Flatline cable impedance matching adapter

Claim 2

An adapter for providing an impedance match between the adapter and a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel conductors insulated from each other and a shield common to the conductor, said adapter comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block member constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the plurality of holes formed in said conductive block member; said plurality of contact elements electrically insulated from said conductive block member and from each other; and fastening means in said interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements while maintaining a distance between the conductors and the conductive block member which is essentially the same as the distance between the conductors and the shield of the flat cable.

Claim 3

The adapter of claim 1 wherein the support block member forms the conductors of the flat cable parallel to said interface.

Claim 4

The adapter of claim 2 wherein the fastening means electrically contacts each of the conductors of the flat cable without removing the insulation from the conductors.

Claim 5

The adapter of claim 1 wherein the fastening means is a printed circuit board.

Claim 6

The adapter of claim 4 wherein the printed circuit board includes a signal path for each of the corresponding conductors of the flat cable and a common ground path laminated on both faces of the printed circuit board for the shield of the flat cable.

Claim 7

The adapter of claim 5 wherein the printed circuit board includes the means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of the flat cable and the conductive block member.

Claim 8

A connector for providing an impedance match between a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel conductors insulated from each other and a shield common to the conductors, and a plurality of coaxial cables each cable having a signal lead and a shield, said connector comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block members constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; means for providing Electrical conduction between the shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the plurality of holes formed in said conductive block member; said plurality of contact elements electrically insulated from said conductive block member and from each other; fastening means in said interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements while maintaining a distance between the conductors and the conductive block member which is essentially the same as the distance between the conductors and the shield of the flat cable; means projecting into said conductive block for fastening each of the signal leads of said group of coaxial cables to a corresponding one of said plurality of contact elements; and means for providing electrical conduction between a shield of each of said group of coaxial cables to said conductive block member.

Claim 9

A connector for providing an impedance match between a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel conductors insulated from each other and a shield common to the conductors, and a plurality of coaxial cables each cable having a signal lead and a shield, said connector comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block members constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; means for providing Electrical conduction between the shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the plurality of holes formed in said conductive block member; said plurality of contact elements electrically insulated from said conductive block member and from each other; fastening means in said interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements while maintaining a distance between the conductors and the conductive block member which is essentially the same as the distance between the conductors and the shield of the flat cable; means projecting into said conductive block for fastening each of the signal leads of said group of coaxial cables to a corresponding one of said plurality of contact elements; and means for providing electrical conduction between a shield of each of said group of coaxial cables to said conductive block member.

Claim 10

The connector of claim 7 wherein the support block member forms the conductors of the flat cable parallel to said interface.

Claim 11

The connector of claim 8 wherein the fastening means electrically contacts each of the conductors of the flat cable without removing the insulation from the conductors.

Claim 12

The connector of claim 7 wherein the fastening means is a printed circuit board.

Claim 13

The connector of claim 10 wherein the printed circuit board includes a signal path for each of the corresponding conductors of the flat cable and a common ground path laminated on both faces of the printed circuit board for the shield of the flat cable.

Claim 14

The connector of claim 11 wherein the printed circuit board includes the means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of the flat cable and the conductive block member.

Claim 15

An adapter for providing an impedance match between the adapter and a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel insulated conductors and a shield common to the conductors, said adapter comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block members constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the plurality of holes formed in said conductive block member; said plurality of contact elements electrically insulated from said conductive block member and from each other; and fastening means in said interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the parallel conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements such that the contact elements are perpendicular to the plane of the conductors.

Claim 16

An adapter for providing an impedance match between the adapter and a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel insulated conductors and a shield common to the conductors, said adapter comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block members constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the plurality of holes formed in said conductive block member; said plurality of contact elements electrically insulated from said conductive block member and from each other; and fastening means in said interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the parallel conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements such that the contact elements are perpendicular to the plane of the conductors.

Claim 17

The adapter of claim 13 wherein the fastening means electrically contacts each of the conductors of the flat cable without removing the insulation from the conductors.

Claim 18

The adapter of claim 13 wherein the fastening means is a printed circuit board.

Claim 19

The adapter of claim 15 wherein the printed circuit board includes a signal path for each of the corresponding conductors of the flat cable and a common ground path laminated on both faces of the printed circuit board for the shield of the flat cable.

Claim 20

The adapter of claim 16 wherein the printed circuit board includes the means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of the flat cable and the conductive block member.

Claim 21

A connector for providing an impedance match between a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel insulAted conductors and a shield common to the conductors, and a plurality of coaxial cables each having a signal lead and a shield, said connector comprising: a support block member for forming the parallel conductors of the flat cable in a configuration perpendicular to the plane of the flat cable shield; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block members constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the plurality of holes formed in said conductive block member; said plurality of contact elements electrically insulated from said conductive block member and from each other; fastening means in said interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the parallel conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements; means projecting into said conductive block for fastening each of the signal leads of said group of coaxial cables to a corresponding one of said plurality of contact elements; and means for providing electrical conduction between a shield of each of said group of coaxial cables to said conductive block member.

Claim 22

A connector for providing an impedance match between a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel insulAted conductors and a shield common to the conductors, and a plurality of coaxial cables each having a signal lead and a shield, said connector comprising: a support block member for forming the parallel conductors of the flat cable in a configuration perpendicular to the plane of the flat cable shield; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block members constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the plurality of holes formed in said conductive block member; said plurality of contact elements electrically insulated from said conductive block member and from each other; fastening means in said interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the parallel conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements; means projecting into said conductive block for fastening each of the signal leads of said group of coaxial cables to a corresponding one of said plurality of contact elements; and means for providing electrical conduction between a shield of each of said group of coaxial cables to said conductive block member.

Claim 23

The connector of claim 18 wherein the fastening means is a printed circuit board.

Claim 24

A connector for providing an impedance match between a stripline flat cable having a plurality of conductors and a shield common to the conductors, and a plurality of coaxial cables having a center conductor and a shield, said connector comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block members constituting a pair defining a first mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said first mutual interface; a plurality of spaced-apart first electrically conductive contact elements mounted for insertion into a corresponding one of said plurality of holes in said conductive block member, each first contact element having an end projecting into said corresponding holes and electrically insulated from said conductive block member and from each other; means in said first interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements while maintaining a distance between the conductors and the conductive block member which is essentially the same as the distance between the conductors and the shield of the flat cable; means for fastening said support block member to said conductive block member; means for providing electrical conduction between said shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; an adapter block member; said adapter and said conductive block member constituting a pair defining a second mutual interface parallel with said first mutual interface; a plurality of spaced-apart second electrically conductive contact elements mounted in said adapter block member, each second contact element having one end projecting into a corresponding one of said plurality of holes in the conductive block member, each second contact element including an inner portion formed to mate with a corresponding one of said first contact elements and an outer portion insulated from said inner portion for mating with its corresponding hole in the conductive block member; means for providing electrical conduction between each of the center conductors of the plurality of coaxial cables and a corresponding one of said second contact element inner portions; mEans for fastening each of the shield of the plurality of coaxial cables to a corresponding outer portion of said second contact elements; and means for providing cooperative alignment between said support block member and conductive block member combination with said adapter block member.

Claim 25

A connector for providing an impedance match between a stripline flat cable having a plurality of conductors and a shield common to the conductors, and a plurality of coaxial cables having a center conductor and a shield, said connector comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block members constituting a pair defining a first mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said first mutual interface; a plurality of spaced-apart first electrically conductive contact elements mounted for insertion into a corresponding one of said plurality of holes in said conductive block member, each first contact element having an end projecting into said corresponding holes and electrically insulated from said conductive block member and from each other; means in said first interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements while maintaining a distance between the conductors and the conductive block member which is essentially the same as the distance between the conductors and the shield of the flat cable; means for fastening said support block member to said conductive block member; means for providing electrical conduction between said shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; an adapter block member; said adapter and said conductive block member constituting a pair defining a second mutual interface parallel with said first mutual interface; a plurality of spaced-apart second electrically conductive contact elements mounted in said adapter block member, each second contact element having one end projecting into a corresponding one of said plurality of holes in the conductive block member, each second contact element including an inner portion formed to mate with a corresponding one of said first contact elements and an outer portion insulated from said inner portion for mating with its corresponding hole in the conductive block member; means for providing electrical conduction between each of the center conductors of the plurality of coaxial cables and a corresponding one of said second contact element inner portions; mEans for fastening each of the shield of the plurality of coaxial cables to a corresponding outer portion of said second contact elements; and means for providing cooperative alignment between said support block member and conductive block member combination with said adapter block member.

Claim 26

The connector of claim 20 wherein the electrically conductive block member comprises a solid metallic piece.

Claim 27

The connector of claim 20 wherein the electrically conductive block member comprises an electrically nonconductive material having an electrically conductive lamination covering its exterior surface.

Claim 28

The connector of claim 20 wherein the means in said first interface for providing electrical conduction between each of the conductions of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements is a printed circuit board.

Claim 29

The connector of claim 23 wherein the printed circuit board includes a signal path for each of the corresponding conductors of the flat cable and a common ground path laminated on both faces and spaced a distance from the signal paths such that the impedance of the flat cables is maintained through the electrical connection between each of the conductors of the flat cable and a corresponding one of said contact elements.

Claim 30

An adapter for providing an impedance match between the adapter and a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel conductors insulated from each other and a shield common to the conductors, said adapter comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block member constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; a printed circuit board located in said mutual interface and having a plurality of electrically conductive signal runs formed thereon; means for fastening each of the conductors of the flat cables to a corresponding signal run of said printed circuit board; and a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements electrically fastened to said signal runs and mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the holes formed in said conductive block member.

Claim 31

An adapter for providing an impedance match between the adapter and a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel conductors insulated from each other and a shield common to the conductors, said adapter comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block member constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of said flat cable and said conductive block member; a printed circuit board located in said mutual interface and having a plurality of electrically conductive signal runs formed thereon; means for fastening each of the conductors of the flat cables to a corresponding signal run of said printed circuit board; and a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements electrically fastened to said signal runs and mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the holes formed in said conductive block member.

Claim 32

An adapter for providing an impedance match between the adapter and a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel conductors insulated from each other and a shield common to the conductors, said adapter comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block member constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; a printed circuit board located in said mutual interface and having an electrically conductive lamination formed on both sides of said printed circuit board, the laminations on both sides being electrically interconnected; a plurality of signal runs formed in said electrically conductive lamination on said printed circuit board such that each signal run is insulated from each other; means for fastening each of the conductors of the flat cable to a corresponding signal run of said printed circuit board; a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements electrically fastened to said signal run and mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the holes formed in said conductive block member; means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of the flat cable and the electrically conductive lamination on the printed circuit board; and means for providing electrical conduction between the electrically conduCtive lamination on the printed circuit board and the electrically conductive block member.

Claim 33

An adapter for providing an impedance match between the adapter and a stripline flat cable having a plurality of parallel conductors insulated from each other and a shield common to the conductors, said adapter comprising: a support block member; an electrically conductive block member having a plurality of holes parallel to each other formed therethrough; said support and said conductive block member constituting a pair defining a mutual interface with the holes in said conductive block member perpendicular to said interface; a printed circuit board located in said mutual interface and having an electrically conductive lamination formed on both sides of said printed circuit board, the laminations on both sides being electrically interconnected; a plurality of signal runs formed in said electrically conductive lamination on said printed circuit board such that each signal run is insulated from each other; means for fastening each of the conductors of the flat cable to a corresponding signal run of said printed circuit board; a plurality of spaced-apart electrically conductive contact elements electrically fastened to said signal run and mounted such that each contact element projects into a corresponding one of the holes formed in said conductive block member; means for providing electrical conduction between the shield of the flat cable and the electrically conductive lamination on the printed circuit board; and means for providing electrical conduction between the electrically conduCtive lamination on the printed circuit board and the electrically conductive block member.