Dual conductor cable adapter

Abstract

Aspects and embodiments of a transition cable adapter are described. One exemplary cable adapter includes an adapter insertion portion and a housing around the adapter insertion portion. The adapter insertion portion includes two conductive openings. The conductive openings include a first opening length, a second opening length, and a transition portion between the first and second lengths. The conductive openings include, in one embodiment, a conductive lining on an inner surface. The first opening length may be formed to a first diameter for a first gauge of a first conductor, and the second opening length may be formed to a second diameter for a second gauge of a second conductor. The improved transition portion provided by the adapter may reduce signal reflection, reduce interference and crosstalk, reduce distortion, increase the signal-to-noise ratio, and increase the bandwidth at the transition between conductors of different diameters, such as conductors of different diameters within a twinax cable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 390,638, filed on July 20, 2022, with the title "Dual - Conductor Cable Adapter", the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Background Art

[0002] The amount of data processed by computers, computing systems, and computing environments continues to increase. For example, a data center can include hundreds of networking, computing systems, and subsystems interconnected using optical cables, copper cables, and various connectors and terminations therebetween. The data throughput of these interconnections is high and increasing. As an example, many data centers incorporate combinations of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE), 25GbE, 50GbE, and 100GbE network interfaces and interconnections. 200GbE, 400GbE, and 800GbE interconnection technologies are also being developed and deployed. However, there are various different interconnection solutions available for data communication, and other interconnection solutions rely on 56 Gigabits per second (Gb / s) and 112Gb / s network interfaces and interconnections, and 224Gb / s interconnection technology is being developed. Among the interconnection solutions, various different modulation techniques and protocols are relied upon, and 4 - level Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) is an exemplary modulation technique used in 112Gb / s network interconnections.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] Aspects and embodiments of a transition cable adapter are described. The improved transition provided by the cable adapter reduces signal reflections, reduces interference and crosstalk, reduces distortion, increases the signal-to-noise ratio, and can increase the bandwidth at the transition between conductors of different diameters, such as conductors of different diameters within a twinax cable.

[0004] One exemplary transition cable adapter includes an adapter insertion portion and a housing around the adapter insertion portion. The adapter insertion portion includes a conductive opening having a first opening length for a first conductor, a second opening length for a second conductor, and a transition between the first opening length and the second opening length. The first opening length of the conductive opening can be formed to a first diameter for a first gauge of the first conductor, and the second opening length of the conductive opening can be formed to a second diameter for a second gauge of the second conductor. The adapter insertion portion can also include several conductive openings, such as two or more, and each conductive opening includes a first diameter for a first gauge of the first conductor and a second diameter for a second gauge of the second conductor.

[0005] In other aspects of the embodiment, the transition between the first opening length of the conductive opening and the second opening length of the conductive opening can be positioned between the front surface and the rear surface of the adapter insertion portion. The transition between the first opening length of the conductive opening and the second opening length of the conductive opening can optionally include a tapered opening length. The tapered opening length can have a tapered diameter, and the tapered diameter is tapered from the first diameter of the first opening length to the second diameter of the second opening length.

[0006] The conductive opening may include a lining of conductive material on the inner surface of the opening within the adapter insertion portion. The conductive lining may include a lining of at least one layer of metal or metal alloy. The adapter insertion portion may also include a lining of conductive material on a region of the outer surface of the adapter insertion portion. The adapter housing may also be formed from metal or metal alloy. The inner surface of the housing may contact and be electrically coupled to the lining of conductive material on a region of the outer surface of the adapter insertion portion.

[0007] In other aspects of the embodiment, the housing may include a gap, but the adapter insertion portion may include an interlock mechanism sized to fit within the gap of the housing to secure and position the adapter insertion portion within the housing. The housing may also include a first detent on a first side of the housing and a second detent on a second side of the housing to position and secure the connector within the housing.

[0008] In other examples, a transition adapter for a cable includes an adapter insertion portion and a housing around the adapter insertion portion. The adapter insertion portion includes a conductive transition portion. The conductive transition portion includes a first conductive length for a first conductor, a second conductive length for a second conductor, and a transition portion between the first conductive length and the second conductive length. The transition portion between the first conductive length and the second conductive length may include a tapered width that is tapered from a first width of the first conductive length to a second width of the second conductive length.

[0009] In other aspects, the adapter insertion portion further includes a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), and the first conductive length, the second conductive length, and the transition portion are formed as traces on a first surface of the PCB. The PCB may include a ground plane on a second surface of the PCB, and the first conductive length, the second conductive length, and the transition portion may be formed as microstrip traces on the first surface of the PCB. The adapter insertion portion may also include a gap under the PCB.

[0010] Various cable assemblies are also described. In one embodiment, a cable assembly includes a cable and a transition cable adapter at one end of the cable. The transition cable adapter includes an adapter insertion portion and a housing around the adapter insertion portion, as described herein.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and instead emphasis is placed on clearly showing the principles of the present disclosure. Further, in the drawings, like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout several views.

[0012]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] As described above, the amount of data processed by computers, computing systems, and computing environments continues to increase. A data center can include hundreds of networking and computing systems that are interconnected using optical cables, copper cables, and various connectors and terminations therebetween. Data is often carried on these cables using radio frequency (RF) signals at microwave frequencies. In a data center, various different interconnect technologies may be relied upon, such as die-to-die, die-to-optical engine, chip-to-module, chip-to-chip on the same printed circuit board (PCB), chip-to-chip on different PCBs, and other interconnections. To achieve higher throughput, some interface technologies use direct attach copper cable (DAC), active optical cable (AOC) interconnect solutions, and the like.

[0014] The design of cables, connectors, and interconnections for microwave signals is an important consideration for maintaining the high (and increasing) data throughput required in data centers and other systems. In this context, the transitions between the conductors of a cable should be carefully considered and designed. To maintain the bandwidth at the transitions of microwave signals, several different electrical and mechanical configurations have been proposed. Even well-designed transitions can impart, for example, electrical discontinuities, impedance mismatches or dielectric mismatches, and other mismatches at the interfaces between transitions between conductors. The degree of mismatch depends on several factors, including mechanical and electrical variations at the transitions between the conductors of the cable. Any impedance or dielectric mismatch at the transition can result in signal reflections, near-end and far-end interference, and crosstalk, distortion, signal noise, reduction in bandwidth, and other problems. Further, differences between the signal path and the ground return path can lead to electromagnetic wave skew, distortion, and provide an additional source for spurious mode propagation. The concepts and embodiments described herein are designed to reduce the undesirable transition effects described above, among other undesirable effects.

[0015] In the context outlined above, various aspects and embodiments of a cable adapter are described. One exemplary cable adapter includes an adapter insertion portion and a housing around the adapter insertion portion. The adapter insertion portion includes two conductive transitions or apertures. The conductive aperture includes a first aperture length, a second aperture length, and a transition between the first length and the second length. The conductive aperture includes, in one embodiment, a conductive lining on the inner surface. The first aperture length may be formed to a first diameter for a first gauge of the first conductor, and the second aperture length may be formed to a second diameter for a second gauge of the second conductor. The improved transitions provided by the adapter can reduce signal reflections, reduce interference and crosstalk, reduce distortion, increase the signal-to-noise ratio, and increase the bandwidth at transitions between conductors of different diameters, such as conductors of different diameters within a twinax cable.

