Cylindrical contact and high density multi-contact RF connector with easy and quick installation and removal and with means for securing each contact in the installed position

Abstract

To provide a cylindrical contact and a high-density multi-contact RF connector which can be mounted and removed easily and quickly and is provided with a means for fixing each contact at a mounting position.SOLUTION: The invention relates to a cylindrical contact (4) which, by virtue of its design, is locked in the longitudinal direction by a retaining plate (22) formed integrally with or fixed to the housing (20) of the multi-contact connector and is locked in the direction of rotation by a comb member (23) inserted and fixed in the same housing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection assembly for interconnecting connectors having multiple contacts.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-contact connector (also called a multi-channel connector) that accommodates a plurality of cylindrical, especially coaxial, contacts with conductors, i.e., the present invention relates to such cylindrical contacts.

[0003] "Coaxial contact with conductor" means a coaxial contact (contact or connection) that is connected to a separate electrical cable and is intended, in particular, for transmitting RF signals.

[0004] Although the present invention will be described with reference to the test and measurement market as a preferred application, it is also applicable to other applications, particularly in the commercial market, and thus the present invention is broadly applicable to connections in the medical, aviation and transportation, space, and even telecommunications and data center sectors.

[0005] A preferred application is cable-to-board multi-channel electrical connectors primarily for transmitting RF signals, for example, using pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) for digital encoding, particularly PAM4 encoding, to transmit high-speed signals up to 112 Gbps (gigabits per second). Data rates can be further increased, for example, reaching 224 Gbps with PAM4 encoding.

[0006] "RF connector" means a connector capable of transmitting signals ranging from direct current (DC) to radio frequency (RF) and including very high frequency (HF), whether such signals are high-speed digital signals (HSDL or High-Speed ​​Data Link) or radio frequency (RF) signals. [Background technology]

[0007] With the development and widespread application of chip technology, artificial intelligence, big data, distributed storage and edge computing technologies, data centers are demanding increasingly faster and larger bandwidth.

[0008] As a result, single-channel signal transmission speeds have increased from 56 Gbps to 112 Gbps, and may even reach 224 Gbps in the future. Therefore, single-channel connectors must support frequencies above 56 GHz, especially up to 67 GHz. As transmission frequencies reach the millimeter-wave band, the demands on the stability of cable assemblies and connectors used for signal transmission become even higher.

[0009] Furthermore, when users test the performance of chips or printed circuit boards (PCBs) using high-density connectors or multi-channel connectors, if a faulty connector or cable assembly is discovered, it is necessary to quickly replace the faulty connector or cable assembly to reduce testing and debugging time.

[0010] In other words, for testing chips and PCBs, it is necessary to quickly connect and disconnect multi-contact connectors with high density channels.

[0011] U.S. Patent No. 10,505,293 B2 discloses a multi-channel connector. This connector is configured as a plug and mates with a receptacle fixed on a PCB. Individual wire-connected coaxial contacts are longitudinally mounted and locked by a comb member inserted laterally through a side opening in the plug housing. The comb member is snap-fitted to the plug housing to prevent the coaxial contacts from slipping out of the plug housing. However, the wire-connected coaxial contacts may move slightly longitudinally within the plug housing when the cable connected to them is pulled. This unwanted movement disrupts stable connection of the coaxial contacts between the ground signal receptacle and the center contact signal PCB. Furthermore, when replacing a faulty coaxial contact, it is neither easy nor quick to remove the snap-fit ​​comb member and release the tension on the cable. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] Therefore, there is a need for an improvement in multi-contact or multi-channel connectors, particularly those configured as plugs, that allows for easy and quick replacement of wire-carrying coaxial contacts within the connector housing with minimal manipulation.

[0013] Additionally, all of these components are subject to manufacturing tolerances.

[0014] As mentioned above, the axial position of the wire-attached coaxial contacts within the connector housing can vary slightly due to cable tension, etc. For example, during testing using a multi-contact connector, the opposite end of the cable is connected to a vector network analyzer (VNA).

