High voltage radio frequency coaxial cable connector

A high voltage RF coaxial cable connector for electrically coupling a high voltage coaxial cable to a bulkhead, comprising:

• a bulkhead connector for mounting to a bulkhead;
• and
• a coaxial cable connector for coupling a coaxial cable and adapted to mate with said bulkhead connector;
• wherein said bulkhead connector comprises:
• a bulkhead connector body being generally cylindrical and having a flanged end, a threaded end, and a generally cylindrical cavity, said threaded end comprising outer threads and inner threads;
• a bulkhead connector dielectric insert snugly fitted within said generally cylindrical cavity of said bulkhead connector body, said bulkhead connector dielectric insert comprising:
• at least two circular grooves and a axial bore, all concentrically disposed with one another on a mating face of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert;
• and
• a center conductor disposed within said axial bore of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert;
• wherein said coaxial cable connector comprises:
• a coaxial cable connector body being generally tapered and having:
• a base end, a tapered end, and a generally tapered cavity, said base end having inner threads and said tapered end having outer threads;
• a coaxial cable connector dielectric insert being generally tapered and snugly fitted within said generally tapered cavity of said coaxial cable connector body, said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert comprising:
• one or more circular grooves and an axial bore, all concentrically disposed with one another on a mating face of said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert;
• and
• a center conductor plug coupled to an end of said coaxial cable and adapted to engage with a center conductor portion of said coaxial cable, said center connector plug and said coaxial cable being disposed within said axial bore of said coaxial connector dielectric insert;
• wherein said coaxial cable comprises said center conductor portion, a shield portion, and a coaxial cable dielectric portion, said coaxial cable dielectric portion being disposed between said center conductor portion and said shield portion;
• wherein as said bulkhead connector matingly engages said coaxial cable connector, said mating face of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert at least partially overlies said mating face of said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert, thereby forming a first air gap therebetween, said first air gap having an impedance determined, at least in part, by a first air gap distance based on:
• (1) a length between said inner and outer diameters of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert and (2) depths of said at least two circular grooves of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert and said one or more circular grooves of said coaxial cable connector;
• and
• wherein a second air gap distance is formed based on the length from said center conductor plug portion to said shield portion of said coaxial cable, said second air gap having approximately the same air gap distance as said first air gap.

A high voltage RF coaxial cable connector for electrically coupling a high voltage coaxial cable to a bulkhead, comprising:

• a bulkhead connector for mounting to a bulkhead;
• and
• a coaxial cable connector for coupling a coaxial cable and electrically coupling said coaxial cable to said bulkhead connector;
• wherein said bulkhead connector comprises:
• a bulkhead connector body being generally cylindrical and having a threaded end, a flanged end, and a generally cylindrical cavity, said threaded end comprising outer threads and inner threads and said flange end comprising an outer flange and an annular protrusion;
• a bulkhead connector dielectric insert snugly fitted within said generally cylindrical cavity of said bulkhead connector body and comprising:
• an annular shoulder contacting said annular protrusion of said bulkhead connector body, at least two circular grooves concentrically disposed with one another on a mating face of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert, an axial bore concentrically disposed within said at least two circular grooves, and an annular protrusion located within a sidewall of said axial bore;
• a center conductor disposed within said axial bore of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert and comprising:
• a head and a cylindrical body having a threaded bore and a neck portion, said neck portion being adapted to threadably couple with said head to form an intermediate annular recess engaged with said annular protrusion located within said sidewall of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert;
• and
• a first dielectric locking ring being generally cylindrical and having outer mating threads threadably engaged with said inner threads of said bulkhead connector body and an opening with a diameter fitted to allow said first dielectric locking ring to abut against said at least one annular shoulder of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert, such that said bulkhead connector dielectric insert is secured within said generally cylindrical cavity of said bulkhead connector body;
• wherein said coaxial cable connector comprises:
• a coaxial cable connector body being centered about a central longitudinal axis and generally tapered at an acute angle of about 15 degrees from said central longitudinal axis, said coaxial cable connector body comprising:
• a base end, a tapered end, and a generally tapered cavity, said base end having inner threads and said tapered end having outer threads;
• a coaxial cable connector dielectric insert being centered about said central longitudinal axis and generally tapered at an acute angle of about 15 degrees from said central longitudinal axis, such that said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert snugly fits within said generally tapered cavity of said coaxial cable connector body, said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert comprising:
• one or more circular grooves located on a mating face of said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert, an axial bore concentrically disposed within said one or more circular grooves of said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert, and an annular shoulder located on a sidewall of said axial bore;
• a second dielectric locking ring being generally cylindrical and having outer mating threads threadably engaged with said inner mating threads of said coaxial connector body and an opening with a diameter fitted to allow said second dielectric locking ring to abut against said at least one annular shoulder of said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert, such that said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert is secured within said generally tapered cavity of said coaxial cable connector body;
• and
• a center conductor plug coupled to an end of said coaxial cable and adapted to engage with said head of said center conductor, said center connector plug and said coaxial cable being disposed inside said axial bore of said coaxial connector dielectric insert;
• and
• a mating connector ring adapted to secure and prevent relative movement of said bulkhead connector and said coaxial cable connector, said mating connector ring having an annular protrusion adapted to engage said base end of said coaxial connector body and inner threads adapted to threadably engage with said threaded end of said bulkhead connector body when said coaxial cable connector mates with said bulkhead connector;
• wherein said coaxial cable comprises a center conductor portion, a shield portion, and a coaxial cable dielectric portion, said coaxial cable dielectric portion being disposed between said center conductor portion and said shield portion;
• wherein as said bulkhead connector matingly engages said coaxial cable connector, said mating face of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert at least partially overlies said mating face of said coaxial cable connector dielectric insert, thereby forming a first air gap therebetween, said first air gap having an impedance determined, at least in part, by a first air gap distance based on:
• (1) a length between said inner and outer diameters of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert and (2) depths of said at least two circular grooves of said bulkhead connector dielectric insert and said one or more circular grooves of said coaxial cable connector;
• and
• wherein a second air gap distance is formed based on the length from said center conductor plug portion and said shield portion of said coaxial cable, said second air gap having approximately the same air gap distance as said first air gap.