Means for sealing the crimped end portion of a wave guide

Claim 2

Means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide, comprising: a wave guide comprised of an annular, tubular conductor, said conductor having an end portion that is to be crimped and secured; an attachment part; a separate conductor part for serving as a continuation of said conductor; said attachment part and said conductor part having respective opposed end faces defining an annular gap therebetween, said attachment part and said conductor part being oriented and positioned such that said conductor end portion is crimped so as to be oriented to extend generally radially outwardly of said conductor and said conductor end portion is in said gap between said opposed end faces; a flexible, membrane-like, annular sealing element in said gap; said sealing element having a radially more inwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said sealing element also having a radially more outwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said inward and said outward lands being spaced apart radially a first distance; both said sealing element lands project both toward said conductor part from one side of said sealing element and toward said attachment part from the opposite side of said sealing element; said conductor end portion being of a length such that it extends radially outward so as to be between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said conductor end portion having an end edge and said end portion being of a length such that said end edge is between said inward and said outward lands; the lengths axially of said conductor of said lands on the said attachment part side of said sealing element are greater than the lengths axially of said conductor of the reSpective said lands on said conductor part side of said sealing element; said sealing element being of a thickness and said lands being of a length axially of said conductor on said conductor part side of said sealing element and said sealing elements having such flexibility that said inward land clamps said conductor end portion against said conductor part end face and said outward land clamps against said conductor part end face without contacting said conductor end portion; said first radial distance between said inward and outward lands being great enough to cause said lands to be separated from each other a distance at their respective clamping surfaces with said conductor end portion and with said conductor part end face to provide such clearance as to maintain the recited relationship of said conductor end portion with said inward and outward lands despite normal non-uniformity of said radial length of said conductor end portion.

Claim 3

The means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide of claim 1, wherein the length axially of said conductor of said inward land on said conductor part side of said sealing element is shorter than the length axially of said conductor of said outward land on the same side of said sealing element and that the extent that said inward land is shorter is the thickness of said conductor end portion as it passes between said inward land and said conductor part end face.

Claim 4

Means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide, comprising: a wave guide comprised of an annular, tubular conductor, said conductor having an end portion that is to be crimped and secured; an attachment part; a separate conductor part for serving as a continuation of said conductor; said attachment part and said conductor part having respective opposed end faces defining an annular gap therebetween, said attachment part and said conductor part being oriented and positioned such that said conductor end portion is crimped so as to be oriented to extend generally radially outwardly of said conductor and said conductor end portion is in said gap between said opposed end faces; a flexible, membrane-like, annular sealing element in said gap; said sealing element having a radially more inwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said sealing element also having a radially more outwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said inward and said outward lands being spaced apart radially a first distance; said conductor end portion being of a length such that it extends radially outward so as to be between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said conductor end portion having an end edge and said end portion being of a length such that said end edge is between said inward and said outward lands; said sealing element being of a thickness and said lands being of a length axially of said conductor and said sealing elements having such flexibility that said inward land clamps said conductor end portion against said conductor part end face and said outward land clamps against said conductor part end face without contacting said conductor end portion; the length axially of said conductor of said inward land is preformed to be shorter than the preformed length axially of said conductor of said outward land by the thickness of said conductor end portion as said conductor passes between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said first radial distance between said inward and outward lands being great enough to cause said lands to be separated from each other a distance at their respective clamping surfaces with said conductor end portion and with said conductor part end face to provide such clearance as to maintain the recited relationship of said conductor end portion with said inward and outward lands despite normal non-uniformity of said radial lEngth of said conductor end portion.