[0015] Ultimately, this unnecessary displacement causes one of the following problems, impairing the stability of the connection with the PCB: · Changes in contact pressure between the RF contacts and the PCB and / or connectors fixed to the PCB and configured as sockets. · Change in the electrical transmission path length of RF contacts. Possible variation in electrical transmission path length for each contact channel due to differences in tensile force applied to the cable.

[0016] Furthermore, existing technologies use RF contacts with an outer housing having petal-shaped elastic portions that radially contact the socket housing fixed to the PCB. When the plug connector is mated with the socket connector, the elastic portions collide with the cylindrical surface of the PCB socket cavity. In the millimeter wave band field, the petals are very small and relatively fragile, so the plug-in and plug-out life of existing technology products is not high, usually around 500 times.

[0017] Therefore, there is a need to increase the robustness of RF contacts in multi-channel or multi-contact connectors, improve the stability of the axial position of the RF contacts over their service life, and reduce the time required for connector maintenance.

[0018] The present invention aims to address all or part of these needs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0019] The object of the present invention is therefore, according to one of its aspects, a cylindrical contact having a central axis (X1), a front portion including a center contact, an outer cylinder, and a solid insulating structure disposed between the center contact and the outer cylinder; a center contact that is inserted into or surrounds the front center contact; On its periphery at least one protrusion extending radially outward and configured to cooperate with a portion of the multi-contact connector to form an axial abutment; at least one flat surface configured to cooperate with a portion of the multi-contact connector to form a rotational abutment; an outer cylindrical body comprising: a solid insulating structure disposed between the center contact and the outer cylindrical body; a rear portion slidably mounted relative to the front portion along a central axis X1, elastic return means for providing a variable length sliding movement between the front and rear under axial compression; Equipped with.

[0020] According to a preferred variant, the front and rear outer housings are electrically conductive and form the external contacts.

[0021] Preferably, the projections on the rear outer cylindrical body are lugs.

[0022] According to an advantageous configuration, the rear outer cylinder comprises two flat surfaces facing each other.

[0023] According to another advantageous configuration, the planes of symmetry of the two protrusions are aligned with the planes of symmetry of the two flat surfaces.

[0024] Advantageously, the rear outer cylinder includes two protrusions facing each other.

[0025] According to an advantageous embodiment, the rear outer cylinder includes a shoulder located rearward of the projection.

[0026] According to an advantageous variant, the elastic return means is a helical spring wound around the rear outer cylinder and abutting both the front and rear outer cylinders.

[0027] Alternatively, the cylindrical contact is a coaxial contact.

[0028] Preferably, the front center contact is a pogo pin contact.

[0029] According to an advantageous embodiment, the cylindrical contact comprises a guide which slides between a front part and a rear part.

[0030] The cylindrical contacts of the present invention are preferably configured to transmit RF (radio frequency) or HSDL (high speed data link) signals.

[0031] Another aspect of the invention is a multi-contact connector, particularly configured as a plug, At least two cavities extending parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) in an insert housed and fixed in the housing or inside the housing; a through slit extending transversely to the longitudinal axis (X) at the rear of the cavity; a housing extending along a longitudinal axis (X), At least two through holes extending parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) and having at least one notch on the periphery facing one of the cavities; a retaining plate integral with or fixed to the rear of the housing; at least two pairs of adjacent teeth having flat sides; At least one comb member fixed to the housing and inserted into the through slit; Equipped with.

[0032] According to the present invention, at least one comb member is arranged between the retaining plate and the cavity, and a cylindrical contact is inserted through at least one through-hole in the retaining plate, and after at least one protrusion is inserted into the notch, the cylindrical contact is accommodated in the cavity, and at least one flat surface engages with the flat side surface of the teeth of the comb member.

[0033] According to an advantageous variant, the cylindrical contact is accommodated in the cavity with at least one projection abutting longitudinally against the inner surface of the retaining plate.

