Patent Publication Number: US-8523618-B2

Title: High frequency adapter

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 201120459105.5 filed in P.R. China on Nov. 18, 2011, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     Some references, if any, which may include patents, patent applications and various publications, may be cited and discussed in the description of this invention. The citation and/or discussion of such references, if any, is provided merely to clarify the description of the present invention and is not an admission that any such reference is “prior art” to the invention described herein. All references listed, cited and/or discussed in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties and to the same extent as if each reference was individually incorporated by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a high frequency adapter, and more particularly to a high frequency adapter electrically connecting a docking device to a circuit board. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Currently, with popularity of electronic products, electronic products owned by consumers are more and more in types and number. When these electronic products are used, usually information and signal exchange are required between the electronic products. When high frequency signals are exchanged, the industry generally adopts a coaxial cable connector with good shield effect for conduction. 
     For example, Chinese Patent CN201171125Y discloses a coaxial cable connector widely used in the industry that includes: an insulating body with a mounting hole disposed on the insulating body for receiving a cable docking head to be inserted therein, a fixed terminal, fixed at an end of the insulating body and welded to a circuit board, and a movable terminal, fixed at the other end of the insulating body, where one end of the movable terminal is welded to the circuit board, and the other end of the movable terminal is in electric contact with the fixed terminal. When the cable docking head is inserted into the mounting hole, and is in electric contact with the movable terminal, the movable terminal and the fixed terminal are disconnected. In this case, the circuit board may be conducted to the cable docking head through the coaxial cable connector, and therefore, the circuit board and the cable docking head can exchange high frequency signals. The coaxial cable connector further includes a shielding shell covering the insulating body, so as to shield the movable terminal and the fixed terminal and prevent, at the time of transmitting a high frequency signal, the movable terminal and the fixed terminal from interference of an external signal, which influences high frequency performance of the coaxial cable connector. It can be known from this description that the shield effect of the coaxial cable connector is good. 
     The current coaxial cable connector is impeccable with respect to the effect of transmitting a high frequency signal, but it still has deficiency which mainly lies in that fast plugging in one step between electronic products cannot be achieved. When a coaxial cable connector is connected to the electronic products to transmit a high frequency signal, two ends of a cable docking head must be respectively docked with the coaxial cable connector on the two electronic products once, that is, be connected twice. Correspondingly, when it is dismantled, it must be disengaged twice. That is, fast plugging in one step between electronic products cannot be achieved. This defect does not seem to be a big deal, however, it is difficult for current picky consumers to accept. 
     Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the present invention provides a high frequency adapter that both has good shield effect and can achieve fast plugging between electronic products. 
     In one embodiment, a high frequency adapter electrically connecting a docking device to a circuit board according to the present invention includes an insulating body, an RF (Radio Frequency) signal terminal and two grounding terminals. The insulating body is located above the circuit board, and has a first end surface facing the docking device. The RF signal terminal is fixed in the insulating body, and has a first conductive connection portion conductively connected to the circuit board, and a first contact portion extending from the first conductive connection portion and exposed out of the first end surface. The two grounding terminals are fixed in the insulating body and located at two sides of the RF signal terminal. Each of the grounding terminals has a second conductive connection portion conductively connected to the circuit board, and a second contact portion extending from the second conductive connection portion and exposed out of the first end surface. Lateral projections of the RF signal terminal and the two grounding terminals are approximately the same and overlapping. Both the first contact portion and the two second contact portions are pressed by the docking device. 
