CN117895291A - Mating connector assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a mating connector assembly, which comprises: a first connector assembly, the first connector assembly comprises a plurality of first coaxial connectors and a first shell mounted on a mounting structure; and a second connector assembly, the second connector assembly comprises a plurality of second coaxial connectors, each of the second coaxial connectors is connected to a corresponding coaxial cable and mated with a corresponding first coaxial connector. The second connector assembly comprises a second shell surrounding the second coaxial connector, the second shell defining a plurality of electrically isolated cavities, each of the second coaxial connectors being located in a corresponding cavity. The second shell is located within the first shell in a mating state.

Description

Mating Connector Assemblies

This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with international application number "PCT/US2020/045700", international application date August 11, 2020, national application number "202080069146.5", date of entry into the Chinese national phase March 31, 2022, and invention name "Linked coaxial connector assembly".

Related Applications

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 16/538,936, filed on August 13, 2019, which is a continuation-in-part application of and claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16/375,530, filed on April 4, 2019, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/652,526, filed on April 4, 2018, No. 62/677,338, filed on May 29, 2018, No. 62/693,576, filed on July 3, 2018, and No. 62/804,260, filed on February 12, 2019, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to cable connectors and, more particularly, to ganged connector assemblies.

Background technique

Coaxial cables are commonly used in RF communication systems. Coaxial cable connectors may be used, for example, to terminate coaxial cables in communication systems that require a high level of precision and reliability.

The connector interface provides a connect/disconnect function between a cable terminated with a connector carrying a desired connector interface and a corresponding connector having a mating connector interface mounted on a device or another cable. Some coaxial connector interfaces utilize a retainer (usually provided as a threaded coupling nut) that brings the connector interface pair into fixed electromechanical engagement when a coupling nut rotatably retained on one connector is threaded onto the other connector.

Alternatively, the connection interface may also be provided with a blind-mate feature to enable push-in interconnections where physical access to the connector body is limited and/or the interconnecting portions are linked in a manner where precise alignment is difficult or not cost-effective (e.g., a connection between an antenna and a transceiver coupled together by a rail system or the like). To accommodate misalignment, a blind-mate connector may be provided with a lateral and/or longitudinal spring action to accommodate a limited degree of insertion misalignment. Blind-mate connectors may be particularly useful in "ganged" connector arrangements where multiple connectors (e.g., four connectors) are attached to each other and simultaneously mate with a mating connector.

Due to limited space on devices such as antennas or radios and the increasing number of ports required therefor, there may be a need for an interface that increases the density of port spacing and reduces the labor and skill required to repeatedly make many connections.

Summary of the invention

As a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a mating connector assembly, which includes a first and a second connector assembly. The first connector assembly includes a plurality of first coaxial connectors mounted on a mounting structure and a first housing. The second connector assembly includes a plurality of second coaxial connectors, each of which is connected to a corresponding coaxial cable and mated with a corresponding first coaxial connector. The second connector assembly includes a second housing surrounding the second coaxial connector, the second housing defining a plurality of electrically isolated cavities, each of which is located in a corresponding cavity. The second housing is located within the first housing in a mated state.

As a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a mating connector assembly, which includes a first and a second connector assembly. The first connector assembly includes a plurality of first coaxial connectors mounted on a mounting structure. The second connector assembly includes a plurality of second coaxial connectors, each of which is connected to a corresponding coaxial cable and mated with a corresponding first coaxial connector. The second connector assembly includes a housing surrounding the second coaxial connector, the housing defining a plurality of electrically isolated cavities, each of the second coaxial connectors being located in a corresponding cavity. In the mating state, the housing abuts the mounting structure, and each of the first coaxial connectors is mated with a corresponding second coaxial connector.

As a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a mating connector assembly, which includes a first and a second connector assembly. The first connector assembly includes a plurality of first coaxial connectors and a first housing, each of the first coaxial connectors is connected to a corresponding first coaxial cable, the first housing defines a plurality of electrically isolated first cavities, and each of the first coaxial connectors is located in a corresponding first cavity. The second connector assembly includes a plurality of second coaxial connectors and a second housing, each of the second coaxial connectors is connected to a corresponding second coaxial cable, the second housing defines a plurality of electrically isolated second cavities, and each of the second coaxial connectors is located in a corresponding second cavity. In the mating state, the second housing is located within the first housing, and each of the first coaxial connectors is mated with the corresponding second coaxial connector.

As a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a housing for an assembly of a ganged connector, comprising: a base; a plurality of towers extending from the base, wherein each tower is discontinuous on a circumference and has a gap, each of the towers defining a peripheral cable cavity, the peripheral cable cavity being configured to receive a peripheral cable through the gap; and a plurality of transition walls, each of the transition walls extending between two adjacent towers. The transition walls and the gap define a central cavity, the central cavity being configured to receive a central cable.

As another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a mating connector assembly, comprising: a first connector assembly, the first connector assembly comprising a plurality of first coaxial connectors mounted on a mounting structure; and a second connector assembly, the second connector assembly comprising a plurality of second coaxial connectors, each of the second coaxial connectors being connected to a corresponding coaxial cable and mating with a corresponding first coaxial connector. The second connector assembly comprises a housing surrounding the second coaxial connector, the housing defining a plurality of electrically isolated cavities, each of the second coaxial connectors being located in a corresponding cavity. In a mated state, the housing abuts the mounting structure, and each of the first coaxial connectors is mated with a corresponding second coaxial connector. Each of the second coaxial connectors comprises an external connector body located within a corresponding cavity, and wherein a gap exists between the external connector body and the housing.

