Device for Connecting a Coaxial Cable

The invention concerns a device for connecting the inner and outer conductor of a coaxial cable to contact pins.

Such devices are, for example, used in telecommunications equipment. In this respect, connections of coaxial cables are also required to, for example, a female or male connector, arranged on a printed-circuit board, of a multipoint connector. With known, so-called snap-in inserts, parts of the multipoint connector can be replaced with coaxial connectors consisting of coaxial plugs and coaxial sockets. Such multipoint connectors with snap-in inserts represent an essential cost factor. From EP-A 31 869 a transition is known from a coaxial cable to a multipoint connector. The transition consists of a coplanar wall line with a conductor strip which is surrounded by a conductive surface. The inner conductor of the coaxial cable is brought into contact with one end of the conductive strip and the outer conductor is brought into contact with the conductive surface of the strip line at least at one place. The other end of the conductive strip is connected to one pin of the multipoint connector. At least one adjacent pin is connected to the conductive surface of the strip line.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of the type indicated at the beginning which makes possible an electrically secure connection of a coaxial cable, in particular to contact pins of a female or male connector, arranged, for example, on a printed-circuit board, which can be simply and economically manufactured and has good electrical properties in respect of coaxial signal routing.

The object is achieved in a device of the type indicated at the beginning in that the device has an essentially planar part of a material which is a good electrical conductor, having a connection lug for connecting the outer conductor, the part having through-holes near the circumference, through which first contact pins can be passed and brought into contact with the part and it being possible to pass a second contact pin through a recess arranged approximately in the center of the part and to bring it into contact with the inner conductor of the coaxial cable.

Advantageous embodiments are contained in the subclaims.

The invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments represented diagrammatically in the figures.

FIG. 1 shows an isometric representation partially in section of a multipoint connector arranged on a printed-circuit board, having a device for the connection of a coaxial cable.

FIG. 2 shows partially in section the arrangement of FIG. 1 in a side view.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed isometric representation of a device for the connection of a coaxial cable.

FIG. 4 shows as a further exemplary embodiment an isometric representation of a device for the connection of two coaxial cables.

The device represented in FIGS. 1 to 3, for connecting an inner conductor 2 and an outer conductor 3 of a coaxial cable 1 to the female or male connector of a multipoint connector 6 arranged on a printed-circuit board 7 comprises a planar part 8 of material which is a good electrical conductor. The part 8 FIG. 3, has a connection lug 13 provided with clamping tonas 10, to which connection lug the end of the outer conductor 3 freed from the cable sheath 12, in the exemplary embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, is clamped tight and soldered on in a known way. In a further exemplary embodiment, the connection of the outer conductor to the connection lug is made with the aid of a ferrule (not shown). The part 8 has adjacent to its circumference through-holes 14 which are designed in correspondence with the arrangement pattern of contact pins 5 arranged on the printed-circuit board 7. The through-holes 14 are constructed in the exemplary embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 as terminal contacts and are made in the part 8 which is produced from spring steel, for example by etching. In the exemplary embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, contact pins 5 which are arranged on a female or male multipoint connector 6 are passed through the through-holes 14 and electrically and mechanically connected to the part 8 by the clamping effect by the edges of part 8 at holes 14. The part 8 has arranged approximately in its center a further recess 15, through which a central contact pin 16 is passed to the female or male multipoint connector 6. The central contact pin 16 is connected to the end, which has been freed from the intermediate insulation 4, of the inner conductor 2 of the coaxial cable 1, for example by means of a solder spring 9 or by means of a locking sleeve. In the exemplary embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, the end of the central contact pin 16 projecting out from the part 8 is passed through an insulating disk 11 for the prevention of short circuits. To obtain a desired distance between the part 8 and the printed-circuit board 7, between the printed-circuit board and part 8 a correspondingly constructed spacing piece (not shown) can be inserted. Contact pins 5 already known from press-in systems are especially suitable, since these are constructed to be thicker in their lower region.

The device represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 thus provides a simple, cost-effective and electrically secure connection of a coaxial cable to contact pins, in particular of a female or male connector, arranged, for example, on a printed-circuit board, of a multipoint connector. The multipoint connector enables contact to be made in an easily detachable manner to a corresponding multipoint connector. Due to the arrangement pattern of the through-holes 14 of the part 8, this device has good electrical properties in respect of coaxial signal routing. Moreover, the possibility is created of realizing the coaxial cable connection together with other cables, for example via the female connector, represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, of a multipoint connector 6 for example within a common cable harness.

In addition to the exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 3, other embodiments are conceivable, in particular for multiple coaxial connections. Thus, for example, in FIG. 4 a device for connecting two coaxial cables is represented.

A planar part 17 is constructed approximately corresponding to two adjacent parts 8 of the exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 3, only one central row 18 of holes 14 being provided in order to save space. The part 17 has two connection lugs 13 with corresponding tangs 10 for connecting the outer conductors of the coaxial cables and is provided with through-holes 14 which are arranged according to the arrangement pattern of the contact pins 5 of the female connector 6 represented in FIGS. 1 and 2. The central contact pins can be passed through two recesses 15 of the part 17, which are in each case arranged in the centre of the through-holes 14, according to the exemplary embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 and can be brought into contact with the inner conductor of the coaxial cable.