[0034] According to another advantageous variant, the cylindrical contact is housed in the cavity with a shoulder of the rear outer housing abutting the outer surface of the retaining plate.

[0035] Preferably, the flat sides of the teeth of the comb are configured to prevent rotation of the cylindrical contacts.

[0036] Another aspect of the present invention is a connection system comprising: the multi-contact connector, which is particularly configured as a plug; a complementary multi-contact connector, in particular configured as a socket, with a cavity for receiving said multi-contact connector; a PCB having ground and signal tracks on which a complementary multi-contact connector is mounted; Equipped with.

[0037] According to an advantageous variant, the multi-contact connector comprises fastening means adapted to cooperate with complementary fastening means of a complementary multi-contact connector.

[0038] Preferably, the cavity of the complementary multi-contact connector is configured to laterally position the housing of the multi-contact connector.

[0039] Preferably, the complementary multi-contact connectors are soldered to the PCB.

[0040] The present invention also relates to a method for assembling cylindrical contacts into the above-described multi-contact connector, i / Insert the cylindrical contact longitudinally into the through-hole of the retaining plate, and align at least one protrusion of the outer housing with the notch of the through-hole; ii / After the cylindrical contact is inserted into the cavity and the protrusion is positioned between the retaining plate and the cavity, the cylindrical contact is rotated to prevent the protrusion from slipping out, and preferably the retaining plate is sandwiched between the protrusion and the shoulder; iii / Inserting the comb member into the through slit, the teeth of the comb member slide along the flat surface of the outer housing, and then the gap between the flat side of the teeth and the flat surface of the outer housing prevents the cylindrical contact from rotating backward and coming off the housing; iv / Fixing the comb member to the housing of the multi-contact connector; This includes:

[0041] In other words, the invention resides in a cylindrical contact design whereby the contact is locked longitudinally by a retaining plate and further locked rotationally by a comb member.

[0042] The cylindrical contacts, which are inserted and fixed in the housing by the retaining plate and comb member, are pre-connected to a cable. "Wired" means that the contacts are connected to a cable and transmit signals (especially RF signals) through the cable.

[0043] The multi-contact or multi-channel connector of the present invention has a comb portion that rotationally locks the wired cylindrical contacts and is further fixed longitudinally by a retaining plate, which provides a number of key advantages that can be listed as follows: Secure locking of the wiring contacts, which prevents them from coming loose even in a vibration environment, preventing disturbance of RF line measurements related to the contacts. Rapid installation and / or repair of wiring contacts, which consists simply of removing the comb from the connector housing to allow release of the cylindrical contact. Stable RF wiring characteristics. Robust design of the electrical components (enclosure, cylindrical contacts) at the PCB interface, with no fragile petals contacting the PCB or socket; components contacting the PCB can be a robust "pogo pin" design.

[0044] The present invention also has important advantages in repair and maintenance.

[0045] In fact, in the event of a faulty wired cylindrical contact or faulty cable, the multi-contact connector design is easily repairable.

[0046] The procedure for replacing a faulty wired cylindrical contact is as follows: For example, release it by unscrewing it, and remove the comb member laterally from the connector housing. Rotate the RF contact with the wire by approximately 1 / 4 turn to align the protrusion with the notch in the through hole in the retaining plate. Pull out the defective cylindrical contact and remove it from the housing.

[0047] The new cylindrical contact is installed using the same procedure as in the previous assembly method, except that when inserting the new wire-attached contact into the housing cavity, a slight axial pressure is applied to compress the resilient member before rotating the contact.