[0016] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an exemplary cable 10 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 1B is a front view of the cable 10 shown in FIG. 1A. The cable 10 is provided as an example of an electrical interconnection capable of transmitting or propagating high-throughput data signals. The cable 10 is shown as a representative example and is not drawn to any particular scale or size. The shape, size, ratio, and other characteristics of the cable 10 may vary compared to those shown. For example, among other characteristics of the cable 10, the gauge of the conductors within the cable 10 (e.g., American Wire Gauge (AWG)) may vary. Further, in some cases, one or more of the components of the cable 10, such as one of the shielding layers, drain conductors, or other components, may be omitted, and the cable 10 may also include other components or elements not shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the cable 10 includes a first internal conductor 20, a second internal conductor 22, a dielectric insulator 30, a first shield 40, a second shield 42, a first drain conductor 50, a second drain conductor 52, and a jacket 60. The cable 10 is similar to a coaxial cable but includes two internal conductors 20 and 22 instead of a single internal conductor. The cable 10 having two internal conductors is an example of a twinaxial cable or a twinax cable. A twinax cable such as the cable 10 can be used, for example, for short-distance high-speed differential data signaling applications, but the cable 10 is relied upon for various data interconnection applications.

[0018] Conductor 20 and conductor 22 can be embodied as conductors formed from copper conductors, copper-clad steel conductors, or other metals. In some cases, conductors 20 and 22 may include an outer surface plating of silver or other metals. As an example, conductors 20 and 22 can be in a gauge range such as 22 - 34 AWG, although cable 10 can include conductors of other gauges. A data signal can be differentially coupled to conductors 20 and 22, as an example, although cable 10 can be used to communicate data using various modulation and signaling techniques. Additional aspects of conductors 20 and 22 are described below.

[0019] Dielectric insulator 30 can be embodied as a core of a dielectric insulating material. As an example, dielectric insulator 30 can be embodied as a solid or low-density polyethylene (PE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), conductive PE or conductive PTFE, fluoropolymer, or other plastic or insulating material. An exemplary dielectric constant (Dk) of dielectric insulator 30 can be in the range of 1.5 - 3, although cable 10 is not limited to any particular type or property of insulating material. Conductors 20 and 22 are positioned within dielectric insulator 30 as shown. The distance or spacing between the outer surfaces of conductors 20 and 22 and the outer surface of dielectric insulator 30 (i.e., the interface between dielectric insulator 30 and the first shield 40) can vary within cable 10.

[0020] The first shield 40 can be embodied as a relatively thin layer of a conductive material such as aluminum, copper, or other conductive shields. In the illustrated embodiment, the first shield 40 is positioned on and covers the outer surface of the dielectric insulator 30. The first drain conductor 50 and the second drain conductor 52 can be embodied as aluminum, copper, or other conductors. As an example, the gauges of the drain conductor 50 and the drain conductor 52 can vary, but the drain conductor 50 and the drain conductor 52 generally have a larger gauge (i.e., a smaller diameter) than the conductors 20 and 22. The second shield 42 can be embodied as a relatively thin layer of a conductive material such as aluminum, copper, or other conductive shields. In the illustrated embodiment, the second shield 42 encloses the first shield 40 as well as the drain conductor 50 and the drain conductor 52, and the drain conductor 50 and the drain conductor 52 are positioned between the first shield 40 and the second shield 42. The drain conductor 50 and the drain conductor 52 are in contact with and electrically coupled to both the first shield 40 and the second shield 42. The jacket 60 can be embodied as any suitable material that can protect the cable 10 and allow for sufficient flexibility, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane, chlorinated PE, or other thermoplastic, thermosetting, or related materials.

[0021] The diameters "D" of conductors 20 and 22 can vary depending on the gauge of conductors 20 and 22 used in cable 10, as defined and understood in the art. The relative positions of conductors 20 and 22 (e.g., pitch "P"), the overall size of cable 10 (e.g., thickness, width, etc.), and other aspects of cable 10 can also vary with the gauge of conductors 20 and 22. Thus, similar to cable 10, another cable that includes conductors of a different gauge compared to conductors 20 and 22 can have conductors that are not spatially aligned with conductors 20 and 22. The conductors of different cables can have different diameters "D", different pitches "P" between the conductors, different sizes, shapes, or styles of dielectric insulation, different positions and sizes of drain conductors, and other differences compared to cable 10. These differences in dimensions and other aspects can present challenges when designing the interface between cable 10 and another cable of a similar style (e.g., another twinax cable) but having conductors of different gauges, for example, particularly at the transition between them. Similarly, connectors designed for electrical coupling at the ends of cable 10 may not be properly sized or dimensioned for cables having conductors of a different gauge but in a similar style.

[0022] Overall, cable 10 can be electrically coupled and terminated at endpoints or transitioned to another cable or connector in various ways. When such terminations or transitions include impedance mismatches or permittivity mismatches among other inconsistencies, there is a potential for unwanted or undesirable effects on the data signals communicated through cable 10. These effects can include signal reflections, near - end and far - end interference, and crosstalk, distortion, signal noise, reduction in bandwidth, and other problems.

[0023] In the context outlined above, the cable adapters described herein provide, as one example, a solution for improved terminations and transitions between the ends of cable 10 and other cables, adapters, or transition or termination points. As one example, the cable adapters described herein provide a solution for improved terminations or transitions between two different twinax cables that include center conductors of different gauges. FIG. 2A shows an exemplary cable adapter 100. Cable adapter 100 is electrically coupled and interposed between cable 10 and cable 10A. Cable 10 includes a conductor of a first gauge, such as 26, 28, or 29 AWG, for example, and cable 10A includes a conductor of a second gauge, such as 31 AWG. Since the 31 AWG conductor within cable 10A has a smaller diameter than the 26, 28, or 29 AWG conductor within cable 10, the conductor of cable 10A is not spatially aligned with the conductor of cable 10. In particular, the conductor within cable 10A can be offset in pitch, position, and overall size compared to the conductor within cable 10. As will be described in more detail below, cable adapter 100 includes an insert having one or more conductive transition sections. The conductive transition sections provide an electromagnetic transition section with a low impedance mismatch or a permittivity mismatch between the conductor within cable 10 and the conductor within cable 10A.

[0024] FIG. 2B shows an exemplary cable adapter 200. The cable adapter 200 is electrically coupled and interposed between the cable 10 and the connector 70. In FIG. 2B, the connector 70 is illustrated as a representative embodiment. The connector 70 is not drawn to any particular scale or size, and the size, shape, and style of the connectors described herein may vary compared to the illustrated embodiments. In some cases, one or more mechanisms or components of the connector 70 and other connectors described herein may be omitted. In other cases, the connector 70 and other cable connectors described may include other mechanisms or components. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector 70 includes a pin slide 71 and a connector base 72. The connector base 72 may seat around the end of the housing of the cable adapter 200 and be stationary relative to the detent protruding from the housing, as shown in FIG. 2B.

[0025] The cable 10 includes conductors of a first gauge, such as 26, 28, or 29 AWG, for example, and the connector 70 includes pins or conductors 73 and 74 of a certain size and spacing, as will be described in more detail below. Since the size and spacing of the conductors in the cable 10A are different from the size and spacing of the pins 73 and 74 of the connector 70, the conductors in the cable 10A are not spatially aligned with the pins 73 and 74 of the connector 70. The conductors in the cable 10A may be offset in pitch, position, and overall size compared to the pins 73 and 74 of the connector 70. As will be described in more detail below, the cable adapter 200 includes an insert having one or more conductive transition portions. The conductive transition portions provide an electromagnetic transition portion with a low impedance mismatch or a dielectric constant mismatch between the conductors in the cable 10 and the conductors in the cable 10A. Other embodiments of cable adapters having conductive transition portions are described herein.

