Method for plating dielectric elements in an isolator and for assembling the isolator

Claim 1

For an isolator comprising a hollow, cylindrical ferrite bead sandwiched between a pair of hollow, cylindrical dielectric elements having metal plated inner and outer circumferences and non-plated inner and outer circumferences, a method for plating the end faces and for assembling the isolator within a hollow connector shell, comprising: sensitizing and activating the dielectric elements such that a subsequently applied plating will adhere thereto; covering the end faces of the dielectric elements with a non-conductive plating resist; immersing the dielectric elements in a metal plating bath to plate the inner and outer circumferences of the dielectric elements; sandwiching the ferrite bead between the plated dielectric elements such that the dielectric elements abut the ferrite bead without being bonded thereto; providing a tubular conductor sized to fit within said dielectric elements and ferrite bead; surrounding the tubular conductor with a thin solder sheath; inserting the tubular conductor with the solder sheath thereon into the assembled dielectric elements and ferrite bead; surrounding the assembled dielectric elements and ferrite bead with a second thin solder sheath; inserting the assembled dielectric elements and ferrite bead with the second solder sheath thereon into the connector shell; and heating the entire structure so as to solder the tubular conductor to the plated inner circumferences of the dielectric elements and to solder the connector shell to the plated outer circumferences of the dielectric elements.