Abstract:
A filtered adapter is disclosed for interconnecting existing mating connectors thereby providing filtered retrofit of a connector without the need for major circuit modification.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. The Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a filtered interconnection adapter to be inserted between existing mating connector members to retrofit a circuit with the desired filtering characteristics. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     There are often instances when circuitry is initially designed without filtering being provided in the interconnecting faces. However, after experience with the circuitry it becomes apparent that such filtering would be highly desirable and yet would be rather costly if circuitry redesign were to be necessitated. Therefore, it becomes highly desirable to provide a means for retrofitting filtering into the circuit to avoid excessive redesign cost while achieving the desired ends. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns an adapter to retrofit filtering into existing mating connectors and includes a first flanged shell member having a ground plane secured intermediate thereof with a plurality of apertures therein. A plurality of filter sleeves are secured in the respective apertures of the ground plane. A like plurality of terminals, each having a pin configuration on a first end and a socket configuration on the opposite end, are provided each secured in a respective filter sleeve. The flanged shell, with the filters and contacts mounted therein, is filled on opposite sides of the ground plane with an insulating potting material and/or an insulation coating and/or an insulating insert and mating connector shells are secured to the flanges to form an integral unit having on one end a receptacle configuration and the other end a plug configuration. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce a filtered adapter for retrofitting existing connector assemblies without requiring modification of existing circuitry and/or connector equipment. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to produce a filtered adapter which can be readily and economically produced. 
     The means for accomplishing the foregoing objects and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the subject filtered adapter and mating connector members; and 
     FIG. 2 is a partial transverse section taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The subject filtered adapter invention is shown in FIG. 1 exploded from the mating members 12, 14 of a connector with the opposite faces of the adapter 10 profiled to appropriately mate with the connector members. The mating connector members 12, 14 are shown having a configuration similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,229, however, any suitable connector assembly configuration may be used such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,065,447 and 3,758,935. Since the mating connector members are of well known configurations, no detailed description of them is deemed necessary. 
     Turning now to the subject adapter 10, the adapter includes a flanged shell 16 having a substantially rectangular center portion 18 with outwardly directed flanges 20, 22 extending about the entire front and rear peripheries, respectively, thereof. The portion 18 is substantially bisected by a ground plane 24 which is secured thereto. The ground plane has a plurality of apertures 26 therein with the apertures being in alignment with the pin configuration for the mating connector members 12, 14. A filter sleeve 28 is secured in each aperture 26 by conventional soldering or other known methods. The filter sleeve is preferably of the type disclosed by U.S. Pat. Re No. 29,258, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. A terminal 30, having a pin configuration 32 on a first end and a socket configuration 34 on the opposite end is secured in each filter sleeve 34 by soldering or other known means. The terminal 30 is of any known configuration, such as the terminals described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,440,597 and 3,467,944. 
     Suitably profiled shells 36 and 38 are secured on opposite sides of the flange shell 16 by means of clinching tines 40, 42 formed in flanges 44, 46, respectively, and engaging in notches 48, 50 in flanges 20, 22. The bolts 52 extending through mating flange portions 44, 20, 22, 26 are used to secure the adapter to a ground plane represented by sleeve 54, and locating the adapter between mating connector members 12, 14. Longer bolts could be used to fix the connector members and adapter together as a unit. The cavity defined by the shell 38 and half of the shell 16 is filled with a potting material 56 and/or an insulating insert 58 and/or a coating material 60 while the cavity defined the other half of the shell 16 is filled with a similar potting material 62. 
     The adapter is thus provided with oppositely directed configurations suitable for intermating with the plug and receptacle members 12, 14, respectively. The adapter is readily inserted into a system simply by unplugging the existing connector members and mating them with the respective sides of the adapter. 
     The present invention may be subject to many changes and modifications without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore, intended in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive of the scope of the invention.