[0026] FIG. 3A is a front perspective view of the cable adapter 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 3B is a rear perspective view of the cable adapter 100. In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the cable adapter 100 is illustrated as a representative example. The cable adapter 100 is not drawn to any particular scale or size, and the size, shape, and style of the cable adapters described herein may vary compared to the examples shown. In some cases, one or more mechanisms or components of the cable adapter 100 and other cable adapters described herein may be omitted. In other cases, the cable adapter 100 and other cable adapters described may include other mechanisms or components.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the cable adapter 100 includes a housing 110 and an adapter insertion portion 140 within the housing 110. The housing 110 may be formed from a conductive metal such as aluminum, copper, or other conductive metal or metal alloy. The housing 110 wraps around and surrounds the adapter insertion portion 140 over at least some surfaces or regions of the adapter insertion portion 140 as shown for impedance control and crosstalk isolation. In some cases, the housing 110 may include a conductive plating on its outer surface. The adapter insertion portion 140 may be formed from a dielectric insulating material such as a fluoropolymer, PE, PTFE, or other plastic, or other insulating material. An exemplary Dk of the dielectric insulator may be in the range of 1.5 to 3, but the adapter insertion portion 140 is not limited to any particular type or characteristic of insulating material.

[0028] The housing 110 encloses the adapter insertion portion 140. The housing 110 may surround the adapter insertion portion 140 along the longitudinal axis "L" of the cable adapter 100, or along at least some lengths or segments of the longitudinal axis "L". In all cases, the housing 110 need not surround the adapter insertion portion 140 along the entire length of the cable adapter 100, but the housing 110 includes a gap 112 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A. The locking mechanism of the adapter insertion portion 140 is positioned within the gap 112 as shown, and the mechanism will be described in more detail below.

[0029] The housing 110 includes a first casing region 102 and a second casing region 104, has a first opening at one end of the first casing region 102, and has a second opening at one end of the second casing region 104. The outer shape of the housing 110 (i.e., taken in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis "L" of the cable adapter 100) is a rectangular shape with curved corners as shown, but the outer shape of the housing 110 can vary. The outer shape of the first casing region 102 is relatively smaller than the outer shape of the second casing region 104, and the opening at the end of the first casing region 102 is smaller than the opening at the end of the second casing region 104. The second casing region 104 is dimensioned large enough to partially insert a cable such as cable 10 into the rear of the housing 110, and the cable 10 can be fixed by the cable adapter 100.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the housing 110 includes a recess 150 on one side of the second casing region 104 and a similar recess on the other side of the housing 110. The recess 150 may provide a surface for gripping the cable adapter 100. On the inner surface of the housing 110, the recess 150 may also provide a surface for crimping or attaching drain conductors of a twinax cable, such as drain conductor 50 and drain conductor 52 of cable 10 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the housing 110 also includes a detent 152 on one side of the first casing region 102 and a similar detent on the other side of the housing 110. The detent 152 may provide a stop for fixing a cable connector around the front end of the housing 110. Additional mechanisms of the housing 110 will be described below.

[0032] The adapter insertion portion 140 includes a front surface 142 and a rear surface 144. The adapter insertion portion 140 also includes an opening 146 and an opening 148 extending from the front surface 142 to the rear surface 144. Thus, the adapter insertion portion 140 includes an opening in the front surface 142 for the opening 146 and the opening 148, and an opening in the rear surface 144 for the opening 146 and the opening 148. The openings 146 and 148 are circular as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B and are circular for inserting conductors into the openings 146 and 148, as will be described in more detail below. The openings 146 and 148 can be formed at least partially in other shapes, and examples of other shapes and patterns of the openings will be described below. In other embodiments, the adapter insertion portion 140 can include additional openings, such as three, four, or more openings, each similar to the openings 146 and 148. The openings 146 and 148 can include a lining of conductive material, as will be described below.

[0033] The openings 146 and 148 include a transition from a first diameter "D1" (see FIG. 3A) or size at the front surface 142 to a second diameter "D2" (see FIG. 3B) or size at the rear surface 144. Thus, the openings 146 and 148 are conductive transition portions within the adapter insertion portion 140. In the illustrated embodiment, the size of the opening at the front surface 142 is smaller in diameter than the size of the opening at the rear surface 144 (i.e., "D1" < "D2"). The openings 146 and 148 also include a conductive lining on at least one region or length of the inner surface of the openings 146 and 148 within the adapter insertion portion 140. These and other aspects of the adapter insertion portion 140 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3A, the adapter insertion portion 140 extends into the housing 110 from the front portion of the cable adapter 100 where the front surface 142 is in the same plane as the front edge of the housing 110 to a position within the housing. The rear surface 144 of the adapter insertion portion 140 does not extend in the same plane as the rear edge of the housing 110. Instead, as shown in FIG. 3B, the rear surface 144 is recessed from the rear edge of the housing 110. Thus, the cable 10 can be inserted into the housing 110, for example, at the rear of the housing 110, where it can be fixed by the cable adapter 100. In some cases, the adapter insertion portion 140 can be made shorter along the longitudinal axis "L" such that the front surface 142 of the adapter insertion portion 140 is not in the same plane as the front edge of the housing 110. In that case, the front surface 142 can be recessed from the front edge of the housing 110. Another cable can be inserted into the housing 110 at the front of the housing 110, where it can be fixed by the cable adapter 100. In other cases, among other configurations of the connector, a connector similar to the connector 70 shown in FIG. 2B can be fixed to the cable adapter 100 at the front of the housing 110. The connector base 72 of the connector 70 (see FIG. 2B) seats around the front portion of the housing 110 and can be stationary with respect to the retaining stop 152 protruding from the housing 110.

[0035] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the adapter insertion portion 140 of the cable adapter 100 shown in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the adapter insertion portion 140 designated in FIG. 4A. The adapter insertion portion 140 is sized and shaped to fit within the housing 110 with minimal clearance therebetween (e.g., little or no void). The adapter insertion portion 140 can be inserted into the housing 110 from the rear of the housing 110. The adapter insertion portion 140 includes a first adapter region 160 and a second adapter region 162. The outer shape of the first adapter region 160 (i.e., taken in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis “L” of the adapter insertion portion 140) is rectangular in shape with curved corners as shown, although the outer shape of the first adapter region 160 can vary. The outer shape of the second adapter region 162 is rectangular in shape with semi-circular sides as shown, although the outer shape of the second adapter region 162 can vary. The outer shape of the first adapter region 160 is relatively smaller than the outer shape of the second adapter region 162. The adapter insertion portion 140 also includes an interlock mechanism 141 that can be formed as a ridge extending along at least a portion of the bottom of the adapter insertion portion 140. The interlock mechanism 141 is sized and shaped to fit within the gap 112 of the housing 110 as shown in FIG. 3A and helps to secure and position the adapter insertion portion 140 within the housing 110.

[0036] Figure 4B shows the extension of the openings 146 and 148 from the front surface 142 to the rear surface 144 of the adapter insertion portion 140. The opening 146 includes a first opening length 146A and a second opening length 146B, and has a transition portion 146C at the interface between the first opening length 146A and the second opening length 146B. The opening 148 includes a first opening length 148A and a second opening length 148B, and has a transition portion 148C at the interface between the first opening length 148A and the second opening length 148B. The first opening length 146A is sized to a first diameter, and the second opening length 146B is sized to a second diameter. The first opening length 148A is also sized to the same first diameter, and the second opening length 148B is also sized to the same second diameter. The second diameter is larger than the first diameter.

