Dual spring probe coaxial contact system

• US 7,972,173 B1
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hyzin, Peter J., Finona, Michael Santos
• Primary Examiner(s): HYEON, HAE M
• Application Number:
  US12/800,059
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578, 439/700, 439/824, 439/289
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6583 with separate conductive resilient members between mating shield members
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/44 comprising impedance matching means

Abstract

A connector system includes first and second mateable connectors (12, 14) with coaxial contacts, wherein the first connector has movable center and outer contacts (20, 22) that are each biased forward by a separate spring (24, 26) to engage stationary contact pads (34, 36) of the mating second connector. A stationary tubular insulator (100) surrounds much of the movable center contact, and a stationary sheet metal shield (102) lies around the tubular insulator and within the outer contact. The front end of the movable outer contact forms an internal flange (80) with a hole (84) that allows the front end of the movable center contact to pass through. The shield front-end has an internal flange (112) that lies between the front end of the tubular insulator and the movable outer contact internal flange, to maintain a constant impedance through out the first connector.

Claims

1. A connector system comprising:

first and second coaxial connectors with respective front and rear ends that can be moved together;

said first connector has an axis (16) that extends in front and rear directions, said first connector has moveable center and outer contacts (20, 22) and has spring means (24, 26) that bias said moveable contacts forwardly, and said first connector has a stationary tubular insulator (100) that lies between said center and outer moveable contacts;

said first connector has a sheet metal shield (102) with a tubular portion (111) that lies around said tubular insulator and within said moveable outer contact, said sheet metal shield having a front end forming an internal flange (112) that lies at a front end of said tubular portion, said internal flange of said sheet metal shield having a center aperture (114) aligned with said moveable center contact (20) and larger than a front end (37) of said moveable center contact so said moveable center contact can project forwardly through said center aperture;

said second connector lies forward of said first connector, and said second connector includes inner and outer contacts (30, 32) respectively, positioned to engage said moveable center and outer contacts of said first connector when said first and second connectors are moved together.

2. The connector described in claim 1, wherein:

said moveable outer contact has a sleeve portion (25) that extends around said shield tubular portion, and said moveable outer contact has a front end with an internal flange (80) that lies forward of said shield internal flange and that has an outer contact hole (84) that lies on said axis and that is larger than a front end of said moveable center contact so said moveable center contact also can project forwardly through said outer contact hole.

3. The connector described in claim 2 including:

an electrically conductive outer shell (64) with a front portion that surrounds said moveable outer contact sleeve portion (25) and that is engaged with said outer contact sleeve portion, said outer shell having a rear portion that is joined in a solder joint (62) to said shield tubular portion;

said outer shell has a hole (63) that provides access to said solder joint.

4. A connector system comprising:

first and second coaxial connectors (12, 14) that each lies on an axis (16) extending in forward and rearward directions, said connectors being moveable together to connect them;

said second coaxial connector has a stationary inner contact pad (34) and a stationary outer contact pad (36) that each face primarily rearward;

said first coaxial connector has a moveable center contact (20) and a center contact spring (24) that biases said moveable center contact forwardly, and a center stop (27) that limits center contact forward movement;

said first coaxial connector has a moveable outer contact (22) that extends around said axis and an outer contact spring (26) that biases said moveable outer contact forwardly, and has an outer stop (28) that limits outer contact forward movement;

said moveable center contact has a front end (37), and said moveable outer contact has a front end (38) with an inward flange (80) that has walls forming an aperture (84) aligned with said moveable center contact to allow said moveable center contact to pass therethrough.

5. The connector system described in claim 4, wherein:

said inward flange (80) that lies at a front end of said moveable outer contact, has at least one forward-projecting ridge (90) that engages said stationary outer contact pad.

6. A connector system comprising:

first and second coaxial connectors (12, 14) that each lies on an axis (16) extending in forward and rearward directions, said connectors being moveable together to connect them;

said second coaxial connector has a stationary inner contact pad (34) and a stationary outer contact pad (36) that each face primarily rearward;

said first coaxial connector has a moveable center contact (20) and a center contact spring (24) that biases said moveable center contact forwardly, and a center stop (27) that limits center contact forward movement;

said first coaxial connector has a moveable outer contact (22) that extends around said axis and an outer contact spring (26) that biases said moveable outer contact forwardly, and has an outer stop (28) that limits outer contact forward movement;

said first coaxial connector has an outer shell (64) lying around said moveable outer contact (22);

said moveable outer contact and said outer shell each have slots (71, 73) that open to each other, and including a conductive ground clip (70) that lies in said slots and that contacts said outer shell, said ground clip having at least one tab (72) that extends at a radially inward incline to said axis and that bears against said moveable outer contact.

7. The connector describe in claim 6, wherein:

said tab forms said outer stop that limits outer contact forward movement.

8. A connector system comprising:

first and second coaxial connectors (12, 14) that each lies on an axis (16) extending in forward and rearward directions, said connectors being moveable together to connect them;

said second coaxial connector has a stationary inner contact pad (34) and a stationary outer contact pad (36) that each face primarily rearward;

said first coaxial connector has a moveable center contact (20) and a center contact spring (24) that biases said moveable center contact forwardly, and a center stop (27) that limits center contact forward movement;

said first coaxial connector has a moveable outer contact (22) that extends around said axis and an outer contact spring (26) that biases said moveable outer contact forwardly, and has an outer stop (28) that limits outer contact forward movement;

said first connector includes a tubular insulator (100) with a center passage (101), with said moveable center contact lying primarily in said center passage and with a front end of said moveable center contact projecting forward beyond said tubular insulator;

said moveable outer contact has an inner passage (103) that receives said tubular insulator, and said moveable outer contact has a front end with an inner flange (80) that forms a front passage (84) that is of smaller diameter than said inner passage, with said moveable center contact being moveable through said front passage.

9. A connector system comprising:

first and second coaxial connectors (12, 14) that each lies on an axis (16) extending in forward and rearward directions, said connectors being moveable together to connect them;

said second coaxial connector has a stationary inner contact pad (34) and a stationary outer contact pad (36) that each face primarily rearward;

said first coaxial connector has a moveable center contact (20) and a center contact spring (24) that biases said moveable center contact forwardly, and a center stop (27) that limits center contact forward movement;

said first coaxial connector has a moveable outer contact (22) that extends around said axis and an outer contact spring (26) that biases said moveable outer contact forwardly, and has an outer stop (28) that limits outer contact forward movement;

said first connector includes a tubular insulator (100) with a center passage (101) that surrounds part of said moveable center contact with said moveable center contact projecting forward of said center passage; and

including

a nonmoveable conductive shield (102) that has a tubular portion that lies between said tubular insulator and said moveable outer contact and that is electrically connected to said moveable outer contact;

said moveable outer contact having a front internal flange (80) that lies forward of said tubular insulator, with a center aperture (84) that is larger than a front end of said moveable center contact, and said conductive shield has an internal flange (112) that lies between a forward end of said tubular insulator and said front internal flange of said outer moveable outer contact.