Patent Publication Number: US-2023155326-A1

Title: Contact arrangement for a coaxial plug and mutliple contact arrangement

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. DE 102021129580.7 filed on Nov. 21, 2021, and German Patent Application No. DE 102022109463.4 filed on Apr. 19, 2022, the whole disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to a contact arrangement for a coaxial plug. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When mating two contact arrangements, such as two coaxial connectors, for example a plug with a socket or a coupling, incorrect positioning of an internal central contact can prevent mating and deform the central contact to such an extent that it can no longer be used. In series production, contact arrangements for a coaxial plug that would lead to faulty mating are sorted out. This can lead to increased manufacturing costs. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a contact arrangement for a coaxial plug that reduces the susceptibility to mating errors. 
     SUMMARY 
     A contact arrangement for a coaxial plug according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an inner conductor contact having an insertion opening for inserting a mating contact in a mating direction, and an insulating dielectric body enclosing the inner conductor contact. The inner contact and the insulation body each define insertion bevels in an area of the insertion opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a configuration of the coaxial connector/contact arrangement for a coaxial plug according to the invention; 
         FIG.  2    is an exploded view of the coaxial connector of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a sectional view of the coaxial connector according to the invention along the line A-A shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a sectional view of the coaxial connector according to the invention along the line B-B shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a multiple contact arrangement; and 
         FIG.  6    is a sectional view of the multiple contact arrangement of  FIG.  5    along the line C-C shown in  FIG.  5   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing. 
     A contact arrangement for a coaxial plug  1  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in  FIG.  1   . The contact arrangement  1  may also be referred to as a coaxial connector  1  and is shown in perspective view. An exemplary coordinate system is shown which characterizes an x-direction, a y-direction and a z-direction for the purposes of this disclosure. 
     The exemplary coaxial connector  1  shown in  FIG.  1    is comprises a coaxial coupling  3 , but can also be configured as a coaxial socket (not shown) without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Both the coaxial coupling  3  and the coaxial socket are configured or adapted for mating with a coaxial plug having a pin-shaped inner conductor. The coaxial coupling  3  as well as the coaxial socket (not shown) are thus female end pieces for connecting two coaxial cables  4 . The coaxial coupling  3  has an inner conductor contact  5  and an insulation body  7  enclosing the inner conductor contact  5 . The insulation body  7  consists of a dielectric  9 , i.e., an electrically insulating material  11 . 
     The coaxial connector  1  further includes an outer conductor contact  13 , which may be made of a metal  16  and is electrically connected to an outer conductor of the coaxial cable  4 . The outer conductor represents a shielding of the coaxial cable  4 . The inner conductor contact  5 , the insulation body  7  as well as the outer conductor contact  13  extend in a mating direction  15 , which is oriented parallel to the z-direction. A plug face  17  of the coaxial connector  1  points in the mating direction  15 . The mating direction  15  corresponds to a longitudinal direction  19  along which the coaxial connector  1  extends. The coaxial connector  1  has a plug-side end  21  and a cable-side end  23 . At the cable-side end  23 , the coaxial cable  4  is connected to the coaxial connector  1 . This is shown schematically. The plug face  17  is formed by a plug opening-side end  41  of the inner conductor contact  5  and by the plug opening-side end  41  of the insulation body. At the plug-side end  21 , the inner conductor contact  5  has an insertion opening  25 . This is configured to receive a mating contact (not shown), for example in the form of a pin-shaped inner conductor of a coaxial plug. 
     In the configuration of the coaxial connector  1  shown, the insertion opening  25  has four insertion bevels  27 . These are formed by both the inner conductor contact  5  and the insulation body  7 . For differentiation purposes, the insertion bevels  27  of the inner conductor contact  5  can be referred to as first insertion bevels  29  and the insertion bevels  27  of the insulation body  7  can be referred to as second insertion bevels  31 . The first and second insertion bevels  29 , 31  are each formed in pairs and are diametrically opposed. 
     The configuration of the coaxial connector  1  shown has, by way of example only, four insertion bevels  27 , although in other configurations an almost arbitrary number of first insertion bevels  29  and an almost arbitrary number of second insertion bevels  31  can be provided. Particularly preferably and practicably, however, a pair of first and second insertion bevels  29 ,  31  is provided in each case, with a first insertion bevel  29  following a second insertion bevel  31  in each case in a circumferential direction  33 . The insertion bevels  27  form an insertion funnel  35 . The first insertion bevels  27  are formed on deflectable spring arms  37 , which are deflectable radially away from an axis  39  of the coaxial connector toward the insulation body  7 . The inner conductor contact  5  is accommodated in the insulation body  7  without radial pretension. In other configurations (not shown), the inner conductor contact  5  can be accommodated in the insulation body  7  without clearance. 
       FIG.  2    shows an exploded view of the coaxial connector  1 , with the dashed line schematically showing along which directions the inner conductor contact  5  is received in the insulation body  7  and the insulation body is received in the outer conductor contact  13 . In  FIG.  2   , it can further be seen that both the inner conductor contact  5  and the outer conductor contact  13  are punched-bent parts  43  that have a punched-bent seam  45 .  FIG.  2    also shows the paired first and second insertion bevels  29 ,  31  formed by the inner conductor contact  5  and the insulation body  7 , respectively. 