[0037] The inner diameters of the opening lengths 146A, 146B, 148A, and 148B can be selected, in particular, to accommodate the gauge of the conductors within the cable, based on the type of cable to be used with the cable adapter 100. As an example, the rear portion of the cable adapter 100 can be fitted to the end of the cable 10 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The diameters “D” of the conductors 20 and 22 within the cable 10 can vary depending on the gauge of the conductors 20 and 22. Similarly, the relative positions of the conductors 20 and 22 within the cable 10, as well as other aspects of the cable 10, can vary based on the gauge of the conductors 20 and 22. Accordingly, the diameters of the opening lengths 146B and 148B can be selected to accommodate the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 with a minimum gap (e.g., little or no void) between the outer surfaces of the conductors 20 and 22 and the inner surfaces of the opening lengths 146B and 148B when the conductors 20 and 22 are inserted into the opening lengths 146B and 148B. The pitch or spacing between the centers of the openings of the opening lengths 146B and 148B at the rear surface 144 of the adapter insertion portion 140 can also be aligned with the pitch of the spacing of the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10.

[0038] The front portion of the cable adapter 100 can be mated to another cable, such as cable 10A shown in FIG. 2A, having conductors of a larger gauge (i.e., smaller diameter) than conductors 20 and 22 of cable 10. The conductors of cable 10A may have a different diameter "D", a different pitch "P" between the conductors, and other differences compared to cable 10. Thus, the diameters of aperture lengths 146A and 148A are selected to accommodate the smaller conductors of cable 10A with a minimum gap (e.g., little or no void) between the outer surface of the conductors and the inner surfaces of aperture lengths 146A and 148A when the conductors of cable 10A are inserted into aperture lengths 146A and 148A. The pitch or spacing between the centers of the apertures of aperture lengths 146A and 148A at the front face 142 of the adapter insertion portion 140 can also be aligned with the pitch of the spacing of the conductors of cable 10A.

[0039] The inner surfaces of aperture 146 and aperture 148 include a lining of conductive material 149 extending across transition portions 146C and 148C at least along the lengths of aperture 146 and aperture 148. Thus, aperture 146 and aperture 148 are conductive apertures. The lining of conductive material 149 can include a lining of one or more metal layers, metal alloy layers, sintered metal particle layers, or other layers of conductive material. The lining of conductive material 149 can be deposited or otherwise formed in several ways, such as by chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition, sputtering, evaporation, plating, spin coating, dip coating, epitaxial growth, or other techniques. The metal, metal alloy, or metal particle layer can include copper, silver, gold, titanium, platinum, tungsten, or other metals and their alloys. In some cases, the lining of conductive material 149 can include a series of raised ridges, protrusions, or other patterns of conductive material along the lengths of aperture 146 and aperture 148, and the thickness of the conductive material lining varies.

[0040] In some cases, the outer surface along the length of the adapter insertion portion 140 may also include a lining of the conductive material 145. The lining of the conductive material 145 may include a lining of one or more metal layers, metal alloy layers, sintered metal particle layers, or other layers of conductive materials. When the adapter insertion portion 140 is assembled and positioned within the housing 110, the lining of the conductive material 145 may be in electrical contact with the housing 110. The lining of the conductive material 145 may be the same type of metal or metal layer as the lining of the conductive material 149, or the lining of the conductive material 145 may be a different type of material compared to the lining of the conductive material 149. The lining of the conductive material 149 may be deposited or otherwise formed in several ways, such as by chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition, sputtering, evaporation, plating, spin coating, dip coating, epitaxial growth, or other techniques. The metal, metal alloy, or metal particle layer may include copper, silver, gold, titanium, platinum, tungsten, or other metals and their alloys. The front surface 142 and the rear surface 144 of the adapter insertion portion 140 may be free of the conductive material 145.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another adapter insertion portion 140A according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The adapter insertion portion 140A is similar to the adapter insertion portion 140 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, but the adapter insertion portion 140A does not include a lining of the conductive material 149 in the openings 146 and 148. Instead, the adapter insertion portion 140A includes a conductive insertion portion 170 disposed in the opening 146 and a conductive insertion portion 174 disposed in the opening 148. The conductive insertion portion 170 and the conductive insertion portion 174 may be embodied as strips or thin plates of a metal or metal alloy such as copper or other conductive metals, which are punched or cut from a larger sheet material. The conductive insertion portion 170 and the conductive insertion portion 174 may be plated, in some cases, with silver or other plating. In one example, the widths of the conductive insertion portion 170 and the conductive insertion portion 174 are close to, but may be smaller than, the diameters of the openings 146 and 148 such that the conductive insertion portion 170 and the conductive insertion portion 174 fit and seat within the openings 146 and 148. The conductive insertion portion 170 and the conductive insertion portion 174 may be formed to any suitable thickness in relation to the sizes of the openings 146 and 148.

[0042] The conductive insertion portion 170 and the conductive insertion portion 174 are sized and shaped to fit within the openings 146 and 148. The conductive insertion portion 170 includes a first insertion portion length extending along a first opening length 146A and a second insertion portion length extending along a second opening length 146B. The first insertion portion length of the conductive insertion portion 170 is wider than the second insertion portion length of the conductive insertion portion 170 corresponding to the shape of the opening 146, as shown in FIG. 5. The conductive insertion portion 174 includes a first insertion portion length extending along a first opening length 148A and a second insertion portion length extending along a second opening length 148B. The first insertion portion length of the conductive insertion portion 174 is wider than the second insertion portion length of the conductive insertion portion 174 corresponding to the shape of the opening 146. The conductive insertion portion 170 and the conductive insertion portion 174 may be inserted into the openings 146 and 148, respectively, from the rear surface 144 of the adapter insertion portion 140A.

[0043] The conductive insertion part 170 includes an eyelet 171 positioned at one end toward the rear surface 144 of the adapter insertion part 140A and an eyelet 172 positioned at the other end toward the front surface 142 of the adapter insertion part 140A. The conductive insertion part 174 includes an eyelet 175 positioned at one end toward the rear surface 144 of the adapter insertion part 140A and an eyelet 176 positioned at the other end toward the front surface 142 of the adapter insertion part 140A. When a conductor is inserted from the rear surface 144 of the adapter insertion part 140A into the openings 146 and 148, the conductor fits into the eyelets 171 and 175, helping to fix and electrically couple the conductor to the conductive insertion part 170 and the conductive insertion part 174. In some cases, the conductor can be electrically coupled to the conductive insertion part 170 and the conductive insertion part 174 using solder, welding, or other connection techniques. When a conductor is inserted from the front surface 142 of the adapter insertion part 140A into the openings 146 and 148, the conductor can fit into the eyelets 172 and 176, helping to fix and electrically couple the conductor to the conductive insertion part 170 and the conductive insertion part 174. In some cases, the conductor can be electrically coupled to the conductive insertion part 170 and the conductive insertion part 174 using solder, welding, or other connection techniques.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the cable adapter 100 shown in FIG. 3A with the cable 10, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 extend from the rear surface 144 of the adapter insertion portion 140 into the openings 146 and 148. The conductors 20 and 22 can be inserted into the adapter insertion portion 140 such that the distal ends of the conductors 20 and 22 terminate at the transition portions 146C and 148C of the openings 146 and 148, respectively. In other cases, the conductors 20 and 22 can be inserted to another distance within the openings 146 and 148. The conductors 20 and 22 are in electrical contact with a lining of the conductive material 149 that extends along the openings 146 and 148. The drain conductors 50 and 52 are shown extending to the housing 110, but the drain conductors 50 and 52 can extend further than shown within the housing 110 (e.g., below). Thus, the drain conductors 50 and 52 contact and are electrically coupled to the housing 110.

