Connector for electromagnetic impulse suppression

An electrical surge suppressor for shunting electromagnetic impulse energy from the center conductor to the shield of a coaxial transmission line having a known characteristic impedance, the electrical surge suppressor comprising in combination:

• a first conductor interposed between adjacent sections of the center conductor;
• a circumferential conductor interposed between adjacent sections of the shield so as to define a cavity for shielding said first conductor therein;
• discharge means for defining a known breakdown voltage and a known capacitance between first and second sections thereof, with said first section coupled to said first conductor and with said second section coupled to said circumferential conductor such that said discharge means is at least partially contained within said cavity defined by said circumferential conductor;
• and wherein
• the inductance of said first conductor and said circumferential conductor interact with said capacitance of said discharge means and stray capacitance of the combination thereof so as to produce a desired characteristic impedance generally equal to the characteristic impedance of the coaxial transmission line, whereby the surge suppressor will shunt impulse energy exceeding the breakdown voltage of said discharge means from the center conductor to the shield while normally representing a low VSWR for radio frequency energy transmitted along the coaxial transmission line.

A combination matching network and electrical surge suppressor for matching the characteristic impedance along a coaxial cable and for shunting electromagnetic impulse energy from the center conductor to the shield thereof, the device comprising in combination:

• paired first and second electrical connectors each having a primary conductor coupled to the center conductor of the coaxial cable;
• a circumferential conductor interposed between adjacent sections of the shield of the coaxial cable so as to define therein a cavity for containing said primary conductors of said first and second electrical connectors;
• discharge means for defining a known breakdown voltage and a known capacitance between first and second sections thereof, with said first section coupled to said primary conductors and with said second section being coupled to said circumferential conductor such that said discharge means is contained at least partially within said cavity;
• and wherein
• the inductances of said primary conductors and said circumferential conductor interacting with said capacitance of said discharge means and stray capacitances of the combination thereof so as to produce a desired, characteristic impedance having a known relationship to the characteristic impedance of the coaxial cable, whereby the device will normally represent a low VSWR for radio frequency energy propagating along the coaxial cable.

A method for matching the characteristic impedance of a radio frequency transmission line of the type having first and second conductors while shunting electromagnetic impulse energy traveling therethrough, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) electrically interposing primary and secondary conductors along corresponding first and second conductors of the transmission line;
• (b) coupling discharge means, for defining a known breakdown voltage and a known capacitance, between said primary and secondary conductors;
• and
• (c) matching the characteristic impedance of the transmission line with the characteristic impedance represented by the combination of said primary conductor, said secondary conductor, said discharge means and any stray capacitance associated with the combination thereof, while enabling said discharge means to shunt electromagnetic impulse energy between the first and second conductors of the transmission line.