Method for connecting electronic devices and connecting cable

• US 6,686,538 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): MAYO III, WILLIAM H
• Application Number:
  US10/122,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20020117316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 174/36, 174/78, 174/102.R, 174/28, 174/74.R, 174/75.C, 174/84.R, 174/88.C
• US Class Current: 174/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/44 comprising impedance matching means

Abstract

A connection method and a connecting cable for improving transmission of low-frequency signals, and reducing the radiation level of high-frequency signals, including a connecting cable having at least two ends, a first external conductor for shielding at least one signal line capable of conveying a signal and having a frequency that causes undesired radiation, the first external conductor having a length about co-extensive with the length of the signal lines, a second external conductor spaced adjacent the first external conductor with an insulator between the first and second external conductors, the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductor and defined in terms of such frequency, the length of the second external conductor being for suppressing undesired radiation. The first external conductor is for connecting to a reference potential of a first electronic device connected by the signal line, and the second external conductor is for connecting to a reference potential of a second electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for connecting electronic devices comprising:

providing a connection cable having two ends and comprising a signal line capable of conveying a signal having a frequency that causes undesired radiation;

shielding said signal line of the connection cable between the ends thereof by a first external conductor having two ends and whose length is about co-extensive with the length of said signal line;

connecting one end of the first external conductor to a reference potential of a first electronic device,

shielding by a second external conductor an end portion of the other end of the first external conductor, the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductor and defined in terms of such frequency, the length of the second external conductor being for suppressing undesired radiation; and

connecting the second external conductor to a reference potential of a second electronic device.

2. The method for connecting electronic devices as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shielding by a second external conductor is performed by connecting, between the first and second external conductors, a capacitor element having a capacitance defined in terms of such frequency.

3. The method for connecting electronic devices as set forth in claim 2, wherein the capacitor element is several tens pF to several tens of thousands pF.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said second external conductor is a braided wire.

5. The method for connecting electronic devices as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of the second external conductor is set to generate stray capacitance required to make an impedance of the first external conductor high for a low-frequency signal band and to make an impedance of the first external conductor low for a high-frequency signal band.

6. A method for connecting electronic devices comprising:

providing a plurality of connection cables, each having two ends and comprising a plurality of signal lines at least one of which is capable of conveying a signal having a frequency that causes undesired radiation;

shielding said signal lines of the plurality of connection cables between the ends thereof by first external conductors whose lengths are about co-extensive with said signal lines, respectively;

connecting one end of each of the first external conductors to a reference potential of a first electronic device;

bundling the other ends of said first external conductors, and shielding by a common second external conductor end portions of the bundle of the first external conductors, the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductors and defined in terms of such frequency, the length of the second external conductor being for suppressing undesired radiation; and

connecting the second external conductor to a reference potential of a second electronic device.

7. The method for connecting electronic devices as set forth in claim 6, further comprising connecting, between the first and second external conductors, a capacitor element having a capacitance defined in terms of such frequency.

8. A method for connecting electronic devices comprising:

providing a plurality of connection cables, each having two ends and comprising a plurality of signal lines at least one of which is capable of conveying a signal having a frequency that causes undesired radiation;

shielding said signal lines of the plurality of connection cables between the ends thereof by first external conductors whose lengths are about co-extensive with the length of said signal lines, respectively;

connecting one end of each of the first external conductors to a reference potential of a first electronic device, and electrically connecting the other ends of the first external conductors to each other; and

shielding by a common second external conductor end portions of the other ends of the first external conductors the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductors and defined in terms of such frequency, the length of said second external conductor for suppressing undesired radiation; and

connecting the second external conductor to a reference potential of a second electronic device.

9. The method for connecting electronic devices as set forth in claim 8, further comprising connecting, between the first and second external conductors, a capacitor element having a capacitance defined in terms of such frequency.