[0045] Although not shown in FIG. 6, additional conductors, such as the conductors of the cable 10A (see FIG. 2A), can extend from the front surface 142 of the adapter insertion portion 140 into the openings 146 and 148. The conductors of the cable 10A are also in electrical contact with a lining of the conductive material 149. The conductors of the cable 10A can be inserted into the adapter insertion portion 140 such that the distal ends of the conductors terminate at the transition portions 146C and 148C of the openings 146 and 148 and abut the conductors 20 and 22 at the transition portions 146C and 148C. Thus, the lining of the conductive material 149 electrically couples the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 and the conductors of the cable 10A.

[0046] Cable adapter 100 provides an electrical coupling and transition between the conductors of cable 10 and cable 10A, although the conductors of cable 10 and cable 10A have different diameters and pitches. The electrical coupling provided by cable adapter 100 provides an improved impedance or permittivity transition between the conductors of cable 10 and cable 10A as compared to other techniques for coupling conductors such as other types of connectors and interconnection techniques. Cable adapter 100 helps reduce unwanted or undesirable effects that may be imparted to data signals communicated through cable 10 and cable 10A when the conductors within cable 10 and cable 10A are electrically coupled to each other. As an example, the improved transition provided by cable adapter 100 reduces signal reflections, reduces interference and crosstalk, reduces distortion, increases the signal-to-noise ratio, and increases the bandwidth at the transition between conductors of different diameters such as conductors of different diameters within a twinax cable.

[0047] FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of another cable adapter 200 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Cable adapter 200 includes a housing 210 and an adapter insertion portion 240 within housing 210. Housing 210 is similar to housing 110 of cable adapter 100 and may be formed from a conductive metal such as aluminum, copper, or other conductive metal or metal alloy. In some cases, housing 210 may include a conductive plating on its outer surface. Adapter insertion portion 240 may be formed from a dielectric insulating material such as a fluoropolymer, PE, PTFE, or other plastic, or an insulating material. An exemplary Dk of the dielectric insulator may be in the range of 1.5 to 3, but adapter insertion portion 240 is not limited to any particular type or characteristic of insulating material.

[0048] The housing 210 encloses the adapter insertion portion 240. The housing 210 may surround the adapter insertion portion 240 along the longitudinal axis of the cable adapter 200, or along at least some segments or lengths of the longitudinal axis. In all cases, the housing 210 does not necessarily surround the adapter insertion portion 240 along the entire length of the cable adapter 200, but the housing 210 includes a gap 212 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7. The interlock mechanism or positioning mechanism of the adapter insertion portion 240 is positioned within the gap 212 as shown, and the mechanism will be described in more detail below.

[0049] The housing 210 includes a first casing region 202 and a second casing region 204. The outer shape of the housing 210 (i.e., taken in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the cable adapter 200) is a rectangular shape with curved corners as shown, but the outer shape of the housing 210 can vary. The outer shape of the first casing region 202 is relatively smaller than the outer shape of the second casing region 204. The second casing region 204 is dimensioned large enough to partially insert a cable such as cable 10 into the rear of the housing 210, and the cable 10 can be secured by the cable adapter 200.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 7, the housing 210 includes a recess 150 on one side of the second casing region 204 and a similar recess on the other side of the housing 210. The recess 150 can provide a surface for gripping the cable adapter 200. On the inner surface of the housing 210, the recess 150 can also provide a surface for crimping or attaching drain conductors of a twinax cable, such as drain conductor 50 and drain conductor 52 of cable 10 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The housing 210 also includes a detent 252 on one side of the first casing region 202 and a similar detent on the other side of the housing 210 as shown in FIG. 7. The detent 252 can provide a stop for securing a cable connector around the front end of the housing 210.

[0051] The adapter insertion portion 240 also includes openings 246 and 248 that extend from the front surface to the rear surface of the adapter insertion portion 240. Thus, the adapter insertion portion 240 includes the openings of the openings 246 and 248 on the front surface and the openings for the openings 246 and 248 on the rear surface. The openings 246 and 248 are circular as shown in FIG. 7 and are circular for inserting conductors or conductive posts into the openings 246 and 248, as will be described in more detail below. The openings 246 and 248 can be formed in other shapes at least partially, and examples of other shapes and patterns of the openings will be described below.

[0052] In accordance with the concepts described herein, the openings 246 and 248 include a transition portion from a first diameter or size at the front surface of the adapter insertion portion 240 to a second diameter or size at the rear surface of the adapter insertion portion 240. The openings 246 and 248 also include a lining of conductive material 249 on at least one region or length of the inner surface of the openings 246 and 248 within the adapter insertion portion 240, similar to the lining of the conductive material 149 described above (see FIG. 7).

[0053] As shown in FIG. 7, the adapter insertion portion 240 extends into the housing 210 from the front portion of the cable adapter 200 where the front surface of the adapter insertion portion 240 is in the same plane as the front edge of the housing 210 to a position within the housing. The rear surface of the adapter insertion portion 240 does not extend in the same plane as the rear edge of the housing 210 in all cases. Instead, the rear surface may be recessed from the rear edge of the housing 210. Thus, the cable 10 can be inserted into the housing 210, for example, at the rear portion of the housing 210, where it can be fixed by the cable adapter 200. In some cases, the front surface of the adapter insertion portion 240 is not in the same plane as the front edge portion of the housing 210. In that case, the front surface may be recessed from the front edge of the housing 210. Among other modes of the connector, a connector similar to the connector 70 shown in FIG. 2B can be fixed to the cable adapter 200 at the front portion of the housing 210. The connector base 72 of the connector 70 (see FIG. 2B) seats around the front portion of the housing 210 and can be stationary with respect to the detent 252 protruding from the housing 210.

[0054] The cable adapter 200 also includes conductive posts 230 and 231, which partially extend into the openings 246 and 248 of the adapter insertion portion 240 and also partially extend outside or beyond the adapter insertion portion 240. The conductive posts 230 and 231 include surface regions such as the bottom surface region 232 of the conductive post 231 for making electrical contact with the pins of the connector, as will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8. The conductive posts 230 and 231 can be formed from copper or other metal or metal alloy conductors. In some cases, the conductive posts 230 and 231 can include an outer surface plating of silver or other metal.

[0055] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cable adapter 200 shown in FIG. 7 with the cable 10, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 extend into the openings 246 and 248 from the rear of the adapter insertion portion 240. The conductors 20 and 22 can be inserted into the adapter insertion portion 240 such that the distal ends of the conductors 20 and 22 end at the transition portions 246C and 248C of the openings 246 and 248, respectively. In other cases, the conductors 20 and 22 can be inserted to another distance within the openings 246 and 248. The conductors 20 and 22 are in electrical contact with a lining of the conductive material 249 that extends along the openings 246 and 248. The drain conductors 50 and 52 are shown extending to the housing 210, but the drain conductors 50 and 52 can extend further than shown within the housing 210 (e.g., below). Thus, the drain conductors 50 and 52 contact and are electrically coupled to the housing 210.

[0056] The conductive posts 230 and 231 extend into the openings 246 and 248 from the front of the adapter insertion portion 240. The conductive posts 230 and 231 also are in electrical contact with the lining of the conductive material 249. Thus, the lining of the conductive material 249 electrically couples the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 with the conductive posts 230 and 231.

[0057] Cable adapter 200 provides an electrical coupling and transition between conductors 20 and 22 of cable 10 and conductive posts 230 and 231. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the sizes and positions of conductors 20 and 22 are different from the sizes and positions of conductive posts 230 and 231. The electrical coupling provided by cable adapter 200 provides an improved impedance or permittivity transition between conductors 20 and 22 of cable 10 and conductive posts 230 and 231 compared to other techniques. Cable adapter 200 helps reduce unwanted or undesirable effects associated with impedance mismatches or permittivity mismatches, among other unwanted electrical characteristics. As an example, the improved transition provided by cable adapter 200 helps reduce signal reflections, increased interference and crosstalk, increased distortion, decreased signal-to-noise ratio, decreased bandwidth, and other problems.

