U.S. patent application number 09/828465 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-25 for coaxial connector.
Invention is credited to Annequin, Sebastien.
Application Number | 20010034143 09/828465 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8849001 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010034143 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Annequin, Sebastien |
October 25, 2001 |
Coaxial connector
Abstract
A coaxial connector is suitable for being received in an opening
in a panel, in particular a wall of a metal box. The connector
comprises a conductive tubular body, a conductive tubular grounding
plate and at least one resilient member, said grounding plate being
movable in translation coaxially relative to said body, said
grounding plate having a continuous rigid bearing surface for
pressing against said panel, and said at least one resilient
member, in particular a spring, being arranged to urge the
grounding plate into a given position relative to the tubular body
and to press the grounding plate against said panel when the
connector is assembled with a complementary connector element.
Inventors: |
Annequin, Sebastien;
(Fairfield, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Michael A. Cornman
SCHWEITZER CORNMAN
GROSS & BONDELL LLP
230 Park Avenue
New York
NY
10169
US
|
Family ID: |
8849001 |
Appl. No.: |
09/828465 |
Filed: |
April 6, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 13/74 20130101;
H01R 2103/00 20130101; H01R 24/52 20130101; H05K 9/0018 20130101;
Y10S 439/939 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/63 |
International
Class: |
H01R 012/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 7, 2000 |
FR |
00 04479 |
Claims
1. A coaxial connector suitable for being received in an opening of
a panel, in particular a wall of a metal box, the connector
comprising a conductive tubular body, a conductive tubular
grounding plate and at least one resilient member, said grounding
plate being movable in translation coaxially relative to said body,
said grounding plate having a continuous rigid bearing surface for
pressing against said panel, and said at least one resilient
member, in particular a spring, being arranged to urge the
grounding plate into a given position relative to the tubular body
and to press the grounding plate against said panel when the
connector is assembled with a complementary connector element.
2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the body and the
grounding plate are circularly symmetrical.
3. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the body has an
extension from its side wall constituting a housing in which said
grounding plate can move axially.
4. A connector according to claim 3, wherein the extension has a
second wall parallel and outside the wall of the body, said wall
being interconnected by a radial wall defining the end wall of the
housing.
5. A connector according to claim 3, wherein the grounding plate
has a tubular portion that engages in the housing of the body, and
that is extended at each end by a respective rigid radial collar,
one of said collars being outwardly directed and forming the
bearing surface for pressing against said panel, the other collar
being inwardly directed and suitable for being brought to bear
against the end wall of the housing of the body.
6. A connector according to claim 3, wherein the tubular portion of
the grounding plate co-operates with the wall of the body to form a
second housing in which the resilient member is received, the
inwardly-directed radial collar defining an end wall for said
second housing and serving as a first bearing surface for the
resilient member.
7. A connector according to claim 6, including a fitting secured to
the body and arranged to define a second bearing surface for the
resilient member.
8. A connector according to claim 7, wherein the fitting is
substantially tubular in shape and is arranged in such a manner as
to engage in part in the second housing of the grounding plate.
9. A connector according to claim 1, including snap-fastening means
suitable for co-operating with corresponding means on a
complementary connector element.
10. A connector according to claim 9, wherein the complementary
connector element is a coaxial socket mounted on a printed circuit
card placed in a metal box having an opening through which said
connector is engaged.
11. A connector according to claim 9, wherein the resilient member
is a spring arranged in such a manner that its return force is
smaller than the force required for disengaging the connector from
the complementary connector element.
12. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the
panel is made in such a manner that when the connector is received
in said opening, the connector can move radially in said opening,
while the grounding plate remains in contact with the panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] It is known that the electromagnetic pollution generated by
an electronic module can be limited and/or eliminated by covering
the module with a metal box.
[0002] The metal box provides ground continuity around the module
so as to constitute shielding between the module and the
environment.
[0003] In such an implementation, an opening through the wall of
the box for passing a connector cable constitutes a zone of
electromagnetic leakage to the outside.
[0004] In order to preserve shielding of the electronic module, it
is known to use shielded cables having shielding that is connected
to the metal box.
[0005] That kind of connection is generally provided by means of a
connector including a grounding plate which is electrically
connected both to the body of the connector and to the metal
box.
