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US 7,841,899 B2Granted
Conductive sleeve for use in radio frequency systems
AssigneeADC Telecommunications, Inc.
InventorsJari Taskila, Stephen J. Qualy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus including a conductive sleeve including an outer-conductive surface and an inner passageway that extends from a first end at least partially to a second end. The passageway is adapted to receive and shield a device that provides at least one of a radio frequency path and an electrical current path. In one embodiment, movable flanges at an end of the sleeve are used for coupling the outer-conductive surface of the sleeve to a ground connection. In one embodiment, the sleeve may further be used to interconnect a pair of RF structures with ground connections at each end of the sleeve and with signal connections to the device at each end.
Claims28
An apparatus comprising:
- a conductive sleeve including an outer-conductive surface and an inner passageway that extends from a first end at least partially to a second end, the passageway adapted to receive and shield a device that provides at least one of a radio frequency path and an electrical current path between a first input/output connector and a second input/output connector, wherein the first input/output connector makes contact with the device through a first opening of the conductive sleeve, and the second input/output connector makes contact with the device through a second opening in the conductive sleeve, wherein the sleeve further comprises a plurality of movable flanges at at least the first end, the plurality of movable flanges spaced about a circumference of the first end of the conducting sleeve, wherein a gap between each of the plurality of movable flanges limits inward bending of each of the plurality of moveable flanges, the plurality of flanges configured to couple the outer-conductive surface to a ground.
An apparatus comprising:
- a conductive sleeve including an outer-conductive surface and an inner passageway that extends from a first end at least partially to a second end, the passageway adapted to receive and shield a device that provides at least one of a radio frequency path and an electrical current path, wherein the sleeve further comprises movable flanges at least one end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a ground contact;
- wherein the sleeve further comprises a first-end portion near the first end, the first-end portion partially encircled by a securing bracket, the securing bracket operable to attach the conductive sleeve to a radio frequency device, wherein a ground contact in the radio frequency device is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path;
- wherein the sleeve further comprises a hole in a portion of the sleeve, the hole extending from the outer-conductive surface of the sleeve to an inner surface of the sleeve, wherein an input/output connector extends through the hole, wherein the input/output connector electrically connects to the device.
An apparatus comprising:
- a conductive sleeve including an outer-conductive surface and an inner passageway that extends from a first end at least partially to a second end, the passageway adapted to receive and shield a device that provides at least one of a radio frequency path and an electrical current path, wherein the sleeve further comprises movable flanges at least one end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a ground contact;
- wherein the sleeve further comprises a first-end portion near the first end, the first-end portion partially encircled by a securing bracket, the securing bracket operable to attach the conductive sleeve to a radio frequency device, wherein a ground contact in the radio frequency device is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path;
- wherein the securing bracket comprises an inset having a shape that conforms to a shape of the outer-conductive surface at the first-end portion of the sleeve, wherein the inset contacts the first-end portion of the outer-conductive surface in order to hold the conductive sleeve in the radio frequency device.
An apparatus comprising:
- a conductive sleeve including an outer-conductive surface and an inner passageway that extends from a first end at least partially to a second end, the passageway adapted to receive and shield a device that provides at least one of a radio frequency path and an electrical current path, wherein the sleeve further comprises movable flanges at least one end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a ground contact;
- wherein the sleeve further comprises a first-end portion near the first end, the first-end portion partially encircled by a securing bracket, the securing bracket operable to attach the conductive sleeve to a radio frequency device, wherein a ground contact in the radio frequency device is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path;
- wherein the ground contact is a first ground contact, and wherein the sleeve further comprises movable flanges at the second end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a second ground contact in the radio frequency device wherein the second ground contact is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path.
An apparatus comprising:
- a conductive sleeve including an outer-conductive surface and an inner passageway that extends from a first end at least partially to a second end, the passageway adapted to receive and shield a device that provides at least one of a radio frequency path and an electrical current path, wherein the sleeve further comprises movable flanges at least one end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a ground contact;
- wherein the sleeve further comprises movable flanges at the first end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a first ground contact in a first radio frequency device, wherein the first ground contact is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path;
- and
- movable flanges at the second end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a second ground contact in a second radio frequency device, wherein the second ground contact is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path.
1 more element
A method to electrically isolate a device, the method comprising:
- inserting the device into a conductive sleeve having a first opening for connecting the device to a first input/output connector and a second opening for connecting the device to a second input/output connector;
- grounding an outer-conductive surface of the conductive sleeve to a first ground of a first radio frequency device near at least one of a radio frequency path and an electrical current path for the device;
- and
- grounding the outer-conductive surface of the conductive sleeve to a second ground of a second radio frequency device near at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path for the device,
- wherein the device is electrically isolated from the outer-conductive surface of the conductive sleeve;
- and
- wherein the grounding is implemented using one of a plurality of movable flanges positioned around a first end of the conductive sleeve.
4 more elements
A method to electrically isolate a second radio frequency device, the method comprising:
- inserting a conductive sleeve into a cavity of a first radio frequency device, the conductive sleeve operable to hold the second radio frequency device within an inner passageway of the conductive sleeve;
- and
- grounding the conductive sleeve to a ground of the first radio frequency device using one of a plurality of movable flanges positioned on a first end of the conductive sleeve, wherein a gap between each of the plurality of movable flanges limits inward bending of each of the plurality of moveable flanges.
A system to shield a device, the system comprising:
- means for grounding a conductive sleeve with a first radio frequency device, the means for grounding including a plurality of movable flanges about a circumference of a first end of the conducting sleeve for contacting a ground contact, wherein a gap between each of the plurality of movable flanges limits inward bending of each of the plurality of moveable flanges;
- and
- means for retaining the device within the conductive sleeve.
A method to electrically isolate a device, the method comprising:
- inserting a device into a conductive sleeve, the conductive sleeve having movable flanges at a first end of a first-end portion and at a second end of a second-end portion;
- fitting the first-end portion into a first feature of a radio frequency device, wherein the first feature conforms in shape and size to the first-end portion;
- fitting the second-end portion into a second feature of the radio frequency device, wherein the second feature conforms in shape and size to the second-end portion;
- and
- simultaneously contacting the device to an input/output connector in the first feature and to an input/output connector in the second feature based on the fittings, wherein one of a radio frequency path or an electrical current path is established.
2 more elements
A conductive sleeve for electrically isolating a device from a radio frequency device, the conductive sleeve comprising:
- an outer-conductive surface;
- an inner passageway that extends from a first end to a second end, the passageway adapted to receive and shield the device that provides at least one of a radio frequency path and an electrical current path;
- a first-end portion near the first end, the first-end portion able to be partially encircled by a securing bracket in order to attach the conductive sleeve to the radio frequency device, wherein a first ground contact in the radio frequency device is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path, and
- movable flanges at the second end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a second ground contact in the radio frequency device, wherein the second ground contact is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path.
1 more element
A conductive sleeve for electrically isolating a device from a radio frequency device, the conductive sleeve comprising:
- an outer-conductive surface;
- an inner passageway that extends from a first end to a second end, the passageway adapted to receive and shield the device that provides at least one of a radio frequency path and an electrical current path;
- movable flanges at the first end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a first ground contact in the radio frequency device, wherein the first ground contact is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path;
- and
- movable flanges at the second end, the flanges enabled to stably contact a second ground contact in the radio frequency device, wherein the second ground contact is in contact with the outer-conductive surface and in proximity to the at least one of the radio frequency path and the electrical current path.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.