As yet another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a mating connector assembly, comprising: a first connector assembly, the first connector assembly comprising a plurality of first coaxial connectors mounted on a mounting structure; and a second connector assembly, the second connector assembly comprising a plurality of second coaxial connectors, each of which is connected to a corresponding coaxial cable and mated with a corresponding first coaxial connector. The second connector assembly comprises a housing surrounding the second coaxial connector, the housing defining a plurality of electrically isolated cavities, each of the second coaxial connectors being located in a corresponding cavity. In a mated state, the housing abuts the mounting structure, and each of the first coaxial connectors is mated with a corresponding second coaxial connector. Each of the second coaxial connectors comprises an outer connector body located within a corresponding cavity, and wherein a gap exists between the outer connector body and the housing. Each of the outer connector bodies comprises a flange extending radially outward. The flange comprises a forwardly extending protrusion that defines an aperture gap together with the outer connector body.

As one aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a mating connector assembly, comprising: a first connector assembly, the first connector assembly comprising a plurality of first coaxial connectors mounted on a mounting structure; a second connector assembly, the second connector assembly comprising a plurality of second coaxial connectors, each of the second coaxial connectors being connected to a corresponding coaxial cable and mating with a corresponding first coaxial connector; the second connector assembly comprising a shell surrounding the second coaxial connector, the shell defining a plurality of electrically isolated cavities, each of the second coaxial connectors being located in a corresponding cavity; wherein in a mated state the shell abuts the mounting structure, and each of the first coaxial connectors is mated with a corresponding second coaxial connector; wherein each of the second coaxial connectors comprises an external connector body located within a corresponding cavity, and wherein a gap exists between the external connector body and the shell; wherein each of the external connector bodies comprises a first radially outwardly extending flange and a second radially outwardly extending flange located in front of the first flange; and wherein a spring is provided between the first flange and a shell arranged rearward relative to the first flange.

As one aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a mating connector assembly, comprising: a first connector assembly, the first connector assembly comprising a plurality of first coaxial connectors mounted on a mounting structure; a second connector assembly, the second connector assembly comprising a plurality of second coaxial connectors, each of the second coaxial connectors being connected to a corresponding coaxial cable and mating with a corresponding first coaxial connector; the second connector assembly comprising a shell surrounding the second coaxial connector, the shell defining a plurality of electrically isolated cavities, each of the second coaxial connectors being located in a corresponding cavity; wherein in a mated state the shell is adjacent to the mounting structure, and each of the first coaxial connectors is mated with a corresponding second coaxial connector; and wherein each of the second coaxial connectors comprises an external connector body located within a corresponding cavity, and wherein an open hole gap exists between the external connector body and the shell; and wherein each of the external connector bodies comprises a flange extending radially outward; and wherein under the mating condition, the free end of each of the first coaxial connectors engages the corresponding flange of the second coaxial connector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

1 is a rear perspective view of components of mated ganged coaxial connectors according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the mating components of FIG. 1 .

3 is a top cross-sectional view of the mating components of FIG. 1 .

4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the mated assembly of FIG. 1 , showing a mated pair of connectors.

5 is a front perspective view of the linkage device connector assembly of the assembly of FIG. 1 .

6 is a rear perspective view of the linkage device connector assembly of FIG. 5 .

7 is a rear perspective view of a mounting plate of the linkage device connector assembly of FIG. 5 .

8 is a rear perspective view of the outer housing of the linkage device connector assembly of FIG. 5 .

9A and 9B are greatly enlarged partial perspective views of exemplary mounting screws and their corresponding holes in the mounting plate of the linkage device connector assembly of FIG. 5 .

10 is a perspective view of the ganged cable connector assembly of the assembly of FIG. 1 being inserted into the housing of the ganged device connector of FIG. 5 .

11 is a greatly enlarged perspective view of a latch on the housing of the ganged cable connector assembly of FIG. 10 .

12 is a greatly enlarged top view of the latch of FIG. 11 inserted into the slot on the housing of FIG. 8 .

13 is a greatly enlarged partial top cross-sectional view of the front end of the housing and outer conductor body of the cable connector of FIG. 10 .

14 is a greatly enlarged partial top cross-sectional view of an intermediate section end of the housing and outer conductor body of the cable connector of FIG. 10 .

15 is a greatly enlarged partial top cross-sectional view of the rear end of the housing and outer conductor body of the cable connector of FIG. 10 .

16 is a rear perspective view of components of mated ganged coaxial connectors according to additional embodiments of the present invention.

17 is a front perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 16 with the linkage device connector separated from the linkage cable connector.

FIG. 18 is a front cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 16 .

19 is a top cross-sectional view of the ganged cable connector of the assembly of FIG. 16 .

20 is a top cross-sectional view of the cable connector of FIG. 19 .

21 is a schematic diagram of the sixteen components of FIG. 16, illustrating how adjacent components may engage with one another.

22 is a perspective view of another component of the mating ganged connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

23 is a top cross-sectional view of the mating components of FIG. 22 .

24 is an enlarged partial top cross-sectional view of the mating connector of FIG. 22 .

25 is a front cross-sectional view of the mating connector of FIG. 22 .

26 is a perspective view of a mated gang assembly connector assembly and an unmated device connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

27 is a perspective view of a mated gang assembly connector assembly and an unmated device connector assembly according to additional embodiments of the present invention.

28 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 27, illustrating how the mating assemblies may be secured with a screwdriver.

29 is a perspective view of a mated linkage assembly connector assembly and an unmated device connector assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

30 is a cross-sectional view of another assembly of a mating linkage assembly connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a spring for providing axial float to a connector of the cable connector assembly in a relaxed position.

31 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 30 showing the spring in a compressed position.

32A is a perspective view of another assembly of a mating linkage assembly connector having a toggle assembly to secure a cable connector assembly to a device connector assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

32B is a side view of the toggle assembly shown in FIG. 32A with the latch in its unsecured position.

