Controlled-impedance cable termination using compliant interconnect elements

Abstract

An apparatus for terminating a controlled-impedance cable using compliant electrical contacts to provide an interface to another device. The terminator includes an anchor block for securing the cable. Optionally, the anchor block is electrically non-conductive. A conductive ferrule is installed on the cable shield and the cable end is dressed. The ferrule / cable assembly is installed in a through hole in the anchor block so the cable end is flush with the anchor block face. An insulating or conductive plate mounted to the anchor block holds the signal contact that electrically connects the center conductor to the device and optional ground contacts that electrically connect the ferrule to the device. The ground contacts surround the signal contact in a pattern that closely mimics the impedance environment of the cable. When using a conductive plate, the signal contact is insulated from the plate by an insulating centering plug or a non-conductive coating.An apparatus for terminating a controlled-impedance cable using compliant electrical contacts to provide an interface to another device. The terminator includes an anchor block for securing the cable. An electrically-conductive ferrule is installed on the cable shield and the cable end is dressed. The ferrule / cable assembly is installed in a through hole in the anchor block so that the cable end is flush with the anchor block face. An electrically-conductive plate mounted to the anchor block face holds the signal contact that electrically connects the center conductor to the device and optional ground contacts that electrically connect the ferrule to the device. The signal contact is insulated from the plate by an insulating plug. The ground contacts surround the signal contact in a pattern that closely mimics the impedance environment of the cable.

Description

[0001]This application is a Divisional Reissue Application of Reissue application Ser. No. 15 / 248,438 filed on Aug. 26, 2016, both of which are Reissue Applications of U.S. Pat. No. 9,160,151 issued on Oct. 13, 2015 from application Ser. No. 14 / 534,241 filed on Nov. 6, 2014. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this application. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not ApplicableREFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX[0003]Not ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]1. Field of the Invention[0005]The present invention relates to electrical cable terminations, more particularly, to controlled impedance cable terminations which are generally used to transmit high-frequency signals in electronic equipment.[0006]2. Description of the Related Art[0007]The purpose of a cable termination is to provide an interconnect from...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The present invention is an apparatus and method for terminating a controlled-impedance cable that uses a compliant contact element at the point of termination minimizes detrimental electrical effects of the termination.

[0012]The present invention includes a cable terminator that employs compliant electrical contacts to provide an interface between the controlled-impedance cable (hereinafter, simply “cable”) and another device. The assembly is removably attached to the electrical device by a compression force in a direction of compression typically provided by jack screws that may not compress the assembly and device together linearly. Compliant contacts compensate for noncoplanarities between the conduction points of the electrical device.

[0019]The skewed coil contact is captured in a through aperture in the plate. The aperture has a larger center section that narrows to a smaller block opening at the side adjacent to the anchor block and to a smaller device opening at the other end. The length of the contact leads is such that the leads extend from the openings. Alternatively, the block opening is as wide as the center section. Optionally, the contact area between the center conductor and device and the corresponding contact lead can be increased by a pair of conductive bosses that the contact is captured in that is as wide as the cable center conductor. Optionally, the remaining space of the aperture is filled with a compliant, electrically conductive elastomer that adds resiliency and aids in electrically shorting the coil loops.

[0026]Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for assembling cables to the anchor block so that the cables are the same length to within a very small tolerance. To facilitate the method, a soldering fixture is used that has a frame, a connector jig, a block jig, and legs. The frame is generally rectangular and stands vertically. The connector jig is mounted to the lower cross piece of the frame. The block jig is mounted to the upper cross piece of the frame. Four legs extend from the bottom corners of the frame in generally opposite directions at an angle of at least 10° from horizontal so that they prevent the frame from falling over but allow the user to tilt the frame.

Problems solved by technology

The SMA connectors, while being generally the same impedance environment as the cable, have impedance mismatches which cause high-frequency attenuation at the point of interface between the cable and the connector and the connector and its working environment, such as like a PCB.

Additionally, these cable terminations often require through holes in PCB's for mounting and, consequently, it can be difficult to design the best possible controlled impedance environment.

These types of cable terminations are generally for a single cable and require a substantial amount of PCB area to terminate, thus decreasing the density capability of connections.

These systems are better-controlled impedance environments but are limited in the densities at which the cables can be used.

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