Abstract:
An electronic system is disclosed for RF signals, and comprises coaxial interconnection systems for interconnection with a printed circuit board and which provides an interface with the printed circuit boards.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket AD-00050, filed on Monday Apr. 13, 2009 (the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference). 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The subject disclosure relates to a coaxial style connection system for interconnecting circuit boards and providing an interface for, printed circuit boards within an electronic module. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Many different styles of connection systems are used to transmit radio frequency (RF) signals in any of cable-to-cable connections, board-to-board connections or board-to-cable connections. Some of the connection systems are part of an electronic system comprised of an enclosure with an opening therethrough. Typically the systems are built with multiple interconnections, and sometimes with cabling extending through an interface to the internal components. It would therefore be desirable to simplify the assembly and provide less interconnections. 
         [0004]    The object of the present embodiment is to improve upon the simplicity of the design and/or to improve upon the electronic performance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one embodiment, an electrical connector assembly comprises an electronic system having an enclosure with a plurality of walls and a housing module, connected to at least a portion of one of the walls and forming at least a portion of one of the walls. At least a portion of the module extending into an interior of the enclosure and at least one contact assembly is positioned in the housing module and having a first interface from an exterior of the enclosure, and a second interface from an interior of the enclosure. At least one printed circuit board is mounted to the housing module and within the enclosure; and at least one mating contact is directly connected to the at least one printed circuit board and electrically connected to the at least one contact assembly at the second interface. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, an electrical connector assembly comprises an electrical connector assembly comprising a housing module having a mating face and a second face, at least receiving opening extending between the mating face and second face. An extension wall extends from the second face. At least one contact assembly is positioned in the housing module and has a first interface adjacent the mating face and a second interface adjacent the extension wall. An attachment member is provided for attaching a printed circuit board to the extension wall. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  discloses a front perspective view of an electronic system assembly; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  discloses a rear perspective view of the connector assembly for use with the electronic system assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  discloses a rear perspective view of the partially assembled connector assembly; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  discloses an exploded view of the connector assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  discloses a front perspective view of the housing module; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  discloses a rear perspective view of the housing module of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  discloses a cross-sectional view through lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  discloses an exploded view of the coaxial plug contact assembly; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view through lines  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  discloses a cross-sectional view through lines  10 - 10  of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  shows one example of a mating connector for use with the electronic system assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    With reference first to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an electronic system assembly is shown at  2  comprising a connector assembly  4  and an outer housing enclosure  6 . As shown, connector assembly  4  is comprised of a coaxial plug contact assembly  8  and a housing module  10 . Housing enclosure  6  is shown diagrammatically in  FIG. 1  as a rectangular box but could be any configuration, but may include a plurality of walls and an opening through at least a portion of one wall, where the housing module  10  may be connected to at least a portion of one wall and form at least a portion of one wall, and where at least a portion of the housing module  10  extends into the enclosure  6 . As shown, connector assembly  4  is interconnected to a plurality of printed circuit boards  12 . Connector assembly  4  further comprises attachment members  14  which retain the printed circuit boards  12  to the housing module  10 , as described herein. 
         [0019]    With respect to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , connector housing module  10  includes a first or front face  20  and a second or rear face  22  with receiving openings  24  extending between the first and second faces  20 ,  22 . As shown best in  FIG. 1 , coaxial plug contact assembly  8  is shown having a first contact interface  30  positioned adjacent to first face  20  and as best shown in  FIG. 3  has a second contact interface  32  positioned adjacent to second face  22 . 
         [0020]    As shown best in  FIGS. 4-7 , the receiving openings  24  are defined by a bored hole extending inwardly from the first face  20  and as best shown in  FIG. 7 , defines an enlarged opening portion  40 , a constricted opening portion  42 , and an intermediate opening portion at  44 . Enlarged opening portion portion  40  opens onto first face  20  and constricted opening portion  42  opens onto second face  22 . The intersection of enlarged opening portion  40  and intermediate opening portion  44  defines shoulder  46 , while the intersection of intermediate opening portion  44  and constricted opening portion  42  defines shoulder  48 . With respect to  FIG. 6 , housing module  10  further comprises a mounting portion in the form of an extension wall  50 , and has an upper contact surface  50 A and a lower contact surface  50 B. Housing module  10  further includes a T-shaped groove  52  extending downwardly intermediate a top row of receiving openings  24 , and a bottom T-shaped groove  52  (not shown) extending upwardly towards extension wall  50 . 
         [0021]    With respect now to  FIGS. 4 ,  8  and  9  coaxial plug contact assembly  8  will be described in greater detail. With respect first to  FIG. 4 , coaxial plug contact assembly  8  is shown exploded from housing module  10 . Coaxial plug contact assembly  8  is comprised of plug housing portion  60 , insulators  64  and socket contacts  66 . With reference now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , plug housing portion  60  further includes a plurality of ground contacts  88  where the plug housing portion  60  is comprised of a conductive material such as a metal. As shown best in  FIG. 9 , plug housing portion  60  further includes an inner diameter at  90  defining a rearwardly facing shoulder at  92 , and an outer diameter at  94 . With reference to  FIG. 8 , insulator  64  includes an outer diameter at  102  and an internal opening at  104 . Socket contact  66  includes a first socket portion  110 , a second socket portion  112 , and first and second shoulders  114 ,  116 . A mating pin  120  includes a pin portion  122  and a tab portion  124 . 
