Patent Publication Number: US-10790624-B2

Title: Coaxial connector

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of Chinese Patent Application No. 201810291330.9, filed on Mar. 30, 2018. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector and, more particularly, to a radio frequency (RF) coaxial connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A radio frequency (RF) coaxial connector of a printed circuit board to printed circuit board (BTB) type has a lower end soldered to a lower printed circuit board (PCB) and an upper end in electrical contact with an upper PCB. An upper outer contact of the RF coaxial connector is a contact ring which is pressed by an external spring to ensure an electrical contact with the upper PCB. A lower outer contact of the RF coaxial connector is a housing which is soldered to the lower PCB so as to ensure an electrical connection with the lower PCB. The contact ring is latched onto the housing by an elastic latch. A lower half of an inner contact of the RF coaxial connector is soldered to the lower PCB to ensure an electrical connection with the lower PCB. An upper half of the inner contact is pressed by an internal spring to ensure an electrical contact with the upper PCB. The relative position between the inner contact and the housing is ensured by an insulator. 
     Because the contact ring is latched onto an outer wall of the housing by the elastic latch, the elastic latch will expand outward when a large axial pushing force is applied to the contact ring. The elastic latch may be easily disengaged from the housing, causing a disengagement of the contact ring from the housing. Further, the external spring pressing the contact ring is usually exposed outside the connector and lacks suitable protection. 
     SUMMARY 
     A connector comprises a plurality of outer contacts including a first outer contact and a second outer contact that are slidably assembled together, a plurality of inner contacts disposed within the outer contacts, and a first elastic element disposed between the first outer contact and the second outer contact and adapted to exert a first axial pushing force onto the first outer contact. The second outer contact has an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder connected to the outer cylinder. A receiving groove having an annular cross section is defined between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. The first outer contact has an elastic latch adapted to be inserted into the receiving groove and adapted to be latched onto an inner wall of the outer cylinder. 
    
    
     