Claim 5

Means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide, comprising: a wave guide comprised of an annular, tubular conductor, said conductor having an end portion that is to be crimped and secured; an attachment part; a separate conductor part for serving as a continuation of said conductor; said attachment part and said conductor part having respective opposed end faces defining an annular gap therebetween, said attachment part and said conductor part being oriented and positioned such that said conductor end portion is crimped so as to be oriented to extend generally radially outwardly of said conductor and said conductor end portion is in said gap between said opposed end faces; a flexible, membrane-like, annular sealing element in said gap; said sealing element having a radially more inwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said sealing element also having a radially more outwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said inward and said outward lands being spaced apart radially a first distance; said conductor end portion being of a length such that it extends radially outward so as to be between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said conductor end portion having an end edge and said end portion being of a length such that said end edge is between said inward and said outward lands; said sealing element being of a thickness and said lands being of a length axially of said conductor and said sealing elements having such flexibility that said inward land clamps said conductor end portion against said conductor part end face and said outward land clamps against said conductor part end face without contacting said conductor end portion; the length axially of said conductor of said inward land is preformed to be shorter than the preformed length axially of said conductor of said outward land by the thickness of said conductor end portion as said conductor passes between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said first radial distance between said inward and outward lands being great enough to cause said lands to be separated from each other a distance at their respective clamping surfaces with said conductor end portion and with said conductor part end face to provide such clearance as to maintain the recited relationship of said conductor end portion with said inward and outward lands despite normal non-uniformity of said radial lEngth of said conductor end portion.

Claim 6

Means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide, comprising: a wave guide comprised of an annular, tubular conductor, said conductor having an end portion that is to be crimped and secured; an attachment part; a separate conductor part for serving as a continuation of said conductor; said attachment part and said conductor part having respective opposed end faces defining an annular gap therebetween, said attachment part and said conductor part being oriented and positioned such that said conductor end portion is crimped so as to be oriented to extend generally radially outwardly of said conductor and said conductor end portion is in said gap between said opposed end faces; a flexible, membrane-like, annular sealing element in said gap; said sealing element having a radially more inwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said sealing element also having a radially more outwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said inward and said outward lands being spaced apart radially a first distance; said conductor end portion being of a length such that it extends radially outward so as to be between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said conductor end portion having an end edge and said end portion being of a length such that said end edge is between said inward and said outward lands; said sealing element being of a thickness and said lands being of a length axially of said conductor and said sealing elements having such flexibility that said inward land clamps said conductor end portion against said conductor part end face and said outward land clamps against said conductor part end face without contacting said conductor end portion; said first radial distance between said inward and outward lands being great enough to cause said lands to be separated from each other a distance at their respective clamping surfaces with said conductor end portion and with said conductor part end face to provide such clearance as to maintain the recited relationship of said conductor end portion with said inward and outward lands despite normal non-uniformity of said radial length of said conductor end portion; said sealing element extends radially outwardly a distance beyond said outward land to an external, annular, sealing land that is spaced from said outward land and that is of a length axially of said conductor sufficient to cause said sealing element at said external land to engage both said end faces and to seal said gap between said end spaces; attachment means for fastening said attachment part and said conductor part together; receiving holes extending into both said attachment part and said conductor part, extending through said end faces and aligned across said gap between said end faces; said attachment means being secured in said receiving holes; passage holes through said sealing element through which said attachment means pass; said external land passing around said sealing element passage holes radially outwardly thereof with respect to said conductor.

Claim 7

Means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide, comprising: a wave guide comprised of an annular, tubular conductor, said conductor having an end portion that is to be crimped and secured; an attachment part; a separate conductor part for serving as a continuation of said conductor; said attachment part and said conductor part having respective opposed end faces defining an annular gap therebetween, said attachment part and said conductor part being oriented and positioned such that said conductor end portion is crimped so as to be oriented to extend generally radially outwardly of said conductor and said conductor end portion is in said gap between said opposed end faces; a flexible, membrane-like, annular sealing element in said gap; said sealing element having a radially more inwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said sealing element also having a radially more outwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said inward and said outward lands being spaced apart radially a first distance; said conductor end portion being of a length such that it extends radially outward so as to be between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said conductor end portion having an end edge and said end portion being of a length such that said end edge is between said inward and said outward lands; said sealing element being of a thickness and said lands being of a length axially of said conductor and said sealing elements having such flexibility that said inward land clamps said conductor end portion against said conductor part end face and said outward land clamps against said conductor part end face without contacting said conductor end portion; said first radial distance between said inward and outward lands being great enough to cause said lands to be separated from each other a distance at their respective clamping surfaces with said conductor end portion and with said conductor part end face to provide such clearance as to maintain the recited relationship of said conductor end portion with said inward and outward lands despite normal non-uniformity of said radial length of said conductor end portion; said sealing element extends radially outwardly a distance beyond said outward land to an external, annular, sealing land that is spaced from said outward land and that is of a length axially of said conductor sufficient to cause said sealing element at said external land to engage both said end faces and to seal said gap between said end spaces; attachment means for fastening said attachment part and said conductor part together; receiving holes extending into both said attachment part and said conductor part, extending through said end faces and aligned across said gap between said end faces; said attachment means being secured in said receiving holes; passage holes through said sealing element through which said attachment means pass; said external land passing around said sealing element passage holes radially outwardly thereof with respect to said conductor.

