Vessel probe connector with solid dielectric therein

• US 8,549,909 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meggitt Safety Systems, Inc. (Meggitt PLC)
• Original Assignee: Meggitt Orange County Inc (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Carvalho, Carlos E., Ki, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOLB, NATHANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US13/086,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20110241698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 732/90.V, 439/578, 439/582
• US Class Current: 73/290.V
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/284 Electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/18 wherein range gates are used
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/02 Bends; Corners; Twists
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/103 Hollow-waveguide/coaxial-line transitions

Abstract

A modular TDR probe assembly is presented. The probe assembly includes a first section with a central conductor and an outer conductor having a first impedance, and a second section with a central conductor and an outer conductor having a second impedance. An impedance matching elbow joins the first section and the second section. The elbow contains a solid dielectric insert with a bore passing through it housing a terminal pin that conveys electrical signals between the center conductor of the first section and the center conductor of the second section.

Claims

1. A modular TDR probe assembly comprising:

a first elongated portion having a first impedance wherein the first elongated portion further comprises a first central conductor and a first outer conductor;

a second elongated portion having a second impedance, wherein the second elongated portion further comprises a second central conductor and a second outer conductor;

a dielectric insert comprising a solid dielectric material, a dielectric insert first end, a dielectric insert second end, and a bore passing through the dielectric insert between the first end and the second end;

a terminal pin comprising a conductive material having a terminal pin first end and a terminal pin second end configured to be disposed at least partially within the dielectric insert bore with the terminal pin first end extending from the dielectric insert first end and the terminal pin second end extending from the dielectric insert second end; and

an elbow comprising a first end and a second end configured to substantially enclose the dielectric insert and terminal pin disposed within the elbow, wherein the elbow first end is configured to connect to the first elongated portion and thereby place the first center conductor in electrical communication with the terminal pin first end, and the elbow second end is configured to connect to the second elongated portion and thereby place the second central conductor in electrical communication with the terminal pin second end.

2. The TDR probe assembly of claim 1 wherein the elbow joins the first elongated portion at an angle in the inclusive range of 45 degrees and 135 degrees relative to the second elongated portion.

3. The TDR probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the elbow first end is configured to connect to the first elongated portion with a coaxial connector.

4. The TDR probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the central conductor and outer conductor of the first elongated portion comprise a coaxial cable.

5. The TDR probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the dielectric insert further comprises a central bore passing through the dielectric insert.

6. The TDR probe assembly of claim 5, wherein the dielectric insert further comprises:

a substantially cylindrical barrel section further comprising a barrel section diameter, a first end and a second end; and

a recess area in the barrel section second end.

7. The TDR probe assembly of claim 6, wherein the dielectric insert further comprises a substantially conical beveled section further comprising a narrow end having a minimum diameter and a wide end having a maximum diameter equal to the barrel section diameter, and the dielectric insert conical beveled section wide end disposed adjacent to the dielectric insert cylindrical barrel section first end.

8. The TDR probe assembly of claim 7, wherein the terminal pin further comprises:

an insert section configured to be disposed substantially within the dielectric insert center bore;

a terminal pin conical section configured to be disposed substantially within the dielectric insert cylindrical section recess area, the conical section having a minimum diameter and a maximum diameter, the minimum diameter portion of the terminal pin conical section disposed to be adjacent to the insert section;

a terminal pin barrel section adjacent to the maximum diameter portion of the conical section, the barrel section having a diameter at least as large the conical section maximum diameter; and

a connector adjacent to the terminal pin barrel section.

9. The TDR probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the second elongated portion further comprises an end cap.

10. The TDR probe assembly of claim 9, wherein the end cap attaches to the second elongated portion by one of:

a snap on connector, connector pins, or a threaded screw on connector.

11. A TDR probe connector configured to connect a first coaxial probe with a second coaxial probe section, the first coaxial probe section having a first impedance and a first center conductor, the second coaxial probe section having a second impedance and a second center conductor, the second impedance being different from the first impedance, the connector comprising:

a substantially cylindrical outer conductor comprising a conductive material having an outer conductor first end and an outer conductor second end wherein the outer conductor first end is configured to connect to the first coaxial probe section, and the outer conductor second end is configured to connect to the second coaxial probe section;

a dielectric insert comprising a solid dielectric material, a dielectric insert first end, a dielectric insert second end, and a center bore passing through the dielectric insert from the dielectric insert first end to the dielectric insert second end, the dielectric insert disposed within the outer conductor first end such that the dielectric insert substantially fills the outer conductor first end;

a terminal pin comprising a conductive material having a terminal pin first end and a terminal pin second end at least partially disposed within dielectric insert center bore such that the terminal pin substantially fills the dielectric insert center bore, the terminal pin first end extending past the dielectric insert first end and the terminal pin second end extending past the dielectric insert second end; and

a first spark gap comprising the shortest distance between the outer conductor and the terminal pin.

12. The connector of claim 11, wherein the connector is further configured to place the first center conductor in electrical communication with the terminal pin first end at a first connection point, and the connector is configured to place the second central conductor in electrical communication with the terminal pin second end at a second connection point.

13. The connector of claim 11, wherein the first spark gap is greater than 0.190 inches.

14. The connector of claim 11, further comprising an elbow disposed between the outer conductor first end and the outer conductor second end, wherein the elbow further comprises an elbow angle between the outer conductor first end and the outer conductor second end.

15. The connector of claim 14, wherein the second connection point is disposed substantially within the elbow.

16. The connector of claim 15, further comprising a second spark gap, the second spark gap comprising the shortest distance between the outer conductor and the second central conductor, and wherein the second spark gap is greater than 0.190 inches.

17. The connector of claim 15, further comprising a connection angle between the terminal pin and the second central conductor at the second connection point, wherein the connection angle is substantially equal to the elbow angle.

18. The connector of claim 17, wherein the elbow angle is in the inclusive range from 45 degrees to 135 degrees.