       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 connector according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of the connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second outer contact of the connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a first outer contact of the connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a connector according to another embodiment; and 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional side view of the connector of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Technical solutions will be further specifically described below with reference to the embodiments of the present disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the specification, the same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar elements. The description of the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to illustrate the general inventive concept of the present disclosure, and should not be construed as limiting the invention. 
     Moreover, 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 connector according to an embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , is used to electrically connect a first electronic component  1  with a second electronic component  2 . The connector comprises a plurality of outer contacts  110 ,  120 , a plurality of inner contacts  210 ,  220 , and a first elastic element  130 . In an embodiment, the connector is a radio frequency (RF) coaxial connector. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the first electronic component  1  and the second electronic component  2  are both circuit boards, however, in another embodiment, the second electronic component  2  may be a filter. 
     The outer contacts  110 ,  120 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , include a first outer contact  110  and a second outer contact  120  which are slidably assembled together. The inner contacts  210 ,  220  are disposed within the outer contacts  110 ,  120 ; the inner contacts  210 ,  220  are provided in a longitudinal passageway extending through the outer contacts  110 ,  120 . The inner contacts  210 ,  220  include a first inner contact  210  and a second inner contact  220  which are slidably assembled together. 
     The first elastic element  130 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is disposed between the first outer contact  110  and the second outer contact  120  and is adapted to exert a first axial pushing force onto the first outer contact  110 . The first outer contact  110  is in a reliable electrical contact with the first electronic component  1  under the axial pushing force exerted by the first elastic element  130 . 
     The second outer contact  120 , shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , includes an outer cylinder  121  and an inner cylinder  122  connected to the outer cylinder  121 . A receiving groove  123  having an annular cross section is defined between the outer cylinder  121  and the inner cylinder  122 . In an embodiment, the second outer contact  120  is integrally formed of metal by a casting process. 
     The first outer contact  110 , as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 , includes an elastic latch  111   a  and an elastic arm  112   a . The elastic latch  111   a  is inserted into the receiving groove  123  and is adapted to be latched onto an inner wall of the outer cylinder  121 . The elastic arm  112   a  is inserted into the inner cylinder  122  and is adapted to be in an elastically electrical contact with an inner wall of the inner cylinder  122 . In an embodiment, the first outer contact  110  is a single conductive element formed by stamping a single metal sheet. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a blocking protrusion  121   a  is formed on the inner wall of the outer cylinder  121 . The elastic latch  111   a  is adapted to be latched onto the blocking protrusion  121   a  to prevent the first outer contact  110  from moving outwardly relative to the second outer contact  120 , preventing the first outer contact  110  from disengaging from the second outer contact  120 . In the shown embodiment, the elastic latch  111   a  is an L-shaped elastic hook adapted to hook the blocking protrusion  121   a.    
     The first elastic element  130 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is received in the receiving groove  123 , a first end of the first elastic element  130  abuts against the first outer contact  110  and a second end of the first elastic element  130  abuts against the second outer contact  120 . 
     The first outer contact  110  has a base  113 , shown in  FIG. 4 , to which the elastic latch  111   a  and the elastic arm  112   a  are coupled. The first end of the first elastic element  130  abuts against the base  113 . The base  113  has an annular plate shape. The elastic latch  111   a  is coupled to an outer edge of the base  113  and the elastic arm  112   a  is coupled to an inner edge of the base  113 . In the shown embodiment, the first outer contact  110  includes a plurality of elastic latches  111   a . The plurality of elastic latches  111   a  are evenly distributed around an outer circumference of the base  113 . In the shown embodiment, the first outer contact  110  includes a plurality of elastic arms  112   a . The plurality of elastic arms  112   a  are evenly distributed around an inner circumference of the base  113 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , a raised positioning step  122   a  is formed on an outer wall of the inner cylinder  122 , and the second end of the first elastic element  130  abuts against the positioning step  122   a.    
     The connector, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , comprises an insulator  300  disposed between the outer contacts  110 ,  120  and the inner contacts  210 ,  220 . The insulator  300  is configured to hold the inner contacts  210 ,  220  within the outer contacts  110 ,  120  and to electrically isolate the inner contacts  210 ,  220  from the outer contacts  110 ,  120 . The insulator  300  is housed in the inner cylinder  122  of the second outer contact  120 , and the second inner contact  220  is held within the insulator  300 . 
     The connector, as shown in  FIG. 2 , comprises a second elastic element  230  disposed between the first inner contact  210  and the second inner contact  220 . The second elastic element  230  is adapted to exert a second axial pushing force onto the first inner contact  210 . The first inner contact  210  is in a reliable electrical contact with the first electronic component  1  under the second axial pushing force exerted by the second elastic element  230 . The second inner contact  220  has a cylindrical portion  221 . An end of the first inner contact  210  is slidably inserted into the cylindrical portion  221  of the second inner contact  220 , and is in a slidable electrical contact with the second inner contact  220 . The inner contacts  210 ,  220  form a spring-like probe structure such as a pogo pin, and the second elastic element  230  is compressed by the first inner contact  210  in the cylindrical portion  221  of the second inner contact  220 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second outer contact  120  and the second inner contact  220  each have a flat bottom face adapted to be soldered onto the second electronic component  2 . In other embodiments, the second outer contact  120  or the second inner contact  220  may be otherwise connected to the second electronic component  2 , for example, the second outer contact  120  or the second inner contact  220  may be inserted into or screwed onto the second electronic component  2 . 
     A connector according to another embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The connector in the embodiment of  FIGS. 5 and 6  differs from the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4  mainly in the structure of the second inner contact  220  and the outer cylinder  121  of the second outer contact  120 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , an outer diameter of a lower end portion  121   b  of the outer cylinder  121  of the second outer contact  120  is smaller than an outer diameter of an upper end portion of the outer cylinder  121 . The lower end portion  121   b  of the outer cylinder  121  is adapted to be directly inserted into a socket on the second electronic component  2 . The second inner contact  220  has a plug portion  220   b  that projects outwardly from the second outer contact  120 , and the plug portion  220   b  may be plugged into the socket on the second electronic component  2 . 
     In other embodiments, a threaded portion may be formed on an outer wall of the outer cylinder  121  of the second outer contact  120 . The second outer contact  120  may be screwed onto the second electronic component  2  by the threaded portion.