MULTI-PIECE COAXIAL PLUG CONNECTOR WITH VARIABLY CONFIGURABLE INTERFACE GEOMETRY

Abstract

A coaxial plug connector includes a cable portion and an interface portion. The cable portion has an outer cable contact, a cable insulator and an elongated inner cable contact, the cable insulator is arranged in the outer cable contact, the inner cable contact is spaced apart from the outer cable contact by the cable insulator and the inner cable contact is to be electrically connected to a cable. The interface portion has an outer interface contact, an interface insulator and an elongated inner interface contact, the interface insulator is arranged in the outer interface contact and the inner interface contact is spaced apart from the outer interface contact by the interface insulator. The inner interface contact is attached to the cable insulator.

Claims

1. A coaxial plug connector, comprising: a cable portion and an interface portion, wherein the cable portion has an outer cable contact, a cable insulator and an elongated inner cable contact, the cable insulator is arranged in the outer cable contact, the inner cable contact is spaced apart from the outer cable contact by the cable insulator, and the inner cable contact is to be electrically connected to a cable; wherein the interface portion comprises an outer interface contact, an interface insulator and an elongated inner interface contact, the interface insulator is arranged in the outer interface contact and the inner interface contact is spaced apart from the outer interface contact by the interface insulator, wherein the inner interface contact is attached to the cable insulator.

2. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal direction of extension of the interface portion runs transversely to a longitudinal direction of extension of the cable portion.

3. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the inner interface contact is spaced apart from the interface insulator.

4. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the inner interface contact has at least one radially outwardly projecting latching tab, wherein the cable insulator has at least one recess in which the latching tab of the inner interface contact engages in a latching manner.

5. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 4, wherein the recess is provided in the cable insulator at a position which is spaced from an end face of the interface insulator in a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of extension of the inner interface contact and the recess is not covered by the interface insulator.

6. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 4, wherein the recess in the cable insulator is provided at a position which is located within the inner volume surrounded by the outer cable contact.

7. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 4, wherein the recess in the cable insulator is provided at a position that is covered by the interface insulator.

8. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 4, wherein the recess in the cable insulator is provided at a position which is located outside the inner volume surrounded by the outer cable contact.

9. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the cable insulator comprises a cable region and an interface region, wherein the inner cable contact is arranged in the cable region of the cable insulator, wherein the interface region of the cable insulator is arranged at least partially in the interface insulator, and wherein the inner interface contact is arranged at least partially in the interface region of the cable insulator.

10. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal direction of extension of the cable portion runs transversely to a longitudinal direction of extension of the interface portion.

11. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the outer cable contact has a first opening, a second opening and a third opening, wherein the first opening is arranged on an end face of the outer cable contact, wherein the second opening is arranged on the outer cable contact at a distance from the first opening, and wherein the third opening is formed and arranged on a circumferential surface of the outer cable contact in such a way that, during the assembly process, the cable insulator may be inserted through the third opening into an inner volume in the outer cable contact.

12. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 11, wherein the third opening is closed by a cover.

13. The coaxial plug connector according to claim 11, wherein the second opening and the third opening lie opposite one another.

14. A method of manufacturing a coaxial plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises: providing the outer cable contact, the cable insulator, the elongated inner cable contact, the outer interface contact, the interface insulator and the elongated inner interface contact; fastening the inner interface contact to the cable insulator; attaching the outer interface contact to the outer cable contact; inserting the interface insulator into the outer interface contact; inserting the inner interface contact, together with the cable insulator attached thereto, into an inner volume in the outer cable contact; inserting the inner cable contact into the cable insulator accommodated in the outer cable contact and bringing the inner cable contact into contact with the inner interface contact.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method comprises: inserting the inner interface contact together with the cable insulator attached thereto through the third opening of the outer cable contact into the inner volume in the outer cable contact.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the interface portion is configured in an application-specific manner by selecting at least one of the outer interface contact, the interface insulator and the elongated inner interface contact from a plurality of available respective components such that the interface portion has an application-specific interface geometry in terms of at least one of shape and dimensions so as to enter into a mechanical and electrical connection with an application-specific mating plug connector from a plurality of possible mating plug connectors.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which neither the drawings nor the explanations are to be construed as limiting the invention in any way.

