US2757351A - Coaxial butt contact connector - Google Patents

Description

y 1955 c. w. KLOSTERMANN 2,

COAXIAL BUTT CONTACT CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 4, 1955 if i i I u i 2 2 2 2 3 w w 2 5 mw w 2 5, 5 W a 5 m n0 2 5 M 7 w w 2 7 m "a m July 31, 1956 Filed Feb. 4, 1953 C. W. KLOSTERMANN COAXIAL BUTT CONTACT CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 78 Q 91 a; 93 92 70 J0 101 7i 27 26 INVENTOR.

al 222mm its receptacle.

United States Patent Oflice I 2,757,351 Patented July 31, 1956 2,757,351 CoAxrAL BUTT CONTACT CONNECTOR Curt W. Klostermann, Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Phenolic Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 4, 1953, Serial No. 335,135 8 Claims. (Cl. 339-477) This invention relates to electrical connectors, and has specific reference to connectors adapted to join coaxial transmission lines or shielded cables to each other in a manner providing an efiicient electrical union between the conductors, yet permitting almost instantaneous detachment, if required.

' It is an important object of the invention to provide a connector wherein the electrical union between the mating halves of the connector is accomplished by abutment type contacts rather than by telescoping. parts, so that the contact assemblies of the connector do not tend to prevent or resist separation of the connector plug from nector the contact assemblies themselves have a spring biasing effect tending to force the receptacle from the plug if not held by other means, and as a result, this type of contact assembly is particularly well suited to use in establishing connections for coaxial cables passing through any type of quick acting or breakaway connector, for example.

A more specific object of the present invention is.to provide an improved contact assembly or connector subassembly wherein the electrical circuit from the outer tubular conductor of a shielded cable or coaxial transmission line extends through a pair of generally tubular or sleeve-like members, each fixedly mounted in one of the dielectric inserts of a separable electrical connector, with the electrical union between the two sleeves established by a free floating, slidable contact ring mounted for limited outward movement with respect to one of said sleeves, with spring means for holding the slidable ring in intimate electrical contact with them both.

A further object of considerable importance is the provision of a contact assembly of the type indicated above wherein certain of the essential parts of the assembly are held together without the need of screws, nuts or similar fastening means, but are permanently held in assembled relationship by internal snap rings so arranged as to properly limit the inward and outward movement of said ring, as well as to prevent disassembly of the parts.

A still further object is the provision of a coaxial contact assembly including a longitudinally slidable ring member adapted to project from a sleeve-like conductor in one assembly and be held in spring-urged contact with another sleeve of a coacting unit, wherein an intimate electrical union between the slidable contact ring and the sleeve in which it is mounted is accomplished by a plurality of radially disposed, outwardly biased spring fingers uniting them electrically yet permitting considerable freedom of movement.

The foregoing objects are accomplished in the present invention by a connector wherein sections of a coaxial line to be coupled to each other are terminated in a pair of coacting contact assemblies, each of which has a central contact entirely surrounded by a generally tubular sleeve, which may be carried in the dielectric insert of any conventional type of connector. A slidable contact ring is mounted on one of the sleeves, and this ring is spring- As a matter of fact, in the present conurged against the other sleeve to establish a continuous exterior electrical conductor surrounding the central conductor.

The drawings of the present application illustrate two of the preferred commercial embodiments of the.inven-' tion. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmental sectional view of an electrical connector employing a coaxial contact assembly as contemplated by the present disclosure;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the slidable ring-like contact member thereof; and v Figure 3 is a perspective view of an internal sleeve member of the device, showing the spring fingers thereof.

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 1, showing a somewhat modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the slidable ringshaped contact member thereof; and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the central dielectric member.