[0048] Other advantages and features will become more apparent on reading the detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, which description is given by way of limiting example and which makes reference to the following drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0049] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a multi-contact connector configured as a plug and a complementary multi-contact connector configured as a socket and mounted to a PCB according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a multi-contact connector according to the present invention and cylindrical contacts with conductors housed therein; [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view of a housing of a multi-contact connector according to the present invention; [Figure 4]4 is a plan view of a retaining plate attached to the housing of FIG. 3 according to the present invention. [Figure 5] 4 is a perspective view of a comb member attached to the housing of FIG. 3 according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the comb member of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical contact with a lead according to the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cylindrical contact with a conducting wire shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a front view of the wired cylindrical contact of FIG. 7. [Figure 10] 8A and 8B are a perspective view and a longitudinal sectional view of the rear part of the cylindrical contact with a conductor wire of FIG. 7. [Figure 11] 8 is a perspective view, partly in vertical section, of the cylindrical contact with conductor of FIG. 7, showing the front and rear guide portions. [Figure 12] 1 shows the initial stage of inserting a cylindrical contact with a conductor into a through hole in a retaining plate according to the present invention; [Figure 13A] 4 shows a process for assembling cylindrical contacts with conductor wires into a multi-contact connector according to the present invention. [Figure 13B] 4 shows a process for assembling cylindrical contacts with conductor wires into a multi-contact connector according to the present invention. [Figure 13C] 4 shows a process for assembling cylindrical contacts with conductor wires into a multi-contact connector according to the present invention. [Figure 13D] 4 shows a process for assembling cylindrical contacts with conductor wires into a multi-contact connector according to the present invention. [Figure 14] 1 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a state in which a plurality of cylindrical contacts with conductor wires are assembled into a multi-contact connector according to the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] Throughout this specification, the terms "inner" and "outer" shall be understood in relation to a connection assembly according to the invention.

[0051] Also, throughout this specification, the terms "front," "rear," "top," and "bottom" are considered based on a connection assembly having two interconnected connectors (2, 3). Thus, the front face, or "connection face," of connector 3 is the face that connects with complementary connector 2.

[0052] 1 shows a connection assembly 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This connection assembly 1 includes a first multi-contact connector 2 and a second multi-contact connector 3. The connectors 2 and 3 are of complementary types, for example the first connector 2 is a male type (particularly a plug) and the second connector 3 is a female type (particularly a socket).

[0053] However, in all the illustrated embodiments, the first connector 2 is a male plug and the second connector 3 is a female socket.

[0054] The multi-contact connector 2 transmits electrical signals or power. Alternatively, each multi-contact connector may transmit a different type of signal or power, in which case different sizes and types of contacts may be located within the connector at the same time.

[0055] As shown, the multi-contact connector 2 configured as a plug houses cylindrical contacts 4.1-4.8 connected to cables 5.1-5.8 for transmitting RF or high-speed data signals. These wired RF cylindrical contacts 4.1-4.8 may consist of single or multiple contacts (coaxial, triaxial, quadrax, etc.).

[0056] The first multi-contact connector 2 and the second multi-contact connector 3 each include a housing 20, 30 that is integrally molded primarily from an electrically conductive or insulating material.

[0057] The multi-contact connector 3 configured as a socket receives the multi-contact connector 2 configured as a plug and connects the wired RF cylindrical contacts directly to tracks (ground and signal) on the substrate 6. The housing 30 of the socket 3 is fixed to the PCB, preferably by soldering using SMT (surface mount technology) or by screwing. The socket housing 30 is preferably made of copper or a copper alloy and is gold-plated to enable surface soldering. The ground signal does not necessarily have to flow to the PCB via the socket 3.

[0058] The multi-contact connector 2 configured as a plug may not necessarily have the function of conducting a ground signal from the wire-attached RF contacts 4.1 to 4.8 to the PCB.

[0059] The housing 20 includes one or more screws 21 (for example, two), which are accommodated in through holes 201 on both sides of the housing 20 and threadedly engage with threads 31 on both sides of the housing 30, thereby securing the two connectors to each other.

[0060] 2 and 3, the housing 20 extends along a longitudinal axis X and includes a plurality of parallel cavities 200. The cavities 200 extend from the rear surface to the front surface, which is referred to as the “connection surface” and faces the second connector 3.

[0061] Each cavity 200 accommodates a portion of one of the wire-equipped RF cylindrical contacts 4.1 to 4.8, as will be described later.