     Further, three receiving slots are abreast and concavely disposed on the first end surface of the insulating body. The receiving slots run through the bottom surface of the insulating body downward, and a sidewall of each of the receiving slots is disposed with a blocker located at an upper end of the receiving slot and being close to the first end surface. The RF signal terminal has a first stop portion in a curved shape which is located in the receiving slot and butts against the blocker, and the first stop portion is connected to the first conductive connection portion and the first contact portion. Alternatively, the RF signal terminal has a first stop portion which is located in the receiving slot and butts against the blocker, and the first stop portion is formed by upward extension of the first contact portion. An upper surface of the circuit board is disposed with a coaxial cable connector plugged by a cable docking head, and the high frequency adapter and the coaxial cable connector are conductively connected. The coaxial cable connector includes a main body, a movable terminal and a fixed terminal which are fixed in the main body, and a shielding shell covering the main body. Before the cable docking head is plugged into the coaxial cable connector, the movable terminal and the fixed terminal are conductively connected. When the cable docking head is plugged into the coaxial cable connector and is conductively connected to the movable terminal, the movable terminal and the fixed terminal are disconnected. The RF signal terminal and the movable terminal are conductively connected. The RF signal terminal and the movable terminal are integrally formed. The main body is formed by covering of a first main body on a second main body. A fixing hole is concavely disposed on the first main body for receiving the cable docking head to be inserted therein. The two grounding terminals are conductively connected to the shielding shell, and, together with the shielding shell, conductively connected to the circuit board and grounded. The RF signal terminal transmits an RF signal. 
     In the embodiments of the present invention, the two grounding terminals are located at the two sides of the RF signal terminal, and the lateral projections of the RF signal terminal and the two grounding terminals are approximately the same and overlapping. That is, the RF signal terminal and the two grounding terminals are coplanar. By means of this structure and then by setting reasonable relevant parameters (such as the distance between the RF signal terminal and the grounding terminal, the sizes of the RF signal terminal and the grounding terminal, and dielectric coefficients of materials of the RF signal terminal and the grounding terminal), a high frequency signal is transmitted with a coplanar waveguide technology, so that the shield effect of the high frequency adapter is good and the high frequency signal may be well transmitted. Further, the high frequency adapter is directly connected to the docking device in a press manner, so that the docking device and the circuit board can achieve fast plugging in one step, and therefore the plugging is convenient and swift. 
     For convenience of further knowing and understanding the objective, the shape, the construction, the characteristic and the efficacy of the high frequency adapter provided in the present invention, detailed illustration is made with reference to embodiments and accompanying drawings. 
     These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the following drawings, although variations and modifications therein may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and together with the written description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional view of a first embodiment of a high frequency adapter according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a three-dimensional exploded view of a first embodiment of a high frequency adapter according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a high frequency adapter before a docking device is pressed according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a high frequency adapter when a docking device is pressed according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a three-dimensional view of a second embodiment of a high frequency adapter according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a three-dimensional exploded view of a second embodiment of a high frequency adapter according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a high frequency adapter before a cable docking head is inserted according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of another section of a second embodiment of a high frequency adapter before a cable docking head is inserted according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a high frequency adapter when a cable docking head is inserted according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of a high frequency adapter according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Various embodiments of the invention are now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Moreover, titles or subtitles may be used in the specification for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5 , a high frequency adapter  100  provided in the embodiments of the present invention is mounted to an upper surface of a circuit board  40  and is pressed by a docking device  200 , thus the docking device  200  is conductively connected to the circuit board  40 . The high frequency adapter  100  adopts a coplanar waveguide technology, and therefore a high frequency signal can be transmitted between the circuit board  40  and the docking device  200 . The docking device  200  may be a mobile phone, a notebook computer or another communication apparatus, and the circuit board  40  may also be a motherboard of another mobile phone, notebook computer or communication apparatus. The high frequency adapter  100  may achieve high frequency signal exchange between the circuit board  40  and the docking device  200 . 
       FIGS. 1-4  show a first embodiment of the high frequency adapter  100  according to the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the high frequency adapter  100  includes an insulating body  1  located above the circuit board  40 . The insulating body  1  has a first end surface  11  facing the docking device  200 . In this embodiment, the first end surface  11  is a lateral end surface of the insulating body  1 . Alternatively, in other embodiments, the first end surface  11  may be the top surface of the insulating body  1 . Three receiving slots  12  are abreast and concavely disposed on the first end surface  11 . Each of the receiving slots  12  runs through the top surface and the bottom surface of the body  1 . A sidewall of each receiving slots  12  is disposed with a blocker  13  which is located at an upper end of the receiving slot  12  and close to the first end surface  11 . Alternatively, in other embodiments, if the first end surface  11  is the top surface of the insulating body  1 , the receiving slots  12  only need to run downwardly through the bottom surface of the insulating body  1 . 