[0061] FIG. 1 shows a perspective cross-sectional view through a coaxial plug connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view through an interface portion of the coaxial plug connector shown in FIG. 1.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows a perspective cross-sectional view through a coaxial plug connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view through an interface portion of the coaxial plug connector shown in FIG. 3.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows a unit to be preassembled during a manufacturing process comprising a cable insulator and an inner interface contact for insertion into an outer cable contact of a coaxial plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] The figures are merely schematic and not to scale. Identical reference numbers in the different drawings denote identical or identically acting features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a coaxial plug connector 1 in various sectional views. The coaxial plug connector 1 comprises a cable portion 3 and an interface portion 5. In the example shown, the coaxial plug connector 1 is configured as an angled plug connector, i.e. a longitudinal direction of extension 19 of the interface portion 5 runs perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of extension 21 of the cable portion 3.

[0068] The cable portion 3 has an outer cable contact 7, a cable insulator 9 and an elongated inner cable contact 11. The outer cable contact 7 is a die-cast component and the inner cable contact 11 is a punched/bent component made from an electrically conductive metal sheet. The cable insulator 9 is configured as a plastic component. The cable insulator 9 is accommodated in an inner volume surrounded by the outer cable contact 7. The inner cable contact 11 is accommodated coaxially in a central recess within the cable insulator 9 and via the latter it is spaced apart from the outer cable contact 7 in the radial direction and thus electrically insulated. In the example shown, the inner cable contact 11 is configured as a sleeve tapering from a first end to a second end, which forms a tip 53 at the second end. At the first end, the inner cable contact 11 is connected to an inner conductor 47 of a coaxial cable 45. For this purpose, the inner cable contact 11 with its first end and the inner conductor 47 may be crimped together, for example. An outer conductor 51 of the coaxial cable 45 is connected to the outer cable contact 7, also via a crimp, for example. On the cable 45 there is an insulation layer 49 between the outer conductor 51 and the inner conductor 47 which electrically separates the two conductors from each other.

[0069] The interface portion 5 has an outer interface contact 13, an interface insulator 15 and an elongated inner interface contact 17. The outer interface contact 13 is a deep-drawn component and the inner interface contact 17 is again configured as punched and bent component and the interface insulator 15 as a plastic component. The inner interface contact 17 is accommodated in a central recess coaxially inter alia things within the interface insulator 15 and inter alia via the latter is spaced apart from the outer interface contact 13 in the radial direction and thus electrically insulated.

[0070] The outer interface contact 13, the interface insulator 15 and the inner interface contact 17 are configured in terms of their geometric design, i.e. in particular with regard to their dimensions and shapes, such that they form an interface geometry 57 at a free end facing away from the cable portion 3, which is configured such that the coaxial plug connector 1 may be plugged together via its interface portion 5 with a correspondingly complementary interface geometry of a mating plug connector (not shown).

[0071] In the embodiment shown, the cable portion 3 of the coaxial plug connector 1 has an elongated shape in which a first opening 31 is formed in a lower region on a lower end face 37 of the outer cable contact 7. In the lower area adjacent to the end face 37, the outer cable contact 7 has a circular cross-section and surrounds the first, also circular opening 31 in the form of a sleeve-like wall. The likewise circular cable 45, together with the inner cable contact 11 attached to it, is inserted into this lower area via the first opening 31 in an insertion direction (i.e. vertically from bottom to top in the figure shown).

[0072] At a distance from the first opening 31, the outer cable contact 7 has a second opening 33 in an upper area on a circumferential surface 39. In the example shown, the second opening 33 is circular. In the upper area, the outer cable contact 7 is configured as a housing with a rectangular cross-section. The second opening 33 serves to create an internal connection between the cable portion 3 and the interface portion 5, which is shielded from the outside by the external cable contact 7 and the external interface contact 13. In this case, the inner interface contact 17 extends through the second opening 33 from a section facing towards the interface geometry 57 to a section accommodated in the inner volume in the outer cable contact 7. The outer interface contact 13 is mechanically and electrically connected to the outer cable contact 7. In particular, both outer contacts 13, 7 may be mechanically connected to each other in a non-detachable manner, for example by pressing, in such a way that they may no longer be separated from one another without causing damage once the coaxial plug connector 1 has been finally manufactured.

