Line And Method For Producing A Line

Abstract

A data line or cable, in particular a high frequency line, has a hollow conductor, which is formed from a conductive material, and surrounds a cavity. A crimp is fastened to the hollow conductor, which crimp is pressed onto the hollow conductor, and the material is displaced into the cavity. The problem addressed is that of specifying a line that is provided with a crimp and that has the best possible transmission properties.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A radio frequency data line, comprising: a hollow conductor composed of a conductive material surrounding a cavity; and a crimp fastened to and pressed against said hollow conductor, wherein said conductive material being displaced into said cavity.

15. The RF data line according to claim 14, wherein said hollow conductor is of a multipartite configuration formed of a plurality of individual wires, said individual wires are disposed in an annular manner and bear against one another.

16. The RF data line according to claim 15, wherein said individual wires are each droplet-shaped.

17. The RF data line according to claim 14, wherein: said hollow conductor has an outside diameter; and said crimp has a protrusion, which is at most 10% of said outside diameter, in a radial direction and with respect to said hollow conductor.

18. The RF data line according to claim 14, wherein the RF data line extends in a longitudinal direction, and said crimp and said hollow conductor are in alignment in the longitudinal direction.

19. The RF data line according to claim 14, wherein said hollow conductor is configured as a stranded conductor.

20. The RF data line according to claim 14, wherein: said crimp is configured as a B-crimp with two arms which engage around two holding regions; and said conductive material is distributed uniformly over said two holding regions of said crimp.

21. The RF data line according to claim 14, wherein said crimp is configured as a round crimp and said hollow conductor collapses inward within said crimp.

22. The RF data line according to claim 14, wherein said cavity is completely closed in a region of said crimp.

23. The RF data line according to claim 14, further comprising a contact element fastened to said crimp, said contact element has a supporting section which is inserted into said cavity and is compressed in said cavity.

24. The RF data line according to claim 23, wherein said supporting section is hollow.

25. The RF data line according to claim 14, wherein: said cavity of said hollow conductor is empty; said cavity is filled only with air; and additional functional elements are not present and also not provided in said cavity.

26. The RF data line according to claim 14, wherein the RF data line is configured as a prefabricated line; and further comprising a contact element fastened to said crimp, said contact element having an end side fastened to said hollow conductor in order to connect the RF line to a device.

27. A method for producing an RF data line, which comprises the steps of: providing a hollow conductor composed of a conductive material surrounding a cavity; and fastening a crimp to the hollow conductor by way of the crimp being pressed against the hollow conductor, and resulting in the conducting material being displaced into the cavity.

28. A method of using a line, which comprises the steps of: forming the line as a radio frequency data line having a hollow conductor composed of a conductive material surrounding a cavity, and a crimp fastened to the hollow conductor and pressing against the hollow conductor resulting in the conductive material being displaced into the cavity; and using the RF data line for transmitting data at frequencies in a gigahertz range.

Description

[0031] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing, in which in each case schematically:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view through a line,

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a first cross-sectional view through the line,

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a second cross-sectional view through the line, and

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view through a variant of the line.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a line 2 which is designed as an RF line and is designed to transmit signals or data, in particular, in the frequency range of between 5 and 10 GHz or more. The line 2 extends in a longitudinal direction L and is illustrated in a sectional view along the longitudinal direction L in FIG. 1. The line 2 has, as the conductor, a hollow conductor 4 which is designed as a stranded conductor comprising a plurality of individual wires 6 which are arranged around a cavity 8 of the hollow conductor 4. In the exemplary embodiment shown, only one layer of individual wires 6 is shown but the hollow conductor 4 consists of a plurality of layers of individual wires 6 in a variant which is not shown. The hollow conductor has an outside diameter A and an inside diameter I which corresponds, in particular, to a diameter of an individual wire. Furthermore, the hollow conductor 4 is surrounded by an insulating sheath 10 in the exemplary embodiment shown here.

[0037] A crimp 14 is fastened to the hollow conductor 4 at a crimping point 12 at an end side of the line 2. The crimp 14 shown here is designed as a round crimp. The crimp 14 serves, in particular, to stop a contact element 16, for example of a plug-in connector, which is only highly schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. The crimp 14 is pressed against the hollow conductor 4, wherein the material of said hollow conductor is displaced into the cavity 8, with the result that the crimp 14 engages around the hollow conductor 4 and compresses the cavity 8. Therefore, the cavity 8 tapers at the crimping point 12. As a result, the crimp 14 is of particularly low construction overall, that is to say has a particularly low protrusion in the radial direction R with respect to that part of the hollow conductor 4, which part is not compressed, outside the crimping point 12. In the present case, no protrusion at all is formed, with the result that the crimp 14 and the hollow conductor 4 are in alignment in the longitudinal direction L. In other words: the crimp 14 with the hollow conductor 4 has, in the fastened state, a total outside diameter G which corresponds to the outside diameter A of the hollow conductor 4, as shown in FIG. 1. This leads to considerably improved transmission properties since the formation of an impedance interference point by a changed diameter is avoided. This is possible primarily on account of the cavity 8 into which the material can collapse and be displaced when the crimp 14 is pressed against. The crimp 14 is fastened, for example, by means of a tool having a plurality of pressing jaws which are arranged in an annular manner around the crimp 14 and are then moved inward in order to compress the crimp 14.

[0038] In order to deform the hollow conductor 4 in a particularly uniform manner when it is compressed, the contact element 16 has a supporting section 18 which is of pin-like design here and is inserted into the cavity 8. As an alternative, the supporting section 18 is of hollow, that is to say sleeve-like, design and is in this case, in particular, also compressed. The supporting section 18 is integrally formed on the contact element 16 in the present case.

[0039] FIGS. 2 and 3 each show the line 2 in a sectional view transverse in relation to the longitudinal direction L, specifically at a point of the line 2 at which the hollow conductor 4 is not compressed in FIG. 2, and at the crimping point 12 in FIG. 3. Upon comparison of the two figures with one another, it is immediately clear that the inside diameter I of the hollow conductor 4 is produced at the crimping point 12. The individual wires 6 are pushed into the interior and compacted. As a result, the cross-sectional shape of the individual wires 6 has also changed in particular. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the individual wires 6 are of droplet-shaped cross section, that is to say each have a droplet shape. In a variant which is not shown, the individual wires 6 are already compacted along the entire line 2, with a corresponding cross-sectional shape, and then moved closer to the crimping point 12. Overall, the individual wires 6 form a supporting structure and are supported against one another.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a variant of the line 2 in which a B-crimp is used instead of the round crimp of FIGS. 1 to 3. Said B-crimp is of B-shaped cross section, with a base 20 starting from which two bent arms 22 extend, the ends of said arms being bent inward when the crimp 14 is fitted. In the process, the arms 22 engage around the individual wires 6. On account of the cavity 8 and the even number of individual wires 6, the material is distributed uniformly over the two arms 22, with the result that a crimping point 12 with improved transmission properties can also be realized for the line 2 on account of the use of a hollow conductor 4.