COAXIAL CONNECTOR DEVICE

Abstract

There is provided a coaxial connector device that enables a reduction in deterioration in signal quality and transmission characteristics at high frequencies. A coaxial connector device 1 includes a main connector 10 and a board connector 20. A main connector body 11 has a first fitting part R1 for a coaxial cable connector at one end and a second fitting part R2 at the other end. Inside the main connector body 11, a center contact 13 and a card edge substrate 17 electrically connected to the center contact 13 are included. In a board connector body 21 a slot 23 is formed. When the second fitting part R2 of the main connector 10 is fitted to the board connector 20, the end portion of the card edge substrate 17 is coupled to the slot 23 of the board connector body 21, a plurality of substrate contacts included in the card edge substrate 17 electrically contacts a plurality of inner contacts 25 of the board connector body 21, and the second fitting part R2 of the main connector body 11 electrically contacts an outer conductor contact 27.

Claims

1. A coaxial connector device for electrically connecting a coaxial cable connector and a printed circuit board, the device comprising: a main connector; and a board connector to be mounted on a printed circuit board, the main connector including a conductive main connector body having a first fitting part for a coaxial cable connector at one end and a second fitting part at the other end; a center contact positioned, inside the main connector body, on a side with the first fitting part; and a card edge substrate positioned, inside the main connector body, on a side with the second fitting part, the card edge substrate being electrically connected to the center contact, the board connector including a board connector body in which a slot is formed, the board connector body being provided with a plurality of contacts in the slot; and an outer conductor contact provided in the board connector body, wherein, when the second fitting part of the main connector is fitted to the board connector, an end portion of the card edge substrate is coupled to the slot in the board connector body, a plurality of substrate contacts included in the card edge substrate electrically contact the plurality of contacts of the board connector body, and the second fitting part of the main connector body electrically contacts the outer conductor contact.

2. The coaxial connector device according to claim 1, wherein the second fitting part has an inner face that contacts at least the outer conductor contact when the second fitting part is fitted to the board connector.

3. The coaxial connector device according to claim 2, wherein the inner face of the second fitting part of the main connector is cylindrical or semi-cylindrical, and the outer conductor contact of the board connector includes a spring member provided outside the board connector body.

4. The coaxial connector device according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of contacts of the board connector and the outer conductor contact a have connection terminal extending from a bottom part or bottom face of the board connector body in a width direction of the board connector.

5. The coaxial connector device according to claim 4, wherein the connection terminals of the board connector are configured such that when the board connector is mounted on a surface of a printed circuit board, the connection terminals are connected to respective wirings on the printed circuit board.

6. The coaxial connector device according to claim 1, wherein the card edge substrate of the main connector includes at least one active circuit.

7. The coaxial connector device according to claim 6, wherein the active circuit includes at least a first matching circuit, a second matching circuit connected to the center contact, and a buffer circuit provided between the first matching circuit and the second matching circuit.

8. The coaxial connector device according to claim 1, wherein the slot of the board connector is formed such that, when the board connector is mounted on a printed circuit board, the slot is oriented at a predetermined angle with respect to one face of the printed circuit board or in parallel with the one face of the printed circuit board.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an example of a coaxial connector device.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a coaxial connector device.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the coaxial connector device mounted on a printed circuit board.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a perspective cross sectional view of the coaxial connector device mounted on the printed circuit board.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows block diagrams of examples of active circuits mounted on the card edge substrate of a main connector.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another example of a coaxial connector device mounted on a printed circuit board.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of board connector in another example of the coaxial connector device.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a perspective cross sectional view of the coaxial connector device mounted on a printed circuit board.

[0035] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an exemplary configuration of a previously existing active connector.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0036] In the following, preferable embodiments of a coaxial connector device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a cutaway perspective view of an example of a coaxial connector device to which the present invention is adapted. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the coaxial connector device. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the coaxial connector device mounted on a printed circuit board. FIG. 4 is a perspective cross sectional view of the coaxial connector device mounted on the printed circuit board.

