially a right angle from said prong (12) and connecting the prong (12) and a first one of the clamping elements (13), and

a second strap or bridge portion (19) connecting the first one of the clamping elements and a second one (14) of the clamping elements,

the first one (13) of the clamping elements being clamped on the center conductor (16) of the coaxial cable and the second one (14) of the clamping elements being clamped on the insulating jacket (17) of the coaxial cable to provide a strain relief;

a single unitary metallic outer sheet-metal cup-shaped terminal element (25) including

a unitary, circumferentially continuous, essentially cylindrical portion (22) defining a cup axis,

a bottom wall portion (31),

a clamping portion (24) projecting radially from the bottom wall portion (31), and

a bridge or connecting strap portion (23) connecting the clamping portion (24) and the bottom wall portion (31);

wherein said bridge or connecting strap portion (23) spans over said two clamping elements (13,

     14) and the respective first and second bridge or strap portions (18,

     19) connecting said two clamping elements to the prong (12) with a separating clearance;

said cup axis extends at right angle to said coaxial cable;

wherein penetration openings (34) are formed in said bottom wall portion (31);

said cylindrical portion (22) is formed with an insertion opening (21) dimensioned to receive at least one of the clamping elements (13,

     14) and at least one of said at least first and second bridge or strap portions (18,

     19) of the center terminal element (10); and

wherein a plastic injection molding compound is provided, surrounding the end portion of the coaxial cable (15) and the entire outer surface of the outer terminal element (25), and further embedding said first and second clamping elements (13,

     14) and said first and second strap or bridge portions (18,

     19),

said injection molding compound being further injected in the space defined by said separating clearance to maintain the electrical separation of the outer terminal element (25) and the center terminal element (10) and penetrating through the penetration openings (34) in the inside of said cup-shaped outer terminal element and adjacent the wall portion (31) thereof;

wherein the cylindrical portion (22) of the metallic outer terminal (25) is formed with axial slits extending through the outer edge of said cylindrical portion, leaving regions of said cylindrical portion between said axial slits, and the terminal regions of said portions between said axial slits are formed with a conical enlargement (27) at the free end thereof, said slits extending through said free ends;

and wherein said injection molding compound surrounding the outer terminal element extends to said edge and over said enlargement (27) and provides resilient mechanical support to the regions of the outer terminal element between said axial slits.

2. A fast-assembling, internally strain-relieved angle connector (11) in combination with a coaxial cable (15), in which the coaxial cable has

a center conductor (16);

an insulating jacket (17) surrounding the center conductor;

an outer sleeve conductor (30); and

wherein

the angle connector (11) comprises

a unitary metallic center terminal element (10) including

a cylindrical prong (12) which is formed as a cylindrical sheet-metal element;

two generally U-shaped clamping elements (13,

     14), each having projecting legs and a connecting portion, said legs extending essentially parallel to said prongs;

a first bridge or strap portion (18) angled off radially at essentially a right angle from said prong (12) and connecting the prong (12) and the connecting portion of a first one of the clamping elements (13), located adjacent said prong, and

a second bridge or strap portion (19) connecting the connecting portion of the first one of the clamping elements and the connecting portion of a second one (14) of the clamping elements;

the legs of the first one (13) of the clamping elements being clamped on the center conductor (16) of the coaxial cable and the legs of the second one (14) of the clamping elements being clamped on the insulating jacket (17) of the coaxial cable to provide a strain relief;

a single unitary metallic outer sheet-metal cup-shaped terminal element (25) including

a unitary, circumferentially continuous, essentially cylindrical portion (22) defining a cup axis,

a bottom wall portion (31),

a cup clamping portion (24) projecting radially from the bottom wall portion (31), having clamping legs, and

a cup bridge or connecting strap portion (23) connecting the cup clamping portion (24) and the bottom wall portion (31);

wherein said cup bridge or connecting strap portion (23) spans over the connecting portion of said two clamping elements (13,

