Pin/socket, pin/pin triaxial interface contact assembly

Abstract: A pin/socket, pin/pin triaxial interface contact assembly is disclosed which features a minimum number of contacts and insulators which are metal staked to form a contact assembly for mating with concentric twinaxial or triaxial contacts. The assembly is cost effective and withstands significantly high temperatures without degrading the assembly or the positioning of the several components thereof as would otherwise be the case.

Description: This invention relates to twinaxial or triaxial contacts and, in particular, to interface contact assemblies for use therewith. Prior to the present invention, interface contact assemblies of the type described were made of a multiplicity of components and an epoxy adhesive, or were of a single metal staked assembly. No means were provided to control the adverse tolerance build up between components. Furthermore, the contact assemblies were complex as, for example, the intermediate contact being of two pieces and requiring double ended socket and pin components, and hence were not cost effective. In accordance with the invention there is provided an interface contact assembly including an inner contact, an intermediate contact surrounding the inner contact and an outer contact surrounding the intermediate contact, there being provided between the inner contact and the intermediate contact an inner insulator and, between the intermediate contact and the outer contact, an outer insulator; the inner contact having grooves formed on the outer surface thereof so that when the intermediate contact is staked, the inner insulator is compressed by the intermediate contact into the grooves to form an initial assembly; and the intermediate contact having grooves formed on its outer surface so that, when the outer contact is staked, the outer insulator is compressed by the outer contact into the said grooves to form a final assembly. Thus, the present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a contact assembly having a minimum number of components and features metal staking for affixing the several components of the assembly to each other. This invention contemplates an interface contact of the type described including an inner contact, an intermediate contact and an inner insulator disposed in concentric relation to each other. The intermediate contact is metal staked on an outer diameter undercut. The staking forms a portion of the intermediate contact inner diameter which compresses the inner insulator into ring grooves on the inner contact outer diameter to provide an initial assembly. The interface contact further includes an outer insulator and an outer contact disposed in concentric relation to the inner contact, inner insulator and intermediate contact of the initial assembly. The outer contact is staked to form a portion of the outer contact internal diameter which compresses the outer insulator into a grooved portion of the intermediate contact to provide a final assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pin/socket contact assembly according to the invention. Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pin/pin contact assembly according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to Figure 1, a pin/socket interface contact assembly includes an outer contact 2 surrounding an outer insulator 4, an intermediate contact 6 surrounded by outer insulator 4, an inner insulator 8 surrounded by intermediate contact 6 and an inner pin/socket contact 10 surrounded by inner insulator 8. Inner contact 10, inner insulator 8 and intermediate contact 6 are disposed in concentric relation to each other as by suitable fixturing or the like. Intermediate contact 6 is metal staked at an undercut 6A on its outer diameter. This staking forms a portion of the intermediate contact inner diameter which compresses inner insulator 8, which is of a suitable dielectric material, into ring grooves 10A on the outer diameter of inner contact 10 in the area of undercut 6A to provide an initial staked assembly. Outer insulator 4 and outer contact 2 are disposed in concentric relation relative to the initial staked assembly including inner contact 10, inner insulator 8 and intermediate contact 6 as by suitable fixturing or the like. Outer contact 2 is staked at its pin end as at 2A and forms a portion of the outer contact pin end inner diameter which compresses outer insulator 4, which is of a suitable dielectric material, into grooves 6B on the outer diameter of intermediate contact 6 in the area of the stake to provide a final staked assembly. With reference to Figure 2, a pin/pin interface contact assembly includes an outer contact 12 surrounding an outer insulator 14 and an outer insulator 20, an intermediate contact 18 surrounded by insulators 14 and 20, an inner insulator 16 surrounded by intermediate contact 18 and an inner pin/pin contact 22 surrounded by inner insulator 16. Inner contact 22, inner insulator 16 and intermediate contact 18 are disposed in concentric relation to each other as by suitable fixturing or the like. Intermediate contact 18 is metal staked at an undercut 18A on its outer diameter. This staking forms a portion of the intermediate contact inner diameter which compresses inner insulator 16, which is of a suitable dielectric material, into ring grooves 22A on the outer diameter of contact 22 in the area of undercut 18A to provide an initial staked assembly. Outer insulator 14, outer contact 12 and outer insulator 20 are disposed in concentric relation relative to the initial staked assembly including inner contact 22, inner insulator 16 and intermediate contact 18 as by suitable fixturing or the like. Outer contact 12 is staked at both of its ends as at 12A and 12B and forms portions of the outer contact inner diameter which compress outer insulator 14 and outer insulator 20, which are of a suitable dielectric material, into grooves 18B and 18C, respectively, on the outer diameter of intermediate contact 18 in the areas of the stakes to provide a final staked assembly. As will be seen with reference to Figure 2, the pin/pin contact assembly features two outer insulators 14 and 20 which abut each other as at 23 to provide a continuous outer insulator arrangement. Thus, for the staking to be effective, outer contact 12 is staked at two places 12A and 12B as heretofore described. In regard to the several insulators shown and described, it will be understood that they may be machined or molded from a material such as Torlon or Ultem 1000, and will permit some distortion so as to be compressed into the several grooves and rings 6B, 10A, 18A, 18B and 22A, without cracking, and thus provide an effective staked assembly for the purposes described. It has been found that an assembly in accordance with the aforegoing will withstand temperatures up to 200° C without degradation of the assembly or the position of the several components thereof. With the aforenoted description of the invention in mind reference is made to the claims appended hereto for a definition of the scope of the invention.

Claims: An interface contact assembly including an inner contact (10;22), an intermediate contact (6;18) surrounding the inner contact (10;22) and an outer contact (2;12) surrounding the intermediate contact (6;18), there being provided between the inner contact (10;22) and the intermediate contact (6;18) an inner insulator (8;16) and, between the intermediate contact (6;18) and the outer contact (2;12), an outer insulator (4;20); the inner contact (10;22) having grooves (10A;22A) formed on the outer surface thereof so that when the intermediate contact (6;18) is staked, the inner insulator (8;16) is compressed by the intermediate contact (6;18) into the grooves (10A;22A) to form an initial assembly; and the intermediate contact (6;18) having grooves (6B,18B,18C) formed on its outer surface so that, when the outer contact (2;12) is staked, the outer insulator (4;20) is compressed by the outer contact (2;12) into the said grooves to form a final assembly. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the intermediate contact (6;18) has formed on its outer surface an undercut (6A;18A) which overlies the grooves (10A;22A) formed on the outer surface of the inner contact (10;22). An assembly according to claim 1 or 2 in which the outer insulator (4;20) comprises first and second insulator members arranged at opposite ends of the outer contact (2;12) and abutting each other to form a continuous insulator; the intermediate contact (6;18) being provided with two sets of grooves at opposite ends thereof and the outer contact (2;12) being staked at both of its ends so that the first and second insulator members are each compressed into one set of grooves of the intermediate contact (6;18). An assembly according to any preceding claim in which the inner contact (10;22) is a pin/socket contact. An assembly according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the inner contact (10;22) is a pin/pin contact.

Inventors: HEMMER VALENTINE J, RATCHFORD LLOYD G, HEMMER, VALENTINE J., RATCHFORD, LLOYD G.
Applicants: AMPHENOL CORP, AMPHENOL CORPORATION
Application year: 1988
Main classification: H01R17
IPC codes: H01R13