Coaxial connector having a switch

The coaxial connector having a switch includes a switching spring and a connecting plate, which composes a pair of switching means as a switching mechanism arranged in the hollow portion of the insulating housing. The switching spring and the connecting plate extend along the inserting/removing direction of the counter pin into/from the hollow portion, and have shapes so as to face each other in the hollow portion. The switching spring is comprised of a securing section for securing to the insulating housing and a generally S-shaped elastic arm, which is comprised of a generally U-shaped first elastic arm, which extends from the securing section into the hollow portion, and a generally inverted U-shaped second elastic arm that extends from the first elastic arm. The second elastic arm has a contact section, which contacts with the connecting plate when the counter pin is not inserted in the hollow portion, and another contact section, which contacts with the counter pin when the counter pin is inserted in the hollow portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a coaxial connector having a switch.

2. Background Technology

A coaxial connector having a switch generally includes a hollow insulating housing, a switching mechanism comprised of a pair of switching means, and an outer conductor that is provided outside of the insulating housing and coaxially surrounds the center inner conductor. The switching means are respectively provided in the hollow portion of the insulating housing. Once a pin of the counter connector (hereinafter referred to as “counter pin”) is received in the hollow portion, only one of the switching means is connected to the counter pin, and the contact points are separated and the connection of the center inner conductor is switched.

As an example of the use of this type of coaxial connector having a switch, it can be used for switching between antennas. For example, an open coaxial connector having a switch can be attached on a surface of the cellular phone, and by disposing the cellular phone at a specified place in a vehicle, active antenna can be easily switched from the built-in antenna in the cellular phone to the outer antenna of the vehicle. More specifically, while the built-in antenna of the cellular phone is used during normal use of the cellular phone, when the cellular phone is used in the vehicle, the antenna of the cellular phone is switched from the built-in antenna to the outer antenna of the vehicle by connecting the coaxial connector having a switch in the cellular phone to a connector for connecting to the outer antenna of the vehicle, which is disposed in a specified place in the vehicle.

As a conventionally known coaxial connector having a switch, the one disclosed in Unexamined Japan Patent Application Publication 2000-113948 can be listed. In this well-known coaxial connector having a switch, the insulating housing is divided into two housing parts, which compose an insulating housing by attaching to each other. A pair of switching means is provided on respective housing parts. By attaching the two housing parts to each other, the coaxial connector having a switch is connected and assembled.

According to this well-known coaxial connector having a switch, assembly can be simplified, required time for assembly can be reduced, and cost can be reduced. In addition, there are many other effects, such as improvement in the switching mechanism of the coaxial connector having a switch.

Patent Reference 1: Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2000-113948.

The above-described conventional coaxial connector having a switch, however, has the following problems. That is, in this well-known coaxial connector having a switch, a switching spring and a connecting plate, a pair of switching means that composes the switching mechanism, are arranged generally parallel to each other.

There becomes a high demand of reducing the size of this type of coaxial connector having a switch. If the size of the connector is reduced more, the actual dimension between the switching spring and the connecting plate has to be narrower. Therefore, by reducing the size of this well-known coaxial connector having a switch, electric characteristics such as isolation characteristics may become poor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a coaxial connector having a switch that can solve the above problems.

According to one view of the invention, the coaxial connector having a switch includes: an insulating housing, which has an opening and a hollow portion to receive a counter pin; a switching mechanism, which is comprised of a pair of switching means, is provided in the insulating housing and can work as a center conductor according to the operation with the counter pin; and an outer conductor, which is provided so as to surround the outer perimeter of the insulating housing. The pair of switching means is comprised of a switching spring and a connecting plate, which respectively extend as a whole along the inserting/removing direction of the counter pin to/from the opening and the hollow portion, and have shapes so as to generally face each other in the hollow portion. The switching spring is comprised of a securing section for securing to the insulating housing, and an elastic arm that has a generally S-shape as a whole. The elastic arm is comprised of a first elastic arm that extends from the securing section into the hollow portion and has generally U-shape, and a second elastic arm that extends from the first elastic arm and has a generally inverted U-shape. The second elastic arm has a contact section, which contacts with the connecting plate when the counter pin is not inserted in the hollow portion, and another contact section, which contacts with the counter pin when the contact pin is inserted in the hollow portion.

According to one embodiment of this invention, the first elastic arm extends from a part of the securing section, which is near the mounting board.