The novel features of the present disclosure reside to a large extent in a pairlof contact assemblies generally designated at 10 and 11, which are utilized to establish electrical connections between coaxial transmission lines 12 and 13. Each of these lines has a central conductor 14, a dielectric layer 15, an outer metallic braid conductor 16, and exterior insulation or braid 17. These contact assemblies 10 and 11 may be utilized in connectors of many and various types, but for purposes of convenience in illustration they are shown in a breakaway connector of the general form illustrated in the specification of Adams and Klostermann application Ser. No. 156,198, filed April 15, 1950, now abandoned. In this form of connector, a receptacle 21 is provided with a dielectric insert 22 which, in the normal operation of the connector, is fixedly held in spaced relationship with a corresponding dielectric insert 23 carried withinthe metallic shell 24 of the connector plug. A resilient marginal sealing flange 25 may be provided and, if desired, latch fittings 26 and 27 may be mounted in the inserts 22 and 23, respectively, so that the plug of the connector may be held to the receptacle, as by latch mechanism 28-49, all as illustrated and described more fully in said prior specification.

In the form of the invention shown, the essential working parts of the contacting mechanism are incorporated into the assembly 10, so that the construction of the assembly 11 parts. Preferably, the assembly 11 dered sleeve 31,- clamped into a counterbored aperture in the insert 22 by a threaded nut 32. The .sleeve 31 is also counterbored from the rear end thereof, so that a dielectric insert 33 may be mounted against the shoulder 34 and held in position by an insulating washer 35 which is in turn secured by a perforated gland 36 screw-threaded into the rearward end of the sleeve 31. The gland 36 also clamps the annular terminal fitting 37 of the outer conductor 16 of the transmission line against the shoulder 38, so that this conductor is held in firm electrical en-.

gagement with the sleeve 31. The coaxial line 13 is thus firmly secured to the contact assembly 11, both electrically and from a mechanical standpoint. The central conductor 14 of the cable is soldered or otherwise secured to a shouldered central contact 39 carried by and mounted in a counterbored central aperture in the dielectric insert 33.

The contact assembly 10, wherein the principal novelty of this disclosure resides, includes an exterior sleeve 41 of generally tubular form having an enlarged shoulder 42 at its forward end and external threads 43 near its rearward end 46, so that the assembly may be fixedly mounted in a counterbored recess in the dielectric insert may be relatively simple, with no movingconsists of a shoul-.

23 by a' threaded clamping nut 44. A gland 45 is threaded'into the rear extremity 46 of the sleeve, and is arranged to clamp the annularly formed end fitting 47 of theouter conductor 16 of the transmission line 12 against the shoulder 48.

The central conductor 14 of the line extends through theinsulating washer 49 and may be soldered or otherwise secured to the rearward end of a .tubularcontact 51, which is mounted in the dielectric insert 52.. The insert 52 is .in turn mounted in a reduced diameter portion 53 of the. sleeve 41,. at a point intermediately positioned bv" tween its ends. The contact 51? may be of any appropriate variety, butas shown, it houses a spring-urged plunger 54 adapted'to project fromthe forward end of the contact 51-and engage the mating central contact ,39 of 'the assembly 11.

' The forward end of the sleeve 41 has a relatively large counterbore terminating in a shoulder 55, and a smaller counterbore extending inwardly therefrom and serving as amounting for an annular base portion 56 of a metallic spring, finger sleeve 57. The ring-shaped base 56 of the sleeve 57 is secured within the sleeve 41 and a reduced diameter portion of the sleeve extends forwardly and is slotted or split to provide a multiplicity of spring contact fingers 58; Each' of these fingers has an outer slide portion 59 adapted to bear against and establish electrical contact with the smooth inside portion of a contact ring 61.

The contact ring 61 is shiftably mounted in the larger counterbore of the sleeve 41. In manufacture, it is practicable to machine the portions 59 to adiameter somewhat larger than the interior bore of'the ring 61 before slotting the sleeve 57, and by this means the fingers 58 .will be automatically flexed inwardly the desired degree on assembly of the parts, so that each of the fingers has a laterally acting spring bias sufiicient to hold it in firm electrical'engagement with the surface of the ring; 61,.yet permit free, relatively sliding movement of the ring.