10. A connecting cable having at least two ends, comprising:

a first external conductor for shielding a plurality of signal lines at least one of which is capable of conveying a signal having a frequency that causes undesired radiation, said first external conductor having a length about co-extensive with the length of said signal lines, an insulator; and

a second external conductor spaced adjacent the first external conductor with said insulator between said first and second external conductors and for shielding an end portion of the first external conductor, the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductor and defined in terms of such frequency, the length of said second external conductor being for suppressing undesired radiation;

the first external conductor for connecting to a reference potential of a first electronic device connected by said signal line, and the second external conductor for connecting to a reference potential of a second electronic device.

11. The connecting cable as set forth in claim 10, wherein at least one parameter of the opposed length between the second and first external conductors, the length of the second conductor, the distance between the first and second external conductors, and the material of said insulator are defined in terms of such frequency.

12. The connecting cable as set forth in claim 11, wherein a capacitor element connects the first and second external conductors, and the capacitance of the capacitor element is defined in terms of such frequency.

13. The method for connecting electronic devices as set forth in claim 12, wherein the capacitor element is several tens pF to several tens of thousands pF.

14. The connecting cable as set forth in claim 10, wherein the second external conductor is a braided wire, and the second external conductor of the braided wire has a distal end folded back to the side of one end of the signal line.

15. The method for connecting electronic devices as set forth in claim 10, wherein the length of the second external conductor is set to generate a stray capacitance required to make an impedance of the first external conductors high for a low-frequency signal band and to make an impedance of the first external conductor low for a high-frequency signal band.

20. The method for connecting electronic devices according to any of claims 19 to 15, wherein a capacitor having a capacitance value corresponding to a frequency for suppressing undesired radiation is connected between the first external conductor and the second external conductor, as an adjuster for suppressing undesired radiation.

21. The method for connecting electronic devices according to any of claims 19 to 15, wherein the second external conductor is a braided wire.

16. A method for connecting electronic devices comprising:

providing a plurality of connection cables, each having two ends and comprising a plurality of signal lines at least one of which is capable of conveying a signal having a frequency that causes undesired radiation;

sheilding said signal lines of the plurality of connection cables between the ends thereof by first external conductors whose lengths are about co-extensive with said signal lines, respectively;

connecting one end of the first external conductors to reference potentials of first electronic devices;

bundling a plurality of the other ends of said first external conductors, and shielding by a common second external conductor end portions of the bundle of the first external conductors, the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductors and defined in terms of such frequency, the length of the second external conductor being for suppressing undesired radiation; and

connecting the second external conductor to a reference potential of a second electronic device.

17. A method for connecting electronic devices comprising:

providing a plurality of connection cables, each having two ends and comprising a plurality of signal lines at least one of which is capable of conveying a signal having a frequency that causes undesired radiation;

shielding said signal lines of the plurality of connection cables between the ends thereof by first external conductors whose length is about co-extensive with the length of said signal lines;

connecting one end of each of the first external conductors to reference potentials of first electronic devices, and electrically connecting the other ends of the first external conductors to each other; and

shielding by a common second external conductor end portions of the other ends of the first external conductors, the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductors and defined in terms of such frequency, the length of said second external conductor being for suppressing undesired radiation; and

connecting the second external conductor to a reference potential of a second electronic device.

18. Connecting cables, each having at least two ends, comprising:

first external conductors for shielding a plurality of signal lines at least one of which is capable of conveying A signal having a frequency that causes undesired radiation, said first external conductors having a length about co-extensive with the length of said signal lines;

an insulator; and

a second external conductor spaced adjacent the first external conductors with said insulator between said first and second external conductors and for shielding end portions of the first external conductors, the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductors and defined in terms of such frequency, the length of said second external conductor for suppressing undesired radiation;

the first external conductors for connecting reference potentials of first electronic devices connected by said signal lines, and the second external conductor for connecting to a reference potential of a second electronic device.