         [0022]    With reference again to  FIG. 4 , attachment members  14  include a bar portion  130  with a T-shaped tongue  132  extending therefrom. T-shaped tongue  132  corresponds with T-shaped groove  52  for positioning the attachment members  14  proximate to the extension wall  50 , as described herein. Semi-circular clearance openings  134  are provided adjacent a contact surface  136  of the attachment members  14  as described herein. 
         [0023]    The assembly of the connector plug assembly  4  is as follows. With respect again to  FIG. 8 , the assembly of coaxial plug contact assembly  8  will be described. Socket contact  66  is first inserted into opening  104  such that insulator  64  is trapped between shoulders  114 ,  116  of socket contacts  66 . The combination of the insulator  64  and socket contact  66  is then inserted into the inner diameter  90  ( FIG. 9 ) of the plug housing portion  60  until insulator  64  abuts shoulder  92 . Plug housing portion  60 , together with insulator  64  and socket contact  66 , can then be positioned into receiving opening  24  (and more particularly through enlarged opening portion  40 ) such that outer diameter  94  ( FIG. 9 ) of plug housing  60  is received within intermediate opening  44  ( FIG. 7 ) of housing module  10 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , this positions ground contacts  88  and first socket contact  110  within enlarged opening portion  40 , and positions second socket contact  112  within constricted opening portion  42 . It should be understood that the connection between plug housing portion  60  and housing module  10  is a semi-permanent connection and can be made by known means such as interference fit, soldering, sweat fitting, threadable connection, or the like. When in position, insulator  64  also abuts shoulder  48  ( FIG. 7 ) to trap socket contact  66  in position within receiving opening  24 . 
         [0024]    With reference again to  FIG. 8 , mating pins  120  may now be attached to printed circuit board  12 , such that a tab portion  124  is attached to each trace  150  on printed circuit board  12 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . This also positions pin portions  122  extending outwardly from printed circuit board  12 . The upper printed circuit board  12  may now be positioned on upper contact surface  50 A of extension wall  50 , with pin portions  122  plugged into second socket portions  112 , as shown best in  FIG. 3 . The backside  152  of printed circuit board  12  is therefore in contact with surface  50 A of the extension wall  50 , and as shown, backside  152  comprises a ground plane comprised of a metallized layer. As the housing module  10  is conductive, for example, comprised of steel, the contact between the backside  152  and the extension wall  50 , together with the contact between plug housing portion  60  and intermediate opening portion  44 , forms a ground path between the board and the coaxial plug ground contacts  88 . 
         [0025]    The lower printed circuit board  12  is also positioned with an upper side  154  positioned against contact surface  50 B of extension wall  50 . Both attachment members  14  are positioned such the T-shaped tongue  132  ( FIG. 4 ) positioned in the corresponding T-shaped groove  52 . A clamping force is then asserted against the attachment members to force them in a direction towards the extension wall  50 . In one embodiment fasteners could be positioned through apertures (not shown) in the bar portion  130  and could be threaded into threaded openings (not shown) into the contact surfaces  50 A,  50 B such that the printed circuit boards are drawn against the extension wall. Alternatively, a clamp (not shown) could be provided to pull the two attachment members towards each other and trap the printed circuit boards  12  against the extension wall  50 . 
         [0026]    As disclosed, the housing module  10  includes at least two rows and two columns of receiving openings  24 , with the extension wall  50  positioned intermediate the two rows of receiving openings  24 . A top row of the receiving openings  24 , open onto a top surface  50 A of the extension wall  50  and a bottom row of the receiving openings  24 , open onto a bottom surface  50 B of the extension wall  50 . The housing module  10  is provided with a T-shaped groove  52  intermediate the two columns of receiving openings  24  and each of the attachment members  14  is provided with a complementary T-shaped tongue receivable in the housing module T-shaped groove. 
         [0027]    Also as disclosed, an electronic system is shown where the housing module  10  forms at least a portion of one wall of the enclosure  6  ( FIG. 1 ). The interface with the internal electronics (on the printed circuit boards  12 ) is provided directly at the housing module first face  20 . Thus a mating jack (not shown) may be directly connected to the coaxial plug contact assembly  8 , which in turn makes direct connection with the printed circuit board  12  and the associated circuitry. 
         [0028]    With reference now to  FIG. 11 , an embodiment of one possible mating receptacle is shown at  200 , having a signal contact in the form of a pin  202 , and an outer ground contact  204 . Pin  202  would be cooperable with first socket portion  110  and outer ground contact  204  would cooperate with ground contacts  88 . Multiple receptacles  200  could be positioned in a backplane arrangement, with the receptacles positioned in a like array as the coaxial plug contact assemblies  8 , for interconnection therewith. Furthermore, or alternatively, a spring loaded contact assembly, for example, one similar to that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket AD-00050, filed on Monday Apr. 13, 2009 (the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference) could be utilized. 
         [0029]    While this invention has been described as having an exemplary design, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.