[0038] The coaxial connector device according to the embodiment described below is an example of a straight coaxial connector device configured in which a Bayonet Neil-Concelman (BNC) connector plug is fitted to one end of a main connector, a board connector is fitted to the other end of the main connector, the board connector is mounted on a printed circuit board, and the BNC connector plug and the main connector are plugged in and unplugged vertically relative to one face of the printed circuit board. Note that this is a mere example, and the present invention is not limited to this.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a coaxial connector device 1 has a main connector 10 and a board connector 20. The main connector 10 includes a conductive main connector body 11, a center contact 13, and a card edge substrate 17. The main connector body 11 has a fitting part R1 (corresponding to a first fitting part) for a BNC connector plug at one end, and a fitting part R2 (corresponding to a second fitting part) at the other end. The center contact 13 is positioned, inside the main connector body 11, on a side with the plug fitting part R1. The card edge substrate 17 is positioned, inside the main connector body 11, on a side with the second fitting part R2, and is electrically connected to the center contact 13. The card edge substrate 17 is electrically connected to the center contact 13, and a plurality of substrate contacts 17a is formed on at least one face or both faces of the card edge substrate 17. A fitting end 19 of the second fitting part R2 has a cylindrical inner face that is to contact the face of an outer conductor contact 27 of the board connector 20, which will be described later. Note that a fixing part 18 of the main connector body 11 is provided to fix the fixing part 18 to a cabling panel (not shown) of an apparatus (not shown) with a screw in mounting the coaxial connector device 1 on the apparatus like broadcasting equipment, for example.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 4, the center contact 13 is supported by an insulating member 15 in an electrically insulating manner with respect to the main connector body 11 of the main connector 10. The center contact 13 has a female contact part on one end (on the first fitting part R1 side), and a connecting part 13a to the card edge substrate 17 on the other end. The connecting part 13a contacts the card edge substrate 17, and then the connecting part 13a is electrically connected to the card edge substrate 17.

[0041] On at least one face or both faces of the card edge substrate 17, at least one wiring 17b that electrically connects the connecting part 13a of the center contact 13 to the plurality of substrate contacts 17a may be included (see FIG. 5). In the midway point of the wiring 17b of the card edge substrate 17, at least one active circuit may be included. In other words, a function as an active connector may be additionally provided for the main connector 10 by implementing one or more active circuits on the card edge substrate 17.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of at least two examples of active circuits mounted on the card edge substrate 17. Note that FIG. 5 shows mere examples, and the active circuit is not limited thereto. In a block diagram shown in FIG. 5(A), the active circuit included in the midway point of the wiring 17b of the card edge substrate 17 is an active circuit 101 which includes a first matching circuit on the substrate contact 17a side, a second matching circuit on the connecting part 13a side of the center contact, and a buffer circuit provided between the first and the second matching circuits. In this example, the plurality of substrate contacts 17a to which the wiring 17b is connected includes a supply terminal of a direct-current voltage Vcc, an input terminal of an input signal P11, and a GND terminal. To the connecting part 13a of the center contact 13 to which the wiring 17b is connected, an output signal P31 is supplied. The buffer circuit is driven by the direct-current voltage Vcc supplied from the apparatus side. The buffer circuit has a function that prevents mutual influence between the input signal P11 and the output signal P31. The main connector 10 built-in the card edge substrate 17 mounted with the active circuit 101 shown in FIG. 5(A) is suited as an active connector that is applied to an apparatus on the transmitting end.

[0043] In a block diagram shown in FIG. 5(B), the active circuit included in the midway point of the wiring 17b in the midway point of the wiring 17b of the card edge substrate 17 is an active circuit 102 which includes a first matching circuit on the substrate contact 17a side, a second matching circuit on the connecting part 13a side of the center contact, and an equivalent circuit and a buffer circuit provided between the first and the second matching circuits. In this example, the plurality of substrate contacts 17a to which the wiring 17b is connected includes a supply terminal of the direct-current voltage Vcc, an output terminal of an output signal P12, and a GND terminal. From the wiring 17b connected to the connecting part 13a of the center contact 13, an input signal P32 is supplied. The buffer circuit is driven by the direct-current voltage Vcc supplied from the apparatus side. The buffer circuit has a function that prevents mutual influence between the output signal P12 and the input signal P32. The equivalent circuit has a function that corrects the frequency characteristics and/or the loss of the coaxial cable that is a transmission line. The equivalent circuit is also driven by the direct-current voltage Vcc supplied from the apparatus side. The main connector 10 that incorporates the card edge substrate 17 implementing the active circuit 102 shown in FIG. 5(B) thereon is suited as an active connector that is applied to an apparatus on the receiving end.