     For correct orientation of the insulation body  7  with respect to the outer conductor contact  13 , the insulation body  7  has centering elements  47 . For correct orientation of the inner conductor contact  5  with respect to the insulation body  7 , the insulation body  7  has coding elements  51 . These are formed inside the insulation body  7  and are shown in  FIG.  4   . The inner conductor contact  5  has mating coding elements  49  which are designed to interact with the coding elements  51  of the insulation body  7 . In the configuration shown, the mating coding elements  49  of the inner conductor contact  5  are formed as a tab or fin  53  that can be inserted into a recess  55  or groove  57  of the insulation body  7 . In the configuration shown, the coding elements  51  are formed as a recess  55  or groove  57 . In other configurations, the groove  57  may be formed on the inner conductor contact  5  and the fin  53  may be formed on the insulation body  7 . Other configurations of interacting coding elements  49 ,  51  are also conceivable. 
     By means of the centering elements  47 , the coding elements  51  and the counter-coding elements  49 , a rotational alignment of the insulation body  7  to the outer conductor contact  13  or of the inner conductor contact  5  to the insulation body  7  is possible. The mating coding elements  49  of the inner conductor contact  5  also form a stop  59 . This is configured to limit a position of the inner conductor contact  5  when it is inserted into the insulation body  7  in the longitudinal direction  19 . For this purpose, the stop  59  can abut against an abutment surface  61  of the insulation body  7 , as shown in  FIG.  4   . 
     In  FIG.  3   , the coaxial connector  1  of  FIG.  1    is shown in a section along the dotted line A-A. It can be seen that the inner conductor contact  5  and the insulation body  7  extend along the longitudinal direction  19 . The inner conductor contact  5  also extends along the longitudinal direction  19  to the plug opening-side end  41  of the insulation body  7 . This improves the high-frequency properties of the coaxial connector  1  as a defined and continuous shielding of the inner conductor contact  5  is always ensured and, after mating with a mating connector, a defined and continuous shielding of the inner conductor is also ensured. 
     The configuration of the coaxial connector  1  has the further advantage that a test tip  63 , this is shown schematically in the form of a rectangle, can be moved at the plug-side end  21  of the coaxial connector  1 , i.e., towards the plug face  17 , and brought into contact with it. With this test tip  63 , the inner conductor contact  5  can be contacted. This allows a determination of the position of the inner conductor contact  5  in the insulation body  7  or to confirm a correct position. Furthermore, it can be seen in  FIG.  3    that the inner conductor contact  5  is secured by latching elements  65  in the form of latching hooks  67  in latching openings  69  of the insulation body  7 . 
     In  FIG.  5    and  FIG.  6   , a multiple contact arrangement  2  is shown. The multiple contact arrangement  2  may be referred to as a coaxial connector  1  and is a twinaxial connector  1   c.  Also the shown twinaxial connector  1   ca  is a coaxial coupling  3 , i.e. in particular a twinaxial coupling  3   a.  In contrast to the previously described configuration of the contact arrangement  1 , the multiple contact arrangement  2  has two contact arrangements  1 . A first contact arrangement  1   a  and a second contact arrangement  1   b  are identical. The multiple contact arrangement thus has a first inner conductor contact  5   a  and a second inner conductor contact  5   b.  The elements of the inner conductor contacts  5   a  and  5   b  correspond to those of the inner conductor contact  5  of the previously described configuration. Thus, the multiple contact arrangement  2  shown has a first insertion funnel  35   a  and a second insertion funnel  35   b.    
     Such a multiple contact arrangement  2  has the advantage that, for example, symmetrical signals with a higher data rate can be transmitted via a pair of inner conductor contacts  5 . Such connectors and cables can advantageously be used for contacting SA-TA3 or DisplayPort interfaces. The inner conductor contacts  5  are arranged next to each other and galvanically isolated from each other. 
     The configuration of the multiple contact arrangement  2  shown also has the further elements such as the second insertion bevels  31 , the first insertion bevels  29 , the insulation body  7  consisting of a dielectric  9 , i.e., an insulating material  11 , and the outer conductor contact  13 . In the multiple contact arrangement  2  shown, the insulation body  7  of the first contact arrangement  1   a  and the insulation body  7  of the second contact arrangement  1   b  are monolithic, i.e., are formed in one piece and form a common insulation body  7   a.  The multiple contact arrangement  2  shown has an oval plug face  17   a,  which describes a shape composed of two semicircles and a rectangle, wherein the rectangle is disposed between the semicircles. 
     An alternative geometry of the plug face  17  is shown schematically on the right side of  FIG.  5    in the form of a round plug face  17   b.  In  FIG.  6   , the multiple contact arrangement  2  of  FIG.  5    is shown in sectional view along the line C-C. The identical configuration of the first inner conductor contact  5   a  and the second inner conductor contact  5   b,  as well as the insertion funnels  35   a  and  35   b,  can be clearly seen. Both inner conductor contacts  5  extend the same distance to the plug-side end  21 . Both inner conductor contacts  5  are also completely surrounded by the outer conductor contact  13  and galvanically separated both from each other and from the outer conductor contact  13  by the common insulation body  7   a.    
     Furthermore, it can be seen that the inner conductor contacts  5   a  and  5   b  inside the common insulation body  7   a  differ slightly in shape from the inner conductor contact  5  of  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  4   . At the plug-side end  21 , i.e., in the configuration of the elements of the plug face  17  and in particular in their function of facilitating the insertion of a mating contact, the two configurations do not differ. The general geometry of the plug face  17  and also the number of inner conductor contacts  5  and thus the number of insertion funnels  35  are different, as can be seen in the comparison of  FIG.  1    with  FIG.  5   . 
     It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrated, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle. 
     Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. 
     As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.