According to another embodiment, the first elastic arm extends from a part of the securing section, which is near opposite end to the board.

According to still another embodiment, the connecting plate has a generally flat shape, and has a contact section for contacting with the switching spring. The contact section of the connecting plate is arranged off in relative to the arrangement of the securing section.

According to yet another embodiment, the outer conductor is comprised of a metallic case, which includes an upper surrounding part to surround the insulating housing, and a lower connecting part that is connected to the upper surrounding part. The lower connecting part has a brim, which covers the connecting section of the switching spring and the connecting section of the connecting plate, which connects to the center conductor of the board.

According to still yet another embodiment, the insulating housing is formed as a one-piece component.

According to still yet another embodiment, the insulating housing is divided into two parts, a first insulating housing part and a second insulating housing part, and is formed by attaching those parts to each other.

According to another view of the invention, the coaxial connector having a switch is comprised of: an insulating housing that has an opening and a hollow portion to receive the counter pin; a switching mechanism that is arranged in the insulating housing, can work as a center conductor according to the operation with the counter pin and is comprised of a pair of switching means; and an outer conductor, which is provided so as to surround the outer circumferential portion of the insulating housing. The pair of switching means is comprised of a switching spring and a connecting plate, which extend as a whole along the inserting/removing direction of the counter pin into/from the opening and hollow portion, and have shapes so as to generally face each other in the hollow portion. The switching spring has a securing section for securing to the insulating housing, and an elastic arm that extends from the securing section into the hollow portion. The elastic arm has a contact section, which contacts with the connecting plate when the counter pin is not inserted in the hollow portion, and another contact section, which contacts with the counter pin when the counter pin is inserted in the hollow portion. The outer conductor is comprised of a metallic case, which includes an upper surrounding part that surrounds the insulating housing, and a lower connecting part that is connected to the upper surrounding part. The lower connecting section has a brim, which covers the connecting section of the switching spring and the connecting section of the connecting plate, which connect to the center conductor of the board.

BEST MODE TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of this invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown inFIGS. 1–3, the coaxial connector1having a switch is comprised of a cylindrical insulating housing1, a pair of switching means, which is comprised of a switching spring20and a connecting plate30and forms a switching mechanism to be disposed in the insulating housing10, and a metallic case40to surround the insulating housing10. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion of the metallic case40is set 2.8 mm.

In this embodiment, as fully illustrated inFIG. 3, the insulating housing10is divided into two separate parts, and consists of a first insulating housing part10A and a second insulating housing part10B. The switching spring20and the connecting plate30are respectively attached to the housing parts. When those insulating housing parts are attached to each other to form a coaxial connector, they also work as a center conductor in the coaxial connector. Here, the switching spring20is preferably made by punching and bending a conductive metallic sheet that has spring-like characteristics. On the other hand, the metallic case40works as an outer conductor that coaxially surrounds the central conductor in the coaxial connector, and also works to reinforce the attachment of the two insulating housing parts, i.e. the first and the second insulating housing parts10A and10B.

Referring now toFIGS. 4–11, detailed structures, functions and operations of respective components of the coaxial connector having a switch according to this embodiment will be described below.

FIGS. 4 and 5show the coaxial connector1having a switch ofFIG. 1, which is mounted on a mounting board, such as a printed circuit board. Those figures are exploded cross-sectional views for easy understanding of the arrangement of the switching spring20and the connecting plate30, which face each other. InFIG. 4, the counter pin3is not inserted, while it is inserted inFIG. 5. As fully shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, as for the shapes of the first and the second insulating housing parts10A and10B, by attaching the first insulating housing part10A to the second insulating housing part10B as described below, the insulating housing10will have an opening11in the center portion on the top for inserting/removing the counter pin3, and a hollow part12inside so as to receive the counter pin3and allow the movement of the switching spring20for switching.

The switching spring20, which is pressed in and attached to the first insulating housing10A as described below, includes: a connecting section21that is connected and secured to corresponding center conductor provided on the board2by soldering or by other method; a press-in securing section22that connects to the connecting section21and are pressed in and secured to corresponding press-in groove11A (SeeFIGS. 7 and 8) of the first insulating housing part10A; a first elastic arm23, which extends downward and forward from the lower end of the press-in securing section22and then is curved upward and backward so as to have generally U-shape; a second elastic arm24, which extends upward from the upper end of the first elastic arm23and then is curved forward and downward so as to have an inverted U-shape; and a contact bar25that connects to one side of the arm part of the second elastic arm24, which extends forward and downward, and contacts with the connecting plate30. The arm part of the second elastic arm, which extends forward and downward, is curved backward, so as to form a contact section26. In this embodiment, the width of the switching spring20is set 0.6 mm, and the diameter of the counter pin3is set 0.3 mm.