[0044] Again referring to FIG. 4, the card edge substrate 17 is mechanically supported by a support member 16 provided on a side with the second fitting part R2 of the main connector body 11 of the main connector 10 and mechanically fixed inside the second fitting part R2. Note that the support member 16 may be formed of a conductive material having a desired mechanical strength such that the end portion of the card edge substrate 17 can be stably plugged in and unplugged from a slot 23 of the board connector 20 (described later with reference to FIG. 1).

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the board connector 20 has a board connector body 21 and an outer conductor contact 27. In the board connector body 21 a slot 23 is formed. In the slot 23 a plurality of inner contacts 25 is provided. The board connector body 21 has a short columnar outer shape. The slot 23 is formed such that, when the board connector 20 is mounted on the printed circuit board 100, the slot 23 is oriented perpendicularly to one face of the printed circuit board 100. On the outer part of the board connector body 21, the outer conductor contact 27 is provided, and fixed to the board connector body 21. The outer conductor contact 27 may include a conductive spring member. Each of the plurality of inner contacts 25 of the board connector body 21 has connection terminals 25a, and the outer conductor contact 27 has connection terminals 27a. The connection terminals 25a and 27a extend from the bottom part or the bottom face of the board connector body 21 in the width direction of the board connector.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the board connector 20 configured as described above can be mounted on one face of the printed circuit board 100. The connection terminals 25a and 27a of the board connector 20 can be configured such that, when the board connector 20 is mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board 100, the terminals 25a and 27a are connected to wirings (not shown) on the printed circuit board 100. Therefore, the board connector 20 can be mounted on the printed circuit board 100 without causing stub formation. Note that for this mounting work, reflow soldering can be used. Conventionally, mounting work needs manual soldering. However, according to the embodiment, the working efficiency can be improved.

[0047] In the coaxial connector device 1, the main connector 10 is configured detachably from the board connector 20. When the second fitting part R2 of the main connector 10 is fitted to the board connector 10, the end portion of the card edge substrate 17 is coupled to the slot 23 of the board connector body 21, the plurality of substrate contacts 17a of the card edge substrate 17 electrically contacts the plurality of inner contacts 25 of the board connector body 21, and the second fitting part R2 of the main connector 10 electrically contacts the outer conductor contact 27. In the case in which the outer conductor contact 27 includes a conductive spring member, when the face of the outer conductor contact 27 contacts the cylindrical inner face of the fitting end 19 of the second fitting part R2, the spring elasticity of the outer conductor contact 27 advantageously works to make electrical connection and mechanical coupling between them more stable.

[0048] As described above, the example of a straight coaxial connector device is described as an example of the embodiment. In the following, as another example of the embodiment, an example of a right angle coaxial connector device will be described with reference to the drawings. The right angle coaxial connector device is configured such that a BNC connector plug and a main connector can be horizontally plugged in and unplugged from one face of a printed circuit board.

[0049] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an example of a right angle coaxial connector device. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of aboard connector preferably used for the right angle coaxial connector device. FIG. 8 is a perspective cross sectional view of the right angle coaxial connector device mounted on a printed circuit board. In these drawings, constituent parts similar to those of the straight coaxial connector device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 are designated with the same reference signs.

[0050] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, a right angle coaxial connector device 5 has a main connector 50 and a board connector 60. The main connector 50 includes a conductive main connector body 51 having a fitting part R1 for BNC connector plug at one end, and a fitting part R2 at the other end, a center contact 13, and a card edge substrate 17. The center contact 13 is positioned, inside the main connector body 51, on a side with the plug fitting part R1. The card edge substrate 17 is positioned, inside the main connector body 51, on a side with a second fitting part R2, and is electrically connected to the center contact 13. A fitting end 59 of the second fitting part R2 has a semi-cylindrical inner face that is to contact with the face of an outer conductor contact 67 of the board connector 60, which will be described later. A fixing part 58 of the main connector body 51 is provided to fix the fixing part 58 to a cabling panel (not shown) of an apparatus (not shown) and a printed circuit board 100 with screws in mounting the coaxial connector device 5 on the apparatus like broadcasting equipment, for example.