[0073] Also at a distance from the first opening 31, the outer cable contact 7 has a third opening 35 in an upper area on the circumferential surface 39. In the example shown, the third opening 35 is formed opposite the second opening 33 in the circumferential surface 39 of the outer cable contact 7. The third opening 35 is rectangular in the example shown. It has a width that substantially corresponds to a width of the outer cable contact 7 in the upper area or is slightly smaller than this. Therein, the width of the third opening 35 is equal to or greater than the width of the cable insulator 9 to be accommodated in the inner volume of the outer cable contact 7. A length of the third opening 35 is considerably greater than its width and in particular is the same length as or longer than a length of the cable insulator 9. In the finally assembled coaxial plug connector 1, the third opening 35 is closed with an electrically conductive cover 41. Consequently, the housing formed by the outer cable contact 7 then completely encloses the inner volume together with the cable insulator 9 accommodated therein and the inner cable contact 11 extending therein as well as at least a section of the inner interface contact 17 projecting into the inner volume, with the exception of the first and second openings 31, 33.

[0074] In the coaxial plug connector 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner interface contact 17 is attached to the cable insulator 9. In this case the inner interface contact 17 is spaced apart from the interface insulator 15 in the radial direction so that there is no direct contact or even engagement between the two components.

[0075] In the example shown, for this purpose the cable insulator 9 has a cable region 27 and an interface region 29. The elongated cable region 27 is configured to accommodate the inner cable contact 11. In other words, the cable insulator 9 with its cable region 27 encloses the inner cable contact 11 running centrally within it. The likewise elongated interface region 29 extends perpendicularly to the cable region 27 and is configured to accommodate at least a partial longitudinal region of the inner interface contact 17. In this case the interface region 29 encloses the inner interface contact 17, which is centrally located therein, at least partially. The interface region 29 of the cable insulator 9 is radially outwardly at least partially surrounded by the interface insulator 15. Consequently, the interface region 29 of the cable insulator 9 and the interface insulator 15 surrounding it jointly separate and insulate the inner interface contact 17 accommodated therein from the outer interface contact 13.

[0076] To be able to attach the inner interface contact 17 to the cable insulator 9, the inner interface contact 17 has one or more latching tabs 23 projecting radially outwards. In the example shown, the inner interface contact 17 is provided with two latching tabs 23 which project outwards in opposite directions. The cable insulator 9 accordingly has one or more recesses 25 in its interface region 29 in which the latching tabs 23 of the inner interface contact 17 may engage in a latching manner. When assembling the coaxial plug connector 1, the inner interface contact 17 is pushed into the central recess in the interface region 29 in an insertion direction (coming from the right in FIG. 1), wherein the latching tabs 23 initially spring radially inwards and then spring radially outwards when they reach the recesses 25.

[0077] In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the recesses 25 (only shown in FIG. 2) in the cable insulator 9 are provided at a position which is spaced from an end face 59 of the interface insulator 15 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of extension 19 of the inner interface contact 17. Consequently, the recess 25 in the interface region 29 of the cable insulator 9 is not covered or overlapped by the interface insulator 15. Also, the recesses 25 are located on a portion of the interface region 29 which is located within the inner volume surrounded by the outer cable contact 7.

[0078] With such an embodiment of the latching between the inner interface contact 17 and the cable insulator 9, a particularly compact coaxial plug connector 1 may be formed, since, for example, the inner interface contact 17 only needs to protrude slightly beyond the circumferential surface 39 or the second opening 33, respectively, such that the interface portion 5 may be short.