[0058] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of cable adapter 200 shown in FIG. 7, with components of cable 10 and connector 70, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In FIG. 9, connector base 72 (see FIG. 2B) of connector 70 is omitted from the figure so that other mechanisms, including conductors 73 and 74 of connector 70, can be shown. Connector 70 can be in a standard form factor where the spacing between conductors 73 and 74 matches the spacing between conductive posts 230 and 231. The upper surfaces of conductors 73 and 74 of connector 70 are shown to contact the bottom surfaces of conductive posts 230 and 231. Bottom surface region 232 of conductive post 231 contacts the upper surface of conductor 74, as shown, and the bottom surface of conductive post 233 contacts the upper surface of conductor 73. In some cases, solder or other electrical coupling means can also be used to electrically couple conductive posts 230 and 231 to conductors 73 and 74.

[0059] Cable adapter 200 provides an electrical coupling and transition between conductor 20 and conductor 22 of cable 10 and conductive post 230 and conductive post 231 inside the cable adapter 200, while also providing conductive post 230 and conductive post 231 at intervals that match the standard form factor of connector 70. Relying on other cable adapters similar to cable adapter 200, cables other than cable 10 can be transitioned to the standard spacing and form factor of connector 70.

[0060] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of another cable adapter 300 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Cable adapter 300 includes a housing 310 and an adapter insertion portion 340 within housing 310. Housing 310 is similar to housing 110 and housing 210 described above. Adapter insertion portion 340 is also similar to adapter insertion portion 140 and adapter insertion portion 240 described above, but openings 346 and 348 have different positions and sizes compared to those of adapter insertion portion 140 and adapter insertion portion 240. Adapter insertion portion 340 includes openings on the front and rear surfaces due to openings 346 and 348. Openings 346 and 348 include a transition from a first diameter or size on the front surface of adapter insertion portion 340 to a second diameter or size on the rear surface of adapter insertion portion 340. The size of the front opening is larger in diameter than the size of the rear opening, as also shown in FIG. 12. Openings 346 and 348 also include a conductive lining on at least one region or length of the inner surfaces of openings 346 and 348 within adapter insertion portion 340.

[0061] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the cable adapter 300 shown in FIG. 10, with components of the cable 10 and the connector 70A, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In FIG. 11, the connector base of the connector 70A (see FIG. 2B as an example) is omitted from the figure so that other mechanisms including the conductors 73A and 74A of the connector 70A can be shown. The connector 70A is similar to the connector 250, but the conductors 73A and 74A of the connector 700A are longer than the conductors 73 and 74 of the connector 70. The connector 70A may have a standard form factor with a spacing between the conductors 73A and 74A that matches the spacing between the openings 346 and 348. The conductors 73A and 74A of the connector 70A are shown to be inserted into the openings 346 and 348, and a cross-sectional view of this interconnection is shown in FIG. 12.

[0062] The cable adapter 300 provides electrical coupling and transition portions between the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 and the conductors 73A and 74A of the connector 70A within the cable adapter 300 at a spacing that matches the standard form factor of the connector 70A. Relying on other cable adapters similar to the cable adapter 300, cables other than the cable 10 can be transitioned to the standard spacing and form factor of the connector 70A.

[0063] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the components of the cable adapter 300, the cable 10, and the connector 70A shown in FIG. 10, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 extend into the openings 346 and 348 from the rear of the adapter insertion portion 340. The conductors 20 and 22 can be inserted into the adapter insertion portion 340 such that the distal ends of the conductors 20 and 22 end at the transition portions 346C and 348C of the openings 346 and 348, respectively. In other cases, the conductors 20 and 22 can be inserted to another distance within the openings 346 and 248. The conductors 20 and 22 are in electrical contact with a lining of the conductive material 349 that extends along the openings 346 and 348. The conductors 73A and 74A of the connector 700A extend into the openings 346 and 348 from the front of the adapter insertion portion 340. The conductors 73A and 74A also are in electrical contact with the lining of the conductive material 349. Thus, the lining of the conductive material 349 electrically couples the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 with the conductors 73A and 74A.

[0064] The cable adapter 300 provides an electrical connection and transition between the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 and the conductors 73A and 74A of the connector 70A, but the sizes and positions of the conductors 20 and 22 and the sizes and positions of the conductors 73A and 74A are different as shown in FIG. 12. The electrical connection provided by the cable adapter 300 provides an improved impedance or permittivity transition between the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 and the conductors 73A and 74A as compared to other techniques. The cable adapter 300 helps reduce unwanted or undesirable effects associated with impedance mismatches or permittivity mismatches, among other unwanted electrical characteristics. As an example, the improved transition provided by the cable adapter 300 helps reduce signal reflections, increased interference and crosstalk, increased distortion, decreased signal-to-noise ratio, decreased bandwidth, and other problems.

[0065] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an exemplary electrical coupling 400 between conductors 20 and 22 of cable 10 and pins or conductors 73B and pins or conductors 74B of connector 70B, positioned within a cable adapter, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Certain components of connector 70B, such as the connector base, are omitted from the figure in FIG. 13 so that other components can be seen. As shown in FIG. 13, electrical coupling 400 includes a swaged connection between conductors 20 and 22 and conductors 73B and 74B of connector 70B. Conductors 20 and 22 are bent and inserted through openings or openings of conductors 73B and 74B toward the distal ends of conductors 73B and 74B. Conductors 20 and 22 can also be fixed and electrically coupled to conductors 73B and 74B by soldering, welding, or other methods in the configuration shown. Electrical coupling 400 can be positioned within a cable adapter according to the concepts described herein, particularly within the adapter insertion portion of the cable adapter.

[0066] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing another exemplary electrical coupling 410 between conductors 20 and 22 of cable 10 and conductors 73C and 74C of connector 70C, positioned within a cable adapter, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Certain components of connector 70C, such as the connector base, are omitted from the figure in FIG. 14 so that other components can be seen. As shown in FIG. 14, electrical coupling 410 includes a welded tail connection between conductors 20 and 22 and conductors 73C and 74C of connector 70C. Conductors 20 and 22 are inserted from openings or openings of conductors 73C and 74C toward the distal ends of conductors 73C and 74C. Conductors 20 and 22 can also be fixed and electrically coupled to conductors 73C and 74C by soldering, welding, or other methods in the configuration shown. Electrical coupling 410 can be positioned within a cable adapter according to the concepts described herein, particularly within the adapter insertion portion of the cable adapter.

[0067] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of another adapter insertion portion 500 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, the lower half of the adapter insertion portion 500 is shown in Figure 15, and the upper half of the adapter insertion portion 500 can be embodied as a mirror image of the lower half shown in Figure 15. The adapter insertion portion 500 can be inserted into a housing such as the housing 110 described herein. The adapter insertion portion 500 can be formed from a dielectric insulating material such as a fluoropolymer, PE, PTFE, or other plastic, or other insulating materials. An exemplary Dk of the dielectric insulator can be in the range of 1.5 to 3, but the adapter insertion portion 500 is not limited to any particular type or characteristic of insulating material.

[0068] The adapter insertion portion 500 includes openings 510 and 512 that extend from the front surface 520 to the rear surface 522 of the adapter insertion portion 500. Accordingly, the adapter insertion portion 500 includes an opening in the front surface 520 for the openings 510 and 512 and an opening in the rear surface 522 for the openings 510 and 512. The openings 510 and 512 are circular as shown in Figure 15 and are circular for inserting a conductor into the openings 510 and 512. In other embodiments, the adapter insertion portion 500 can include additional openings such as three, four, or more openings, each similar to the openings 510 and 512.

