US 4,734,046 AGranted

Coaxial converter with resilient terminal

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsMichael F. McAllister, Alfred Mack

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Abstract

A system of interconnection of a set of coaxial cables to a device, such as a testing apparatus for an integrated circuit chip, includes an apertured plate of electrically conducting material which positions each of the connectors in registration with corresponding terminals of the device. Each connector includes a spring-loaded probe insulated from a housing of the connector and making connection between an inner conductor of a coaxial cable and the corresponding terminal of the device. Also included are signal-return spring-loaded probes mounted in the plate and electrically connected thereby to the other conductors of the coaxial cables to provide signal-return paths with corresponding terminals of the device. In alternative embodiments, a simpler connection is fashioned by use of a single connector and a single signal-return probe extending from a shoulder of the housing of the connector. Also, a pair of cables can be joined by use of a cylindrical sleeve enveloping a pair of opposed connectors and making electrical contact with the housings thereof.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A coaxial connector comprising:

an electrically conducting probe having a resilient electrically conducting pin extendable therefrom, said pin serving as a first terminal of said connector;
a housing enclosing said probe, said housing including an electrically conducting surface region extending continuously transversely of a longitudinal axis of said pin thereby adapting said connector to mate with an assembly having plural electrical contacts disposed on a continuous surface parallel to said transverse surface region, there being at least one pin-shaped contact spaced apart from said probe and parallel thereto and extending toward said continuous assembly surface from said transverse housing surface region to serve as a second terminal of said connector, a spacing between said probe and said one pin-shaped contact being equal to a spacing between a corresponding set of terminal contacts on said assembly, said first terminal and said second terminal extending an equal distance from the transverse surface region of said housing toward said continuous assembly surface, said housing having an elongated shape extending along the longitudinal axis of said pin from the transverse surface region of said housing;
means for insulating said probe from said second terminal;
and
means in said housing for directing an inner conductor of a coaxial transmission line to said first terminal and an outer conductor of said transmission line to said second terminal, said housing including electrically conducting means extending therefrom for contacting said assembly to establish a predetermined gap width between said assembly surface and said surface region for improved coupling of a signal from said assembly to said connector;
and wherein
said one pin-shaped contact extends within a portion of said housing and back from said transverse housing surface region, said portion of said housing extending transversely of a longitudinal axis of said housing to envelop said one-pin shaped contact to facilitate handling of said connector.

4 more elements

A system for interconnecting a plurality of coaxial transmission lines to a device receiving a plurality of such transmission lines, said device having a flat surface extending transversely of said transmission lines and disposed at termini of the transmission lines of said device, said system comprising:

a set of connectors coupled to individual ones of said coaxial transmission lines;
and
an apertured plate for holding said connectors in registration with corresponding terminals of said device;
and wherein each of said connectors comprises:
an electrically conducting probe having a resilient electrically conducting pin extendable therefrom, said pin serving as a first terminal of said connector;
a housing enclosing said probe, said housing including an electrically conducting surface region serving as a second terminal of said connector;
means for insulating said probe from second terminal;
and
means in said housing for directing an inner conductor of a coaxial transmission line to said first terminal and an outer conductor of said transmission line to said second terminal;
and
said system further comprising:
a set of signal-return probes, said plate including a set of apertures configured for receiving said signal-return probes, said signal return probes being elongated to pass through said plate in alignment with said flat surface of said device, thereby to contact signal-return terminals of said device aligned with said flat surface, each of said signal-return probes having a resilient electrically conducting pin extendable therefrom, said system including means for establishing a predetermined gap between said surfaces of said device and said plate for improved coupling of signals between said transmission lines and
wherein, in each of said connectors, said probe is disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis of said housing, said housing extending radially outward from said axis to define a flange portion of said housing, a bottom portion of said flange portion abutting a top surface of said plate upon insertion of the connector within an aperture of said plate;
said system further comprising
a retainer configured for engagement with the flange portions of the housings fof respective ones of said connectors for holding the flange portions in abuttment with said plate.

12 more elements

a set of connectors coupled to individual ones of said coaxial transmission lines;
and
an apertured plate for holding said connectors in registration with corresponding terminals of said device;
and wherein each of said connectors comprises:
an electrically conducting probe having a resilient electrically conducting pin extendable therefrom, said pin serving as a first terminal of said connector;
a housing enclosing said probe, said housing including an electrically conducting surface region serving as a second terminal of said connector;
means for insulating said probe from second terminal;
and
means in said housing for directing an inner conductor of a coaxial transmission line to said first terminal and an outer conductor of said transmission line to said second terminal;
and
wherein said apertured plate comprises:
a set of apertures configured for receiving the housings of respective ones of said connectors in said set of connectors, each of said housings being elongated for extending through said plate to bring the first terminals of respective ones of said connectors into into alignment with said flat surface of said device, thereby to contact corresponding signal-receiving terminals of said device;
said system further comprising:
a set of signal-return probes, said plate including a set of apertures configured for receiving said signal-return probes, said signal return probes being elongated to pass through said plate in alignment with said flat surface of said device, thereby to contact signal-return terminals of said device aligned with said flat surface, each of said signal-return probes having a resilient electrically conducting pin extendable therefrom;
and wherein
said plate comprises electrically conducting material interconnecting said second terminal of each of said connectors with each of said signal-return probes, a surface of said plate extending transversely of a probe of said set of connectors and joining with surfaces of housings of said connectors, said system including means for establishing a predetermined gap between said surfaces of said device and said plate for improved coupling of signals between said transmission lines;
and
wherein, in each of said connectors, said probe is disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis of said housing, said housing extending radially outward from said axis to define a flange portion of said housing, a bottom portion of said flange portion abutting a top surface of said plate upon insertion of the connector within an aperture of said plate;
said system further comprising
a retainer configured for engagement with the flange portions of the housings fof respective ones of said connectors for holding the flange portions in abuttment with said plate.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.