The contact ring 61 is normally urged forwardly by a compression spring consisting of a stack of spring washers 62 housed in the counterbore of the sleeve 41 between the shoulder 55' and the back of the ring 61. The ring 61 is limited in its motion, however, by a split snap ring 63 seated in an annular groove around the forwardend of the sleeve 41.

on its outer wall. This groove defines a forward stop shoulder 65 and a rearward stop shoulder 66, both arrangedto corne'into contact with the spring ring 63 to limit the rearward and forward movement of the ring with'respect to the sleeve; with a relatively narrow, deep groove 67"into whichthe spring snap ring 63 may be compressedto permit original assembly of the unit. Thus, the parts are heldpermanently'assembled, yet the contact ring is spring" biased outwardly so' that its convex annular forwardcontact face" shieldedcable. The central conductor 77 of 'the trans mission'line shown may be directly soldered to. a. shouldered metalliccontact 7 8-molded into therdielectric: insert 79T1ofthesleeve 72. The insert may-be securedwithinv sleeve :72- in any conventional manner;

It has some freedom of movement, however, due to the relatively wide groove 64' The ring 61- is also provided the connector. dielectric 22 by an 73. The rear end of;the sleeve .72.

The contact assembly 71 also comprises an exterior sleeve 82 with a forward shoulder 83 and a clamping nut 84 affixed to the rear threaded end portion 85 of the sleeve. A threaded cap 86 is also affixed to the sleeve as indicated, and a gland 87 is threaded into the rear aperture of the cap to secure the outer conductor 88 of the transmission line or cable therein. The forward end of the sleeve 82 has a counterboreterminating in the shoulder 91, and the rearrnost end of the sleeve is also counterbored at 92 to define a reduced'diarneter' central portion 93.

A dielectric insert 94 is mounted in the reducedportion 93 and locked therein by a split springring '95, in the manner well understood in the art. One or more tubular contacts 96 may be mounted in the insert, and each of these contacts includes a plunger 97 urged outwardly by an internal spring to engage the corresponding contact 78 in assembly 70 carried by the receptacle of the connector. As shown, the contact 96. is. centrally disposed in the manner in which it would be utilizedby a coaxial conductor, and in such case the central con: ductor 98 of the transmission line is directly connected. to the soldering pocket of the contactsleeve.

The contact assembly 71 includes a shiftable contact ring101 illustrated in detail in Figure. 5. As showm. this ring includes a continuous convex annular contact.- ing surface 102 at its forwardend and its rear portion is provided with a shoulder 103 arranged to abut against the end shoulder 83 and limit inward. movement of the. ring. The ring also includes a thinner rear portion having parallel slots 104 therein. These slots form the rear.

portion of the ring into a plurality of spring fingers 105, each of which includes an outer contact portion 106 and an inner shoulder 107 adapted to engage a coacting shoulder 108 at the forward end of the insert 94. The. contact ring is urged forwardly by a. compression spring comprising the stacked spring washers 109, but its. motion is limited by engagement of the shoulders 107 and 108; It will be noted, however, that the spring fingers may be initially flexed inwardly as heretofore dee scribed, so that in use they will bear radially outwardly,- establishing a firm yet shiftable electrical joint between contact portions 106 of the fingers 105 and the inside of the sleeve 82; It is also to crs 109, are all held in permanently spring locking ring ward end 110 of the insert 94 is tapered so thatitmay be snapped through the ring 95 after the. ring has been positioned within its groove.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the connectors disclosed herein represent adeparturexfrom the. prior art which accomplishes. certain important advantages. Connectors const. cted according, to the present invention are comparatively simple from a mechanical standpoint, and are, consequently, to produce. They are electrically efiicient, yet they are easily adaptable to the many and various technical requirements of electrical components of this .generaltype.

