RF electrical connector

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an RF electrical connector equipped with a metallic shell.

2. Description of Related Arts

China Patent No. CN101202397B discloses an RF (Radio Frequency) cable connector which is adapted to be mated with the electrical connector having a cylindrical contour and mounted upon the metallic shell/box. Because the bending moment occurs during mating, it is required to have a reinforced interengagement between the cylindrical outer conductor and the metallic box.

An improved electrical connector with superior interengagement between eh outer conductor and the metal box, is desired.

An object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector with an outer conductor and an inner conductor coaxially arranged with each other with an insulator therebetween. The outer conductor includes a base and a plurality of arc protrusions formed on a rear face of the base and coaxially sharing the same circle center. The protrusions are optimally located around a peripheral region of the circle defined by the cross-section of the cylindrical contour. A metallic box includes a top wall, opposite front and rear walls and opposite two side walls. The front wall forms a plurality of arc holes coaxially arranged with regard to a common center so as to snugly receive the corresponding arc protrusions of the outer conductor, respectively.

Some holes and the corresponding protrusions are coupled in an interference fit while other holes and the corresponding protrusions are coupled with clearances so as to provide both rigidity and flexibility of interengagement between the outer conductor and the metal box.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is another exploded perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1 wherein the protrusions is riveted;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the electrical connector according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 6 ;

FIG. 8 is another perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 6 ;

FIG. 9 is another exploded perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 7 ;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the electrical connector of according to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 10 ;

FIG. 12 is another perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 10 ;

FIG. 13 is another exploded perspective view of the electrical connector of FIG. 11 ;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the mating port of the electrical connector of FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIGS. 1-5 and 14-15 , an electrical connector 100 includes a mating unit 2 and a metal box 1 secured to each other. The metal box 1 is adapted to be mounted upon a printed circuit board (not shown) as well as the mating unit 2 . The metal box 1 formed by sheet metal, includes a top wall 11 and a plurality of side walls 12 downwardly extending from side edges of the top wall 11 and cooperating with the top wall 11 to commonly form a rectangular downwardly facing cavity 1 . Each side wall 12 has mounting legs 13 extending downwardly from a bottom edge thereof. The front side wall 12 further forms a plurality of through holes and on center hole 120 . The through holes includes a pair of first arc holes 121 and a pair of second arc holes 122 smaller than the first arc holes 121 . The first arc holes 121 and the second arc holes 122 coaxially share the same center and are essentially located around a peripheral region of the corresponding circle with regard to the center hole 120 , wherein the first arc hole 121 is longer than the second arc hole 122 . Two side walls 12 include assembling holes 125 , and the other two side walls 12 include corresponding assembling protrusions 124 to be received within the corresponding assembling holes 125 for assembling the side walls together. In this embodiment, the center hole 120 is essentially located at a lower portion of the front side wall 12 instead of the middle level.

The mating unit 2 includes an outer/periphery conductor 21 having a cylindrical contour, and an inner/center conductor 22 coaxially arranged within the outer conductor 21 with a front mating part for mating with a plug connector, and a rear mounting part for mounting to the printed circuit board. A tubular insulator 25 is located between the inner conductor 22 and the outer conductor 21 . The outer conductor 21 includes a base 211 , a mating section 212 forwardly extending from the base 211 and coaxially arranged with the inner conductor 22 which is essentially located at the circle center, and a plurality of protrusions located around a peripheral region with regard to the corresponding center with regard to the inner conductor 22 . The base 211 is diametrically larger than the tubular section 212 . The outer conductor 21 forms a hole 23 extending through both the base 211 and the tubular section 212 to receive the inner conductor 22 and the insulator 25 therein. Understandably, the center hole 120 is also dimensioned to receive both the inner conductor 22 and the insulator 25 .

The protrusions include a pair of first arc protrusions 2111 and a pair of second arc protrusions 2112 shorter than the first arc protrusion 2111 while being both coaxially arranged with regard to the inner conductor 22 wherein the first arc protrusions 2111 are respectively received within the corresponding first arc holes 121 with clearance while the second arc protrusions 2112 are respectively received within the corresponding second arc holes 122 with an interference it. Understandably, this arrangement provide both rigidity and flexibility for mating and testing. The base 211 further includes a cutout 212 which is used for compliantly receiving a step structure around the corresponding printed circuit board for mounting consideration. Understandably, the rear end of the protrusion is riveted to securely fix the mating unit 2 to the front side wall 12 of the metal box 1 . Alternately, the protrusions may be soldered or welded to the front side wall 12 of the metal box 1 . Understandably, the dimension of the arc through hole should be not only small enough not to jeopardize the required rigidness of the front side wall 12 but also large enough to allow a relatively large arc protrusion to be received therein for enhancing interengagement between the front side wall 12 of the metal box 1 and the outer conductor 21 .

Referring to FIGS. 6-9 , compared with the first embodiment, the pair of first arc protrusions 2111 and the pair of second arc protrusions 2112 of the first embodiment are joined together to form a pair of third arc protrusions 2113 in the second embodiment, and the corresponding first arc hole 121 and second arc hole 122 are also joined together as the third arc hole 123 to receive the third arc protrusion 2113 .

Referring to FIGS. 10-13 , a pair of fourth protrusions 2114 are formed on the rear face of the base 211 and located around a periphery of the hole 23 . Correspondingly, the center hole 120 is enlarged to include a pair of side holes 1201 to receive the pair of fourth protrusions 2114 , respectively. The fourth protrusions 2114 may be riveted for enhancing securement between the metal box 1 and the mating unit 2 .

While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present disclosure are considered within the scope of the present disclosure as described in the appended claims.