32C is a side view of the toggle assembly shown in FIG. 32A with the latch in its secured position.

33 is a cross-sectional view of another assembly of a mating linkage assembly connector having a quarter-turn screw for securing a cable connector assembly to a device connector assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 34 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 33 .

35 is an enlarged perspective view of the mounting holes in the mounting plate of the device connector assembly of FIG. 33 .

36 is an enlarged reverse perspective view of the mounting hole of FIG. 35 .

37A-37C are sequential views of the quarter-turn screw of FIG. 33 being inserted and secured in the mounting hole of FIGS. 35 and 36 .

38 is a cross-sectional view of an assembly of a mated ganged connector showing how a captive screw is captured by a tab in the housing of the cable connector assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

39 is a side view of a connector body for use in an assembly of mating connectors according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the connector body after machining but before swaging and cutting.

40 is a side view of the connector body of FIG. 39 after swaging.

41 is a side cross-sectional view of the connector body of FIG. 39 after swaging and cutting.

42 is a top cross-sectional view of a pair of mating connectors suitable for use in a mating linkage assembly, the connectors being shown in an unmated state.

42A is a top cross-sectional view of a pair of mating connectors suitable for use in a mating linkage assembly according to another embodiment, the connectors being shown in an unmated state.

42B is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the interface of the assembly of FIG. 42A shown in an unmated state.

42C is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the outer connector body of the assembly of FIG. 42A shown in an unmated state.

43 is a top cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 42 shown in a mated state.

43A is a top cross-sectional view of a pair of mated connectors of FIG. 42A , with the connectors shown in a mated state.

43B is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the interface of the assembly of FIG. 43A shown in a mated state.

43C is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the outer connector body of the assembly of FIG. 43A shown in a mated state.

44 is a perspective view of components of mated ganged connectors according to additional embodiments of the present invention.

45 is a front view of the device connector assembly of the assembly of FIG. 44 .

46 is a front perspective view of the housing of the cable connector assembly of the assembly of FIG. 44 .

47 is a rear perspective view of the housing of FIG. 46 with two cables inserted therein.

48 is a perspective view of an insert to be used with the housing of FIG. 46 .

49 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the cable connector assembly for use in the assembly of FIG. 44 , showing the insert of FIG. 48 inserted into the housing of FIG. 46 .

50 is an enlarged perspective view of the central cavity of the housing of FIG. 46 .

51 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cable connector assembly of FIG. 49 .

52 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 44 , with the housing shown as transparent for clarity.

53 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the mating components of FIG. 44 .

54 is an enlarged partial side cross-sectional view of the mating components of FIG. 53 .

55 is a cross-sectional view of components of mating connectors according to further embodiments of the present invention.

FIG56 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG55.

57 is a cross-sectional view of a pair of mating connectors in an assembly of mating connectors according to still other embodiments of the present invention.

58 is an end perspective view of the housing of the ganged cable connector assembly employed in the assembly of FIG. 57 .

59 is a cross-sectional view of a pair of mating connectors in an assembly of mating connectors according to still other embodiments of the present invention.

60 and 61 are end views of one connector of the cable connector assembly of FIG. 58 and the housing of the cable connector assembly, illustrating anti-rotation features of the housing.

62 is a perspective view of a connector of a ganged cable connector assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

63 is an end view of the connector of FIG. 62 inserted into the housing of FIG. 64 .

FIG. 64 is a housing of a cable connector assembly employing the connector of FIG. 62 .

65 is a side cross-sectional view of another electrical cable connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the connector is shown in a partially assembled state.

66 is a side cross-sectional view of the cable connector assembly of FIG. 65 , with the connector shown in a fully assembled state.

67 is a side cross-sectional view of another electrical cable connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the connector is shown in a fully assembled state.

FIG. 68 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the assembly of FIG. 67 .

Detailed ways

The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. However, the present invention may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments shown and described herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined in any manner and/or combination to provide many additional embodiments.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. The terms used in the following description are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used in the present disclosure, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a (a)", "an (an)" and "said" are also intended to include plural forms. It will also be understood that when an element (e.g., device, circuit, etc.) is described as "connected" or "coupled" to another element, the element can be directly connected or coupled to another element, or there can be an intermediate element. On the contrary, when an element is described as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there is no intermediate element.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figures 1-15 an assembly of mating ganged connectors, generally designated 100. Assembly 100 includes a ganged device connector assembly 105 having four coaxial device connectors 110, and a ganged cable connector assembly 140 having four coaxial cable connectors 150. These components are described in more detail below.

3 and 4, each device connector 110 includes an inner contact 112, a dielectric spacer 114 circumferentially surrounding a portion of the inner contact 112, and an outer conductor body 116 circumferentially surrounding the dielectric spacer 114 and electrically isolated from the inner contact 112. An O-ring 117 is installed in a groove in the middle section of the outer conductor body 116.

The plate 120 provides a common mounting structure for the device connector 110. As can be seen in FIG. 7 , the plate 120 includes four alignment holes 121, each of which is surrounded by a recess 122 on its rear side. The recesses 122 are adjacent to each other. Each recess 122 has two or three recesses 123 extending radially outward therefrom, which also extend through the thickness of the plate 120. Furthermore, ten holes 130 are arranged near the periphery of the plate 120.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-5 , housing 124 is mounted to plate 120 and extends forwardly therefrom. Housing 124, typically formed of a polymeric material, is generally scalloped in profile, with each “scallop” 125 partially surrounding one of apertures 121. Housing 124 is held in place by posts 128 extending radially outward from the rear edge of scallop 125 and terminating in ring 126 (see FIG. 8 ); ring 126 is received in recess 122 of plate 120, and posts 128 are received in pockets 123. Barbs 116a on outer conductor body 116 help hold housing 120 in place. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 , 2 and 8 , the two endmost scallops 125 include latch openings 138.

As shown in Figs. 8, 9A and 9B, ten access openings 134 are located at the rear edge of the scallop 125, each access opening being aligned with a corresponding hole 130. Screws 136 are inserted through the holes 130 (access openings 134 provide access) to mount the board 120 to an electronic device such as a remote radio head. The locations of the access openings 134 and holes 130 allow the board 120 (and thus the device connector assembly 110) to be securely mounted to an electronic device in a relatively small space.

The housing 124 may be formed by injection molding, and in particular may be injection molded with the mounting plate as an insert such that the ring 126 and post 128 are integrally formed in place during the molding process.

3 and 4, the cable connector assembly 140 includes four cables 142, each cable having an inner conductor 143, a dielectric layer 144, an outer conductor 145 (in this case, the outer conductor is corrugated, but it can be smooth, braided, etc.), and a jacket 146. Each cable 142 is connected to one of the connectors 150.

Each connector 150 includes an inner contact 152, dielectric insulators 154a, 154b, and an outer conductor body 156. The inner contact 152 is electrically connected to the inner conductor 143 by a press-fit joint, and the outer conductor body 156 is electrically connected to the outer conductor 145 by a solder joint 148. A spring basket 158 with fingers 158a is located within the cavity of the outer conductor body 156.

The housing 160 circumferentially surrounds each outer conductor body 156 of the connector 150, thereby electrically insulating them from each other within the cavity 165. A shoulder 161 on the housing 160 is positioned against a shoulder 157 on the outer conductor body 156 (see FIG. 14). The strain relief 162 covers the interface of the cable 142 and the connector 150; the barbs 156b on the outer conductor body 156 help hold the strain relief 162 in place. It can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 13-15 that the inner diameter of the housing 160 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the outer conductor body 156, so that there are gaps g1, g2. In addition, as shown in FIG. 13, the free end of the outer conductor body 156 extends slightly further toward the mating connector 110 than the housing 160. FIG. 15 shows that there is a gap g3 between the housing 160 and the strain relief 162.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the connectors 110 , 150 are mated by inserting the cable connector assembly 140 into the device connector assembly 105 . More specifically, the housing 160 is inserted into the housing 120 , wherein each cavity 165 is located within a corresponding scallop 125 . This action aligns each connector 150 of the cable connector assembly 140 with the corresponding connector 110 of the device connector assembly 105 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the inner contact 152 of the connector 150 receives the inner contact 112 of the connector 110 , and the free end of the outer conductor body 116 is received in the gap between the outer conductor body 156 and the spring finger 158 a of the spring basket 158 . It is noteworthy that the spring finger 158 a exerts radial pressure on the outer conductor body 116 and does not axially “bottom out” against the outer conductor body 116 ; this is a characteristic of some connector interface configurations, such as 4.3/10, 4.1/9.5, and 2.2/5 interfaces. The cable connector assembly 140 is held in place relative to the device connector assembly 140 by a latch 164 in the housing 160 that engages the latch opening 138 .

As shown in FIG. 13 , the free end of the outer conductor body 156 does not reach the plate 120, thereby forming a gap g4 therebetween. The presence of the gaps g3, g4 enables the connector 150 of the cable connector assembly 140 to move axially relative to its corresponding mating connector 110, if such movement is required for mating (e.g., due to manufacturing tolerances, etc.). In addition, the presence of the gaps g1, g2 between the outer conductor body 156 and the housing 160 enables the connector 150 to move radially relative to the connector 110, if such movement is required.

Moreover, as described above, the housing 160 on the cable connector assembly 140 electrically insulates the connectors 150 from each other, which in turn electrically insulates the mating pair of connectors 110, 150 from adjacent pairs. This configuration enables the mating connectors 110, 150 to be closely spaced (thereby saving space in the overall connector assembly 100) without sacrificing electrical performance.

The illustrated assembly 100 depicts connectors 110 , 150 that meet the specifications of a “2.2/5” connector, and may be particularly well suited for such connectors because they are typically small and used in confined spaces.

Referring now to FIGS. 16-21 , there is shown another embodiment of an assembly of mating ganged connectors, generally designated 200. Assembly 200 is similar to assembly 100 in that a device connector assembly 205 having four connectors 210 mates with a cable connector assembly 240 having four connectors 250. The differences between assemblies 105, 205 and assemblies 140, 240 are set forth below.

The device connector assembly 205 has a plate 220 having two recesses 224 in its top and bottom edges and two ears 222 having holes 223 extending from the top and bottom edges, each ear 222 being vertically aligned with a corresponding recess 224 on the opposite edge. The ears 222 and recesses 224 are located between adjacent holes 230 in the plate 220. The cable connector assembly 240 has a housing 260 having four ears 262 with holes 263 that are aligned with the ears 222 and holes 223. Screws 266 are inserted into the holes 263 and holes 223 to hold the assemblies 205, 240 in a mated state.

As can be seen in Figure 21, a plate 220 is configured to nest with an adjacent plate 220. Figure 21 schematically shows sixteen assemblies 200 arranged in a 4x4 array, with the ears 222 of one plate 220 received in the recesses 224 of an adjacent plate 220. This arrangement enables adjacent assemblies 200 to be tightly packed, which can save space.

Referring now to FIGS. 22-25 , assembly 300 is shown therein. Assembly 300 includes a first cable connector assembly 305 and a second cable connector assembly 340. Connector 310 of first cable connector assembly 305 is similar to connector 110 described above, and connector 350 of second cable connector assembly 340 is similar to connector 150 described above. However, connector 310 is arranged in a square 2x2 pattern like connector 350. Connector 310 is held in place by strain relief 320, spacer 322, and housing 324. Similarly, connector 350 and cable 345 are held in place by strain relief 352, spacer 354, and housing 356 having panel 358. Strain relief 320, 352, and spacers 322, 354 allow connectors 310, 350 to “float” relative to each other to facilitate interconnection. As shown in Figure 24, when the assembly 300 is fully mated, the free end of the housing 324 of the first cable connector assembly 305 contacts the panel 358 of the housing of the second cable connector assembly 340 to provide an axial stop, which prevents the finger-like member 358a of the spring basket 358 of the connector 350 from "bottoming out" against the outer conductor body 316 of the connector 310.

25, in some embodiments, the housings 324, 352 of the connector assemblies 305, 340 include a slightly rounded upper portion (compared to a generally straight lower portion). This difference serves as an orientation feature to ensure that the assemblies 305, 340 are properly oriented relative to each other for mating, which further ensures that the connectors 310, 350 are both aligned to mate with the correct mating connector.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 26-29 , which show additional embodiments of ganged connectors. FIG. 26 shows an assembly 400 of a device connector assembly 405 having four connectors 410 mounted in a 2×2 array on a mounting plate 420 and a cable connector assembly 440 having four connectors (not visible in FIG. 26 ) and four cables 442. The connectors 410 are similar to the connectors 110 described above, and the connectors of the cable connector assembly 440 are similar to the connectors 140 described above. A strain relief 462 surrounds and isolates the connectors of the cable connector assembly 440; a housing 460 extends forward of the strain relief 462. A mounting hole 464 is located at the center of the strain relief 462 and the housing 460. The housing 460 also includes an access opening 466 in a free edge thereof, the access opening being positioned to receive screws for the mounting plate 420.

As shown in Fig. 26, the cable connector assembly 440 mates with the device connector assembly 405, and the connector of the cable connector 440 mates with the corresponding connector 410. The assemblies 405, 440 are held in a mated state by screws or other fasteners, which are inserted through mounting holes 464 into mounting holes 426 on the mounting plate 420. The housing 460 abuts against the surface of the mounting plate 420.

It should be noted that when formed from a resilient polymer or elastomeric material such as TPE, the housing 460 can provide additional strain relief, as well as serve to help "center" the individual connectors of the cable connector assembly 440. The resiliency of the material biases the individual connectors toward their "centered" positions to more easily align with their corresponding mating connectors 405. This effect can also help center the entire cable connector assembly 440, as the centering of the two connectors of the cable connector assembly 440 can help center the entire assembly 440. In addition, the housing 460 can also allow the individual connectors to pivot and otherwise move as needed for alignment.

Referring now to FIG. 27 , another embodiment of an assembly 500 is shown. Assembly 500 is similar to assembly 400 except that device assembly 505 includes a connector 550 mounted to mounting plate 520 similar to connector 440, and cable connector assembly 540 includes a connector similar to connector 410. As a result, mounting plate 520 can be formed slightly smaller than mounting plate 420, thereby saving space on the device. FIG. 28 illustrates how assemblies 505, 540 may be secured with a screwdriver for driving a set screw through a hole located in the center of mounting plate 520 and cable connector assembly 540. FIG. 38 illustrates an alternative construction 500 'where a set screw 572 is used to connect device assembly 505 'to cable connector assembly 540 '. Set screw 572 is held in place by tabs 574 surrounding mounting hole 564. The head of the fastening screw 572 is larger than the mounting hole 564, so once the head of the fastening screw 572 passes through the mounting hole 564 (the material of the housing 560' is elastic enough to stretch to allow the head of the screw 572 to pass therethrough), the tab 574 secures the screw 572 in place. Alternatively, the head of the screw 572 can be captured within the mounting hole 564 itself by an interference fit.

Referring now to Figure 29, there is shown an assembly 600 including a device connector assembly 605 and a cable connector assembly 640. This embodiment utilizes a coupling nut 666 that attaches to a threaded ring 622 on a mounting plate 620 to secure the assemblies 605, 640 in a mated state.

Referring now to FIGS. 30 and 31 , there is shown another embodiment of an assembly, generally designated 700. Assembly 700 is similar to assembly 500 described above, with one difference being that connectors 710 installed in cable connector assembly 740 include a coil spring 780 surrounding each connector 750. Spring 780 extends between an inner surface of housing 760 and a protrusion 782 on outer conductor body 716. Spring 780 enables connector 710 to float axially relative to housing 760.

As a possible alternative, the spring 780 may be replaced with a Belleville washer, which may be a separate component, or may be insert molded into the housing 760 (in which case the washer may include a barbed or spoked perimeter for improving the mechanical integrity of the joint). The spring 780 may also be replaced with an elastomeric spacer or the like.

Referring now to FIGS. 32A-32C , another embodiment of an assembly is shown and generally designated 800. Assembly 800 may be similar to either of assemblies 400, 500, but includes a toggle assembly 885 having an L-shaped latch 886 mounted to housing 860 of cable connector assembly 840 at pivot 887 and a pin 888 mounted to mounting plate 820 of device connector assembly 805. A handle 889 extends generally parallel to a finger 890 on latch 886 and generally perpendicular to an arm 891 extending between finger 890 and pivot 887. Finger 890 includes a recess 895 adjacent arm 891. Handle 889 includes a slot 896 (see FIG. 32A ).

The latch 886 can be pivoted by the handle 889 into engagement with the pin 888 to secure the assemblies 805, 840 to each other. When the finger 890 initially contacts the pin 888, the handle 889 is relatively easy to pivot toward the locked position. When the latch 886 is fully pivoted to move the finger 890 relative to the pin 888 so that the pin 888 slides into the recess 895, the assembly 800 is fully secured by the toggle assembly 885. Since the handle 889 is roughly flush with the pin 888 and roughly perpendicular to the line between the pivot 887 and the recess 895 in the fixed position, a significantly greater mechanical force is required on the handle 889 to move the latch 886 from the recess 895 back to its unsecured position. In the illustrated embodiment, the force required to move the latch 886 to the fixed position on the handle 889 can be less than 27 lb-ft, while the force required to move the handle 889 from the fixed position can be 50 lb-ft or more, and may even require the use of a screwdriver, wrench or other lever inserted into the slot 896 to generate sufficient force. Thus, once secured, assembly 800 will tend to remain in the secured state.

Referring now to FIGS. 33-37C , another embodiment of an assembly is shown and generally designated as 900. Assembly 900 is similar to assembly 500, except that a quarter-turn screw 990 is used to secure cable connector assembly 940 to device connector assembly 905. As shown in FIG. 35 , mounting hole 991 in mounting plate 920 is configured to allow protruding flange 992 of quarter-turn screw 990 to be inserted. FIG. 36 shows that on the opposite side of mounting plate 920, mounting hole 991 is surrounded by a circular recess 993 with two additional radially extending recesses 994. FIGS. 37A-37C show how quarter-turn screw 990 can be inserted into mounting hole 991 ( FIG. 37A ) and rotated a quarter turn (shown in the progression of FIG. 37B ) such that flange 992 is received in recess 994 ( FIG. 37C ).

38, the assembly 500' shown therein also includes a metal tube 595 through which the fastening screw 572 can be inserted, thereby providing a positive stop to prevent over-tightening of the screw 572. The assembly 500' also shows a groove 596 on the inner surface of the housing 560', which can capture a rim 597 on the housing 524' to help secure the assemblies 505', 540'.

Referring now to FIGS. 39-41 , an outer conductor body suitable for use in a mating linkage assembly is shown and generally designated 1056. The outer conductor body 1056 includes a spring washer type structure and function that can replace the spring 780 shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 . As shown in FIG. 39 , the machined outer conductor body has radially extending fins 1058. The fins 1058 are swaged or otherwise formed into a frustoconical configuration (shown as 1058 'in FIG. 40 ). The inner diameter of the fins 1058 'is then cut from the remainder of the outer conductor body 1056 (see FIG. 41 ). In this configuration, the fins 1058 'can act as a spring that allows the outer conductor body 1056 to be axially adjusted.

The above process can provide a Belleville washer type spring that is more suitable than a separate washer because the inner diameter of the fin 1058' (which may be an important dimension for achieving the desired spring action) can be closely matched to the outer diameter of the outer conductor body 1056.

Referring now to FIGS. 42 and 43 , there is shown a mating connector 1105, 1150 for another assembly, generally designated 1100. The connector 1105, 1150 is similar to the connector of the assembly 700 described above, with the spring 780 to allow axial float. However, the outer conductor body 1156 of the connector 1150 includes an inclined surface 1157 in front of the shoulder 1158; the spring 1150 is captured between the shoulders 1182, 1158. The housing 1160 includes a rim 1161 having an inclined inner surface 1162.

It can be seen in FIG. 42 that in the open position, rim 1161 rests on the front surface of shoulder 1158. When connector 1150 is moved into a mated state with connector 1105, as shown in FIG. 43, the front surface of rim 1161 presses spring 1180 against shoulder 1182. Inclined surfaces 1157, 1162 interact during mating to gradually center and radially align connectors 1105, 1150. In some embodiments, there is a slight interference fit between the inclined surfaces in the closed position.

This construction can provide significant performance advantages. When both electrical contacts (inner and outer conductors) of the mating connectors are radial (as is the case with 4.3/10, 2/2.5 and Nex10 interfaces), no axial clamping force is required between the mating connectors to make direct electrical contact, only to provide mechanical stability: specifically, to force the axes of the two mating connectors to remain aligned, thus preventing the electrical contact surfaces from moving relative to each other during bending, vibration, etc. Such relative axial movement can directly generate PIM, and can also generate debris, which in turn causes PIM. (Experiments have demonstrated this behavior for 4.3/10 interfaces).

Two clamping or interference sections spaced along the outer conductor body 1156 in the closed position of FIG. 43 provide a means to produce this desired axial stability. In addition, the inclined surfaces 1157, 1162 initially allow radial float and gradually align the axis of the floating connector (i.e., connector 1150) with the fixed connector (i.e., connector 1105), and then maintain it in a fixed position when fully advanced. The angles of the inclined surfaces 1157, 1162 can be adjusted to provide the desired mechanical advantage based on the force of the latch mechanism used. In some embodiments, this arrangement can eliminate the need for any axial float, in which case the spring 1180 can be omitted. The interference area can be increased as needed to increase stability, but at the expense of radial float.

Referring now to FIGS. 42A-42C and 43A-43C, another assembly is shown, generally designated 1100'. In this embodiment, axial float is provided with a spring 1180' similar to that shown in assembly 1100. However, radial float is controlled differently by the ID and OD of the outer connector bodies 1116', 1154' at the interface and the OD of the rear end of the outer connector body 1154' and the inclined transition surface 1155'. As shown in FIGS. 42A-42C, in the unmated state, the connector 1150' is able to float axially and radially due to the spring 1180'. However, in the mated state of FIGS. 43A-43C, the mating of the outer connector bodies 1116', 1154' tends to align the connector 1150' radially, and when it floats rearwardly, the inclined transition surface 1155' forces the rear end of the outer connector body 1154 to align radially. However, when this occurs, the axial float at the outer connector body 1154' still has the opportunity to move rearward. The gaps at both ends of the outer conductor body 1154' are small enough that this interaction can be used to maintain the mated state without other external means. (Indeed, those skilled in the art will recognize that this concept can be used with a single connector pair and is not limited to ganged connectors as shown herein.) Moreover, as described above, in some embodiments the spring 1180' can be omitted because the elasticity of the housing 1160' can provide sufficient elasticity to allow any required axial float.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the configuration of the above-mentioned assembly can be varied. For example, the connector is shown as an MxN array in "in-line" or rectangular shape, but other arrangements may also be used, such as circular, hexagonal, staggered, etc. Moreover, although each assembly is shown as having four pairs of mating connectors, fewer or more connectors may be used in each assembly. An example of an assembly with five pairs of connectors is shown in Figures 44-54 and generally represented as 1200, which includes a device connector assembly 1205 with five connectors 1210 and a cable connector assembly 1240 with five connectors 1250 connected to five cables 1242. As shown in Figures 46 and 47, connectors 1210 and 1250 are arranged in a cross pattern, wherein one of connectors 1210, 1250 is surrounded by four other connectors 1210, 1250 separated by 90 degrees from each other. In this arrangement, a potential problem that may occur is the proximity of the connector. For larger cables and connectors, there may not be enough space between connectors 1210 to allow each connector 1250 to have its own cavity as shown in FIG. 26 (either as separate housings or a single housing with four cavities) because the wall thickness of the material surrounding the cavity is typically too thin.

This disadvantage can be addressed by using a housing 1260 as shown in FIGS. 46-54. Housing 1260 has a generally square footprint with an outer rim 1262 surrounding a base 1261. Four towers 1263 extend from base 1261. Each tower 1263 defines a peripheral cavity 1267, but is not continuous in that it includes a radially inward gap 1264. Each tower 1263 includes a recess 1265 at one end, with a lip 1265a extending radially inward from the front end of the recess 1265 (see FIGS. 53 and 54). Transition walls 1269 span adjacent towers 1263, with the effect of defining a central cavity 1266 by the transition walls 1269 and the gap 1264. Each transition wall 1269 includes a notch 1268 (see FIG. 50).

Referring now to Figure 48, there is shown an annular insert 1270. The insert 1270 is discontinuous with gaps 1271 in the main wall 1273. Four blocks 1274 having arcuate outer surfaces 1275 extend radially outward from the main wall 1273. A snap projection 1276 extends radially outward from the main wall 1273 between each pair of adjacent blocks 1274.

The construction of assembly 1240 can be understood by referring to FIGS. 47 , 49-51 , 53 and 54 . A terminated cable 1242 with a connector 1250 attached to its end is inserted through central cavity 1266. The cable 1242 is then pushed radially outward through one of the gaps 1264 and into the corresponding peripheral cavity 1267, with tower 1263 having sufficient flexibility to deflect to allow cable 1240 to pass through gap 1264. Connector 1250 is positioned relative to housing 1260 so that the rear end of the outer body 1252 of connector 1250 fits within recess 1265 and is captured by lip 1265a (see FIGS. 53 and 54 ). This process is repeated three more times until all four peripheral cavities 1267 are filled (see FIG. 47 , which shows two cables 1240 in place in housing 1260).

Next, the fifth terminated cable 1242 is passed through the central cavity 1266 and the connector 1250 is positioned relative to the housing 1260. The insert 1270 is slid over the cable 1242 (i.e., the cable 1242 passes through the gap 1271 in the insert 1270) and is oriented so that the block 1274 fits between the transition walls 1269. The insert 1270 is then slid along the cable 1242 and into the central cavity 1266 (see FIG. 49) until the snap projection 1276 snaps into the recess 1265. This interaction locks the last (center) cable 1242 in place. The cable connector assembly 1240 can then mate with the device connector assembly 1205, as shown in FIG. 52.

It will be appreciated that the above arrangement, in which four cables are used as the "corners" of a "square" and the fifth cable is located at the center of the "square", can provide space-related advantages to the assembly. In particular, cables arranged in this manner can have a smaller footprint than similar cables arranged in a circular pattern. Similarly, if the same footprint is employed, large cables can be included in the illustrated "square" arrangement, which can provide performance advantages (e.g., improved attenuation).

It will also be understood that assembly 1240 may be formed with four cables 1242 (each located in a peripheral cavity 1267), while central cavity 1266 is filled with a circular (rather than annular) insert.

Referring now to FIGS. 55 and 56 , another assembly is shown, generally designated 1300. Assembly 1300 is similar to assembly 1200, having a device connector assembly 1305 with a connector 1310 and a cable connector assembly 1340 with a connector 1350 and a housing 1360. Cable connector assembly 1340 has two O-rings 1380, 1382 within a recess of an outer conductor body 1356 of connector 1350 that provide a seal to the outer conductor body 1316 of connector 1310. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 57 and 58 , assembly 1400 includes device connector assembly 1405 and cable connector assembly 1440 that provide a seal via one O-ring 1480 positioned similar to O-ring 1380 and a second O-ring 1485 positioned between outer conductor body 1456 and housing 1460. In these cases, the O-rings are positioned such that they provide two independent seals between the assemblies to ensure that water is prevented from penetrating the electrical contact area between the connector outer conductor bodies. As another alternative, assembly 1500 is similar to assembly 1400 , but includes a molded sealing protrusion 1590 that is part of housing 1560 instead of o-ring 1485 .

Referring now to FIGS. 60 and 61 , the housing 1460 of the cable connector assembly 1440 shown in FIG. 58 has a cavity 1467 having a generally hexagonal-shaped cross-section 1468, but with bevel angles 1468a between the sides 1468b of the "hexagon." In other words, the cross-section 1468 is 12-sided, with six long sides 1468b and six short sides 1468a. As shown in FIGS. 60 and 61 , this arrangement can prevent the connector 1450 from excessively rotating within the cavity 1467 (which can damage the cable and/or generate debris that can negatively affect performance) while still allowing the same degree of radial float.