They maintain an intimate, low resistance, electrical union. between the transmission lines or cables which they unite,v

the: dielectric insert of" an electrical connector. andzeoms be seen that the spring washcontact ring 81, and central dielectric insert 94. assembled relationship by the? 95. To accomplish this, the rearfairly'. economical what I claim as:

1. A contact assembly, adapted tobemountedcwithinprising, in combination, a generally tubular metallic sleeve having an enlarged shoulder at its forward end and a threaded portion at its rearward end, with an annular clamping nut on said threaded portion whereby the assembly may be fixedly mounted in a bore through said insert; the assembly including a rearwardly disposed aperture concentric with the sleeve and adapted to receive a coaxial transmission line, with a gland concentric with the sleeve at the rear end of the assembly adapted to engage the exterior tubular conductor of said coaxial transmission line and secure it thereto; the sleeve of said assembly having enlarged counterbored portions extending inwardly from the forward end and rearward end thereof, with a reduced diameter portion intermediate the ends of the sleeve; an insulating dielectric insert mounted in said intermediate portion of the contact sleeve and carrying a central contact in coaxial relation to said sleeve; and a sliding ring member in telescoping relation to the counter-bored portion at the forward end of said sleeve and adapted to move inwardly and outwardly in the aforementioned enlarged counterbored portion thereof, with a compression spring comprising a plurality of spring washers in stacked relation to each other in said counterbored portion, and an annular contact portion at the forward end of said ring adapted to project from said sleeve and engage a corresponding ring-like contact of a mating coaxial connector; together with means to limit the projection of said ring from the sleeve.

2. A contact assembly adapted to be mounted within the dielectric insert of an electrical connector and comprising, in combination, a generally tubular metallic sleeve having an enlarged shoulder at its forward end and a threaded portion at its rearward end, with an annular clamping nut on said threaded portion whereby the assembly may be fixedly mounted in a bore through said insert; the assembly including a rearwardly disposed aperture concentric with the sleeve and adapted to receive a coaxial transmission line, with a gland concentric with the sleeve at the rear end of the assembly adapted to engage the exterior tubular conductor of said coaxial transmission line and secure it thereto; the sleeve of said assembly having enlarged counterbored portions extending inwardly from the forward end and rearward end thereof, with areduced diameter portion intermediate the ends of the sleeve; an insulating dielectric insert mounted in said intermediate portion of the contact sleeve and carrying a central contact in coaxial relation to said sleeve; and a sliding ring member in telescoping relation to the counterbored portion at the forward end of said sleeve and adapted to move inwardly and outwardly in the aforementioned enlarged counterbored portion thereof, with a compression spring comprising a plurality of spring washers in stacked relation to each other in said counterbored portion, and an annular contact portion at the forward end of said ring adapted to project from said sleeve and engage a corresponding ring-like contact of a mating coaxial connector.

3. A contact assembly adapted to be mounted within the dielectric insert of an electrical connector and comprising, in combination, a generally tubular metallic sleeve fixedly mounted in said insert; the sleeve of said assembly having enlarged counterbored portions extending inwardly from the forward end and rearward end thereof, with a reduced diameter portion intermediate the ends of the sleeve; an insulating dielectric insert mounted in said reduced diameter portion and carrying a central contact in coaxial relation to said sleeve; and a sliding ring member in telescoping relation to the enlarged counterbored portion at the forward end of said sleeve and adapted to move inwardly and outwardly in theaforementioned counterbored portion thereof, with a compression spring in said counterbored portion, and an annular contact portion at the forward end of said ring adapted to project from said sleeve and engage a corresponding ring-like contact of a mating coaxial connector.

