Coaxial cable-connector termination

• US 7,381,089 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hosler, Robert Craig Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): León; Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US11/180,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20060046565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 439578-585, 439 98- 99, 439/374, 439/378, 439/675
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0524 Connection to outer conductor by action of a clamping member, e.g. screw fastening means H01R9/0515 takes precedence

Abstract

A high frequency coaxial cable having a foil (7a) between the cable insulator (5) and cable braid (7b), is terminated to a coaxial connector (40) in a manner that allows fast and easy cable preparation and results in a termination with minimal axial electric field lines that cause a high insertion loss and a high VSWR (voltage standing wave ratio). A bore (46) at the rear portion of the connector outer conductor, receives the cable insulator with foil around the cable insulator. The bore has a front part (54) that forms an interference fit around the foil, to avoid an axially-extending gap which might contain axially-extending field lines. The front of cable insulator and foil are flush and both abut the insulation (25) of the connector.

Claims

1. Apparatus which includes a high frequency coaxial connector that has inner and outer connector conductors and a connector insulator between them that are centered on an axis and which includes a coaxial cable that has inner and outer cable conductors and a cable insulator between them, said cable inner and outer conductors having front end portions connected to rear end portions of said connector inner and outer conductors, respectively, wherein the cable outer conductor includes a conductive foil that lies against an outside of said cable insulator, wherein:

said inner connector conductor has a bore and said cable conductor foil has an outside surface with a foil cylindrical front end and with said cable insulator lying immediately within said cylindrical front end without a gap between them;

said bore in said connector outer conductor has a front end with an inner cylindrical surface, has a slightly smaller inside surface diameter than said foil cylindrical front end so the foil front end must be forced forwardly into the bore, with said cable insulator being compressed as a result of said foil cylindrical front end lying in an interference fit with walls of said bore inner cylindrical surface, to thereby prevent the distortion of electric field lines between said foil and said connector outer conductor.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein said cable outer conductor includes a conductive braid that is expandable in diameter and that surrounds and is in contact with said foil, and wherein:

said braid is initially cut even with said foil, and said braid has a front end part that is expanded in diameter, said connector outer conductor having a rear end part of greater inside diameter than said foil-engaging part, and said expanded braid front end part lies around and is connected to a rear end portion of said connector outer conductor.

3. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:

said connector insulator has a rear end, and said conductive foil and said cable insulator have extreme front ends that abut said connector insulator rear end.

4. Apparatus that includes a high frequency coaxial connector that has inner and outer connector conductors and a connector insulator between, and that includes a coaxial cable that has inner and outer cable conductors centered on an axis and a cable insulator between them, said cable inner and outer conductors having front end portions connected to rear end portions of said connector inner and outer conductors, respectively, wherein the cable outer conductor includes a conductive foil that lies around said cable insulator, wherein:

said connector outer contact rear portion has a cylindrical inside surface part that lies around and against said foil,

said foil and said cable insulator have extreme front ends which are flush with each other, said connector insulator has a rear end portion lying at a rear end of said cylindrical inside surface of said connector outer contact rear portion, and said extreme front end of said cable insulator abuts said connector insulator rear end.

5. Apparatus that includes a high frequency coaxial connector that has inner and outer connector conductors and a connector insulator between, and that includes a coaxial cable that has inner and outer cable conductors centered on an axis and a cable insulator between them, said cable inner and outer conductors having front end portions connected to rear end portions of said connector inner and outer conductors, respectively, wherein the cable outer conductor includes a conductive foil that lies around said cable insulator, wherein:

said connector outer contact rear portion has a cylindrical inside surface part that lies around and against said foil and that radially inwardly presses the foil against a portion of said cable insulator that lies radially inside and against said foil and that radially compresses said portion of the insulator;

said foil and said cable insulator have extreme front ends which are flush with each other, said connector insulator has a rear end portion lying at a rear end of said cylindrical inside surface of said connector outer contact rear portion, and said extreme front end of said cable insulator abuts said connector insulator rear end.