Power distributing device comprising a supporting body carrying a number of coaxial connectors of different sizes and method of assembling same

• US 5,131,868 A
• Filed: 03/14/1991
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tekelec Airtronic
• Original Assignee: Tekelec Airtronic
• Inventors: Forterre, Gerard E. E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pirlot, David
• Application Number:
  US07/669,871
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 29/842, 29/843, 29/854, 439/578-585, 439/675, 439/874, 439/650, 439/651, 333/245, 333/246, 333/260, 333/261
• US Class Current: 439/582
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/545 Elbows
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0521 Connection to outer conductor by action of a nut

Abstract

A power distributor device comprising a metal body for supporting a number of coaxial connectors of various dimensions, wherein the inner end of the pin of one connector of greater size exhibits a central recess into which are opening holes extending through the side wall of the recess and adapted to receive the inner ends of the pins of the other connectors, the recess communicating with the outside through a passage-way in the wall of the supporting body which permits the insertion into said recess of a means for electrically connecting said inner ends of the pins of the whole of the connectors, the invention being usable with multicoupling elements.

Claims

1. A power distributor device for interconnecting coaxial connectors of different sizes, the device comprising a metallic hollow support body, a plurality of coaxial connectors each comprising an outer socket element adapted to be fastened onto said support body and an inner pin element coaxially mounted in said socket element and electrically insulated therefrom, each pin element having a longitudinal axis, said support body comprising an outer wall surrounding an inner support body space and passageway through said outer wall opening into said inner space and each passageway adapted to allow the assembly of a coaxial connector onto said support body with the socket element of the respective coaxial connector being engaged in a respective passageway and a respective inner pin element extending through a respective passageway into said inner space and said pin element having an inner end in said inner space, the inner ends of all pin elements being electrically interconnected, the inner end of the pin element of one coaxial connector comprising a receiving pin element and terminating with a front face perpendicular to the axis of the pin element, the front face having a center recess extending from said front face axially inside said end and a plurality of holes extending radially through an end side wall surrounding said recess in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said pin element of said one coaxial connector, and said holes being angularly separated from one another, at least the inner end of the pin elements of the other coaxial connectors having a shape complementary to said radially extending holes, so that each inner end can be received in a radial hole, a passageway being provided in the outer wall of said support body in front of said recess to allow removable insertion into said recess of a means for properly positioning the inner ends of the pin elements of said other connectors within a respective radially extending hole for ensuring identical electric lengths of all connectors within the support body and allowing insertion of means for electrically connecting the inner ends of all connector pin elements within said recess.

2. A distributor device according to claim 1 wherein one connector is of larger size having a pin element comprising two axially aligned parts which may be assembled, the two parts comprising an outer part and an inner part, the inner part having one end engaged in said outer part and a free end shaped to receive the pin elements of the other connectors.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the means for electrically connecting the inner ends of the pin elements of the connectors is a welding agent applicable by means of a soldering iron insertable through said insertion passageway.

4. A distributor device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting body has a parallelepipedic shape and the connectors are each fastened onto one of the outer faces of the body while being orthogonally arranged with respect to each other, the holes for receiving the pin elements being formed of bores extending at right angles to the axis of the receiving pin element and intersecting on the axis of said recess.

5. A distributor device according to claim 4, wherein four connectors may be connected with their pin elements to said one receiving pin element.

6. A distributor device according to claim 4, wherein said center recess comprises an axial blind hole in the front face of the inner end of the one receiving pin element and the passageway for the insertion of the means for the electrical connection of the ends of the pin elements comprises a bore provided in a face of the supporting body which is located axially in front of said blind hole.

7. A distributor device according to claim 6, wherein the bore for inserting the connecting means is closed by a screw, the depth of penetration of which is adjustable and comprise a means for adjusting the electrical lengths of inner ways of the distributor.

8. A distributor device according to claim 1, wherein the one connector is of larger size, and further comprising at least one second connector of larger size, the inner end of the pin element of said second connector comprising an axial cylindrical end portion the diameter of which corresponds to the diameters of the pin elements of the connectors of smaller sizes so as to be engageable with one of said radially extending pin-receiving holes.

9. A distributor device according to claim 8, wherein one pin element of one connector of greater size comprises two axially aligned parts which may be assembled, the two parts comprising an outer electrical connection receiving part and one inner part having one end axially engaged in said outer part and a free end which carries said axial end portion.

10. A method of assembling a power distributing device adapted for interconnecting coaxial connectors of different sizes, the device comprising a metallic hollow support body, a plurality of coaxial connectors each comprising an outer socket element adapted to be fastened onto said support body and an inner pin element coaxially mounted in said socket element and electrically insulated therefrom, the pin elements each having a longitudinal axis, said support body comprising an outer wall surrounding an inner support body space and passageways through said outer wall opening into said inner space and each passageway adapted to allow the assembly of a coaxial connector onto said support body with a socket element of the respective coaxial connector being engaged in said passageway and the inner pin element extending through the passageway into said inner space and having an inner end in said inner space, the inner ends of all pin elements being electrically interconnected, the inner end of the pin element of one coaxial connector comprising a receiving pin element and terminating with a front face perpendicular to the axis of the respective pin element and the pin element having a center recess extending from said front face axially inside said end and a plurality of holes extending radially through the end side wall, surrounding said recess, in a plane perpendicular to said axis of said pin element of said one coaxial connector, and said holes being angularly separated from one another, at least the inner end of the pin elements of the other coaxial connectors having a shape complementary to said radially extending holes, so that each inner end can be received in a radial hole of the pin element of said one coaxial connector, a passageway being provided in the outer wall of said support body in front of said recess, the method comprising the steps of inserting into the center recess of the pin element receiving the pin elements of the other connectors a mounting rod, the diameter of the mounting rod being slightly smaller than the diameter of said recess, fitting the ends of the other pin elements into the radially extending receiving holes until they come into abutment against a side surface of the rod, fastening the pins in this position, inserting welding means through said passageway in front of the center recess and closing said passageway with a closing-off means by inserting said closing-off means in said passageway.

11. A method according to claim 10, comprising securing the pin elements in respective positions in abutment against the mounting rod by using a nut which may be screwed onto the connector of one pin element to be held against motion and carrying a central stud portion adapted to engage the outer end of the pin element.