[0062] The housing 20 also includes a through slit 203 at the rear of the cavity 200 that extends transversely to the longitudinal axis X.

[0063] The multi-contact connector 2 further includes a retaining plate 22, which is fixed to the rear of the housing 20. The retaining plate 22 is shown in Figure 4. Alternatively, the retaining plate 22 can be formed integrally with the housing 20, for example by 3D printing.

[0064] The retaining plate 22 includes a plurality of through holes 220 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis X, and at least one notch 223 is provided around each through hole, facing the cavity 200 of the housing 20. In the illustrated example, two notches 223 are provided, and by minimizing the spacing between adjacent through holes 220, the density of the RF cylindrical contacts with conductive wires that can be accommodated can be increased.

[0065] The retaining plate 22 further includes through holes 221 on both sides for the screws 21 to pass through.

[0066] The retaining plate 22 further includes through holes 222 for cooperating with the screws 24 to secure the retaining plate 22 to the housing 20 .

[0067] The multi-contact connector 2 further includes a comb member 23, which is inserted into the through slit 203 and fixed to the housing 20. Details are shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0068] The comb member 23 includes a plurality of pairs of adjacent teeth 230 , each pair separated by a notch 231 , and each tooth 230 has a flat side 233 .

[0069] The comb member 23 further includes through holes 232 on both sides for passing screws 25 therethrough, and the screws 25 are used to fix the comb member 23 to the housing 20 .

[0070] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a cylindrical contact 4 having a central axis X1 is connected to an RF cable 5.

[0071] The cable 5 includes an outer sheath 50 made of an electrically insulating material and an internal conductor 51, and is insulated from the outside by the outer sheath 50.

[0072] The cable 5 further includes a metal braid 52 surrounding the conductors for electromagnetic shielding.

[0073] The cable 5 further includes an electrically insulating sheath 53 disposed between the core of the conductor 51 and the metal braid 52 .

[0074] According to the invention, the cylindrical contact 4 with RF conductor comprises a front part 40 and a rear part 41 slidably mounted and guided in the front part.

[0075] The front portion 40 includes a central contact 400 which is a pogo pin contact, an outer cylindrical body 401 which is electrically conductive and forms the outer contact, and a solid insulating structure 402 disposed therebetween.

[0076] The rear section 41, shown in more detail in FIG. 10, includes a center contact 410 that plugs into the center contact 400 of the front section 40, an outer cylindrical body 411 that is electrically conductive and forms the external contact, and a solid insulating structure 412 disposed therebetween.

[0077] The outer cylindrical body 411 has on its outer periphery two flat surfaces 414 for forming anti-rotation abutments and two protrusions 413 (preferably lugs) extending radially outward to form longitudinal abutments.

[0078] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the planes of symmetry of the two protrusions 413 are aligned with the planes of symmetry of the two flat surfaces 414.

[0079] The rear outer cylinder 411 further comprises a shoulder 415 located behind the protrusion 413 to stop the RF wired contact 4 from being inserted into the housing 20 of the connector 2 .

[0080] Furthermore, the rear part 41 is provided with a sleeve 416 for protecting the cable and a solder connection point 417. The metal braid 52 of the cable 5 is connected to the rear part 41 at this solder connection point 417. The sleeve 416 is press-fitted onto the rear part 41 and protects the cable and the solder point behind a shoulder 418.

[0081] Finally, the outer housing includes a shoulder 418 .

[0082] The cylindrical contact 4 further comprises an elastic return means for varying the sliding length between the front part 40 and the rear part 41 under axial compression force. In the illustrated example, this elastic return means is a helical spring 42 wound around the outer cylindrical body 411 of the rear part 41 and abutting against a shoulder 418 of the rear part 41 and the outer cylindrical body 401 of the front part 40.

[0083] The front portion 40 and the rear portion 41 are slidable relative to each other under the compressive force of the spiral spring 42 , and operate when the connector 2 is mated with the connector 3 mounted on the PCB 6 .