[0006] It is known that the grounding plate can be fixed to the
metal box by means of a screw and nut type fastening or by means of
a plurality of screws.
[0007] The connector can also be fixed to the metal box by means of
an outside thread formed on the connector so that the connector can
be screwed into tapping in the box.
[0008] Such fixing can also be obtained by forcing the connector
into an opening in the wall of the box.
[0009] Those methods of fixing have the advantage of giving rise to
shielding that is effective.
[0010] Nevertheless, the prevent the connector moving when fixed to
the metal box and they give rise to complex operations for mounting
the connector on the box and for dismounting it therefrom.
[0011] In order to simplify the operation of fixing the connector
to the box, it is possible to fix a shielding bracelet so that it
comes into contact both with the connector and with the box,
thereby providing electrical continuity.
[0012] Nevertheless, such bracelets are expensive and provide
little freedom of displacement for the connector relative to the
box.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention makes it possible simultaneously to
obtain good shielding and fixing between the connector and the
metal box that is relatively flexible.
[0014] This is achieved by the invention by means of a coaxial
connector suitable for being received in an opening of a panel, in
particular a wall of a metal box, the connector comprising a
conductive tubular body, a conductive tubular grounding plate, and
at least one resilient member, said grounding plate being movable
in translation coaxially relative to said body, said grounding
plate having a continuous rigid bearing surface for pressing
against said panel, and said at least one resilient member, in
particular a spring, being arranged to urge the grounding plate
into a given position relative to the tubular body and to press the
grounding plate against said panel when the connector is assembled
with a complementary connector element.
[0015] This provides both mechanical support and electrical contact
between the grounding plate and the panel without using additional
support members.
[0016] The grounding plate can be mounted on the panel and it can
be dismounted therefrom in particularly simple manner.
[0017] In a particular embodiment, the body and the grounding plate
are circularly symmetrical.
[0018] Preferably, the body has an extension from its side wall
constituting a housing in which said grounding plate can move
axially.
[0019] In a particular embodiment, the extension has a second wall
parallel and outside the wall of the body, said wall being
interconnected by a radial wall defining the end wall of the
housing.
[0020] Still in a particular embodiment, the grounding plate has a
tubular portion that engages in the housing of the body, and that
is extended at each end by a respective rigid radial collar, one of
said collars being outwardly directed and forming the bearing
surface for pressing against said panel, the other collar being
inwardly directed and suitable for being brought to bear against
the end wall of the housing of the body.
[0021] Advantageously, the tubular portion of the grounding plate
co-operates with the wall of the body to form a second housing in
which the resilient member is received, the inwardly-directed
radial collar defining an end wall for said second housing and
serving as a first bearing surface for the resilient member.
[0022] Preferably, the connector includes a fitting secured to the
body and arranged to define a second bearing surface for the
resilient member.
[0023] The fitting is advantageously substantially tubular in shape
and is arranged in such a manner as to engage in part in the second
housing of the grounding plate.
[0024] The connector may include snap-fastening means suitable for
co-operating with corresponding means on a complementary connector
element.
[0025] In a particular embodiment, the complementary connector
element is a coaxial socket mounted on a printed circuit card
placed in a metal box having an opening through which said
connector is engaged.
[0026] Advantageously, the resilient member is a spring arranged in
such a manner that its return force is smaller than the force
required for disengaging the connector from the complementary
connector element.
[0027] Preferably, the opening in the panel is made in such a
manner that when the connector is received in said opening, the
connector can move radially in said opening, while the grounding
plate remains in contact with the panel.
[0028] This makes it possible to implement the opening with
relatively large positioning tolerance.
[0029] It then suffices to adjust the position of the connector
relative to a socket on which it is fixed, by displacing the
connector radially in the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will
appear on reading the following description of a non-limiting
embodiment and on referring to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0031] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a coaxial connector of the
invention, shown partially in section;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a section view of the FIG. 1 connector received in
an opening in a wall of a metal box prior to the connector being
fixed to a socket; and
[0033] FIG. 3 is a view analogous to FIG. 2 after the connector has
been fixed to the socket.
MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] FIG. 1 shows a coaxial connector 1 comprising a body 2 that
is circularly tubular about the axis X.
[0035] The body 2 has an extension 3 from its side wall that
constitutes a housing 4.
