Patent Publication Number: US-7909645-B2

Title: Coaxial cable connector housing

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to electrical connectors for coaxial cables, and more particularly, to electrically conductive housings of coaxial cable connectors. 
     Due to their favorable electrical characteristics, coaxial cables and connectors have grown in popularity for interconnecting electronic devices and peripheral systems. Coaxial cable connectors typically include an inner electrical contact coaxially disposed within an outer electrical contact of an electrically conductive housing, with a dielectric material separating the inner electrical contact and the outer electrical contact. The inner electrical contact terminates the end of an inner electrical conductor of the coaxial cable, while the electrically conductive housing terminates an outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable that is coaxial with the inner electrical conductor. The outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable and the housing of the coaxial cable connector typically serve as the ground path. 
     However, the geometry of the housing of at least some known coaxial cable connectors may require multiple crimping operations to complete termination of the coaxial cable to the coaxial cable connector. For example, multiple crimping operations may be used to crimp ground tabs to the outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable and to crimp retention tabs that hold the outer electrical contact in position relative to a base of the housing. Moreover, in at least some known coaxial cable connectors, a portion of the end of the outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable that extends past the ground tabs is exposed about the entirety of the circumference of the end portion except the portion of the circumference that is engaged by the base. The portion of the end that is exposed may emit electromagnetic interference (EMI). 
     There is a need for a coaxial cable connector that enables a coaxial cable to be terminated to the coaxial cable connector with fewer operations and/or that provides better EMI protection than at least some known coaxial cable connectors. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, a housing is provided for a coaxial cable connector that terminates a coaxial cable. The housing includes a cable-receiving end portion configured to engage an insulating cover of the coaxial cable, a mating end portion configured to engage another coaxial connector, and a base extending between the cable-receiving end portion and the mating end portion. The base is configured to engage an outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable. The housing also includes an electrical contact. The electrical contact includes an extension extending outwardly from the electrical contact, wherein the extension is configured to engage the outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable. 
     In another embodiment, an electrical connector is provided for terminating a coaxial cable. The electrical connector includes an electrically conductive housing including a cable-receiving end portion configured to engage an insulating cover of the coaxial cable, a mating end portion configured to engage another coaxial connector, and a base extending between the cable-receiving end portion and the mating end portion. The base is configured to engage an outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable. The housing also includes an outer electrical contact. The outer electrical contact defines a receptacle and includes an extension extending outwardly from the outer electrical contact. The extension is configured to engage the outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable. The electrical connector also includes an insulating member held by the housing at least partially within the receptacle defined by the outer electrical contact, and an inner electrical contact held by the insulating member. 
     In another embodiment, a housing is provided for a coaxial cable connector that terminates a coaxial cable. The housing includes a cable-receiving end portion configured to engage an insulating cover of the coaxial cable, a mating end portion configured to engage another coaxial connector, and a base extending between the cable-receiving end portion and the mating end portion. The base is configured to engage an outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable. The housing also includes an electrical contact that extends outwardly from the base. The electrical contact includes an extension. The housing also includes a retention tab extending outwardly from the base. The retention tab is configured to wrap around a portion of the extension such that the retention tab is configured to hold the extension between a portion of the retention tab and a portion of the base. The retention tab is configured to engage the outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector illustrating the electrical connector terminating the end of a coaxial cable. 
         FIG. 2  is cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable shown in  FIG. 1  taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a housing of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating the housing as disassembled. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the housing shown in  FIG. 3  illustrating the housing as assembled. 
         FIG. 5  is a partially exploded perspective view of the electrical connector and coaxial cable shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating assembly of the electrical connector and the coaxial cable. 
         FIG. 6  is another partially exploded perspective view of the electrical connector and coaxial cable shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating assembly of the electrical connector and the coaxial cable. 
