Matable coaxial connector assembly having impedance compensation

• US 5,217,391 A
• Filed: 06/29/1992
• Issued: 06/08/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AMP Limited
• Original Assignee: AMP Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Fisher, Robert L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCGLYNN, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US07/906,258
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578-585
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/44 comprising impedance matching means

Abstract

A coaxial connector assembly (10) includes a plug (40) and jack (140) having respective inner and outer conductors matable at a mating interface. The mating interface (MI) includes a plurality of regions A,B,C of mismatched impedance having varying axial lengths defined by diameter changes of said inner and outer conductors of the plug (40) and jack (140) between respective dielectric bodies (50,162) thereof upon mating. A reduced diameter portion of the plug'"'"'s outer conductor (52) inwardly from its leading end corresponds with an increased diameter of the plug'"'"'s inner conductor (46) and is engaged by leading ends (176) of spring arms (170) of a reduced diameter leading end of the jack'"'"'s outer conductor (160). The leading ends (176) of the spring arms (170) engage the inward surface of the reduced diameter portion of the plug'"'"'s outer conductor (52) within a range of axial locations accommodating variations in the locations of the plug (40) and jack (140) upon full mating. The reduced diameter portion can be defined by a conductive sleeve (80) force fit within a front shell (52) forwardly of dielectric body (50) containing inner conductor (46) of the plug (40) until its leading edge (88) coincides axially with a shoulder (78) of the plug'"'"'s inner conductor (46) between the pin contact section (62) and a larger diameter body section thereof.

Claims

1. A coaxial connector assembly of the type having a plug connector and a jack connector matable therewith at a mating interface, each having an inner conductor concentrically held within dielectric bodies within an outer conductive means extending from a mating face to a rearward face for coaxial connection to other coaxial articles, each inner conductor and outer conductive means having respective precise radially spaced surfaces therebetween at each axial location therealong, the plug conductor including a pin contact section of selected diameter extending forwardly of a body section and matable with a socket contact section of the jack inner conductor at the mating interface, and the plug outer conductive means including a front shell having an inner surface defining a cavity of selected inner diameter surrounding the pin contact section, and the jack outer conductive means having a cylindrical body section of selected inner and outer diameters surrounding the socket contact section and including an array of spring arms extending forwardly of the cylindrical body section adapted to engage the plug outer conductive means at the mating interface upon mating, the mating interface characterized in that:

said body section of said plug inner conductor extending rearwardly from said pin contact section defining a shoulder and having a selected diameter slightly larger than said selected diameter of said pin contact section rearwardly at least into a dielectric body forward end;

said plug outer conductive means including a reduced inner diameter section inwardly of said leading edge of said front shell and having an inwardly facing surface of selected diameter extending rearwardly to said dielectric body forward end from a first axial location axially coincident with said shoulder of said plug inner conductor, said first axial location defining an outermost limit of a range of positions of engagement of said leading ends of said spring arms of said jack outer conductive means with said plug outer conductive means; and

said spring arms of said jack outer conductive means extending forwardly of a reduced diameter leading end of said cylindrical body section of said jack outer conductive means;

said mating interface including various regions of mismatched impedance axially therealong with respective lengths of said regions varying with the axial position of said plug mating face relative to said jack mating face, said regions being dimensioned to create reflection signals at transition positions between adjacent regions by varying said selected diameters of said inwardly facing surfaces of said outer conductive means of said plug and said jack and said outwardly facing surfaces of said inner conductors thereof within said mating interface, said reflection signals being substantially self canceling in summation, thereby preventing power loss.

2. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said leading edge of said conductive sleeve includes an inwardly and forwardly facing chamfer engageable by said leading ends of said spring arms of said outer conductive means of said jack during final stages of mating to initiate slight radial inward deflection thereof.

3. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said forward end of said outer conductive means of said jack includes a tapered outer surface portion defining a transition between said cylindrical body section and said reduced diameter leading end, thereby being adapted to precisely relatively align and center said outer conductive means of said jack and said plug upon engagement with said leading end of said outer conductive means of said plug prior to engagement of said leading ends of said spring arms with said reduced inner diameter section of said outer conductive means of said plug.

4. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that a forward end of a dielectric body of said jack is disposed outwardly of a leading end of said socket contact section of said inner conductor.

5. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said reduced inner diameter of said outer conductive means of said plug is defined by an inwardly facing surface of a conductive sleeve member secured concentrically within said front shell forwardly of said dielectric body.

6. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 5 further characterized in that said conductive sleeve is held by force fit within said front shell.

7. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 6 further characterized in that said conductive sleeve is inserted into said front shell and engages said forward end of said dielectric body and compresses said dielectric body until a rearward edge is abutted against a forwardly facing ledge along said inner surface of said front shell at an axial location selected so that said leading edge of said conductive sleeve is axially coincident with said shoulder of said inner conductor upon assembly and assuring that said rearward edge is axially coincident with said dielectric body forward end.

8. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said mating interface has three regions of mismatched impedances.

9. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that a first region is defined by a length of said mating interface between a forward end of said dielectric body and said leading ends of said spring arms of said outer conductive means of said jack, the length of said first region varying with the relative position of said mating faces of said plug and said jack.

10. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that a second region is defined by a length of said mating interface between said shoulder of said inner conductor of said plug and said leading ends of said spring arms of said outer conductive means of said jack, the length of said second region varying with the relative position of said mating faces of said plug and said jack.

11. The coaxial connector assembly as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that a third region is defined by a length of said mating interface between said shoulder of said inner conductor of said plug and a forward end of said dielectric insert of said jack forwardly of said socket contact section of said inner conductor of said jack, the length of said third region varying with the relative position of said mating faces of said plug and said jack.