     14) and over both the first and second bridge or strap portions (18,

     19) connecting said two clamping elements to the prong (12) with a separating clearance and is clamped on the outer sleeve conductor (30);

said cup axis extends at right angle to said coaxial cable and at essentially a right angle with respect to said cup bridge or connecting strap portion;

wherein penetration openings (34) are formed in said bottom wall portion (31);

said cylindrical portion (22) is formed with an insertion opening (21) dimensioned to receive at least one of the clamping elements (13,

     14) and at least one of said at least first and second bridge or strap portions (18,

     19) of the center terminal element (10); and

wherein a plastic injection molding compound is provided, surrounding the end portion of the coaxial cable (15) and the entire outer surface of the outer terminal element (25), and further embedding said first and second clamping elements (13,

     14) and said first and second strap or bridge portions (18,

     19), and

said injection molding compound being further injected in the space defined by said separating clearance to maintain the electrical separation of the outer terminal element (25) and the center terminal element (10) and penetrating through the penetration openings (34) in the inside of said cup-shaped outer terminal element and adjacent the wall portion (31) thereof.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said cylindrical portion (22) is formed with a conical enlargement (27) at a free end thereof.

4. A fast-assembling, internally strain-relieved angle connector (11) in combination with a coaxial cable (15), in which the coaxial cable has

a center conductor (16);

an insulating jacket (17) surrounding the center conductor;

an outer sleeve conductor (30); and

wherein

the angle connector (11) comprises

a unitary metallic center terminal element (10) including

a cylindrical prong (12) which is formed as a cylindrical sheet-metal element;

two generally U-shaped clamping elements (13,

     14), each having projecting legs and a connecting portion, said legs extending essentially parallel to said prongs;

a first bridge or strap portion (18) angled off radially at essentially a right angle from said prong (12) and connecting the prong (12) and the connecting portion of a first one of the clamping elements (13), located adjacent said prong, and

a second bridge or strap portion (19) connecting the connecting portion of the first one of the clamping elements and the connecting portion of a second one (14) of the clamping elements;

the legs of the first one (13) of the clamping elements being clamped on the center conductor (16) of the coaxial cable and the legs of the second one (14) of the clamping elements being clamped on the insulating jacket (17) of the coaxial cable to provide a strain relief;

a single unitary metallic outer sheet-metal cup-shaped terminal element (25) including

a unitary, circumferentially continuous, essentially cylindrical portion (22) defining a cup axis,

a bottom wall portion (31),

a cup clamping portion (24) projecting radially from the bottom wall portion (31), having clamping legs, and

a cup bridge or connecting strap portion (23) connecting the cup clamping portion (24) and the bottom wall portion (31);

wherein said cup bridge or connecting strap portion (23) spans over the connecting portion of said two clamping elements (13,

     14) and over both the first and second bridge or strap portions (18,

     19) connecting said two clamping elements to the prong (12) with a separating clearance and is clamped on the outer sleeve conductor (30);

said cup axis extends at right angle to said coaxial cable and at essentially a right angle with respect to said cup bridge or connecting strap portion;

wherein penetration openings (34) are formed in said bottom wall portion (31);

said cylindrical portion (22) is formed with an insertion opening (21) dimensioned to receive at least one of the clamping elements (13,

     14) and at least one of said at least first and second bridge or strap portions (18,

     19) of the center terminal element (10); and

wherein a plastic injection molding compound is provided, surrounding the end portion of the coaxial cable (15) and the entire outer surface of the outer terminal element (25), and further embedding said first and second clamping elements (13,

     14) and said first and second strap or bridge portions (18,

     19),

said injection molding compound being further injected in the space defined by said separating clearance to maintain the electrical separation of the outer terminal element (25) and the center terminal element (10) and penetrating through the penetration openings (34) in the inside of said cup-shaped outer terminal element and adjacent the wall portion (31) thereof; and

wherein the cylindrical portion (22) of the metallic outer terminal element (25) is formed with axial slits, said injection molding compound surrounding the outer terminal element (25) and providing resilient mechanical support to said outer terminal element in the region between the axial slits thereof.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said cylindrical portion (22) is formed with a conical enlargement (27) at the free end thereof.