Card edge coaxial connector

• US 7,357,641 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2006
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Khemakhem, M′hamed Anis, Lovaasen, Eric L., Kerekes, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; James R.
• Application Number:
  US11/489,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 439/63, 439/65, 439/374, 439/545, 439/547, 439/549, 439/629
• US Class Current: 439/63
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/50 mounted on a PCB [Printed Circuit Board]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/54 Intermediate parts, e.g. adapters, splitters or elbows
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0515 Connection to a rigid planar substrate, e.g. printed circuit board

Abstract

An adapter having a housing, a ground clip and an adapter subassembly all located in the housing. The adapter subassembly includes a proximal portion that can be coupled to a coaxial connector and a distal portion that can be coupled to a printed circuit board. A central conductor in the form of an elongated shaft that runs through the subassembly and has a ball contact end for contacting a conductor located on a printed circuit board and the elongated shaft is tapered in a region near the ball contact.

Claims

1. An adapter for connecting a coaxial cable to a printed circuit board, the adapter comprising:

a housing including a first end and a second end, wherein the second end includes a first portion and a second portion separated by a space and disposed on opposite sides of a central opening through the housing;

a coaxial connector disposed at the first end of the housing within the central opening, the coaxial connector including a ground member disposed concentrically about a first end of a signal contact;

a conductive member in contact with the second portion of the second end of the housing, the conductive member electrically connected to the ground member of the coaxial connector; and

wherein a second end of the signal contact is positioned within the housing between the first portion of the second end of the housing and the conductive member.

2. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the signal contact and conductive member are aligned one on top of the other with a space therebetween.

3. The adapter according to claim 2, wherein the space between the first portion and the second portion is greater than the space between the ground member and the signal contact.

4. The adapter according to claim 3, wherein the space between the ground member and the signal contact is less than the thickness of an edge of a printed circuit board when the printed circuit board is not connected with the adapter and wherein the space between the ground member and the signal contact is equal to the thickness of the edge of the printed circuit board when the printed circuit board is connected with the adapter.

5. The adapter according to claim 4, wherein the space between the ground member and the signal contact is less than 0.093 inches when it is not connected to the printed circuit board.

6. The adapter according to claim 4, wherein the space between the ground member and the signal contact is less than 0.062 inches when it is not connected to the printed circuit board.

7. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the coaxial connector is positioned outside of the housing.

8. The adapter according to claim 7, wherein the first end of the signal contact extends beyond the first end of the housing and wherein the ground member extends beyond the first end of the of the signal contact.

9. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein distal ends of the second end of the housing extend beyond the second end of the signal contact.

10. The adapter according to claim 9, wherein the first portion of the second end of the housing includes a lip that extends towards the second portion of the housing.

11. The adapter according to claim 10, wherein the lip portion is constructed of a non-conductive material.

12. The adapter according to claim 11, wherein the lip portion is constructed of a plastic material.

13. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member contacts the ground member of the coaxial connector.

14. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is positioned within the housing.

15. The adapter according to claim 9, wherein the conductive member is positioned within the housing.

16. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the coaxial connector is a bayonet style coaxial cable connector.

17. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the coaxial connector is a 75 ohm coaxial cable connector.

18. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the second end portion of the housing includes an opening, wherein the opening of the housing is constructed of a material that enables the opening to deform and frictionally receive the coaxial connector.

19. An adapter for connecting a coaxial cable to a printed circuit board, the adapter comprising:

a housing including a first end and a second end, wherein the second end includes a first portion and a second portion separated by a space and disposed on opposite sides of a central opening through the housing, wherein the housing is constructed of a non-conductive material;

a coaxial connector disposed at the first end of the housing within the central opening, the coaxial connector including a ground member disposed concentrically about a first end of a signal contact;

a conductive member in contact with the second portion of the second end of the housing, the conductive member electrically connected to the ground member of the coaxial connector; and

wherein a second end of the signal contact is positioned within the housing between the first portion and the second portion of the second end of the housing.