[0069] The openings 510 and 512 include a transition portion from a first diameter or size at the front surface 520 to a second diameter or size at the rear surface 522, consistent with other embodiments described herein. In the illustrated embodiment, the size of the opening at the front surface 520 is smaller in diameter than the size of the opening at the rear surface 522. The openings 510 and 512 also include a lining of conductive material 530 on at least one region or length of the inner surface of the openings 510 and 512 within the adapter insertion portion 500.

[0070] The opening 510 includes a first opening length 510A, a transition or tapered opening length 510B, and a second opening length 510C. The opening 512 includes a first opening length 512A, a transition or tapered opening length 512B, and a second opening length 512C. The first opening length 510A is sized to a first diameter, and the second opening length 510C is sized to a second diameter. The tapered opening length 510B is formed to a tapered diameter that tapers from the first diameter of the first opening length 510A to the second diameter of the second opening length 510C, or includes a tapered diameter. The first opening length 512A is also formed or sized to the first diameter, and the second opening length 512C is also formed or sized to the second diameter. The tapered opening length 512B includes a tapered diameter that tapers from the first diameter of the first opening length 512A to the second diameter of the second opening length 512C.

[0071] The inner surfaces of the opening 510 and the opening 512 include a lining of a conductive material 530 that extends at least along the lengths of the opening 510 and the opening 512. Accordingly, the opening 510 and the opening 512 are conductive openings. The lining of the conductive material 530 can include a lining of one or more metal layers, metal alloy layers, sintered metal particle layers, or other layers of conductive material, similar to the linings of the conductive material 149 and the conductive material 249 described above. In some cases, the outer surface along the length of the adapter insertion portion 500 can also include a lining of a conductive material. The tapered opening length 510B provides an electromagnetic transition section with a low impedance mismatch or a permittivity mismatch between the first opening length 510A and the second opening length 510C. The tapered opening length 512B also provides an electromagnetic transition section with a low impedance mismatch or a permittivity mismatch between the first opening length 512A and the second opening length 512C.

[0072] When the adapter insertion part 500 is used in a cable adapter as described in this specification, it provides an electrical coupling and a transition part between the conductors of cables such as the cable 10 and the cable 10A. However, the conductors of the cable 10 and the cable 10A have different diameters and pitches. The electrical coupling provided by the adapter insertion part 500 provides an improved impedance or permittivity transition between the conductors of the cable 10 and the cable 10A as compared with other techniques for coupling conductors such as other types of connectors and interconnection techniques. The adapter insertion part 500 helps to reduce unwanted or undesirable effects that can be imparted to the data signals communicated through the cable 10 and the cable 10A when the conductors within the cable 10 and the cable 10A are electrically coupled to each other. As an example, the improved transition part provided by the adapter insertion part 500 reduces signal reflections, reduces interference and crosstalk, reduces distortion, increases the signal-to-noise ratio, and can increase the bandwidth at the transition part between conductors of different diameters such as conductors of different diameters within a twinax cable.

[0073] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing another adapter insertion portion 600 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 16, the adapter insertion portion 600 includes a lower body 601, a printed circuit board (PCB) 602 including traces 610 and 612 on the upper surface thereof, and a void 605 positioned below the PCB 602. The adapter insertion portion 600 can be inserted into a housing such as the housing 110 described herein. The lower body 601 of the adapter insertion portion 600 can be formed of a dielectric insulating material such as a fluoropolymer, PE, PTFE, or other plastic, or other insulating material. An exemplary Dk of the dielectric insulator can be in the range of 1.5 to 3, but the adapter insertion portion 500 is not limited to any particular type or characteristic of insulating material. In some cases, a portion of the outer surface along the length of the lower body 601 of the adapter insertion portion 600 can also include a lining of conductive material. In some cases, the adapter insertion portion 600 can also include a second upper body not shown in FIG. 16. The upper body is similar to the lower body 601 and can include a void similar to the void 605. However, the void in the upper body can be made larger to allow for a gap between the conductors fixed to the traces 610 and 612 on the upper surface of the PCB 602 and the upper body.

[0074] The adapter insertion portion 600 also includes, as shown in FIG. 16, a printed circuit board (PCB) 602 including traces 610 and 612 on the upper surface of the PCB 602, and a void 605 positioned below the PCB 602. The PCB 602 can be embodied as a glass-reinforced epoxy laminate (e.g., an FR4 laminate), but can rely on various other materials having various Dk values. Other exemplary materials include, by way of example, ROGERS® 1200 series, 3450, 6010, 4003C, 4350B, or 4450B core materials, but by way of example, alumina, silicon, and other materials can be used. The PCB 602 can be laminated or otherwise adhered to a seat formed within the adapter insertion portion 600 with the void 605 positioned below the PCB 602. In some cases, the PCB 602 can also include a ground plane formed on the bottom surface of the PCB 602 on the opposite side of the traces 610 and 612, and the traces 610 and 612 can be embodied as microstrip traces. The ground plane can be electrically coupled to a housing into which the adapter insertion portion 600 is inserted.

[0075] The PCB 602 is shown in FIG. 16 as having a particular width, length, and thickness, but the dimensions of the PCB 602 in FIG. 16 are representative and can vary compared to those shown. Similarly, the void 605 is also shown as having a particular width, length, and thickness, but the dimensions of the void 605 are representative and can vary compared to those shown. In some cases, the width of the void 605 can be made smaller than the width of the PCB 602.

[0076] The traces 610 and 612 of the PCB 602 extend along the length of the PCB 602 measured from the front surface 620 to the rear surface 622 of the adapter insertion portion 600. Both the trace 610 and the trace 612 include a transition portion from a first width or size at the front surface 620 to a second width or size at the rear surface 622. Thus, the traces 610 and 612 include a conductive transition portion of the adapter insertion portion 600. In the illustrated embodiment, the first width is smaller than the second width. The trace 612 includes a first trace length 612A, a transition portion or a tapered trace length 612B, and a second trace length 612C, and the trace 610 includes a similar trace length and a tapered trace length. The tapered trace length 612B is formed to include a tapered width that tapers from the first width of the first trace length 612A to the second width of the second trace length 612C. The tapered trace length 612B includes an electromagnetic taper between the first trace length 612A and the tapered trace length 612B, and the tapered trace length 612B includes an electromagnetic taper between the second trace length 612C and the tapered trace length 612B. The tapered trace length 612B provides an electromagnetic transition portion with a low impedance mismatch or a permittivity mismatch between the first trace length 612A and the second trace length 612C.

[0077] The adapter insertion portion 600 provides an electrical coupling and a transition portion between the conductors of the cables such as the cable 10 and the cable 10A when used in a cable adapter as described herein, but the conductors of the cable 10 and the cable 10A have different diameters and pitches. The conductors of the cable 10 and the cable 10A can be electrically coupled to the traces 610 and 612 using solder or other electrical coupling means. For example, the conductors 20 and 22 of the cable 10 can be electrically coupled or terminated to the second trace length 612C of the trace 610 and the second trace length 612C of the trace 612, respectively. Further, the conductors of the cable 10A can be electrically coupled or terminated to the first trace length 612A of the trace 610 and the first trace length 612A of the trace 612, respectively.

[0078] The conductors of cable 10 and cable 10A can be terminated to only a part of traces 610 and 612. For example, conductors 20 and 22 do not necessarily need to be electrically coupled across the entire second trace length 612C of trace 610 and across the entire second trace length 612C of trace 612 in all cases. In some cases, conductors 20 and 22 can be electrically coupled to only a part of the second trace length 612C of trace 610 and only a part of the second trace length 612C of trace 612. Similarly, the conductors of cable 10A can be electrically coupled to the first trace length 612A of trace 610 and the first trace length 612C of trace 612, respectively. However, the conductors of cable 10A do not necessarily need to be electrically coupled across the entire first trace length 612C of trace 610 and across the entire first trace length 612C of trace 612 in all cases. The conductors of cable 10 and cable 10A can be coupled to only a part of the first trace length 612A and the second trace length 612C of traces 610 and 612 to control the termination impedance between the conductors of cable 10 and cable 10A and traces 610 and 612.

[0079] The void 605 extends in the longitudinal direction from the front surface 620 to the rear surface 622 of the adapter insertion portion 600. As described above, the void 605 is under the PCB 602 and has a width, a length, and a thickness (e.g., the depth into the lower body 601). The dimensions of the void 605 can change as the void 605 extends from the front surface 620 to the rear surface 622 of the adapter insertion portion 600. In some cases, the width of the void 605 can change along the length of the void 605. For example, the void 605 can be narrower over a distance corresponding to the first trace length 612A (or a part of the first trace length 612A) and wider over a distance corresponding to the second trace length 612C (or a part of the second trace length 612C).

[0080] Note that the depth of the gap 605 may vary along the length of the gap 605. For example, the gap 605 may be deeper or thicker over a distance corresponding to the first trace length 612A and the second trace length 612C, and may be shallower or thinner over a distance corresponding to the tapered trace length 612B. In another embodiment, the gap 605 may be deeper or thicker under the portions of the traces 610 and 612 where the conductors of the cables 10 and 10A terminate at the traces 610 and 612, and may be shallower or thinner under the portions of the traces 610 and 612 where the conductors of the cables 10 and 10A do not terminate at the traces 610 and 612. The gap 605 may be deeper under the region where the conductors of the cables 10 and 10A terminate at the traces 610 and 612, and may compensate for the change in impedance in the termination region between the conductors of the cables 10 and 10A and the traces 610 and 612.

[0081] The electrical coupling provided by the adapter insertion portion 600 provides an improved impedance or dielectric constant transition between the conductors of the cables 10 and 10A as compared to other techniques for coupling conductors, such as other types of connectors and interconnect technologies. The adapter insertion portion 600 may reduce unwanted or undesirable effects that may be imparted to the data signals communicated through the cables 10 and 10A when the conductors within the cables 10 and 10A are electrically coupled to each other. As an example, the improved transition provided by the adapter insertion portion 600 may reduce signal reflections, reduce interference and crosstalk, reduce distortion, increase the signal-to-noise ratio, and increase the bandwidth at the transition between conductors of different diameters, such as conductors of different diameters within a twinax cable.

[0082] Terms such as "top", "bottom", "side", "front", "back", "right", and "left" are not intended to provide an absolute reference system. Rather, these terms are relative and are intended to identify particular features relative to each other, as the orientation of the structures described herein can vary. Terms such as "comprising", "including", "having", etc. are synonymous and are used in an open-ended manner and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations, etc. Also, the term "or" is used in an inclusive sense, not an exclusive sense, and thus, for example, when used to connect elements in a list, the term "or" means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. Disjunctive language such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y, Z" is generally used to present that items, terms, etc. can be any of X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and / or Z), unless otherwise indicated. Thus, such disjunctive language is not generally intended to, and should not, imply that a particular embodiment requires the presence of at least one of each of at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z.

[0083] The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples of embodiments for providing a clear understanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Many changes and modifications can be made to the above-described embodiments without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. Further, the components and features described with respect to one embodiment can be included in another embodiment. All such modifications and changes are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An adapter insertion part, the adapter insertion part comprising a conductive opening, the conductive opening comprising a first opening length for a first conductor, a second opening length for a second conductor, and a transition part between the first opening length and the second opening length, the adapter insertion part; A housing around the adapter insertion part, a transition cable adapter comprising.

2. The adapter insertion part includes a dielectric insulating material, The conductive opening of the adapter insertion part includes a lining of conductive material on an inner surface of the opening within the adapter insertion part, the transition cable adapter according to claim 1.

3. The lining of the conductive material includes a lining of at least one layer of metal or metal alloy, the transition cable adapter according to claim 2.

4. The first opening length of the conductive opening includes a first diameter for a first gauge of the first conductor, The second opening length of the conductive opening includes a second diameter for a second gauge of the second conductor, the transition cable adapter according to claim 1.

5. The conductive opening includes a plurality of conductive openings, each of the plurality of conductive openings including a first diameter for a first gauge of the first conductor and a second diameter for a second gauge of the second conductor, the transition cable adapter according to claim 1.

6. The transition part between the first opening length and the second opening length of the conductive opening is positioned between a front surface and a rear surface of the adapter insertion part, the transition cable adapter according to claim 1.

7. The transition part between the first opening length and the second opening length of the conductive opening includes a tapered opening length having a tapered diameter, the tapered diameter being tapered from a first diameter of the first opening length to a second diameter of the second opening length, the transition cable adapter according to claim 1.

8. The adapter insertion part includes a lining of conductive material on a region of an outer surface of the adapter insertion part, the transition cable adapter according to claim 1.

9. The adapter housing is formed from metal or metal alloy, The adapter housing includes a first opening at one end of the housing and a second opening at the other end of the housing, The transition cable adapter according to claim 8, wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening.

10. The transition cable adapter according to claim 9, wherein an inner surface of the housing contacts and is electrically coupled to a lining of the conductive material over a region of an outer surface of the adapter insertion portion.

11. The housing includes a gap, The transition cable adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter insertion portion is sized to fit within the gap of the housing and includes an interlock mechanism for fixing and positioning the adapter insertion portion in the housing.

12. The transition cable adapter according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first detent on a first side of the housing and a second detent on a second side of the housing.

13. An adapter insertion portion, the adapter insertion portion including a conductive transition portion, the conductive transition portion including a first conductive length for a first conductor, a second conductive length for a second conductor, and a transition portion between the first conductive length and the second conductive length, and A housing around the adapter insertion portion, a transition cable adapter.

14. The transition cable adapter according to claim 13, wherein the conductive transition portion includes a plurality of conductive transition portions, and each conductive transition portion of the plurality of conductive transition portions includes a first conductive length, a second conductive length, and a transition portion between the first conductive length and the second conductive length.

15. The transition cable adapter according to claim 13, wherein the transition portion between the first conductive length and the second conductive length has a tapered width that is tapered from a first width of the first conductive length to a second width of the second conductive length.

16. The adapter insertion portion further includes a printed circuit board (PCB), and The transition cable adapter according to claim 13, wherein the first conductive length, the second conductive length, and the transition portion are formed as traces on a first surface of the PCB.

17. The PCB further includes a ground plane on a second surface of the PCB, The transition cable adapter according to claim 16, wherein the first conductive length, the second conductive length, and the transition portion are formed as microstrip traces on a first surface of the PCB.

18. The transition cable adapter according to claim 17, wherein the adapter insertion portion further includes a gap under the PCB.

19. A cable, A transition cable adapter at one end of the cable, An adapter insertion portion, the adapter insertion portion includes a conductive opening, the conductive opening includes a first opening length for a first conductor, a second opening length for a second conductor, and a transition portion between the first opening length and the second opening length, the adapter insertion portion; A housing around the adapter insertion portion, a transition cable adapter comprising: a cable assembly.

20. The cable assembly according to claim 19, wherein the conductive opening includes a lining of a conductive material on an inner surface of the opening in the adapter insertion portion.

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