Coaxial connector with bellows spring portion or raised bump

• US 5,971,770 A
• Filed: 11/05/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cinch Connectors Incorporated (Bel Connector Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Labinal Components and Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Richmond, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zarroli, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US08/965,070
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 439/63, 33/55
• US Class Current: 439/63
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/111 co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/50 mounted on a PCB [Printed Circuit Board]

Abstract

A coaxial connector is provided which can be used in cable systems which transmit telephone and internet service in addition to traditional cable television service. The coaxial connector comprises a housing which can consist of one or several components having a central bore therethrough and a one or multiple piece insulator arranged in the central bore in the housing. The coaxial connector also includes a female center contact member which is arranged in the hollow interior of the insulator. The female contact member comprises an outer surface which defines an open mating end which is adapted to receive the center conductor pin of a mating male connector and includes a pair of double bellows spring portions which extend inwardly from the outer surface. A pair of raised bumps are arranged on the contact surface of each double bellows spring portion in order to focus the contact force provided by the double bellows spring portions.

Claims

1. A coaxial connector for interconnecting a coaxial conductor to an electrical device or to a second coaxial conductor, the coaxial connector comprising:

a housing having a mating end and a mounting end and a passage therethrough extending from the mating end to the mounting end;

an insulator having a opening therethrough and arranged in the housing such that the insulator bore extends from the mating end to the mounting end of the housing;

a contact member arranged in the insulator bore and including a mating end for receiving the coaxial conductor, the contact member having an outer surface and a plurality of resilient spring portions extending inwardly from the outer surface and spaced from each other around the circumference of the outer surface of the contact member, the resilient spring portions producing a contact force when they are deflected outwardly upon receiving the coaxial conductor; and

a raised bump arranged on one of the resilient spring portions such that upon receiving the coaxial conductor the raised bump engages the coaxial conductor and establishes electrical contact between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and focuses the contact force provided by said one resilient spring portion.

2. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the mounting end of the housing includes a plurality of grounding legs.

3. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the housing has a right angle configuration.

4. The invention as in claim 3 wherein the housing includes a front housing having a passage therethrough and a base housing having a right angle passage therethrough.

5. The invention as in claim 4 wherein the insulator includes a front insulator arranged in the front housing and a base insulator arranged in the base housing.

6. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the mounting end of the housing is configured for connection to a circuit board.

7. The invention as in claim 6 wherein the mounting end of the housing is configured for connection to the edge of a circuit board.

8. The invention as in claim 7 wherein the mounting end of the housing includes a slot adapted to engage the edge of a circuit board.

9. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the mounting end of the housing is configured to mate with a second coaxial conductor.

10. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the contact member includes a termination end which is adapted for receiving a contact tail.

11. The invention as in claim 10 further including a contact tail terminated in the termination end and extending through the insulator bore and out the mounting end of the housing.

12. The invention as in claim 1 wherein a raised bump is arranged on each of the resilient spring portions such that upon receiving the coaxial conductor the raised bump engages the coaxial conductor and establishes electrical connection between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and focuses the contact force provided by the resilient spring portions.

13. The invention as in claim 12 wherein the raised bumps provide a gas tight connection between the contact member and the coaxial conductor.

14. The invention as in claim 1 wherein a pair of raised bumps are arranged on each of the resilient spring portions such that upon receiving the coaxial conductor the raised bumps engage the coaxial conductor and establish electrical connection between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and focus the contact force provided by the resilient spring portions.

15. The invention as in claim 14 wherein the raised bumps are adapted such that when the raised bumps engage the coaxial conductor, the coaxial conductor does not contact the surface of the resilient spring portions.

16. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the housing, insulator and contact member are configured so that the coaxial connector substantially matches the characteristic impedance of the coaxial conductor.

17. The invention as in claim 16 wherein the housing passageway has a cylindrical configuration and the insulator has a hollow cylindrical configuration.

18. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the raised bump is gold plated.

19. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the contact member is stamped and formed from sheet material.

20. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the insulators are constructed of a polymethylpentene material.

21. A coaxial connector for interconnecting a coaxial center conductor to an electrical device or second coaxial conductor, the coaxial connector comprising:

a housing having a mating end and a mounting end and a passage therethrough extending from the mating end to the mounting end;

an insulator having an opening therethrough and arranged in the housing such that the insulator bore extends from the mating end to the terminating end of the housing; and

a contact member arranged in the center bore of the insulator and including a mating end for receiving the coaxial center conductor, the contact member having an outer surface and a plurality of resilient spring portions extending inwardly from the outer surface and towards the mating end, the resilient spring members being spaced from each other around the circumference of the outer surface of the contact member;

each of the resilient spring portions being configured as a double bellows spring including a bowed portion extending through an apex to the mating end and a bent-back portion disposed at the mating end and which is bent outwardly and then backwardly upon itself, the apex defining a contact surface which engages the coaxial center conductor.