[0084] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 11, the front outer housing 401 slides into the rear outer housing 411, and together they form a solid cylindrical guide. By ensuring that the length L of the guide is sufficient, the tilt angle between the front portion 40 and the rear portion 41 is limited. This results in accurate positioning of the tip 400 of the wired RF contact 4 when pressed against the track on the PCB.

[0085] According to the present invention, the comb member 23 of the connector 2 is disposed between the retaining plate 22 and the cavity 200, the cylindrical contact 4 is inserted into the through hole 220 of the retaining plate 22, the protrusion 413 fits into the notch 223, and then the flat surface 414 engages with the flat side surface 233 of the tooth 230 of the comb member 23.

[0086] A method for assembling the wire-equipped cylindrical contacts 4 into the multi-contact connector 2 will be described below with reference to Figures 13A to 13D.

[0087] In advance, the housing 20 of the connector 2 may be provided with fixing screws 21 and the holding plate 22 may be fixed to the housing 20 by screws 24 .

[0088] The wired RF contacts 4 and comb members 23, along with the fixing screws 25, are supplied separately.

[0089] Step i / Insert the cylindrical contact 4 longitudinally into the through-hole 220 of the retaining plate 22, aligning the two protrusions 413 of the outer housing 41 with the two notches 223 of the through-hole 220 (FIG. 13A). When fully inserted, the shoulder 415 of the outer housing 41 abuts the outer surface of the retaining plate 22.

[0090] Step ii / After the cylindrical contact 4 is housed in the cavity 200 of the housing 20, the protrusion 413 is positioned between the retaining plate 22 and the cavity 200, and the shoulder 415 abuts against the retaining plate 22, the cylindrical contact 4 is rotated. This rotation prevents the protrusion 413 from coming out, and the retaining plate 22 is sandwiched between the protrusion 413 and the shoulder 415 (FIG. 13B). The rotation is approximately 1 / 4 turn as shown in the example.

[0091] In this mounted position, the wired RF contact 4 is spring loaded by a helical spring 42 .

[0092] Steps i / and ii / are repeated for each wired RF cylindrical contact 4.1 to 4.8 housed in a cavity of the housing 20. Of course, one or more cavities 200 can also be left empty.

[0093] Step iii / The comb member 23 is inserted into the through slit 203 of the housing 20. At this time, the teeth 230 of the comb member 23 slide along the flat surface 414 of the outer housing 41, and then, the gap between the flat side surface 233 of the teeth 230 and the flat surface 414 of the outer housing 41 prevents the cylindrical contact 4 from rotating backward and coming off the housing 20 (FIGS. 13C and 13D).

[0094] Step iv / Finally, the comb member 23 is fixed to the housing 20 by fastening the screws 25 and screwing each screw 25 into the screw holes 202 of the housing.

[0095] The assembly process of the connector 2 and the connector 3 is as follows.

[0096] As shown in Figure 14, connector 2 with wired RF contacts 4.1-4.8 is secured to connector 3, which is already secured to PCB 6, by threading screws 21 onto threads 31. Housing 30 positions housing 20 so that RF contacts 4.1-4.8 are aligned and connected to tracks on the PCB.

[0097] When the connector 2 is screwed onto the connector 3, the spiral spring 42 of each of the wired RF contacts 4.1 to 4.8 is slightly compressed, so that the protrusions 413 are pressed against the inner surface of the retaining plate 22.

[0098] As a result of the light contact pressure of the spring, even if a pulling force is applied to the cables 5.1-5.8, the contact force between the front outer housing 401 and the center contact 400 and the PCB does not change. The pulling force applied to the cable does not change the electrical transmission path length of each of the wired RF contacts 4.1-4.8, and is kept constant because the protrusion 413 is always in contact with the retaining plate 22.

[0099] Therefore, this connection is more stable than the prior art, and the phase delay associated with the electrical length of the RF lines is nearly identical for all of channels 4.1-4.8.

[0100] