Feedthrough connector

Abstract

This utility model discloses a feedthrough connector, comprising: an adapter, an inner conductor, and an outer conductor fitted within the inner conductor and not in contact with it. One end of the inner conductor extends into the adapter to form a female connector. A ceramic window is used to seal between the outer conductor and the inner conductor, dividing the internal cavity of the outer conductor into a first chamber in a vacuum environment and a second chamber in an atmospheric environment. This utility model utilizes a ceramic window as an insulating medium to seal between the outer and inner conductors, achieving vacuum isolation and insulation between the inner and outer conductors. This not only greatly improves vacuum sealing performance but also allows the connector to adapt to a wider range of temperature environments, ensuring stable signal transmission and meeting the complex and variable temperature and vacuum requirements of high-energy physics experiments, thus broadening the application areas of the product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of connector technology, and in particular to a feedthrough connector. Background Technology

[0002] In high-energy physics experiments such as particle accelerators and microwave equipment, it is crucial to transmit microwave signals stably and efficiently between vacuum and atmospheric environments. This relies on various types of connectors, and the L29 connector is one of them, which has important applications in this field.

[0003] Currently, the widely used L29 feedthrough connector uses polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as the insulating medium. While it can meet the needs of some applications to a certain extent, it has several significant limitations. Firstly, its applicable temperature range is limited to -45℃ to 125℃. This makes it unsuitable for extreme temperature environments, such as high-energy physics experiments requiring operation at low or high temperatures, significantly restricting its application. Secondly, the connector's vacuum sealing performance is insufficient. In high-voltage vacuum applications, good vacuum sealing is crucial for ensuring stable equipment operation, preventing signal interference, and guaranteeing equipment safety. However, the vacuum sealing defects of existing L29 feedthrough connectors not only cause microwave signal interference during transmission, affecting signal quality, but may also lead to electrical performance degradation and equipment failure, severely hindering the further development of high-voltage vacuum products and failing to meet the increasingly demanding performance requirements of modern high-energy physics experiments. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing technology to overcome its shortcomings. Utility Model Content

[0004] The problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a feedthrough connector to overcome the shortcomings of existing feedthrough connectors, such as a small applicable temperature range and low vacuum sealing performance.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is: a feedthrough connector, comprising: an adapter, an inner conductor of the connector, and an outer conductor of the connector that is fitted inside the inner conductor and does not contact the inner conductor. One end of the inner conductor extends into the adapter to form a female connector. A ceramic window is sealed between the outer conductor and the inner conductor, and the ceramic window divides the internal cavity of the outer conductor into a first chamber in a vacuum environment and a second chamber in an atmospheric environment.

[0006] As a further improvement of this utility model, the connector outer conductor includes a first outer conductor, a ceramic window outer conductor, and a second outer conductor, all of which are cylindrical. The first outer conductor and the second outer conductor are respectively sealed and fixed at both ends of the ceramic window outer conductor, and the ceramic window is located inside the ceramic window outer conductor.

[0007] As a further improvement of this utility model, the first outer conductor is provided with a first outer flange at one end facing the ceramic window outer conductor, and the second outer conductor is provided with a second outer flange at one end facing the ceramic window outer conductor. Both the first outer flange and the second outer flange are provided with positioning grooves. The two ends of the ceramic window outer conductor are respectively limited to the positioning grooves of the first outer flange and the second outer flange and are fixedly connected by welding.

[0008] As a further improvement of this utility model, the connector inner conductor includes a joint inner conductor and a ceramic window inner conductor fixedly connected to the joint inner conductor, wherein the ceramic window inner conductor passes through the central hole of the ceramic window.

[0009] As a further improvement of this utility model, one end of the inner conductor of the ceramic window is set as a hollow tube with an internal hollow structure, and the ceramic window piece is welded to the outer wall of the hollow tube; the other end of the inner conductor of the ceramic window is provided with a connection hole.

[0010] As a further improvement of this utility model, one end of the inner conductor of the connector extends into the adapter, and the other end is provided with a plug groove. One end of the inner conductor of the ceramic window is inserted into the plug groove and fixedly connected by welding.

[0011] As a further improvement of this utility model, the feedthrough connector also includes a mounting flange, and the adapter and the outer conductor of the connector are respectively fixed to opposite sides of the mounting flange.

[0012] As a further improvement of this utility model, a support ring is installed between the end of the outer conductor of the connector away from the adapter and the inner conductor of the connector.

[0013] As a further improvement of this utility model, a threaded hole is provided on the outer conductor of the connector corresponding to the position of the support ring, and a screw for fixing the support ring is installed in the threaded hole.

[0014] As a further improvement of this utility model, the outer conductor of the connector and the inner conductor of the ceramic window are both made of oxygen-free copper, and the inner conductor of the connector is made of beryllium bronze with silver plating on the surface.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0016] 1. This utility model provides a feedthrough connector that uses a ceramic window as an insulating medium to seal between the outer conductor and the inner conductor of the connector. This effectively divides the internal cavity of the outer conductor into a first chamber in a vacuum environment and a second chamber in an atmospheric environment, achieving vacuum isolation and insulation between the inner and outer conductors. This structural design not only greatly improves the vacuum sealing performance but also adapts to a wider range of temperature environments. Even in high vacuum and high temperature environments, it can still maintain a high level of vacuum sealing, ensuring stable signal transmission and meeting the complex and variable temperature and vacuum requirements of high-energy physics experiments and other application scenarios, thus broadening the application fields of the product.

[0017] 2. In this utility model, both the inner conductor and the outer conductor of the connector adopt a segmented structure, with the ceramic window set inside the outer conductor of the ceramic window, thereby facilitating the welding and fixing of the ceramic window; at the same time, the structural design of the inner conductor and the outer conductor of the connector makes the assembly more precise, the connection more reliable and firm, and enhances the structural stability of the entire feedthrough connector.

[0018] 3. This utility model enhances the relative stability between the inner conductor and the outer conductor of the connector by setting a support ring, ensuring the concentricity of the inner conductor and the outer conductor of the connector, and preventing the weld from cracking due to vibration.

[0019] 4. The outer conductor of the connector and the inner conductor of the ceramic window in this utility model are both made of oxygen-free copper, and the inner conductor of the connector is made of beryllium bronze with silver plating on the surface. It has good electrical and thermal conductivity, which improves the overall performance of the feedthrough connector and makes the signal transmission more stable in high vacuum and high temperature or high vacuum and low temperature environments. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the feedthrough connector of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the feedthrough connector of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the feedthrough connector of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 4 This utility model is a feedthrough connector. Figure 3 Enlarged view of part A in the middle.

[0025] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the following explanations are provided:

[0026] 1. Adapter; 2. Connector inner conductor; 21. Connector inner conductor; 211. Insertion slot; 22. Ceramic window inner conductor; 221. Hollow tube section; 222. Connecting hole; 3. Connector outer conductor; 31. First outer conductor; 32. Ceramic window outer conductor; 33. Second outer conductor; 300. Positioning groove; 301. First chamber; 302. Second chamber; 311. First outer flange; 331. Second outer flange; 332. Threaded hole; 4. Ceramic window; 5. Mounting flange; 6. Support ring; 10. Connector female head. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0028] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this application, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number and aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0030] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. The illustrations only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the number, shape and size of the components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0031] Additionally, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that practice can be carried out without these specific details.

[0032] The technical solutions provided by the various embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] See Figures 1 to 4 This utility model provides a feedthrough connector, including: an adapter 1, an inner conductor 2, and an outer conductor 3. The outer conductor 3 is cylindrical and coaxially fitted onto the outside of the inner conductor 2, and the outer conductor 3 and the inner conductor 2 do not contact each other.

[0034] by Figure 1 The orientation shown is for reference. The adapter 1 is located above the outer conductor 3 of the connector. The upper end of the inner conductor 2 of the connector extends into the adapter 1. The upper end of the inner conductor 2 of the connector and the adapter 1 are matched to form the female connector 10, which can be used to connect with the male connector of the same specification and model to complete signal transmission.

[0035] The adapter 1 shown in this embodiment is a standard L29 connector size, and the material can be 304 stainless steel. Of course, the standard size of the adapter 1 and the size of the inner conductor 2 of the connector can also be changed to make the feedthrough connector of this utility model suitable for other models.

[0036] Furthermore, a ceramic window 4 is sealed between the outer conductor 3 and the inner conductor 2 of the connector. The ceramic window 4 divides the internal cavity of the outer conductor 3 of the connector into a first chamber 301 in a vacuum environment and a second chamber 302 in an atmospheric environment.

[0037] It is understandable that the ceramic window 4 is made of alumina ceramic material, which has advantages such as high temperature resistance and good insulation. The ceramic window 4 is used as an insulating medium to seal the connection between the outer conductor 3 and the inner conductor 2 of the connector, so as to effectively divide the internal cavity of the outer conductor 3 into a first chamber 301 in a vacuum environment and a second chamber 302 in an atmospheric environment, achieving vacuum isolation and insulation between the inner and outer conductors. This structural design not only greatly improves the vacuum sealing performance, but also can adapt to a wider range of temperature environments. Even in high vacuum and high temperature environments, it can still maintain a high vacuum sealing performance, ensuring stable signal transmission and meeting the complex and ever-changing application scenarios with high-energy physics experiments and other applications with complex and varied temperature and vacuum requirements, thus broadening the application field of the product.

[0038] Experimental testing showed that this feedthrough connector, after high-temperature soldering, can be used in a temperature range of -196℃ to 600℃, and exhibits excellent vacuum sealing performance with a vacuum leakage rate of 1E-10Pa*m. 3 / S.

[0039] Furthermore, the feedthrough connector of this utility model also includes a mounting flange 5, with the adapter 1 and the connector outer conductor 3 respectively fixed to the upper and lower sides of the mounting flange 5. The adapter 1 and the connector outer conductor 3 can be fixedly connected to the mounting flange 5 by brazing or other methods, achieving a seal.

[0040] The mounting flange 5 can be any standard CF flange, standard KF flange, or custom flange. The mounting flange 5 can be sealed with other internal components of the equipment through a metal gasket to form a sealed vacuum environment, so that the first chamber 301 is in a vacuum environment and the second chamber 302 is in an atmospheric environment.

[0041] This utility model uses a mounting flange 5 to fix the adapter 1 and the connector outer conductor 3 to opposite sides of the mounting flange 5. This design facilitates the installation and fixation of the feedthrough connector in the equipment. Using the mounting flange 5 to seal with the equipment can ensure a stable vacuum environment inside the equipment.

[0042] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 The connector outer conductor 3 includes a first outer conductor 31, a ceramic window outer conductor 32, and a second outer conductor 33. The upper end of the first outer conductor 31 is sealed and fixedly connected to the mounting flange 5 by brazing or other methods. The lower end of the first outer conductor 31 and the upper end of the second outer conductor 33 are respectively sealed and fixed to the two ends of the ceramic window outer conductor 32. The ceramic window 4 is located inside the ceramic window outer conductor 32. The connector outer conductor 3 of this invention adopts a segmented structure, and the ceramic window 4 is placed inside the ceramic window outer conductor 32 to facilitate welding and fixing of the ceramic window 4.

[0043] In this embodiment, the first outer conductor 31, the ceramic window outer conductor 32, and the second outer conductor 33 are all cylindrical. The inner diameters of the first outer conductor 31 and the second outer conductor 33 are the same, while the inner diameter of the ceramic window outer conductor 32 is slightly larger than that of the first outer conductor 31 and the second outer conductor 33. The ceramic window 4 is annular, and its outer peripheral wall is sealed and fixedly connected to the inner peripheral wall of the ceramic window outer conductor 32 by means of brazing or other methods.

[0044] See Figure 3 and Figure 4The first outer conductor 31 extends radially towards the end of the ceramic window outer conductor 32 (i.e., the lower end of the first outer conductor 31) to form a first outer flange 311, and the second outer conductor 33 extends radially towards the end of the ceramic window outer conductor 32 (i.e., the upper end of the second outer conductor 33) to form a second outer flange 331. Both the first outer flange 311 and the second outer flange 331 are provided with positioning grooves 300. The upper and lower ends of the ceramic window outer conductor 32 are respectively confined within the positioning grooves 300 of the first outer flange 311 and the second outer flange 331 and are fixedly connected by welding. The welding method can be, but is not limited to, brazing.

[0045] This utility model uses the positioning grooves 300 on the first outer flange 311 and the second outer flange 331 to limit and fix the two ends of the ceramic window outer conductor 32 by welding. This structural design makes the assembly of the connector outer conductor 3 more precise, the connection more reliable and firm, enhances the structural stability of the entire connector, improves the durability and reliability of the product, and reduces the risk of performance degradation or failure due to structural loosening.

[0046] like Figure 3 As shown, the connector inner conductor 2 in this utility model also adopts a segmented structure, specifically including a connector inner conductor 21 and a ceramic window inner conductor 22. The lower end of the connector inner conductor 21 is coaxially and fixedly connected to the upper end of the ceramic window inner conductor 22. The upper end of the connector inner conductor 21 extends into the adapter 1 to form the connector female head 10.

[0047] Furthermore, the inner conductor 22 of the ceramic window is located in the outer conductor 3 of the connector, and the inner conductor 22 of the ceramic window passes through the central hole of the ceramic window plate 4. The inner peripheral wall of the ceramic window plate 4 and the outer peripheral wall of the inner conductor 22 of the ceramic window are sealed and fixedly connected by brazing or other means.

[0048] Similarly, in order to facilitate the welding operation between the ceramic window plate 4 and the inner conductor 22 of the ceramic window, the upper end of the inner conductor 22 of the ceramic window is set as a hollow tube 221 with an internal hollow structure, and the ceramic window plate 4 is welded to the outer wall of the hollow tube 221.

[0049] In this utility model, a connection hole 222 is provided at the lower end of the inner conductor 22 of the ceramic window. The connection hole 222 can be designed according to the requirements, for example, it can be an M5 internal thread hole for connecting various types of antennas.

[0050] See Figure 4 The lower end of the inner conductor 21 of the connector has a circular insertion groove 211, which is adapted to the size of the hollow tube 221. The top end of the hollow tube 221 of the inner conductor 22 of the ceramic window is inserted into the insertion groove 211 and fixedly connected by welding. The welding method can be, but is not limited to, brazing. This structural design makes the assembly of the inner conductor 2 of the connector more precise and the connection more secure.

[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, a support ring 6 is installed between the end of the connector outer conductor 3 away from the adapter 1 and the connector inner conductor 2. Specifically, the support ring 6 is located between the lower end of the ceramic window inner conductor 22 and the second outer conductor 33. The support ring 6 can be made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to enhance the relative stability between the connector inner conductor 2 and the connector outer conductor 3, ensure the concentricity of the connector inner conductor 2 and the connector outer conductor 3, and prevent vibration from causing the weld to crack.

[0052] See Figure 1 The outer conductor 3 of the connector has, but is not limited to, two threaded holes 332 corresponding to the position of the support ring 6. Each threaded hole 332 is fitted with a screw (not shown in the figure). After the support ring 6 is installed in place, the screws are tightened so that they abut against the outer peripheral wall of the support ring 6 to lock and fix the support ring 6.

[0053] It is worth mentioning that the connector outer conductor 3 (i.e., the first outer conductor 31, the ceramic window outer conductor 32, and the second outer conductor 33) and the ceramic window inner conductor 22 in this utility model are both made of oxygen-free copper. Oxygen-free copper has good electrical and thermal conductivity, which helps to improve the electrical performance and heat dissipation capacity of the feedthrough connector. The connector inner conductor 21 is made of beryllium bronze and plated with silver. Beryllium bronze has high strength, high elasticity, and good corrosion resistance, and the silver plating further improves conductivity and oxidation resistance. The rational selection of these materials improves the overall performance of the feedthrough connector from the material level, resulting in more stable signal transmission in high vacuum and high temperature or high vacuum and low temperature environments.

[0054] Therefore, this utility model's feedthrough connector utilizes a ceramic window 4 as an insulating medium to seal the connection between the connector's outer conductor 3 and inner conductor 2. This effectively divides the internal cavity of the outer conductor 3 into a first chamber 301 in a vacuum environment and a second chamber 302 in an atmospheric environment, achieving vacuum isolation and insulation between the inner and outer conductors. This structural design not only greatly improves vacuum sealing performance but also adapts to a wider range of temperature environments. Even in high vacuum and high temperature environments, it can maintain high vacuum sealing performance, ensuring stable signal transmission and meeting the complex and variable temperature and vacuum requirements of high-energy physics experiments, thus broadening the product's application areas. Furthermore, both the connector's inner conductor 2 and outer conductor 3 in this utility model adopt a segmented structure, with the ceramic window 4 placed inside the ceramic window outer conductor 32, facilitating the welding and fixing of the ceramic window 4. Simultaneously, the structural design of the connector's inner conductor 2 and outer conductor 3 makes assembly more precise and the connection more reliable and robust, enhancing the overall structural stability of the feedthrough connector.

[0055] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A feedthrough connector, comprising an adapter (1), an inner conductor (2), and an outer conductor (3) fitted onto the inner conductor (2) and not in contact with it, wherein one end of the inner conductor (2) extends into the adapter (1) to form a female connector (10); characterized in that: A ceramic window (4) is sealed between the outer conductor (3) of the connector and the inner conductor (2) of the connector. The ceramic window (4) divides the internal cavity of the outer conductor (3) of the connector into a first chamber (301) in a vacuum environment and a second chamber (302) in an atmospheric environment.

2. The feedthrough connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connector outer conductor (3) includes a first outer conductor (31), a ceramic window outer conductor (32), and a second outer conductor (33), all of which are cylindrical. The first outer conductor (31) and the second outer conductor (33) are respectively sealed and fixed at both ends of the ceramic window outer conductor (32), and the ceramic window (4) is located inside the ceramic window outer conductor (32).

3. The feedthrough connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first outer conductor (31) has a first outer flange (311) at one end facing the ceramic window outer conductor (32), and the second outer conductor (33) has a second outer flange (331) at one end facing the ceramic window outer conductor (32). Both the first outer flange (311) and the second outer flange (331) have positioning grooves (300). The two ends of the ceramic window outer conductor (32) are respectively limited to the positioning grooves (300) of the first outer flange (311) and the positioning grooves (300) of the second outer flange (331) and are fixedly connected by welding.

4. The feedthrough connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connector inner conductor (2) includes a connector inner conductor (21) and a ceramic window inner conductor (22) fixedly connected to the connector inner conductor (21). The ceramic window inner conductor (22) passes through the central hole of the ceramic window (4).

5. The feedthrough connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: One end of the inner conductor (22) of the ceramic window is a hollow tube (221) with an internal hollow structure, and the ceramic window piece (4) is welded to the outer wall of the hollow tube (221); the other end of the inner conductor (22) of the ceramic window is provided with a connection hole (222).

6. The feedthrough connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: One end of the inner conductor (21) of the connector extends into the adapter (1), and the other end is provided with a plug groove (211). One end of the inner conductor (22) of the ceramic window is inserted into the plug groove (211) and fixedly connected by welding.

7. The feedthrough connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a mounting flange (5), wherein the adapter (1) and the connector outer conductor (3) are respectively fixed to opposite sides of the mounting flange (5).

8. The feedthrough connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A support ring (6) is installed between the end of the outer conductor (3) of the connector away from the adapter (1) and the inner conductor (2) of the connector.

9. The feedthrough connector according to claim 8, characterized in that: A threaded hole (332) is provided on the outer conductor (3) of the connector corresponding to the position of the support ring (6), and a screw for fixing the support ring (6) is installed in the threaded hole (332).

10. The feedthrough connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outer conductor (3) of the connector and the inner conductor (22) of the ceramic window are both made of oxygen-free copper, and the inner conductor (21) of the connector is made of beryllium bronze and is plated with silver.

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