19. A method for connecting electronic devices with a connecting cable, comprising:

shielding by a first external conductor a signal line of the connecting cable from one end thereof to the other end thereof;

connecting one end of the first external conductor to a reference potential of a first electronic device;

shielding by a second external conductor a part of the first external conductor on the other end side such that the first and second external conductors oppose to each other only for an opposed length, the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductor; and

connecting the second external conductor to a reference potential of a second electronic device such that the reference potentials of the first and second electronic devices are coupled through a stray capacity between the first and second external conductors, and setting the opposed length between the first and second external conductors to an opposed distance needed to generate a stray capacity that can make the impedance of the first external conductor high for a low-frequency signal region and low for a high-frequency signal region so as to suppress undesired radiation from the first external conductor.

22. A method for connecting electronic devices with a connecting cable, comprising:

shielding by a plurality of first external conductors a plurality of signal lines of a connecting cable from one ends thereof to the other ends thereof, respectively;

connecting one end of each of the first external conductors to a reference potential of at least one first electronic device;

shielding by a common second external conductor the other-end-side parts of the respective first external conductors such that the first and second external conductors oppose to each other for only an opposed length, the length of the common second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductors; and

connecting the second external conductor to a reference potential of a second electronic device such that the reference potentials of the first and second electronic devices are coupled through a stray capacity between the first and second external conductors, and setting the opposed length between the first and second external conductors to an opposed distance needed to generate a stray capacity that can make the impedance of the first external conductor high for a low-frequency signal region and low for a high-frequency signal region so as to suppress undesired radiation from the first external conductor.

25. The connecting cable according to claim 24 or 22, wherein at least one of the opposed length between the second external conductor and the first external conductor, an inter-electrode distance between the first external conductor and the second external conductor, and a material of the insulator has a parameter set in correspondence to a frequency for suppressing undesired radiation.

26. The connecting cable according to claim 24 or 22, wherein a capacitor is connected between the first external conductors and the second external conductor, and set to have a capacitance value corresponding to a frequency for suppressing undesired radiation.

23. A method for connecting electronic devices with a connecting cable, comprising:

shielding by a plurality of first external conductors a plurality of signal lines of a connecting cable from one ends thereof to the other ends thereof, respectively;

connecting one end of each of the first external conductors to a reference potential of at least one first electronic device, and electrically connecting the other end of each of the first external conductors;

shielding by a common second external conductor the-other-end-side parts of the respective first external conductors such that the first and second external conductors oppose to each other for only an opposed length, the length of the common second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductors; and

connecting the second external conductor to a reference potential of a second electronic device such that the reference potentials of the first and second electronic devices are coupled through a stray capacity between the first and second external conductors, and setting the opposed length between the first and second external conductors to an opposed distance needed to generate a stray capacity that can make the impedance of the first external conductor high for a low-frequency signal region and low for a high-frequency signal region so as to suppress undesired radiation from the first external conductor.

24. A connecting cable comprising:

a first external conductor shielding a signal line from one end thereof to the other end thereof, and

a second external conductor shielding a part of the first external conductor on the side of said the other end in an opposed fashion to the first external conductor for an opposed length through an insulator, the length of the second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductor,

wherein the first external conductor is connected to a reference potential of a first electronic device, the second external conductor on the other end side of the signal line is connected to a reference potential of a second electronic device, and the opposed length between the first external conductor and the second external conductor is set to be an opposed distance needed to generate a stray capacity that can make an impedance of the first external conductor high in a low-frequency signal region and low in a high-frequency signal region.

27. A connecting cable comprising:

a plurality of first external conductors shielding a plurality of signal lines from one end thereof to the other end thereof, and

a common second external conductor shielding parts of the plurality of first external conductors on the side of said the other end in an opposed fashion to the first external conductors for an opposed length through an insulator, the length of the common second external conductor being less than the length of the first external conductors,

wherein the first external conductors are respectively connected to a reference potential of at least one first electronic device, the second external conductor on the other end side of the signal lines is connected to a reference potential of a second electronic device, and the opposed length between the first external conductors and the common second external conductor is set to be an opposed distance needed to generate a stray capacity that can make an impedance of the first external conductors high in a low-frequency signal region and low in a high-frequency signal region.

28. The connecting cable according to claim 27, wherein the second external conductor is a braided wire, and a tip end of this braided-wire second external conductor is bent toward the one end of the signal lines.