Claim 8

The means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide of claim 4, wherein said attachment means are screws; each said passage hole is aligned with a respective said receiving hole in said attachment part and a respective said receiving hole in said conductor part; said passage holes are of a smaller diameter than said attachment means screws.

Claim 9

The means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide of claim 4, further comprising a sealing sleeve section of said attachment part and surrounding said conductor and extending away from said conductor part; said sealing sleeve being of a size to define a sealable gap between said sealing sleeve and said conductor; an elastic, self-curing composition in said sealing gap for sealing it.

Claim 10

Means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide, comprising: a wave guide comprised of an annular, tubular conductor, said conductor having an end portion that is to be crimped and secured; an attachment part; a separate conductor part for serving as a continuation of said conductor; said attachment part and said conductor part having respective opposed end faces defining an annular gap therebetween, said attachment part and said conductor part being oriented and positioned such that said conductor end portion is crimped so as to be oriented to extend generally radially outwardly of said conductor and said conductor end portion is in said gap between said opposed end faces; a flexible, membrane-like, annular sealing element in said gap; said sealing element having a radially more inwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said sealing element also having a radially more outwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said inward and said outward lands being spaced apart radially a first distance; said conductor end portion being of a length such that it extends radially outward so as to be between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said conductor end portion having an end edge and said end portion being of a length such that said end edge is between said inward and said outward lands; said sealing element being of a thickness and said lands being of a length axially of said conductor and said sealing elements having such flexibility that said inward land clamps said conductor end portion against said conductor part end face and said outward land clamps against said conductor part end face without contacting said conductor end portion; said first radial distance between said inward and outward lands being great enough to cause said lands to be separated from each other a distance at their respective clamping surfaces with said conductor end portion and with said conductor part end face to provide such clearance as to maintain the recited relationship of said conductor end portion with said inward and outward lands despite normal non-uniformity of said radial length of said conductor end portion; a sealing sleeve section of said attachment part surrounding said conductor and extending away from said conductor part; said sealing sleeve being of a size to define a sealable gap between said sealing sleeve and said conductor; a sealing ring in said sealable gap; said sealing ring being shaped to sealingly pass around the exterior of said conductor and being of a generally circular cross-section and being of a thickness to seal closed said sealable gap.

Claim 11

Means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide, comprising: a wave guide comprised of an annular, tubular conductor, said conductor having an end portion that is to be crimped and secured; an attachment part; a separate conductor part for serving as a continuation of said conductor; said attachment part and said conductor part having respective opposed end faces defining an annular gap therebetween, said attachment part and said conductor part being oriented and positioned such that said conductor end portion is crimped so as to be oriented to extend generally radially outwardly of said conductor and said conductor end portion is in said gap between said opposed end faces; a flexible, membrane-like, annular sealing element in said gap; said sealing element having a radially more inwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said sealing element also having a radially more outwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said inward and said outward lands being spaced apart radially a first distance; said conductor end portion being of a length such that it extends radially outward so as to be between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said conductor end portion having an end edge and said end portion being of a length such that said end edge is between said inward and said outward lands; said sealing element being of a thickness and said lands being of a length axially of said conductor and said sealing elements having such flexibility that said inward land clamps said conductor end portion against said conductor part end face and said outward land clamps against said conductor part end face without contacting said conductor end portion; said first radial distance between said inward and outward lands being great enough to cause said lands to be separated from each other a distance at their respective clamping surfaces with said conductor end portion and with said conductor part end face to provide such clearance as to maintain the recited relationship of said conductor end portion with said inward and outward lands despite normal non-uniformity of said radial length of said conductor end portion; a sealing sleeve section of said attachment part surrounding said conductor and extending away from said conductor part; said sealing sleeve being of a size to define a sealable gap between said sealing sleeve and said conductor; a sealing ring in said sealable gap; said sealing ring being shaped to sealingly pass around the exterior of said conductor and being of a generally circular cross-section and being of a thickness to seal closed said sealable gap.