[0036] The extension 3 has a tubular wall 5 that is circularly
symmetrical about the axis X and parallel with the outside of the
tubular wall of the body 2.
[0037] The wall 5 and the tubular wall of the body 2 are connected
together by a radial wall 6 defining the end wall of the housing
4.
[0038] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the axial length of the
wall 5 is shorter than the axial length of the body 2.
[0039] The connector 1 also has a grounding plate 7 that is movable
axially in the housing 4.
[0040] The body 2 and the grounding plate 7 are made of metal so as
to co-operate with a metal box 20 to provide shielding for an
electronic module on which the box is mounted.
[0041] The grounding plate 7 has a tubular portion 8 that is
circularly symmetrical about the axis X and that is extended at
each end by a rigid radial collar, one of the collars being
outwardly directed to form a bearing surface 9 for bearing against
a panel 21 of the metal box 20, while the other collar 10 is
inwardly directed and bears against the end wall 6 of the housing 4
of the body 2. It is important for the bearing surface 9 to be
continuous, i.e. in particular for it to have no slot or other
discontinuity, in order to ensure that it performs the
electromagnetic shielding function in effective manner.
[0042] Furthermore, the tubular wall of the body 2 cooperates with
the tubular wall 8 and the radial collar 10 of the grounding plate
7 to define a housing 12 which receives a spring 13, the radial
collar 10 forming a first bearing surface for the spring 13.
[0043] This housing 12 has an opening that extends radially and
into which there is inserted part of a tubular fitting 14.
[0044] A radially extending wall of the fitting 14 closes the
housing 12 and defines a second bearing surface for the spring
13.
[0045] The fitting 14 is made of metal and it is fixed to the body
2, e.g. by soldering or as a force-fit.
[0046] The spring 13 is arranged so that when no external stress is
exerted on the grounding plate 7, it presses the radial collar 10
of the grounding plate 7 against the end wall of the housing 4,
i.e. against the radial wall 6.
[0047] The connector 1 also has a metal tube 16 on the axis X with
a free end forming an annular projection 19 whose function is
described below.
[0048] An insulating tube 17 containing a central conductor 18 is
inserted inside the body 2.
[0049] The body 2, the grounding plate 7, the fitting 14, and the
tube 16 form a ground conductor suitable for engaging on a coaxial
socket 22 mounted on a printed circuit card 23 inside the box
20.
[0050] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the coaxial connector 1 is
received in an opening 24 in a panel 21 of a metal box 20 for
shielding an electronic module defined, in particular, by a printed
circuit card 23.
[0051] The diameter of the opening 24 is greater than the diameter
of the tubular portion of the body 2.
[0052] Thus, the connector 1 can move radially in the opening 24,
with the radial collar 9 remaining in contact with the wall 21 of
the box 20.
[0053] As a result, it is no longer essential for the socket 25 to
be accurately positioned relative to the opening 21 in the metal
box 20.
[0054] FIG. 2 shows the connector 1 placed in the housing 24
without being engaged in the socket 22.
[0055] The connector 1 is connected to a coaxial cable 30 provided
with shielding that comes into contact with the box 20 via the
grounding plate 7.
[0056] The socket 22 has a housing 25 whose bottom portion presents
an internal cavity 26 of annular shape.
[0057] The socket 22 also has a housing 27 suitable for receiving
the central conductor 18.
[0058] The connector 1 is fixed to the socket 22 by exerting
pressure on a portion of the connector, e.g. on the fitting 14, so
as to engage the projection 19 of the tubular portion 16 in the
cavity 26 of the socket 22.
[0059] Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the spring 13 is compressed and
exerts axial stress on the radial collar 10 so as to keep the
radial collar 9 in contact with the panel 21 of the box 20.
[0060] The spring is selected in such a manner that when the
connector 1 is engaged in the socket 22, it exerts stress on the
grounding plate 7 that is less than the stress necessary for
disengaging the connector 1 from the socket 22.
[0061] Thus, it is particularly simple to engage the connector 1 in
the socket 22, with this engagement being guaranteed by these two
parts snap-fastening.
[0062] Although the invention is described with reference to a
particular embodiment, the invention is not limited in any way
thereto and any desirable modification can be made thereto without
going beyond its scope as defined by the claims.
* * * * *