         FIG. 7  is a partially broken-away perspective view of the electrical connector  10  and coaxial cable shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating a cross section of a mating end portion of the electrical connector. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a portion of the electrical connector and coaxial cable shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of an electrical connector illustrating the electrical connector terminating the end of a coaxial cable. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 9  taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector  10  illustrating the electrical connector  10  terminating the end  12  of a coaxial cable  14 . The electrical connector  10  includes an electrically conductive housing  16 , an insulating member  18  held by the housing  16 , and an inner electrical contact  20  held by the insulating member  18 . In the exemplary embodiment, the inner electrical contact  20  is a plug contact, which is sometimes referred to as a “pin contact”. The housing  16  includes an outer electrical contact  22  that holds the insulating member  18 . The outer electrical contact  22  is coaxial with the inner electrical contact  20  and is positioned radially outward from the inner electrical contact  20 . The insulating member  18  electrically isolates the inner electrical contact  20  from the outer electrical contact  22  as well as other portions of the housing  16 . The inner electrical contact  20  is configured to be received by a receptacle contact (such as, but not limited to, the receptacle contact  220  shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) of another electrical connector (such as, but not limited to, the electrical connector  210  shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) that is configured to mate with the electrical connector  10 . Similarly, the outer electrical contact  22  is configured to engage an outer electrical contact (such as, but not limited to, the outer electrical contact  222  shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) of the other electrical connector. In some embodiments, the other electrical connector is mounted on a substrate, such as, but not limited to, a circuit board, a panel, and/or the like. In other embodiments, the other electrical connector terminates the end of another coaxial cable (not shown). 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the housing  16  is a ground path, while the inner electrical contact  20  is a signal path. Alternatively, the housing  16  is a signal path and the inner electrical contact  20  is a ground path. The electrical connector  10  may be any type of connector suitable for use with any type of coaxial cable; such connectors are sometimes referred to as “coaxial cable connectors”. In the exemplary embodiment, the electrical connector  10  is an ultraminiature coax connector (UMCC). 
       FIG. 2  is cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable  14  taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . The coaxial cable  14  includes an inner electrical conductor  24 , an insulating member  26  surrounding the inner electrical conductor  24 , an outer electrical conductor  28  surrounding the insulating member  26 , and an insulating cover  30  surrounding the outer electrical conductor  28 . The inner electrical conductor  24 , the insulating member  26 , the outer electrical conductor  28 , and the insulating cover  30  are coaxial, with the insulating member  26  positioned radially outward from the inner electrical conductor  24 , the outer electrical conductor  28  positioned radially outward from the insulating member  26 , and the insulating cover  30  positioned radially outward from the outer electrical conductor  28 . The outer electrical conductor  28  includes a circumference  32  having four quadrants  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and  40 . Any of the quadrants  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and  40  may be referred to herein as a “first quadrant” and/or a “second quadrant”. In the exemplary embodiment, the inner electrical conductor  24  is a signal path while the outer electrical conductor  28  is a ground path. However, alternatively the inner electrical conductor  24  may be a ground path while the outer electrical conductor  28  is a signal path. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  are perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of the housing  16  of the electrical connector  10  (FIGS.  1  and  5 - 7 ) illustrating the housing  16  as disassembled and assembled, respectively. The housing  16  extends a length L along a central longitudinal axis  41  between a cable-receiving end portion  42  and a mating end portion  44 . The cable-receiving end portion  42  is configured to engage the insulating cover  30  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  5 - 7 ) of the coaxial cable  14 . The mating end portion  44  is configured to engage the other electrical connector. In the exemplary embodiment, the outer electrical contact  22  is located at the mating end portion  44  of the housing  16 . The housing  16  includes a base  46  that extends the length L along the central longitudinal axis  41  between the cable-receiving end portion  42  and the mating end portion  44 . The outer electrical contact  22  defines a receptacle  48  and extends between a pair of opposite end portions  50  and  52  along a central longitudinal axis  54 . In the exemplary embodiment, the outer electrical contact  22  is defined by an extension  56  that extends outwardly from the base  46  along the central longitudinal axis  41 , and a pair of opposite walls  58  and  60  that extend outwardly from opposite side portions  62  and  64  of the extension  56  to respective end portions  66  and  68 . The end portions  66  and  68  of the walls  58  and  60 , respectively, oppose one another such that the extension  56  and the walls  58  and  60  define the receptacle  48 . Alternatively, the receptacle  48  may be defined by only one wall (not shown) that extends from either of the side portions  62  or  64  to an end portion that opposes the other side portion  62  or  64 . Moreover, the receptacle  48  may alternatively be defined by a continuous wall (not shown) that extends from both side portions  62  and  64 . When the housing  16  is assembled as shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 8 , the base  46 , at the mating end portion  44 , covers, or closes, the end portion  50  (which is open in the disassembled state shown in  FIG. 3 ) of the outer electrical contact  22 . 