Claim 12

The means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide of claim 7, further comprising sealing ring compression means extending into said sealable gap and engaging said sealing ring on the side thereof which causes said compression means to bias said sealing ring against said attachment part and said conductor to seal said sealable gap.

Claim 13

The means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide of claim 8, wherein said ring compression means comprise means movable along said conductor toward said conductor part and includes an abutment on said movable means that is biasable against said sealing ring; means in said sealable gap for restraining said sealing ring against movement under bias of said ring compression means.

Claim 14

Means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide, comprising: a wave guide comprised of an annular, tubular conductor, said conductor having an end portion that is to be crimped and secured; an attachment part; a separate conductor part for serving as a continuation of said conductor; said attachment part and said conductor part having respective opposed end faces defining an annular gap therebetween, said attachment part and said conductor part being orieNted and positioned such that said conductor end portion is crimped so as to be oriented to extend generally radially outwardly of said conductor and said conductor end portion is in said gap between said opposed end faces; a flexible, membrane-like, annular sealing element in said gap, said sealing element having a radially more inwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said sealing element also having a radially more outwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said inward and said outward lands being spaced apart radially a first distance; said conductor end portion being of a length such that it extends radially outward so as to be between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said conductor end portion having an end edge and said end portion being of a length such that said end edge is between said inward and said outward lands; said sealing element being of a thickness and said lands being of a length axially of said conductor and said sealing elements having such flexibility that said inward land clamps said conductor end portion against said conductor part end face and said outward land clamps against said conductor part end face without contacting said conductor end portion; said first radial distance between said inward and outward lands being great enough to cause said lands to be separated from each other a distance at their respective clamping surfaces with said conductor end portion and with said conductor part end face to provide such clearance as to maintain the recited relationship of said conductor end portion with said inward and outward lands despite normal non-uniformity of said radial length of said conductor end portion; said conductor being ovular in shape and at least said inward land being coaxially ovular to said conductor and being correspondingly shaped; said conductor end portion having a free end edge which is cut off obliquely such that when said end portion is crimped into said gap, said end portion extends radially outwardly from the fold of the crimp generally a constant distance annularly around said end portion.

Claim 15

Means for securing the crimped end of a wave guide, comprising: a wave guide comprised of an annular, tubular conductor, said conductor having an end portion that is to be crimped and secured; an attachment part; a separate conductor part for serving as a continuation of said conductor; said attachment part and said conductor part having respective opposed end faces defining an annular gap therebetween, said attachment part and said conductor part being orieNted and positioned such that said conductor end portion is crimped so as to be oriented to extend generally radially outwardly of said conductor and said conductor end portion is in said gap between said opposed end faces; a flexible, membrane-like, annular sealing element in said gap, said sealing element having a radially more inwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said sealing element also having a radially more outwardly located annular sealing land extending around it and extending axially of said conductor toward said conductor part end face; said inward and said outward lands being spaced apart radially a first distance; said conductor end portion being of a length such that it extends radially outward so as to be between said inward land and said conductor part end face; said conductor end portion having an end edge and said end portion being of a length such that said end edge is between said inward and said outward lands; said sealing element being of a thickness and said lands being of a length axially of said conductor and said sealing elements having such flexibility that said inward land clamps said conductor end portion against said conductor part end face and said outward land clamps against said conductor part end face without contacting said conductor end portion; said first radial distance between said inward and outward lands being great enough to cause said lands to be separated from each other a distance at their respective clamping surfaces with said conductor end portion and with said conductor part end face to provide such clearance as to maintain the recited relationship of said conductor end portion with said inward and outward lands despite normal non-uniformity of said radial length of said conductor end portion; said conductor being ovular in shape and at least said inward land being coaxially ovular to said conductor and being correspondingly shaped; said conductor end portion having a free end edge which is cut off obliquely such that when said end portion is crimped into said gap, said end portion extends radially outwardly from the fold of the crimp generally a constant distance annularly around said end portion.