Coaxial connector

• US 4,915,651 A
• Filed: 10/17/1988
• Issued: 04/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T and Philips Telecommunications BV (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T and Philips Telecommunications BV (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bout, Willem J. F.
• Primary Examiner(s): BILINSKY, ZENON
• Application Number:
  US07/258,356
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578, 439/579, 439/580, 439/581, 439/582, 439/583, 439/584, 439/585, 439/372
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/566 Hollow cables

Abstract

The connector comprises two conector portions (1, 3), each of which comprises an inner contact member (5, 49) which is coaxially surrounded by an outer contact member (23, 59) whereto it is mechanically connected via an insulating body (9, 53). At its free end each contact member (5, 23, 49, 59) comprises a contact face (5'"'"', 23'"'"', 49'"'"', 59'"'"') which extends perpendicularly to its axis, at least one (5'"'"', 59'"'"') of each pair of cooperating contact faces (5'"'"', 23'"'"'; 49'"'"', 59'"'"') being so large that, after the coupling of the two connector portions (1, 3), a suitable electrical connection is realized between the cooperating contact members (5, 23; 49, 59) it the axes of the two connector portions have been displaced with respect to one another no more than a predetermined distance (d). The contact members (5, 23) of at least the first connector portion (1) are independently movable in the axial direction against the force of a spring (19, 29) in order to compensate for axial tolerances in the position of the connector portions (1, 3).

Claims

1. A coaxial connector, comprising a first and a second connector portion, each of which comprises an electrically conductive inner contact member which is coaxially surrounded by an electrically conductive outer contact member whereto it is mechanically connected via an electrically insulating body, and a spring, the free end of each of the contact members having a contact face which extends perpendicularly to the axis of the contact member, corresponding contact faces of the two connector portions being capable of cooperating, at least one of each pair of cooperating contact faces having a predetermined contact area such that, after the coupling of the two contact portions, a suitable electrical connection exists between the cooperating contact members if the axis of the first connector portion has been shifted with respect to the axis of the second connector portion over no more than a predetermined distance, the contact members of at least the first connector portion being independently movable in the axial direction, against the force of the spring with respect to the insulating body, at least the first connector portion comprising an electrically conductive, tubular extension which is rigidly connected to the insulating body and the inner surface of which serves as a bearing for an axially movable inner contact carrier which carries the inner contact member, its outer surface acting as a bearing for an axially movable outer contact carrier which carries the outer contact member, an inner coiled spring being provided between a radially outwards projecting shoulder of the inner contact carrier and a radially inwards projecting shoulder of the extension, an outer coiled spring being provided between radially outwards projecting shoulders of the outer contact carrier and the extension.

2. A connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in the outer contact carrier there is provided a chamber which opens towards the interior and in which there is arranged an elastic, electrically conductive ring which is electrically conductively connected to the outer contact member and the extension.

3. A connector as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer contact carrier surrounds the extension with a radial clearance so that the outer contact carrier can be tilted through a predetermined angle with respect to the extension.