22. The invention as in claim 21 wherein the spring portions are configured to allow deflection without stress relaxation for mating with coaxial conductors of different diameter.

23. The invention as in claim 21 further including a raised bump on the apex of one of the spring portions such that upon receiving the coaxial conductor the raised bump engages the coaxial conductor and establishes electrical contact between the coaxial conductor and the contact member.

24. The invention as in claim 23 wherein a raised bump is arranged on each of the resilient spring portions for engaging the coaxial conductor to establish the electrical connection between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and for focusing the contact force provided by the resilient spring portions.

25. The invention as in claim 23 wherein a pair of raised bumps are arranged on each of the resilient spring portions such that upon receiving the coaxial conductor the raised bumps engage the coaxial conductor and establish electrical connection between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and focuses the contact force provided by the resilient spring portions.

26. The invention as in claim 25 wherein the raised bumps are adapted such that when the raised bumps engage the coaxial conductor, the coaxial conductor does not contact the apex of the resilient spring portions.

27. The invention as in claim 21 wherein the mounting end of the housing includes a plurality of grounding legs.

28. The invention as in claim 21 wherein the housing has a right angle configuration.

29. The invention as in claim 21 wherein the mounting end of the housing includes a slot adapted to engage the edge of a circuit board.

30. The invention as in claim 21 wherein the contact member includes a termination end and further including a contact tail terminated in the termination end and extending through the insulator bore and out the mounting end of the housing.

31. The invention as in claim 21 wherein the housing, insulator and contact member are configured so that the coaxial connector substantially matches the characteristic impedance of the coaxial conductor.

32. A contact for mating with a coaxial center conductor, the contact comprising:

an outer surface having a mating end for receiving the coaxial conductor and a terminating end, and

a plurality of resilient spring members extending inwardly from the outer surface and towards the mating end of the contact,

the spring members being spaced from each other around the circumference of the outer surface and each being configured as a double bellows spring which defines a contact surface that engages the coaxial center conductor and is deflectable outwardly upon receiving the coaxial center conductor to produce a contact force at the contact surface.

33. The invention as in claim 32 wherein the spring members are configured to allow deflection without stress relaxation for mating with coaxial conductors of different diameter.

34. The invention as in claim 32 further including a raised bump on the contact surface of one of the respective spring members for engaging the coaxial conductor to establish electrical contact with the coaxial conductor.

35. The invention as in claim 34 wherein a raised bump is arranged on each of the resilient spring members such that upon receiving the coaxial conductor the raised bump engages the coaxial conductor and establishes electrical connection between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and focuses the contact force provided by the resilient spring members.

36. The invention as in claim 34 wherein a pair of raised bumps are arranged on each of the resilient spring members for engaging the coaxial conductor to establish the electrical connection between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and for focusing the contact force provided by the resilient spring members.

37. The invention as in claim 36 wherein the raised bumps are adapted such that when the raised bumps engage the coaxial conductor, the coaxial conductor does not contact the contact surface of the resilient spring members.

38. The invention as in claim 32 wherein the contact member is stamped and formed from sheet material.

39. A contact for mating with a coaxial conductor, the contact comprising:

an outer surface defining a mating end for receiving the coaxial conductor and a terminating end;

a plurality of resilient spring members extending inwardly from the outer surface and spaced from each other around the circumference of the outer surface, the resilient spring members producing a contact force when they are deflected outwardly upon receiving the coaxial conductor; and

a raised bump arranged on one of the resilient spring members such that upon receiving the coaxial conductor the raised bump engages the coaxial conductor and establishes electrical contact between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and focuses the contact force provided by said one resilient spring member.

40. The invention as in claim 39 wherein a raised bump is arranged on each of the resilient spring members such that upon receiving the coaxial conductor the raised bumps engage the coaxial conductor and establish electrical connection between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and focus the contact force provided by the resilient spring members.

41. The invention as in claim 40 wherein the raised bumps provide a gas tight connection between the contact member and the coaxial conductor.

42. The invention as in claim 39 wherein a pair of raised bumps are arranged on each of the resilient spring members such that upon receiving the coaxial conductor the raised bumps engage the coaxial conductor and establish electrical connection between the coaxial conductor and the contact member and focus the contact force provided by the resilient spring members.

43. The invention as in claim 42 wherein the raised bumps are adapted such that when the raised bumps engage the coaxial conductor, the coaxial conductor does not contact the surface of the resilient spring members.

44. The invention as in claim 39 wherein the raised bump is gold plated.