4. A contact assembly adapted to be mounted within the dielectric insert of an electrical connector and comprising, in combination, a generally tubular metallic sleeve having an enlarged shoulder at its forward end and athreaded portion at its rearward end, with an annular clamping nut onsaid threaded portion whereby the assembly may be fixedly mounted in a bore through said insert; the sleeve of said assembly having an enlarged counterbored portion extending inwardly from the forward end thereof, with at least one electrical contact mounted on v an insulating dielectric insert in coaxial relation to said sleeve, and a sliding coaxial ring member in telescoping relation to the counterbored portion at the forward end of said sleeve and adapted to move inwardly and outwardly in the aforementioned counterbored portion thereof; spring means adapted to urge said ring forwardly from said sleeve and to project an annular contact portion at the forward end of said ring from said sleeve to engage a corresponding ring-like contact of a mating coaxial connector; and coacting stop members adapted to engage each other to limit the projection of said ring from the sleeve.

5. A contact assembly adapted to be mounted within the dielectric insert of an electric connector and comprising, in combination, a generally tubular metallic sleeve fixedly mounted in said insert; the sleeve of said assembly having an enlarged counterbored portion extending inwardly from the forward end thereof, with at least one electrical contact mounted on an insulating dielectric insert in coaxial relation to said sleeve, and a sliding coaxial ring member in telescoping relation to the counterbored portion at the forward end of said sleeve and adapted to move inwardly and outwardly in the aforementioned counterbored portion thereof; and spring means adapted to urge said ring forwardly from said sleeve and to project an annular contact portion at the forward end of said ring from said sleeve to engage a corresponding ring-like contact of a mating coaxial connector.

6. A contact assembly adapted to be mounted within the dielectric insert of an electrical connector and comprising, in combination, a generally tubular metallic sleeve having an enlarged shoulder at its forward end and a threaded portion at its rearward end, with an annular clamping nut on said threaded portion whereby the assembly may be fixedly mounted in a bore through said insert; the assembly including a rearwardly disposed aperture concentric with the sleeve and adapted to receive a coaxial transmission line, with a gland concentric with the sleeve at the rear end of the assembly adapted to engage the exterior tubular conductor of said coaxial transmission line and secure it thereto; the sleeve of said assembly having an insulating dielectric insert carrying a central contact in coaxial relation to said sleeve, and a sliding coaxial ring member in telescoping relation to said sleeve at the forward end thereof adapted to move inwardly and outwardly with respect thereto; a spring adapted to urge said ring forwardly from said sleeve, and an annular contact portion at the forward end of said ring adapted to project from said sleeve and engage a corresponding ring-like contact of a mating coaxial connector; together with means to limit the projection of said ring from the sleeve.

7. A contact assembly adapted to be mounted within the dielectric insert of an electrical connector and comprising, in combination, a generally tubular metallic sleeve having an enlarged shoulder at its forward end and a threaded portion at its rearward end, with an annular clamping nut on said threaded portion whereby the assembly may be fixedly mounted in a bore through said insert; the assembly including a rearwardly disposed aperture concentric with the sleeve and adapted to receive a coaxial transmission line, with a gland concentric with the sleeve at the rear end of the assembly adapted to engage the exterior tubular conductor of said coaxial transmission line and secure it thereto; the sleeve of said assembly having; an. insulating dielectric insertcarrying a central icon: met in coaxial relation to said sleeve, and a sliding coaxial ringmember in telescoping relation to saidsleevev at the forward endthereofadaptedto move inwardly and outwardly; with respect thereto; a spring adapted to urge said ring-forwardly from said sleeve, and an annular contact portionat the forward end of said ring adapted'toproiect from said sleeve and engage a corresponding ring-like contact ofa mating coaxial connector.

8. In a connector contact, in combination, a metallic contact sleeve with a reduced, diameter portion intermediateits ends; a dielectric insert fixedly mounted vin said reduced diameter portion vof said .sleeve and at least one inner contact carriedlthereby; a-counterbore at the ion ward end of said sleeve, and -a free floating contact ring positioned in said counterbore and in telescoping relation:

ship with saidsleeve, with a continuous annular contact surface on the forwar spring urging said ring forwardly from the s d end of said contact ring ancla leeve; together with coacting stop members to limit the forward movement of said ring References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Johanne-sen Sept. 14,

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