     The high frequency adapter  100  further includes a Radio Frequency (RF) signal terminal  2  used to transmit an RF signal. The RF signal terminal  2  includes a first conductive connection portion  21  which is exposed to the bottom surface of the insulating body  1  and is conductively connected to the circuit board  40 , so that the docking device  200  may directly exchange a high frequency signal with the circuit board  40 . In this embodiment, referring to  FIG. 4 , the first conductive connection portion  21  is welded to the circuit board  40 . A first contact portion  22  extends upward from the first conductive connection portion  21  and is exposed out of the first end surface  11  to be pressed by the docking device  200 . In order to make the conductive connection performance of the RF signal terminal  2  and the docking device  200  better, a convex rib (not labeled) is convexly disposed on the first contact portion  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , further, a first stop portion  23  extends from the first contact portion  22  upward, enters the receiving slot  12  and butts against the blocker  13 . The blocker  13  applies certain pre-press to the first stop portion  23 , so as to provide a pre-pressure for the RF signal terminal  2 . Thus, when the first contact portion  22  and the docking device  200  are pressed, the contact force is large and the contact is more stable. The blocker  13  can also prevent the RF signal terminal  2  from moving out of the receiving slot  12 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the high frequency adapter  100  further includes two grounding terminals  3 . In this embodiment, the structure of the grounding terminals  3  are basically the same as that of the RF signal terminal  2 , so it is convenient for the terminals (the grounding terminals  3  and the RF signal terminal  2 ) to be produced with the same production technique. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the structure of the grounding terminals  3  may also be different from that of the RF signal terminal  2 . The two grounding terminals  3  are located at two sides of the RF signal terminal  2 , and the lateral projections of the two grounding terminals  3  and the RF signal terminal  2  are approximately the same and overlapping. If a curved surface is stretched outward from two lateral ends of the RF signal terminal  2 , the two grounding terminals  3  and the RF signal terminal  2  are all located on the curved surface, that is, the RF signal terminal  2  and the two grounding terminals  3  are coplanar. By means of this structure and then by setting reasonable relevant parameters (such as the distance between the RF signal terminal  2  and the grounding terminal  3 , the sizes of the RF signal terminal  2  and the grounding terminal  3 , and dielectric coefficients of materials of the RF signal terminal  2  and the grounding terminal  3 ), a high frequency signal is transmitted with the coplanar waveguide technology, thereby, when the RF signal terminal  2  transmits a high frequency signal, the high frequency signal is uneasily subject to interference by an external signal, and after being transmitted by the RF signal terminal  2 , the high frequency signal attenuates little. 
     Each of the grounding terminals  3  includes a second conductive connection portion  31  which is exposed to the bottom surface of the insulating body  1 , is conductively connected to the circuit board  40  and is grounded. In this embodiment, the second conductive connection portion  31  is directly welded to the circuit board  40 . A second contact portion  32  extends upward from the second conductive connection portion  31  and is exposed out of the first end surface  11 . Likewise, a convex rib (not labeled) is convexly disposed on the second contact portion  32 , so that the conductive connection performance of the second contact portion  32  and the docking device  200  is better. A second stop portion  33  extends upward from the second contact portion  32 , enters the receiving slot  12  and butts against the blocker  13 . The second contact portion  32  and the first contact portion  22  are commonly pressed by the docking device  200  and therefore fast plugging in one step may be achieved between the circuit board  40  and the docking device  200 . 
       FIGS. 5-9  show a second embodiment of the high frequency adapter  100  according to the present invention. It is different from the previous embodiment in that, the receiving slot  12  only runs through the bottom surface of the insulating body  1 , the first stop portion  23  is bended. The first stop portion  23  first extends upward from the first conductive connection portion  21  and then bends and extends downward and therefore forms an inverted “U” shape. The first contact portion  22  is formed by downward extension of the first stop portion  23 . That is, the first stop portion  23  is located between the first conductive connection portion  21  and the first contact portion  22  and connects the first conductive connection portion  21  and the first contact portion  22 . Likewise, the second stop portion  33  first extends upward from the second conductive connection portion  31  and then bends and extends downward and therefore forms an inverted “U” shape. The second contact portion  32  is formed by downward extension of the second stop portion  33 . 