As another example of addressing the desire to satisfy some radial float of the connector while limiting torsion, a connector assembly 1600 is shown in FIGS. 62-64. In this embodiment, the connector 1650 of the cable connector assembly 1640 has teeth 1669 on the outer conductor body 1654, and the housing 1660 has corresponding recesses 1670 (in the embodiment shown herein, the connector 1650 has six teeth 1669 and the housing 1660 has six recesses 1670, but more or fewer teeth/recesses may be included). This arrangement also reduces the degree of torsion between the connector 1650 and the housing 1660, which can protect the cable and prevent the generation of undesirable debris, but also allows a certain degree of radial float.

Referring now to FIGS. 65 and 66 , another cable connector assembly is shown, generally designated 1700. Assembly 1700 is similar to assemblies 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, and 1600, with a device connector assembly 1705 having a connector 1710 mating with a cable connector assembly 1740 having a connector 1750 in a housing 1760. Spring 1780 provides the ability for radial adjustment of the outer connector body 1756 relative to the housing 1760. In this embodiment, the outer connector body 1756 has a radially outward flange 1784 located in front of the flange 1782 (which captures the front end of the spring 1780). The flange 1784 has an aperture groove 1786 in its front surface (the protrusion 1785 is located radially outward of the groove 1785). In addition, at the rear end of the outer connector body 1756, there is a larger gap C between the outer connector body 1756 and the housing 1760 compared to the assembly 1500 shown in FIG. 59. The outer connector body 1716 of the connector 1710 has a beveled outer edge 1719 at a front end 1718 thereof.

As shown in FIG. 65 , during the initial mating of connectors 1710, 1750, the inner contact 1754 of connector 1750 engages the inner contact 1712 of connector 1710, which provides a first “centering” action of connector 1750. This action also causes spring 1780 to be “bottomed up”. As mating continues ( FIG. 66 ), spring 1780 opens slightly, which causes the angled outer edge 1719 of outer connector body 1716 to contact protrusion 1785. This interaction provides a second “centering” action to the mating, which enables the gap C between the rear portion of outer connector body 1756 and housing 1760 to be larger than in other embodiments.

A third centering action may also be included, as shown in FIGS. 67 and 68 , where assembly 1700 'is shown. In this embodiment, an inclined surface 1799 is present in the radially outward corner of gap 1786 '. Thus, as the mating of connectors 1710, 1750 'is performed, the inclined outer edge 1719 contacts the inclined surface 1799 when full mating is nearly complete, which further provides a centering action for connector 1750 '. Thus, the three different centering actions provided by assembly 1700 'can further ensure the centering of connector 1750 ' relative to connector 1710, which also enables the use of a larger gap C.

Those skilled in the art will also recognize that the manner in which the mating components can be secured to mate can vary because different types of fastening features can be used. For example, the fastening features can include the numerous latches, screws, and coupling nuts described above, but alternatively, the fastening features can include bolts and nuts, press fits, detents, bayonet-type "quick lock" mechanisms, etc.

The foregoing is an explanation of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Although several exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present invention. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. The present invention is defined by the appended claims, and the equivalents of the claims are included therein.

Claims (8)

1. A mating connector assembly comprising:

A first connector assembly including a plurality of first coaxial connectors mounted on a mounting structure;

A second connector assembly comprising a plurality of second coaxial connectors, each of the second coaxial connectors being connected with a respective coaxial cable and mated with a respective first coaxial connector;

The second connector assembly includes a housing surrounding the second coaxial connectors, the housing defining a plurality of electrically isolated cavities, each of the second coaxial connectors being located in a respective cavity;

wherein in a mated state the housing abuts the mounting structure and each of the first coaxial connectors mates with a respective second coaxial connector;

Wherein each of the second coaxial connectors comprises an outer connector body located within a respective cavity, and wherein a gap exists between the outer connector body and the housing;

Wherein each of the outer connector bodies comprises a first radially outwardly extending flange and a second radially outwardly extending flange forward of the first flange; and

Wherein a spring is provided between the first flange and the housing arranged rearwardly relative to said first flange.

2. The mating connector assembly of claim 1, wherein a free end of a respective one of the first coaxial connectors fits within the open gap of the second flange.

3. The mating connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the free end includes a radially outward beveled edge.

4. The mating connector assembly of claim 3, wherein the aperture gap includes a sloped surface positioned to engage a sloped edge of the free end.

5. A mating connector assembly comprising:

A first connector assembly including a plurality of first coaxial connectors mounted on a mounting structure;

A second connector assembly comprising a plurality of second coaxial connectors, each of the second coaxial connectors being connected with a respective coaxial cable and mated with a respective first coaxial connector;

The second connector assembly includes a housing surrounding the second coaxial connectors, the housing defining a plurality of electrically isolated cavities, each of the second coaxial connectors being located in a respective cavity;

Wherein in a mated state the housing abuts the mounting structure and each of the first coaxial connectors mates with a respective second coaxial connector; and

Wherein each of the second coaxial connectors comprises an outer connector body located within a respective cavity, and wherein an open-bore gap exists between the outer connector body and the housing; and

Wherein each of the outer connector bodies includes a radially outwardly extending flange; and

Wherein in the mated condition, a free end of each of the first coaxial connectors engages a corresponding flange of the second coaxial connector.

6. The mating connector assembly of claim 5, wherein the flange has a forwardly extending protrusion such that a recess is formed in the flange, and wherein in the mated condition, a free end of the respective first coaxial connector is received in the recess.

7. The mating connector assembly of claim 6, wherein the free end includes a radially outward beveled edge.

8. The mating connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the recess includes a sloped surface positioned to engage a sloped edge of the free end.