On the other hand, the connecting plate30, which is pressed in and secured onto the second insulating housing part10B as described below, is comprised of a connecting section31, which is connected and secured by soldering to the corresponding center conductor provided on the board2, a press-in securing section32that connects to the connecting section31and is pressed in and secured to the corresponding press-in groove11B (SeeFIGS. 9,10and11) of the second insulating housing part10B, and a contact bar33that extends upward from one side of the upper end of the press-in securing section32. The contact bar33of the connecting plate30is generally flat, but has a contact section34that contacts with the protruded part of the contact bar25of the switching spring20.

Detailed structures or functions of respective components will be described later, but referring now toFIGS. 4 and 5, the functions, operations, working principles and effects of the coaxial connector having a switch will be described. As shown inFIG. 4, when the counter pin3is not inserted in the hollow portion12of the insulating housing10through the opening11, the protruded part of the contact bar25of the switching spring20is pressed to and contacted with the contact section34of the contact bar33of the connecting plate30by spring force generated by the first and the second elastic arms23and24of the switching spring20. At this time, the center conductor arranged on the board2is electrically connected via the switching spring20and the connecting plate30, and elements such as inner antenna, which are mounted on the board2related to the central conductor, are maintained active for their original purposes.

On the other hand, as shown inFIG. 5, when the counter pin3is inserted in the hollow portion12of the insulating housing10through the opening11, the surrounding portion of the counter pin3presses down the contact section26of the switching spring20against the elastic displacing force generated by the first and the second elastic arms23and24of the switching spring20. Accordingly, the protruded part of the contact bar25of the switching spring20is separated from the contact section34of the contact bar33of the connecting plate30, and simultaneously the counter pin3is pressed by and contacted with the contact section26of the switching spring20. At this time, the center conductor mounted on the board2is divided between the switching spring20and the connecting plate30, but it is electrically connected to the counter pin3via the switching spring20. Therefore, elements such as an antenna, which are mounted on the board2related to the center conductor, are switched from their original purposes, and made active for the device or elements such as outer antenna, which are related to the counter pin3.

As in this embodiment, the switching spring20has a generally S-shape (more specifically, inverted S-shape) as a whole. Therefore, even if the height of the switching spring20is made smaller, and the height of the insulating housing10, and therefore the height of the whole connector is made smaller, and the whole size of the connector can be made smaller, the switching spring20can have enough flexible spring characteristics. In addition, when the switching spring20is separated from the connecting plate30as shown inFIG. 5, the isolation distance D between the switching spring20and the connecting plate30can be set large. When the switching spring20is isolated from the connecting plate30, and the counter pin3is contacted with the switching spring20, the space between the switching spring20and the connecting plate30can be made large as a whole, so that the isolation characteristics of the coaxial connector1, in which the counter pin3and the switching spring20work as the central conductors, can be improved. Since the distance between the connecting plate and the switching spring20can be set large at least in some area, isolation characteristics can be improved. Especially, if the counter pin3is inserted to the depth as illustrated inFIG. 5, the lower portion of the second elastic arm and the connecting plate30form generally inverted triangle space on the cross-sectional view, so that the isolation characteristics can be improved. Even if the counter pin3is inserted even deeper, such improvements can be still expected as long as the width of the counter pin is smaller than the switching spring, or as long as the pin is shaped rod-like if the diameter is large.

Referring now toFIGS. 6–8, detailed structure of the first insulating housing part10A, detailed shape of the switching spring20, and how to attach the switching spring20to the first insulating housing part10A will be described below.FIG. 6is an exploded cross-sectional view, in which the switching spring20is attached to the first insulating housing part10A.FIG. 7is a front view, in which the switching spring20is attached to the first insulating housing part10A. As shown in those drawings,FIGS. 6–7, the first insulating housing part10has a semi-cylindrical shape as a whole, and has a semicircular beveled section11A on the top so as to form the opening11, and a concave portion12A in the middle portion to form a hollow portion12, when the first insulating housing part10A is attached to the second insulating housing part10B as described above. In addition, the first insulating housing part10A has a press-in groove13A at the inner wall near bottom to press the press-in securing section22of the switching spring20. The bottom part of the first insulating housing part10A has an open end14A so as to be able to press the switching spring20into the press-in groove13A. A pull-out concave section15A is formed on the outer circumferential bottom surface of the first insulating housing part10A to pull out the connecting section21of the switching spring20. As fully illustrated inFIG. 7, the first insulating housing part10has an engaging convex section16A on the upper portion on the contact surface, which contacts with the second insulating housing part10B.

As fully illustrated inFIG. 7, the press-in securing section22of the switching spring20, and the first and the second elastic arms22and23are arranged generally along the longitudinal center line of the first insulating housing part10A. The contact bar25and the connecting section21are arranged off from the longitudinal center line. This arrangement of the contact bar25of the switching spring20off from the longitudinal center line, being combined with the arrangement of the contact bar34of the connecting plate30and so on off from the longitudinal center line, which will be described below, contributes to the improvement of the isolation characteristics at the time of switching the coaxial connector.

FIG. 8illustrates the first insulating housing part10A and the switching spring20before the switching spring20is attached in the first insulating housing part10A. The press-in securing section22of the switching spring20is pressed in the press-in groove13A of the first insulating housing part10A inFIG. 8, and then the whole switching spring20is placed in the concave section12A through the opened end14A of the first insulating housing10A, so that the switching spring20is attached to the first insulating housing part10A.FIG. 6shows that the switching spring20attached in the first insulating housing part10A.

Referring now toFIGS. 9–11, detailed structure of the second insulating housing part10B, detailed shape of the connecting plate30, and the attachment of the connecting plate30to the second insulating housing part10B are described below.FIG. 9is an exploded cross-sectional view, which illustrates the attachment of the connecting plate30to the second insulating housing part10B, andFIG. 10is a front view, which illustrates the attachment of the connecting plate30to the second insulating housing part10B. As shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, the second insulating housing part10B has a semi-cylindrical shape as a whole, but as described above, the second insulating housing part10B has a semicircular beveled section11B on the top so as to form the opening11, and has a concave section12B in the middle portion so as to form the hollow portion12, when the second insulating housing part10B is attached to the first insulating housing part10A. Furthermore, the second insulating housing part10B has a press-in groove13B for pressing the press-in securing section32of the connecting plate30in the inner wall near the bottom portion, and a lid14B for closing the open end14A when the second insulating housing part10B is attached to the first insulating housing part10A. A pull-out concave section15B is formed on the outer circumferential bottom surface of the second insulating housing part10B for pulling out the connecting section31of the connecting plate30. Moreover, as fully illustrated inFIG. 10, the upper portion of the contact surface of the second insulating housing part10B, which contacts with the first insulating housing part10A, has an engaging concave section16B. When the second insulating housing part10B is attached to the first insulating housing part10A, the engaging concave section16B engages with the engaging convex section16A so as to maintain the attachment.

In addition, as fully illustrated inFIG. 10, the press-in securing section32and the connecting section31of the connecting plate30are arranged generally along the longitudinal center line of the second insulating housing part10B, but the contact bar33is arranged off the longitudinal center line and therefore away from the connecting section26of the switching spring20. Such arrangement of the contact bar33of the connecting plate30and other elements off the center line, being combined with together with the arrangement of the contact bar25of the switching spring20and other elements off the longitudinal center line, which will be described below, contributes to the improvement of isolation characteristics at the time of switching the coaxial connector.

FIG. 11illustrates that the second insulating housing part10B and the connecting plate30face each other. InFIG. 11, the press-in securing section32of the connecting plate30is pressed in the press-in groove13B of the second insulating housing, and the whole connecting plate30is placed in the concave section12B through the bottom portion of the second insulating housing part10B, so that the connecting plate30is attached to the second insulating housing part10B.FIG. 9illustrate the attachment made as described above.

As shown inFIG. 6, assembly of the coaxial connector1having a switch according to this embodiment is done by first attaching the switching spring20to the first insulating housing part10A by pressing therein as shown inFIG. 6, and attaching the connecting plate30to the second insulating housing part10B by pressing in. Then, the first insulating housing part10A and the second insulating housing part10B are attached to each other by fitting the engaging convex sections16A of the first insulating housing part10A to the corresponding engaging concave sections16B of the second insulating housing part10B. Lastly, the metallic case40is applied from the top portion of the insulating housing10so as to surround the outer circumferential portion of the insulating housing10comprised of the first insulating housing10A and the second insulating housing part10B, which are attached as described above. At this time, the bottom portion of the hollow portion12, which is formed inside of the insulating housing10is closed with the lid14B of the second insulating housing part10B, so as to prevent dust from entering the hollow portion12.FIGS. 1,2,4and5show the coaxial connector assembled in this way.

Detailed structure of the metallic case40in this embodiment will be now described. As fully shown in the perspective views ofFIGS. 1 and 2, the metallic case40in this embodiment has an upper surrounding part41that has a cylindrical shape as a whole, and a lower connecting part42that is connected to the upper surrounding part41and has a rectangular shape as a whole. The upper surrounding part41has a shape so as to surround the outer circumferential portion of the insulating housing10, and has an opening41A on the top so as not to close the opening11of the insulating housing10. On the other hand, the lower connecting part42is formed larger than the bottom surface area of the insulating housing. A brim42B, which will be described later, is formed in the extending directions of the connecting sections21and31to the center conductor, and made longer than in the direction perpendicular to the extending directions. By bending the lower connecting part42to form generally squared U-shapes so as to surround the insulating housing, the insulating housing can be held, and the connecting legs42A that are to be connected to an outer conductor or ground conductor or other elements, which is mounted on the board, by soldering, are formed. Accordingly, the brim42B is provided between the connecting legs42A, i.e. in the extending directions of the connecting sections21and31to the center conductor, being separated from those connecting sections. As for the ways of making the brim, the insulating housing can have longer sides and shorter sides, and the metallic case can be square.

As fully shown inFIG. 4, the brim42B provided on the metallic case40covers the connecting section of the switching spring20and the connecting section31of the connecting plate30, which are connected to the center conductor on the board2when the coaxial connector1having a switch is mounted on the board2. Effects of making such brim42B will now be described below. The foot patterns of the mounted portions of the board is usually set narrower than the transmission line (Since there are grounds on both sides and the size is small, the center terminal has to be narrow). For this reason, it can be considered that the impedance becomes dramatically high and the reflex characteristics become poor. However, by covering the mounted portions with the brim42B of the metallic case40, it can prevent the impedance from becoming extremely high, and the reflex characteristics can be improved. In addition, the thinly extending connecting sections21and31can be protected.

FIG. 12is an exploded cross-sectional view of the coaxial connector having a switch according to another embodiment of this invention, which is similarly illustrated toFIG. 4. In the embodiment described above, the insulating housing is formed by attaching two separate insulating housing parts, the first and the second insulating housing parts. In the embodiment ofFIG. 12, the insulating housing is not divided into two parts, but formed as a one-piece insulating housing. By forming the insulating housing as a one piece, the switching spring20and the connecting plate30can be easily pressed in the insulating housing10, so that the bottom portion of the hollow portion of the insulating housing10is open. The other structures than described above are similar, so that same reference numerals as inFIG. 4are used for the reference numerals of corresponding elements inFIG. 12, and the explanation will be omitted.

FIG. 13illustrates an example of another embodiment of the switching spring20. While the first elastic arm23of the switching spring20in the above-described embodiment extends from the lower end (one end near the board2) of the press-in securing section22, the first elastic arm23in the switching spring20ofFIG. 13extends from the upper end (the other end opposite to the board2) of the press-in securing section22.

FIG. 14shows an example of still another embodiment of the switching spring20. While the first elastic arm23of the switching spring20extends downward and forward from the lower end of the press-in securing section22in the previously described embodiment, the first elastic arm23of this switching spring20inFIG. 14extends downward and backward from the upper end of the press-in securing section22and then is curved forward and upward. In addition, while the contact bar25is provided on the switching spring20in the above-described embodiment, the contact bar25can be provided on the connecting plate30as a yet another embodiment, instead of providing on the switching spring20.

According to this invention, the isolation characteristics of the coaxial connector having a switch at the time of switching can be improved. Also, the space can be saved and the length of the spring can be set long, so that the size of the connector can be even more reduced. By altering the structure of the metallic case, the reflex characteristics on the mounted portion can be improved. According to the above-described effects, the coaxial connector having a switch according to this invention is highly useful for industrial application.