     The upper surface of the circuit board  40  is disposed with a coaxial cable connector  400  to be inserted by a cable docking head  500 , so that a high frequency signal can be transferred between the cable docking head  500  and the circuit board  40 . The high frequency adapter  100  is conductively connected to the coaxial cable connector  400  so that high frequency signals may be exchanged between the cable docking head  500  and the docking device  200 . 
     The coaxial cable connector  400  includes a main body  4 , and the main body  4  is formed of a first main body  41  and a second main body  42 . In this embodiment, the first main body  41  is located above the second main body  42 , that is, the main body  4  is formed by top-bottom covering of the first main body  41  and the second main body  42 . The first main body  41  and the insulating body  1  may be integrally formed. The first main body  41  is concavely disposed with a fixing hole  43  for receiving the cable docking head  500  to be inserted therein. The coaxial cable connector  400  further includes a movable terminal  5  and a fixed terminal  6 , in which a part of the movable terminal  5  is located in the fixing hole  43 , so as to be pressed by the cable docking head  500  and be in electric contact with the cable docking head  500 . The movable terminal  5  has a first fixing portion  51  which is fixed at an end of the main body  4  and is located between the first main body  41  and the second main body  42 . A first welding portion  52  extends downward from the first fixing portion  51 , is exposed to the bottom surface of the main body  4  and is welded to the circuit board  40 , so that the movable terminal  5  and the circuit board  40  are electrically connected. A first contact segment  53  extends from the first fixing portion  51  to the fixed terminal  6  and is in electric contact with the fixed terminal  6 . The fixed terminal  6  has a second fixing portion  61  which is fixed at the other end of the main body  4  and is located between the first main body  41  and the second main body  42 . A second welding portion  62  extends downward from the second fixing portion  61 , is exposed to the bottom surface of the main body  4  and is welded to the circuit board  40 , so that the fixed terminal  6  and the circuit board  40  are electrically connected. 
     The coaxial cable connector  400  further includes a shielding shell  7 . The shielding shell  7  covers the main body  4 , is conductively connected to the circuit board  40  and is grounded, so as to shield the movable terminal  5  and the fixed terminal  6  and prevent the movable terminal  5  and the fixed terminal  6 , at the time of transferring a high frequency signal, from interference of external electromagnetic wave which influences high frequency performance of the high frequency signal. 
     In this embodiment, the RF signal terminal  2  and the movable terminal  5  are conductively connected, and the RF signal terminal  2  and the movable terminal  5  are integrally formed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the RF signal terminal  2  and the movable terminal  5  may also be formed separately. The two grounding terminals  3  are conductively connected to the shielding shell  7 , and are, together with the shielding shell  7 , conductively connected to the circuit board  40  and grounded. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the RF signal terminal  2  may be conductively connected to the fixed terminal  6 , and the shielding shell  7  and the two grounding terminals  3  may respectively be conductively connected to the circuit board  40  and grounded independently. 
     Before the cable docking head  500  is inserted into the fixing hole  43 , the movable terminal  5  and the fixed terminal  6  are conductively connected. It is assumed that the fixed terminal  6  and an internal receiving antenna on the circuit board  40  are conductively connected, and in this case, the circuit board  40  may transfer a high frequency signal received by the internal antenna to the docking device  200 . A specific transmission path of the high frequency signal is as follows: the internal antenna transfers the high frequency signal to the fixed terminal  6 , and then the high frequency signal is transferred to the movable terminal  5  through the fixed terminal  6 . While a part of the high frequency signal on the movable terminal  5  is transferred to the circuit board  40  through the first welding portion  52 , the other part is transferred to the docking device  200  through the RF signal terminal  2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , when the cable docking head  500  is inserted into the fixing hole  43 , and is in a press contact with the movable terminal  5 , the movable terminal  5  and the fixed terminal  6  are disconnected, and the cable docking head  500  may exchange high frequency signals with the docking device  200 . It is assumed that the cable docking head  500  is a receiving antenna, a high frequency signal is transferred to the docking device  200  by the cable docking head  500 , and a specific transmission path of the high frequency signal is as follows: the cable docking head  500  first transfers the high frequency signal to the movable terminal  5 , then a part of the high frequency signal passing through the movable terminal  5  is transferred to the circuit board  40  through the first welding portion  52 , and the other part is transferred to the RF signal terminal  2 , and further, transferred to the docking device  200  through the RF signal terminal  2 . 
