Method of mounting an electrical connector on a coaxial cable, and such a connector

• US 7,160,150 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raydiall, Co.
• Original Assignee: Radiall SA
• Inventors: Annequin, Se
• Primary Examiner(s): GUSHI, ROSS N
• Application Number:
  US11/247,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20060089046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 439/877, 439/879, 439/880, 439/882, 439578-585
• US Class Current: 439/585
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/185 combined with a U-shaped insulation-receiving portion
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/048 Crimping apparatus or processes H01R43/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0518 Connection to outer conductor by crimping or by crimping ferrule

Abstract

A method of mounting an electrical connector on a coaxial cable may include: providing an electrical connector including: a central contact provided with at least one crimping portion; an insulating body including a bearing portion with a top face on which the crimping portion of the central contact bears, at least in part; and at least one empty space adjacent to the side wall of the bearing portion of the insulating body; and crimping the central contact onto the central conductor by using a crimping tool including a bearing surface bearing against the crimping portion of the central contact, the tool being movable into an end-of-stroke position in which the bearing surface of the tool extends at least in part into the empty space and beneath the crimping portion of the central contact.

Claims

1. An electrical connector for mounting on a coaxial cable, the connector comprising:

a central contact extending along a longitudinal axis and provided with at least one crimping portion configured to be crimped on a central conductor of the coaxial cable;

an insulating body comprising a bearing portion including a top face against which at least part of the crimping portion of the central contact bears, said bearing portion including at least one side wall extending substantially along said longitudinal axis, and

at least one empty space adjacent to the side wall of the bearing portion of the insulating body, at least part of said empty space extending beneath the face of the bearing portion.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the crimping portion of the central contact includes a cross-section that is substantially one of U- and V-shaped.

3. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the bearing portion of the insulating body extends substantially entirely beneath the crimping portion of the central contact.

4. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the bearing portion of the insulating body comprises at least one planar side wall.

5. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the insulating body is made of a high performance polymer.

6. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the top face of the bearing portion of the insulating body comprises a setback extending along the longitudinal axis.

7. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the bearing portion of the insulating body includes a cross-section of a shape that flares downward.

8. A connector according to claim 7, wherein the bearing portion of the insulating body comprises at least one side wall with a first plane portion substantially adjacent to the top face of the bearing portion, and with a second plane portion below the first portion and not parallel thereto.

9. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the bearing portion comprises two side walls that are parallel.

10. A connector according to claim 9, wherein the side walls are planar.

11. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the insulating body comprises a supplemental portion, to which the bearing portion is connected, and includes a recess arranged to receive at least part of the central contact.

12. A connector according to claim 11, wherein said supplemental portion comprises a substantially cylindrical portion.

13. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector comprises an outer body provided with a wall surrounding the central contact and the bearing portion of the insulating body, at least in part, said bearing portion resting against said wall of the outer body.

14. A connector according to claim 13, wherein the outer conductive body comprises at least one crimping portion configured to be crimped against at least one of shielding braids and the outer insulating sheath of the coaxial cable.

15. A connector according to claim 14, wherein said crimping portion configured to be crimped against at least one of shielding braids and the outer insulating sheath of the coaxial cable includes a cross-section that is one of U- and V-shaped, with each branch of the U- or V-shape being provided with at least one tooth.

16. A method of mounting an electrical connector on a coaxial cable, the method comprising:

providing an electrical connector comprising;

a central contact extending along a longitudinal axis and provided with at least one crimping portion configured to be crimped on a central conductor of the coaxial cable;

an insulating body comprising a bearing portion including a top face against which at least part of the crimping portion of the central contact bears, said bearing portion including at least one side wall extending substantially along said longitudinal axis; and

at least one empty space adjacent to the side wall of the bearing portion of the insulating body, at least part of said empty space extending beneath the top face of the bearing portion; and

crimping the central contact of the connector onto the central conductor of the coaxial cable using a crimping tool including a bearing surface configured to bear against the crimping portion of the central contact, the tool being movable during crimping to an end-of-stroke position in which the bearing surface of the tool extends at least in part into said empty space and beneath the crimping portion of the central contact.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the crimping portion of the central contact includes a cross-section that is substantially U- or V-shaped.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein the crimping tool comprises an opening into which the crimping portion of the central contact engages during crimping, and wherein the bearing surface of the crimping tool includes a cross-section of a shape that flares toward the opening, at least in a vicinity of said opening.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein the bearing surface of the crimping tool includes a shape that, at an end of a stroke of the crimping tool during crimping, substantially matches a shape of the at least one side wall of the bearing portion of the insulating body.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein the bearing portion of the insulating body extends substantially entirely beneath the crimping portion of the central contact.

21. A method according to claim 16, wherein the bearing portion of the insulating body comprises a setback in the top face.

22. A method according to claim 16, wherein the bearing surface is formed in a cavity of the crimping tool.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the cavity includes an end wall of cross-section that is substantially in-shaped.

24. A crimping tool for implementing the method according to claim 16, the tool comprising:

an opening in which a crimping portion of the electrical connector is engaged during crimping; and

a bearing surface including a cross-sectional shape that flares toward the opening, at least in a vicinity of said opening.

25. An electrical connector for mounting on a coaxial cable, the connector comprising:

a central contact extending along a longitudinal axis and provided with at least one crimping portion configured to be crimped on a central conductor of the coaxial cable;

an insulating body comprising a bearing portion including a top face against which at least part of the crimping portion of the central contact bears, said bearing portion including at least one side wall extending substantially along said longitudinal axis, the top face of the bearing portion of the insulating body comprising a setback extending along the longitudinal axis, and

at least one empty space adjacent to the side wall of the bearing portion of the insulating body, at least part of said empty space extending beneath the crimping portion of the central contact.

26. An electrical connector for mounting on a coaxial cable, the connector comprising:

a central contact extending along a longitudinal axis and provided with at least one crimping portion configured to be crimped on a central conductor of the coaxial cable;

an insulating body comprising a bearing portion including a top face against which at least part of the crimping portion of the central contact bears, said bearing portion including at least one side wall extending substantially along said longitudinal axis, the bearing portion of the insulating body including a cross-section of a shape that flares downward, and

at least one empty space adjacent to the side wall of the bearing portion of the insulating body, at least part of said empty space extending beneath the crimping portion of the central contact.

27. An electrical connector for mounting on a coaxial cable, the connector comprising:

a central contact extending along a longitudinal axis and provided with at least one crimping portion configured to be crimped on a central conductor of the coaxial cable;

an insulating body comprising a bearing portion including a top face against which at least part of the crimping portion of the central contact bears, the bearing portion comprising two side walls that are parallel, and

at least one empty space adjacent to the side wall of the bearing portion of the insulating body, at least part of said empty space extending beneath the crimping portion of the central contact.