Transmission line and connector, where the transmission line includes holding pins extending through an inner conductor

Abstract

A RF connector assembly, suitable for millimeter waves comprises a housing, holding a transmission line and a RF connector. The transmission line has a band conductor held in an outer conductor. The band conductor is supported by a plurality of holding pins. The holding pins are fixed by holes in the outer conductor and penetrate the inner conductor through holes therein. The holding pins are injection molded parts made of plastic. They comprise of two sections which can be connected together by a plug and socket connection. One end of the transmission line has a printed circuit board contact for contacting a strip line, while the other end of the transmission line has a contact for connecting the inner conductor of the RF connector.

Claims

1. Transmission line for coupling of RF signals, the transmission line comprising: at least one outer conductor; and an inner conductor comprising a band conductor having a rectangular cross-section and comprising conductive material, wherein the inner conductor is held by a plurality of holding pins at predetermined positions within the outer conductor, the holding pins comprising an insulating material, wherein each holding pin extends through at least one hole in the outer conductor and through a corresponding hole in the inner conductor, and wherein at least one of the plurality of holding pins comprises a respective first pin section with a first pin shaft and a first pin head, and a corresponding second pin section with a second pin shaft and a second pin head.

2. The transmission line according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of holding pins forms a recess that interfaces with the corresponding hole of the inner conductor to hold the inner conductor at a predetermined position within the outer conductor.

3. The transmission line according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of holding pins comprises a plastic material and is injection molded.

4. The transmission line according to claim 1, wherein the first pin shaft of the respective first pin section has a plug component and the second pin shaft of the corresponding second pin section has a socket component.

5. RF connector assembly comprising a housing, an RF connector held by the housing, and a transmission line for communication of RF signals, the transmission line comprising: at least one outer conductor; and an inner conductor comprising a band conductor having a rectangular cross-section and comprising conductive material, wherein the inner conductor is held by a plurality of holding pins at predetermined positions within the outer conductor, the plurality of holding pins comprising an insulating material, wherein the transmission line is at least partially contained in the housing for connecting with the RF connector, and wherein at least one of the plurality of holding pins comprise a respective first pin section with a first pin shaft and a first pin head, and a corresponding second pin section with a second pin shaft and a second pin head.

6. The RF connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first pin shaft of the respective first pin section has a plug component and the second pin shaft of the corresponding second pin section has a socket component.

7. The RF connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the at least one of the plurality of holding pins forms a recess that interfaces with a corresponding hole of the inner conductor to hold the inner conductor at a predetermined position within the outer conductor.

8. The RF connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the inner conductor has at one end thereof a printed circuit board contact for contacting a strip line on a printed circuit board.

9. The RF connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the inner conductor has at least one end thereof a connector contact for contacting a center conductor of the RF connector.

10. The RF connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the at least one of the plurality of holding pins is made of a plastic material and is injection molded.

11. RF connector assembly comprising a housing, two coaxial line connectors held by the housing, and a transmission line for coupling of RF signals, the transmission line comprising: at least one outer conductor; and an inner conductor comprising a band conductor having a rectangular cross-section and comprising conductive material, wherein the inner conductor is held by a plurality of holding pins at predetermined positions within the outer conductor; wherein the transmission line is at least partially contained in the housing for connecting with the coaxial line connectors, and wherein at least one of the plurality of holding pins comprises a first pin section with a respective first pin shaft and a first pin head, and a corresponding second pin section with a second pin shaft and a second pin head.

12. The RF connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein the at least one of the plurality of holding pins forms a recess that interfaces with a hole of the inner conductor to hold the inner conductor at a predetermined position within the outer conductor.

13. The RF connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein the at least one of the plurality of holding pins is made of a plastic material and is injection molded.

14. The RF connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein the inner conductor is arc shaped and the two coaxial line connectors are mounted at an angle relative to the housing.

15. The RF connector assembly according to claim 14, wherein the angle is 90 degrees.

16. The RF connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the two coaxial line connectors holds a respective center conductor having a slotted end for contacting the inner conductor.

17. The RF connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein the first pin shaft of the respective first pin section has a plug component and the second pin shaft of the corresponding second pin section has a socket component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the invention will be described by way of example, without limitation of the general inventive concept, on examples of embodiment and with reference to the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the RF connector assembly.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the RF connector assembly.

(4) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged sectional view of a holding pin holding the inner conductor of the transmission line.

(5) FIGS. 4A and 4B, respectively, show top and side views of a band conductor.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment.

(7) While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the RF connector assembly.

(9) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the RF connector assembly.

(10) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged sectional view of a holding pin holding the inner conductor of the transmission line.

(11) FIGS. 4A and 4B, respectively, show top and side views of a band conductor.

(12) FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment.