[0079] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a modified embodiment of a coaxial plug connector 1. In terms of its components and features, the modified coaxial plug connector 1 is largely identical or similar to the coaxial plug connector 1 described above. However, it differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in terms of the arrangement and/or configuration of the latching tabs 23 and the associated recesses 25. In particular, the recesses 25 in the cable insulator 9 are provided at a position that is covered by the interface insulator 15. In this case, the recesses 25 are provided at a position which is located outside the inner volume surrounded by the outer cable contact 7. In this embodiment, too, the inner interface contact 17 is spaced from the interface insulator 15 in the radial direction, i.e. its latching tabs 23 engage in the recesses 25 in the interface region 29 of the cable insulator 9, but not in the interface insulator 15. Consequently, in this embodiment too, the inner interface contact 17 may be attached to the cable insulator 9 independently of the interface insulator 15.

[0080] Finally, a possible embodiment of a method for manufacturing the coaxial plug connector 1 is explained with reference to the figures described above and to the supplementary FIG. 5.

[0081] First, all components of the coaxial plug connector 1 are provided.

[0082] Then, in a preparatory step, the inner interface contact 17 is attached to the cable insulator 9. For this purpose, the inner interface contact 17 is inserted into the central recess in the interface region 29 of the cable insulator 9 in an insertion direction which corresponds to its longitudinal direction of extension 19 and moved until its latching tabs 23 engage in corresponding recesses 25 in the cable insulator 9. The inner interface contact 17 is thus attached to the cable insulator 9, particularly in the insertion direction, in a form-fitting manner. The cable insulator 9 together with the inner interface contact 17 latched inside it may then be further handled as a unit 43.

[0083] In particular, this unit 43 may be introduced into the inner volume in the outer cable contact 7. For this purpose, the unit 43 may be inserted through the large third opening 35 on a rear side of the outer cable contact 7 into the inner volume (i.e. coming from the right in FIG. 5), with the inner interface contact 17 and the interface region 29 of the cable insulator 9 surrounding it projecting on the opposite front side of the outer cable contact 7 outwards through the second opening 33 provided there.

[0084] The inner cable contact 11 together with the cable 45 previously attached to it may then be pushed through the first opening 31 into the cable insulator 9 already located in the inner volume in the outer cable contact 7, for example from below. The inner cable contact 11 may be pushed in until its tip 53 engages in a through-hole 55 near the rear end of the inner interface contact 17, thereby bringing the inner cable contact 11 into electrical contact with the inner interface contact 17.

[0085] The outer interface contact 13 may be attached to the outer cable contact 7 subsequently, simultaneously or beforehand. The interface insulator 15 may be introduced into the outer interface contact 13 or between the outer interface contact 13 and the inner interface contact 17 beforehand, simultaneously or afterwards. For this purpose, the outer interface contact 13 and/or the interface insulator 15 may be inserted into the second opening 33 in the outer cable contact 7 and irreversibly pressed together with the latter, for example.

[0086] Finally, it pointed out that terms such as having, comprising etc. do not exclude other elements or steps, and terms such as one or a do not exclude a plurality. It should further be noted that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference numbers in the claims are not to be considered as limitations.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0087] 1 Coaxial plug connector [0088] 3 Cable portion [0089] 5 Interface portion [0090] 7 Outer cable contact [0091] 9 Cable insulator [0092] 11 Inner cable contact [0093] 13 Outer interface contact [0094] 15 Interface insulator [0095] 17 Inner interface contact [0096] 19 Longitudinal direction of extension of the interface portion [0097] 21 Longitudinal direction of extension of the cable portion [0098] 23 Latching tab [0099] 25 Recess [0100] 27 Cable region of the cable insulator [0101] 29 Interface region of the cable insulator [0102] 31 First opening [0103] 33 Second opening [0104] 35 Third opening [0105] 37 End face of the outer cable contact [0106] 39 Circumferential surface of the outer cable contact [0107] 41 Cover [0108] 43 Unit [0109] 45 Cable [0110] 47 Inner conductor [0111] 49 Insulation layer [0112] 51 Outer conductor [0113] 53 Tip of the inner cable contact [0114] 55 Through-hole in the inner interface contact [0115] 57 Interface geometry [0116] 59 End face of the interface insulator