[0051] The board connector 60 has a board connector body 61 and an outer conductor contact 67. In the board connector body 61 a slot 63 is formed. In the slot 63 a plurality of inner contacts 65 is provided. Unlike the board connector 20 of the straight coaxial connector device 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the board connector body 61 of the board connector 60 of the right angle coaxial connector device 5 has a short semi-columnar outer shape (an inverted U-shape). The slot 63 is foamed such that, when the board connector 60 is mounted on the printed circuit board 100, the slot 63 is oriented in parallel with one face of the printed circuit board 100. On the outer part of the board connector body 61, the outer conductor contact 67 is provided and fixed to the board connector body 61. The outer conductor contact 67 may include a conductive spring member. Each of the plurality of inner contacts 65 of the board connector body 61 has connection terminals 65a, and the outer conductor contact 67 has connection terminals 67a. The connection terminals 65a and 67a extend from the bottom part or the bottom face of the board connector body 61 in the width direction of the board connector.

[0052] The connection terminals 65a and 67a of the board connector 60 can be configured such that, when the board connector 60 is mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board 100, the terminals 65a and 67a are connected to wirings (not shown) on the printed circuit board 100. Therefore, the board connector 60 can be mounted on the printed circuit board 100 without causing stub formation. Reflow soldering can be used for this mounting work, which is similar to the case of the board connector 20 described above.

[0053] In the coaxial connector device 5, the main connector 50 is configured detachably from the board connector 60. When the second fitting part R2 of the main connector 50 is fitted to the board connector 60, the end portion of the card edge substrate 17 is coupled to the slot 63 of the board connector body 61, the plurality of substrate contacts 17a of the card edge substrate 17 electrically contacts the plurality of contacts 65 of the board connector body 61, and the second fitting part R2 of the main connector 51 electrically contacts the outer conductor contact 67. In the case in which the outer conductor contact 67 includes a conductive spring member (e.g. spring parts 67b illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8), when the face of the outer conductor contact 67 contacts the semi-cylindrical inner face of the fitting end 59 of the second fitting part R2, the spring elasticity of the outer conductor contact 67 advantageously works to make electrical connection and mechanical coupling between them more stable.

[0054] In the description of the embodiment based on at least two examples, the examples in which the fitting end of the second fitting part of the main connector body has the cylindrical inner face or the semi-cylindrical inner face and the board connector body has a short columnar outer shape or a short semi-columnar outer shape (an inverted U-shape) are described. These are mere examples. The fitting end of the second fitting part may have a differently shaped inner face and the board connector body may have a different outer shape. In the description of the embodiment, an example is described in which the main connector functions as the active connector including the active circuit in the midway point of the wiring of the card edge substrate. This is a mere example. The main connector may be a so-called passive connector in which only a wiring is formed and no active circuit is included in the card edge substrate.

[0055] The coaxial connector device according to the present invention is specifically effective at input end or output end of various apparatus that transmit signals or electric power using a transmission line (broadcasting equipment, video and audio equipment, signal transmission terminals, signal receiving terminals, relay devices, and any other devices) when it is necessary to satisfy high-level requirements for the signal quality and transmission characteristics at high frequencies.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0056] The present invention is widely applicable to coaxial connector devices for electrically connecting a coaxial cable attached with a connector and a printed circuit board.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0057] 1, 5: coaxial connector device [0058] 10, 50: main connector [0059] 11, 51: main connector body [0060] 13: center contact [0061] 13a: connecting part [0062] 15: insulating member [0063] 16: support member [0064] 17: card edge substrate [0065] 17a: substrate contact [0066] 17b: wiring [0067] 18, 58: fixing part [0068] 19, 59: fitting end [0069] 20, 60: board connector [0070] 21, 61: board connector body [0071] 23, 63: slot [0072] 25, 65: inner contact [0073] 27, 67: outer conductor contact [0074] 25a, 27a, 65a, 67a: connection terminal [0075] 67b: spring part [0076] R1: first fitting part [0077] R2: second fitting part