     A pair of extensions  70  and  72  extends outwardly from the outer electrical contact  22 . When the housing  16  is assembled as shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 8 , the extensions  70  and  72  extend along the base  46  generally toward the cable-receiving end portion  42  of the housing  16 . Each of the extensions  70  and  72  extends between a respective inner end portion  74  and  76  and a respective outer end portion  78  and  80 . The extensions  70  and  72  are angled relative to each other such that the inner end portions  74  and  76  are closer together than the outer end portions  78  and  80 . Accordingly, when the housing  16  is assembled as shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 8 , the extensions  70  and  72  are each angled acutely relative to the central longitudinal axis  41 . Despite the specific angles shown herein, the extensions  70  and  72  may each be angled at any oblique and acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis  41  and may be angled relative to each other at any angle that is less than 180° and greater than 0°. Although one extension  70  and one extension  72  are shown, the radially outer electrical connector  22  may include any number of extensions  70  and/or  72  extending therefrom. 
     The base  46  of the housing  16  includes a pair of opposite cover tabs  82  and  84  and a pair of opposite retention tabs  86  and  88 . The cover tabs  82  and  84  extend outwardly from opposite side portions  90  and  92 , respectively, of the base  46  to respective end portions  94  and  96 . When the housing  16  is assembled as shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 8 , the end portions  94  and  96  oppose one another. Alternatively, the base  46  may include only one cover tab (not shown) that extends from either of the side portions  90  or  92  to an end portion that opposes the other side portion  90  or  92 . Moreover, the base  46  may alternatively include a continuous cover tab that extends from both side portions  90  and  92 . Although one cover tab  82  and one cover tab  84  are shown, the base  46  may include any number of cover tabs  82  and/or  84  extending therefrom. 
     The retention tabs  86  and  88  extend outwardly from the opposite side portions  90  and  92 , respectively, of the base  46  to respective end portions  98  and  100 . When the housing  16  is assembled as shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 8 , the end portions  98  and  100  oppose one another. Alternatively, the base  46  may include only one retention tab (not shown) that extends from either of the side portions  90  or  92  to an end portion that opposes the other side portion  90  or  92 . Although one retention tab  86  and one retention tab  88  are shown, the base  46  may include any number of retention tabs  86  and/or  88  extending therefrom. When the housing  16  is assembled as shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 7 , the retention tabs  86  and  88  of the base  46  wrap around, and engage, a portion of the extensions  70  and  72 , respectively, such that the extensions  70  and  72  are held between a portion of the retention tabs  86  and  88 , respectively, and a portion of the base  46 . The retention tabs  86  and  88  facilitate retaining the outer electrical contact  22  in the position with respect to the base  46  that is shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 8 . 
     The housing  16  may be fabricated using any suitable method, process, operation, structure, means, and/or the like that enables the housing  16  to function as described and/or illustrated herein. One example of fabricating the housing  16  comprises cutting and/or stamping the housing  16  out of a sheet of material. The housing  16  may optionally be fabricated such that prior to the assembly as shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  2 , the housing  16  is in the disassembled state shown in  FIG. 3  but the walls  58  and  60  of the outer electrical contact  22  are not bent into the position shown in the  FIG. 3 , but rather lie in generally the same plane as the remainder of the housing  16  shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are partially exploded perspective views of the electrical connector  10  and the coaxial cable  14  illustrating assembly of the electrical connector  10  and the coaxial cable  14 .  FIG. 7  is a partially broken-away perspective view of the electrical connector  10  and the coaxial cable  14  illustrating a cross section of the mating end portion  44  of the electrical connector  10 . Referring now to FIGS.  1  and  5 - 7 , a portion  102  of the insulating member  18  of the electrical connector  10  is held within the receptacle  48  of the outer electrical contact  22 . The insulating member  18  may be installed within the receptacle  48  when the housing  16  is disassembled as shown in  FIG. 3 . To position the outer electrical contact  22  as shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 7 , the outer electrical contact  22  is rotated from the position shown in  FIG. 3  toward the base  46  such that the base  46 , at the mating end portion  44 , covers, or closes, the end portion  50  (which is open in the disassembled state shown in  FIG. 3 ) of the outer electrical contact  22 . 
     At the end  12  of the coaxial cable  14 , the outer electrical conductor  28  is exposed from the insulating cover  30  and the inner electrical conductor  24  is exposed from the insulating member  26  and the outer electrical conductor  28 . The exposed portion of the inner electrical conductor  24  engages the inner electrical contact  20  to electrically connect the inner electrical contact  20  of the electrical connector  10  to the inner electrical conductor  24  of the coaxial cable  14 . The inner electrical contact  20  may have any suitable size, shape, geometry, and/or the like, and may engage the exposed portion of the inner electrical conductor  24  in any suitable configuration, arrangement, using any suitable structure and/or means, and/or the like. In the exemplary embodiment, the insulating member  18  includes an opening  104  that receives at least a portion of the exposed portion of the inner electrical conductor  24  therein. The exemplary embodiment of the inner electrical contact  20  includes an opening  108 , shown in  FIG. 7 , at one end portion  110  thereof. The opening  104  extends through the insulating member  18  to the inner electrical contact  20  such that the opening  104  communicates with the opening  108  of the inner electrical contact  20 . The exposed portion of the inner electrical conductor  24  extends through the opening  104  and is received within the opening  108  such that the inner electrical conductor  24  engages, and is thereby electrically connected to, the inner electrical contact  20 . In an exemplary alternative embodiment, the inner electrical contact  20  includes a first extension (not shown) that extends from the end portion  110  through the opening  104  of the insulating member  18  toward the cable-receiving end portion  42 . In such an alternative embodiment, the exposed portion of inner electrical conductor  24  is clamped between the first extension and a second extension (not shown; the second extension may extend from the end portion  110  or a free end portion of the first extension) to electrically connect the inner electrical conductor  24  to the inner electrical contact  20 . 
     The coaxial cable end  12  engages the base  46  of the housing  16  and the cover tabs  82  and  84  are wrapped around a portion of the insulating cover  30  and crimped such that inner surfaces  112  and  114 , respectively, of the cover tabs  82  and  84  engage the insulating cover  30  to facilitate securing the coaxial cable  14  to the electrical connector  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The exposed portion of the outer electrical conductor  28  engages the base  46  at the quadrant  38  ( FIG. 2 ) of the circumference  32  ( FIG. 2 ) of the outer electrical conductor  28  to electrically connect the outer electrical conductor  28  to the housing  16  and thereby the outer electrical contact  22 . As used herein, engagement “at” a quadrant includes engagement with the entirety or only a portion of the quadrant. The extensions  70  and  72  each engage the outer electrical conductor  28  at the quadrants  40  and  36  ( FIG. 2 ), respectively, of the circumference  32  of the outer electrical conductor  28 , which are opposite each other and are each adjacent to the quadrants  34  and  38  ( FIG. 2 ). The engagement between the extensions  70  and  72  and the outer electrical conductor  28  electrically connects the outer electrical conductor  28  to the housing  16  and thereby the outer electrical contact  22 . The wedge-shape formed by the angle between the extensions  70  and  72  may facilitate holding the exposed portion of the outer electrical conductor  28  between the extensions  70  and  72 . 
     The retention tabs  86  and  88  of the base  46  are wrapped around a portion of the extensions  70  and  72 , respectively, and crimped such that inner surfaces  116  and  118 , respectively, of the retention tabs  86  and  88  engage the extensions  70  and  72 , respectively, to hold the extensions  70  and  72  between a portion of the retention tabs  86  and  88 , respectively, and a portion of the base  46 . The retention tabs  86  and  88  facilitate retaining the outer electrical contact  22  in the position with respect to the base  46  that is shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 8 . The inner surfaces  116  and  118  of the retention tabs  86  and  88 , respectively, engage the exposed portion of the outer electrical conductor  28  at the quadrant  34  of the circumference  32  of the outer electrical conductor  28 , which is opposite the quadrant  38  and adjacent to the quadrants  36  and  40 . The engagement between the retention tabs  86  and  88  and the outer electrical conductor  28  electrically connects the outer electrical conductor  28  to the housing  16  and thereby the outer electrical contact  22 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  8 , the engagement of the base  46 , the extensions  70  and  72 , and the retention tabs  86  and  88  facilitate providing protection for EMI emissions about the entirety of the circumference  32  of the outer electrical conductor  28  for the portion of the outer electrical conductor  28  that extends along a length L 2  of the retention tabs  86  and  88 . The length L 2  of the retention tabs  86  and  88  extends between a pair of opposite end portions  120  and  122  of the retention tabs  86  and  88 . As can be seen in  FIG. 8 , a portion  124  of the circumference  32  of the outer electrical conductor  28  that extends along a distance D defined between the outer electrical contact  22  and the end portion  122  of the retention tabs  86  and  88  is exposed. However, the remainder of the circumference  32  of the outer electrical conductor  28  that extends along the distance D is shielded by the extensions  70  and  72  and the base  46 . The exposed portion  124  of the circumference  32  of the outer electrical conductor  28  that extends long the distance D may include only a portion of the quadrant  34 , all of the quadrant  34 , or the entire quadrant  34  and a portion of the quadrants  36  and/or  40 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the outer electrical contact  22  of the housing  16  may optionally include a groove  126  extending within a radially outer surface  128  of the outer electrical contact  22  that cooperates with an extension (such as, but not limited to, the extension  330  shown in  FIG. 10 ) of another electrical connector that is configured to mate with the electrical connector  10 . Cooperation between the groove  126  and the extension creates a snap-fit connection that may facilitate holding the two electrical connectors together. Additionally or alternatively, the outer electrical contact  22  of the housing  16  may optionally include an extension (not shown) extending outwardly from the radially outer surface  128  that cooperates with a groove (not shown) of another electrical connector that is configured to mate with the electrical connector  10 . Moreover, the outer electrical contact  22  of the housing  16  may alternatively include a groove (not shown) or an extension (not shown) extending on a radially inner surface of the outer electrical contact  22  that cooperates with a respective extension or groove of another electrical connector that is configured to mate with the electrical connector  10 . 
     Although the electrical connector  10  is described and illustrated herein as including a plug contact  20  (FIGS.  1  and  5 - 7 ), the electrical connector  10  may alternatively include a receptacle contact.  FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of an electrical connector  210  illustrating the electrical connector  210  terminating the end  12  of the coaxial cable  14 .  FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector  210  taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 . The electrical connector  210  includes an electrically conductive housing  216 , an insulating member  218  held by the housing  216 , and an inner electrical contact  220  held by the insulating member  218 . The housing  216  is electrically connected to the outer electrical conductor  28  of the coaxial cable  14 , while the inner electrical contact  220  is electrically connected to the inner electrical conductor  24  of the coaxial cable  14 . In contrast to the plug contact  20 , the inner electrical contact  220  is a receptacle contact that is configured to receive a plug contact (such as, but not limited to, the plug contact  20 ) of another electrical connector (such as, but not limited to, the electrical connector  10 ) that is configured to mate with the electrical connector  210 . 
     The outer electrical contact  222  of the housing  216  may optionally include an extension  330  extending outwardly from a radially inner surface  332  of the outer electrical contact  222  that cooperates with a groove (such as, but not limited to the groove  126  shown in  FIG. 1 ) of another electrical connector that is configured to mate with the electrical connector  210 . Cooperation between the extension  330  and the groove creates a snap-fit connection that may facilitate holding the two electrical connectors together. Additionally or alternatively, the outer electrical contact  222  of the housing  216  may optionally include a groove (not shown) extending within the radially inner surface  332  that cooperates with an extension (not shown) of another electrical connector that is configured to mate with the electrical connector  210 . Moreover, the outer electrical contact  222  of the housing  216  may alternatively include a groove (not shown) or an extension (not shown) extending on a radially outer surface of the outer electrical contact  22  that cooperates with a respective extension or groove of another electrical connector that is configured to mate with the electrical connector  210 . 
     With exception for the size, shape, geometry, and/or the like of the outer electrical contact  222 , the housing  216  is substantially similar to the housing  16  (FIGS.  1  and  3 - 7 ) and therefore will not be described in more detail herein. 
     The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein provide a coaxial cable connector that may enable a coaxial cable to be terminated to the coaxial cable connector using fewer operations than at least some known coaxial cable connectors. For example, the embodiments described and/or illustrated herein provide a coaxial cable connector that may enable a coaxial cable to be terminated to the coaxial cable connector using less crimping operations. The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein provide a coaxial cable connector that may provide better EMI protection than at least some known coaxial cable connectors. 
     Exemplary embodiments are described and/or illustrated herein in detail. The embodiments are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather, components and/or steps of each embodiment may be utilized independently and separately from other components and/or steps described herein. Each component, and/or each step of one embodiment, can also be used in combination with other components and/or steps of other embodiments. When introducing elements/components/etc. described and/or illustrated herein, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, “said”, and “at least one” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the element(s)/component(s)/etc. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional element(s)/component(s)/etc. other than the listed element(s)/component(s)/etc. Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. in the claims are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means—plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure. 
     While the subject matter described and/or illustrated herein has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the subject matter described and/or illustrated herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.