     Only that the docking device  200  receiving a high frequency signal is taken as examples above, but the present invention is not limited to this. The docking device  200  may also send a high frequency signal to the circuit board  40 , that is, the docking device  200  and the circuit board  40  may mutually exchange high frequency signals. 
       FIG. 10  shows a third embodiment of the high frequency adapter according to the present invention, which is different from the second embodiment manner in that: the coaxial cable connector  400  may rotate 90 degrees counter-clockwise relative to the coaxial cable connector  400  in the previous embodiment. In this case, the first main body  41  is located at the left side of the second main body  42 , that is, the main body  4  is formed by left-right covering of the first main body  41  and the second main body  42 . The insulating body  1  and the second main body  42  are integrally formed, and the movable terminal  5  is conductively connected to the circuit board  40  and the RF signal terminal  2 . In this embodiment, the first welding portion  52  of the movable terminal  5  and the circuit board  40  are conductively connected, such as welded. 
     Before the cable docking head  500  is inserted into the fixing hole  43 , a high frequency signal may be directly transferred between the docking device  200  and the circuit board  40  through the first welding portion  52 , and therefore the path for transmitting the high frequency signal between the circuit board  40  and the docking device  200  is short, and the signal attenuation is also little. 
     When the cable docking head  500  is inserted into the fixing hole  43 , and is in press contact with the movable terminal  5 , the movable terminal  5  and the fixed terminal  6  are disconnected, and the cable docking head  500  and the docking device  200  may exchange high frequency signals. It is assumed that the cable docking head  500  is a receiving antenna, a high frequency signal is transferred to the docking device  200  by the cable docking head  500 , and a specific transmission path of the high frequency signal is as follows: the cable docking head  500  first transfers the received high frequency signal to the movable terminal  5 , then a part of the high frequency signal passing through the movable terminal  5  is transferred to the circuit board  40  through the first welding portion  52 , and the other part is transferred to the RF signal terminal  2 , and further, transferred to the docking device  200  through the RF signal terminal  2 . 
     To sum up, the high frequency adapter  100  of the present invention, among other things, has the following beneficial effects. 
     1. In the embodiments of the present invention, the two grounding terminals  3  are located at two sides of the RF signal terminal  2 , and lateral projections of the RF signal terminal  2  and the two grounding terminals  3  are approximately the same and overlapping, that is, the RF signal terminal  2  and the two grounding terminals  3  are coplanar. By means of this structure and then by setting reasonable relevant parameters (such as the distance between the RF signal terminal  2  and the grounding terminal  3 , the sizes of the RF signal terminal  2  and the grounding terminal  3 , and dielectric coefficients of materials of the RF signal terminal  2  and the grounding terminal  3 ), a high frequency signal is transmitted with the coplanar waveguide technology, so that the shield effect of the high frequency adapter  100  is good and the high frequency signal may be well conducted. 
     2. The high frequency adapter  100  is directly connected to the docking device  200  in a press manner so that the docking device  200  and the circuit board  40  can achieve fast plugging in one step and therefore the plugging is convenient and swift. 
     3. The high frequency adapter  100  may be conductively connected to the coaxial cable connector  400 , and further, may directly exchange high frequency signals with the cable docking head  500  through the coaxial cable connector  400 , and when the cable docking head  500  is a receiving antenna, the docking device  200  may receive a high frequency signal by direct using the cable docking head  500  and perform corresponding work, such as network surfing. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. 
     The embodiments are chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to activate others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.