High performance blind-mate connector
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A two-part in-line RF connector, comprising:
- a first portion;
a passageway within said first portion, said passageway having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said proximal end is configured to receive a second portion of said RF connector;
a piston having a portion thereof slideable along a longitudinal axis of said passageway;
a gripping collet positioned within said passageway and moveable along said longitudinal axis under control of said piston, said collet having fingers positioned facing said proximal end of said passageway; and
means for controllably expanding and contracting said fingers within said passageway.
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Abstract
A two-part connector can be achieved for high performance situations using blind-mate insertion by using power activation. In one embodiment, the male and female portions of a standard RF connector can be securely mated so as to achieve high performance without the need for a screw type locking mechanism. Power activation is achieved, in one embodiment, by pneumatic actuation of a piston having fingers which engage an outer edge of a housing formed around the female portion of the connector so as to pull the female portion into a tight mating relationship with the male portion.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A two-part in-line RF connector, comprising:
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a first portion; a passageway within said first portion, said passageway having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said proximal end is configured to receive a second portion of said RF connector; a piston having a portion thereof slideable along a longitudinal axis of said passageway; a gripping collet positioned within said passageway and moveable along said longitudinal axis under control of said piston, said collet having fingers positioned facing said proximal end of said passageway; and means for controllably expanding and contracting said fingers within said passageway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of securing two portions of a connector in mating relationship with each other, said method comprising:
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positioning a first portion of said connector into mating relationship with a second portion of said connector, said positioning comprising inserting a shell formed at least partially around said first portion such that an outer surface of said shell comes into sliding contact with an inner surface of a passageway positioned in front of said second portion of said connector; grasping a portion of said shell after said shell has passed a certain distance along said passageway, said grasping being controlled, at least in part, by force applied by the movement of a piston, a portion of which is positioned within said passageway; and pulling said first and second portions into a sustained mated relationship with each other under control of said applied piston force. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for securing two portions of a connector in mating relationship with each other, said system comprising:
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means for bringing a first portion of said connector into mating relationship with a second portion of said connector, said means for bringing comprising a passageway for allowing a shell formed at least partially around said first connector portion to slide within said passageway; means positioned within said passageway for grasping a portion of said shell after said shell has passed a certain distance along said passageway; a piston having at least a portion within said passageway; means for activating said means positioned within said passageway under control of said piston; and means controlled by said piston for pulling said first and second portions into a sustained mated relationship with each other. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification