Coaxial connector

Claim 1

An improved low cost quick connect/disconnect electrical connector having a VSWR of less than 1.35 for all signal frequencies from 0.1 to 6 GHz, including a plug member and a jack member which, when in axial alignment with one another, may be pushed together or pulled apart to interconnect or disconnect two coaxial cables each of substantially the same characteristic impedance, the coaxial cables having an inner conductor and an outer conductor separated by a body of dielectric material, said plug member comprising a first, a second and a third plug parts; said first plug part having a front, central and rear axially extending portions contiguous with one another and being formed of an integral tubular body of relatively soft resilient electrically conductive material, said tubular body having an axial bore extending through the rear portion thereof, said bore having an internal diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the dielectric body of one coaxial cable to permit said dielectric body to be snugly received within the rear portion of said tubular body, a section of said rear portion of said body contiguous with the rear extremity thereof being reduced sufficiently to accept a crimping ferrule for holding the outer conductor of said coaxial cable against the outer periphery of said reduced rear seciton and to form an external laterally extending shoulder against which a crimping ferrule may be longitudinally seated and restrained from axial movement toward the front portion of said tubular body; said tubular body having a first counterbore extending through the central portion thereof, said first counterbore having an internal diameter greater than said bore in said rear portion to form a first internal laterally extending shoulder located at the rear extremity of said first counterbore and the front extremity of said bore, at least a portion of said central portion being reduced on its outer periphery near said rear portion to form a first wall of said relatively soft material which is defined between the inner surface of said first counterbore and the outer surface of said reduced central portion and which is inwardly deformable by externally staking or rolling said wall; said tubular body having a second counterbore extending through the front portion thereof, said second counterbore having a diameter larger than said first counterbore to form a second internal laterally extending shoulder located at the rear extremity of said second counterbore and the front extremity of said first counterbore against which the front extremity of a jack member may abut when said plug and said jack member are pushed together and mated, the internal diameter of said second counterbore and the external diameter of said front portion forming a resilient second wall of said conductive material longitudinally slit and formed to grip said jack member when inserted therein by spring action; said second plug part comprising a cylindrical insert of resilient dielectric material having a diameter substantially equal to that of the first counterbore of said first plug part and positioned within the central portion of said first plug part against said first internal laterally extending shoulder, said insert having a length less than the axial length of said first plug part central portion and retained therein by deformation of said first wall into gripping relation with the outer periphery of said insert, said insert having a central bore for receiving said third plug part; said third plug part comprising an electrically conductive contact having a hollow rear portion for accepting and retaining the inner conductor of one of said coaxial cables and a front end portion formed to pass through from the rear of said firSt plug part and be axially restrained from rearward movement within the bore of said second plug part after the inner conductor of said coaxial cable has been retained in said hollow rear portion thereof; the jack member of said connector system comprising a first, second and third jack parts; said first jack having a front and a rear axially extending portions contiguous with one another and being formed of an integral tubular body of relatively soft resilient electrically conductive material, said tubular body having an axial bore extending through the rear portion thereof, said bore having an internal diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the dielectric body of another coaxial cable to permit said dielectric body to be snugly received within the rear portion of said tubular body, a section of said rear portion of said body contiguous with the rear extremity thereof being reduced sufficiently to accept a crimping ferrule for holding the outer conductor of said coaxial cable against the outer periphery of said reduced rear section and to form an external laterally extending shoulder against which a crimping ferrule may be longitudinally seated and restrained from axial movement toward the front portion of said body; said tubular body having a counterbore extending through the front portion thereof, said counterbore having an internal diameter greater than said rear portion bore to form a first internal laterally extending shoulder located at the rear extremity of said counterbore and the front extremity of said bore, at least a portion of said front portion being reduced on its outer periphery near said rear end portion to form a first wall of said relatively soft material which is defined between the inner surface of said counterbore and the outer surface of said reduced front portion and which is inwardly deformable by externally staking or rolling said wall; said second jack part comprising a cylindrical insert of resilient dielectric material having a diameter substantially equal to that of said first jack part counterbore and positioned within said counterbore against the laterally extending shoulder therein, said insert having a length less than the axial length of said first jack part front portion and retained therein by deformation of said wall into gripping relation with the outer periphery of said insert, said insert having a central bore for receiving said third jack part; said third jack part comprising an electrically conductive contact member matable with the contact member carried by said plug member and having a hollow rear portion for accepting and retaining the inner conductor of the other of said coaxial cables and a front end portion formed to pass through from the rear of said first jack part and be axially restrained from rearward movement therein within the bore of said second jack part after the inner conductor of said coaxial cable has been retained in said hollow rear portion thereof, the spacing between the front surfaces of the dielectric inserts in said plug member and said jack member when said members are mated forming an impedance which is greater than the characteristic impedance of said coaxial cables with the dielectric constant of said inserts and the lengths thereof forming impedances which are less than the characteristic impedance of said coaxial cables whereby said plug member and said jack member when mated provide a connector system having a VSWR of less than 1.35 for all signal frequencies from 0.1 to 6 GHz.