Multi-port coaxial printed circuit board connector

Claim 1

An assembly (28) for providing coaxial connections between first and second pluralities of contact positions, said first plurality of contact positions being arranged in a first substantially planar two dimensional array defined by the intersections of a first set (58) of parallel lines and a second set (60) of parallel lines transverse to said first set (58), said second plurality of contact positions being arranged in a second substantially planar two dimensional array defined by the intersections of a third set (62) of parallel lines and a fourth set (64) of parallel lines transverse to said third set (62), with the planes of said first and second pluralities of contact positions being substantially orthogonal to each other, said assembly (28) comprising: a housing (74) having a base portion (80) and a wall portion (84), said base portion (80) being formed with through-bores (82) in a two dimensional array corresponding to said first array, said wall portion (84) being substantially planar and extending from said base portion (80) from a region outside said array of through-bores (82) parallel to said through-bores (82) and parallel to said first set (58) of lines, said wall portion (84) having a plurality of parallel slots (86) open at the distal end of said wall portion (84), each of said slots (86) being aligned with a respective line in said second set (60) of lines; a plurality of coaxial cable subassemblies (30) each terminated at both ends with a respective coaxial contact assembly (34, 38), the contact assemblies (34) at the first ends (32) of said cable subassemblies (30) each being disposed in a respective one of said through-­bores (82) and the second ends (36) of said cable subassemblies (30) each being disposed in a respective slot (86) aligned with the line of the second set (60) of lines corresponding to the through-bore (82) in which the contact assembly (34) at the first end (32) of that cable subassembly (30) is disposed; a faceplate member (76) including a wall (98) formed with a plurality of apertures (100) arranged in a two dimensional array corresponding to the positions of the second cable subassembly ends (36) disposed in the slots (86) of the housing wall portion (84); a cover member (78) including means (90) for holding the cable subassemblies (30); and means (106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116) for securing said faceplate member (76) to said cover member (78) with said housing wall portion (84) therebetween so that the contact assemblies (38) at the second ends (36) of the cable subassemblies (30) extend through respective ones of the apertures (100) in the faceplate member wall (98).