(13) In FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment is shown. A millimeter wave connector for printed circuit boards comprises a housing 100, the housing holding a transmission line 200 and an RF connector 300. Here, the housing is mounted to a printed circuit board 400, which is not part of the invention. The printed circuit board 400 has at least one strip line 410 and at least one ground plane 420. There may be through-holes 430 for connecting a ground plane on the top side to a ground plane on another layer of the printed circuit board. Furthermore, there are mounting holes 440 provided in the printed circuit board. For connecting the strip line 410 and the ground plane 420 of the printed circuit board to the RF connector 300, the transmission line 200 is provided. The transmission line 200 has an inner conductor 210 and an outer conductor 220. The inner conductor is held at a center position within the outer conductor by holding pins 240. In this embodiment, four complete and one half holding pins are shown. Each holding pin 240 has a first pin section 241 and a second pin section 242. The first pin section 241 preferably is mounted to the first side 221 of the outer conductor, while the second pin section 242 is mounted to the second side 222 of the outer conductor. The second side 222 of the outer conductor is opposing the first side 221 of the outer conductor herein. The first pin section 241 has a first pin shaft 243 (FIG. 2) and a first pin head 245 (FIG. 2). The second pin section 242 has a second pin shaft 244 (FIG. 2) and a second pin head 246 (FIG. 2). Here, the first pin shaft 243 of the first pin section 241 is held by the hole 223 in the first side of the outer conductor, while the second pin shaft 244 of the second pin section 242 is held in the hole 224 of the second side of the outer conductor. The hole 223 may also be a slot. Both pin sections are mated together and fit into a hole 213 of the inner conductor 210.

(14) The transmission line has a first end with a printed circuit board contact 211. This is preferably a tapered end, which is preferably spring-loaded due to the spring properties of the transmission line to press against the strip line 410 of the printed circuit board 400 and establish an electrical contact.

(15) Furthermore, the transmission line has a second end preferably having a connector contact 212, which is preferably designed to press by spring forces against the inner conductor 310 of the RF connector 300. Furthermore, it is preferred to have a two part connector comprising a connector housing 330 (FIG. 2) and a connector center part 340 which are connected by a thread 350 (FIG. 2). When the connector center part 340 is rotated against the connector housing 330 to lock the connector, the outer conductor 320 of the RF connector together with the inner conductor 310 of the RF connector are moved against the outer conductor 220 of the transmission line and the inner conductor 210 of the transmission line to establish a good electrical contact. In an alternate embodiment, a press fit of the RF connector 300 within housing 100, to press the outer conductor 320 of the RF connector 300 against the outer conductor 220 of the transmission line may be provided. At the printed circuit board side, the outer conductor 220 of the transmission line 200 is pressed against a ground plane 420 of the printed circuit board, to establish an electrical contact.

(16) The section of the housing 100 shown herein preferably is a half housing, which is complemented by a second half housing, preferably approximately symmetrical to the first one. The housing sections may be connected by screws through clamping holes 140.

(17) In general, the transmission line may be used alone without the RF connector 300 and the printed circuit board contact 211.

(18) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the millimeter wave connector for printed circuit boards in a slightly modified embodiment. Here, the transmission line can be seen in more details, although the reference numerals previously described remain the same.

(19) In FIG. 3, a detail of a holding pin 240 holding an inner conductor 210 is shown, and in which the reference numerals previously described remain the same. Each holding pin 240 comprises of a first pin section 241 and a second pin section 242 mated together. The first pin section 241 has a first pin head 245 and a pin shaft 243, whereas the second pin section 242 has a second pin head 246 and a pin shaft 244. Preferably, the pin shafts have means for connecting with each other, like a plug component 247 in the first pin shaft 243, and a socket component 248 in the second pin shaft 244. In this embodiment, the pin shaft 243 penetrates through a hole 213 of the inner conductor 210. Together with the second pin shaft 244, the first pin shaft 243 forms a recess 249 for precisely locating the inner conductor 210.

(20) FIGS. 4A and 4B show a top view and a side view, respectively, of a band conductor with attached holding pins, in which the reference numerals previously described remain the same.

(21) FIG. 5 shows a further connector assembly in the form of an elbow 500, having a housing 530 which holds a transmission line 200 and two coaxial line connectors 510, 520, and in which the reference numerals previously described remain the same. Each end of the transmission line 200 is connected to one of the coaxial line connectors 510, 520. The coaxial line connectors 510, 520 may be flanges holding a coaxial line. It is further preferred, if at least one of the coaxial line connectors 510, 520 holds a center conductor 511, 521 having a slotted end 512, 522 for contacting the inner conductor 210. The inner conductor may be slidable in the slot to compensate for length changes of the center conductors which may be caused by thermal expansion. Preferably, the inner conductor 210 is arc shaped and the two coaxial line connectors 510, 520 are mounted under an angle 531 to the housing 530, whereas the angle 531 preferably is in the range between 60 and 120, most preferably 90.

(22) It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this invention is believed to provide a millimeter wave connector and a band conductor. Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as the presently preferred embodiments. Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.