RF electronic system and connection assembly therefore

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.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/442,837, filed on Monday Apr. 13, 2009 (the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

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

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.

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

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.

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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference first toFIGS. 1 and 2, an electronic system assembly is shown at2comprising a connector assembly4and an outer housing enclosure6. As shown, connector assembly4is comprised of a coaxial plug contact assembly8and a housing module10. Housing enclosure6is shown diagrammatically inFIG. 1as 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 module10may 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 module10extends into the enclosure6. As shown, connector assembly4is interconnected to a plurality of printed circuit boards12. Connector assembly4further comprises attachment members14which retain the printed circuit boards12to the housing module10, as described herein.

With respect toFIGS. 1 and 3, connector housing module10includes a first or front face20and a second or rear face22with receiving openings24extending between the first and second faces20,22. As shown best inFIG. 1, coaxial plug contact assembly8is shown having a first contact interface30positioned adjacent to first face20and as best shown inFIG. 3has a second contact interface32positioned adjacent to second face22.

As shown best inFIGS. 4-7, the receiving openings24are defined by a bored hole extending inwardly from the first face20and as best shown inFIG. 7, defines an enlarged opening portion40, a constricted opening portion42, and an intermediate opening portion at44. Enlarged opening portion40opens onto first face20and constricted opening portion42opens onto second face22. The intersection of enlarged opening portion40and intermediate opening portion44defines shoulder46, while the intersection of intermediate opening portion44and constricted opening portion42defines shoulder48. With respect toFIG. 6, housing module10further comprises a mounting portion in the form of an extension wall50, and has an upper contact surface50A and a lower contact surface50B. Housing module10further includes a T-shaped groove52extending downwardly intermediate a top row of receiving openings24, and a bottom T-shaped groove52(not shown) extending upwardly towards extension wall50.

With respect now toFIGS. 4,8and9coaxial plug contact assembly8will be described in greater detail. With respect first toFIG. 4, coaxial plug contact assembly8is shown exploded from housing module10. Coaxial plug contact assembly8is comprised of plug housing portion60, insulators64and socket contacts66. With reference now toFIGS. 8 and 9, plug housing portion60further includes a plurality of ground contacts88where the plug housing portion60is comprised of a conductive material such as a metal. As shown best inFIG. 9, plug housing portion60further includes an inner diameter at90defining a rearwardly facing shoulder at92, and an outer diameter at94. With reference toFIG. 8, insulator64includes an outer diameter at102and an internal opening at104. Socket contact66includes a first socket portion110, a second socket portion112, and first and second shoulders114,116. A mating pin120includes a pin portion122and a tab portion124.

With reference again toFIG. 4, attachment members14include a bar portion130with a T-shaped tongue132extending therefrom. T-shaped tongue132corresponds with T-shaped groove52for positioning the attachment members14proximate to the extension wall50, as described herein. Semi-circular clearance openings134are provided adjacent a contact surface136of the attachment members14as described herein.

The assembly of the connector plug assembly4is as follows. With respect again toFIG. 8, the assembly of coaxial plug contact assembly8will be described. Socket contact66is first inserted into opening104such that insulator64is trapped between shoulders114,116of socket contacts66. The combination of the insulator64and socket contact66is then inserted into the inner diameter90(FIG. 9) of the plug housing portion60until insulator64abuts shoulder92. Plug housing portion60, together with insulator64and socket contact66, can then be positioned into receiving opening24(and more particularly through enlarged opening portion40) such that outer diameter94(FIG. 9) of plug housing60is received within intermediate opening44(FIG. 7) of housing module10. As shown inFIG. 10, this positions ground contacts88and first socket contact110within enlarged opening portion40, and positions second socket contact112within constricted opening portion42. It should be understood that the connection between plug housing portion60and housing module10is 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, insulator64also abuts shoulder48(FIG. 7) to trap socket contact66in position within receiving opening24.

With reference again toFIG. 8, mating pins120may now be attached to printed circuit board12, such that a tab portion124is attached to each trace150on printed circuit board12, as shown inFIG. 4. This also positions pin portions122extending outwardly from printed circuit board12. The upper printed circuit board12may now be positioned on upper contact surface50A of extension wall50, with pin portions122plugged into second socket portions112, as shown best inFIG. 3. The backside152of printed circuit board12is therefore in contact with surface50A of the extension wall50, and as shown, backside152comprises a ground plane comprised of a metallized layer. As the housing module10is conductive, for example, comprised of steel, the contact between the backside152and the extension wall50, together with the contact between plug housing portion60and intermediate opening portion44, forms a ground path between the board and the coaxial plug ground contacts88.

The lower printed circuit board12is also positioned with an upper side154positioned against contact surface50B of extension wall50. Both attachment members14are positioned such the T-shaped tongue132(FIG. 4) positioned in the corresponding T-shaped groove52. A clamping force is then asserted against the attachment members to force them in a direction towards the extension wall50. In one embodiment fasteners could be positioned through apertures (not shown) in the bar portion130and could be threaded into threaded openings (not shown) into the contact surfaces50A,50B 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 boards12against the extension wall50.

As disclosed, the housing module10includes at least two rows and two columns of receiving openings24, with the extension wall50positioned intermediate the two rows of receiving openings24. A top row of the receiving openings24, open onto a top surface50A of the extension wall50and a bottom row of the receiving openings24, open onto a bottom surface50B of the extension wall50. The housing module10is provided with a T-shaped groove52intermediate the two columns of receiving openings24and each of the attachment members14is provided with a complementary T-shaped tongue receivable in the housing module T-shaped groove.

Also as disclosed, an electronic system is shown where the housing module10forms at least a portion of one wall of the enclosure6(FIG. 1). The interface with the internal electronics (on the printed circuit boards12) is provided directly at the housing module first face20. Thus a mating jack (not shown) may be directly connected to the coaxial plug contact assembly8, which in turn makes direct connection with the printed circuit board12and the associated circuitry.

With reference now toFIG. 11, an embodiment of one possible mating receptacle is shown at200, having a signal contact in the form of a pin202, and an outer ground contact204. Pin202would be cooperable with first socket portion110and outer ground contact204would cooperate with ground contacts88. Multiple receptacles200could be positioned in a backplane arrangement, with the receptacles positioned in a like array as the coaxial plug contact assemblies8, 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. 12/442,837, filed on Monday Apr. 13, 2009 (the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference) could be utilized.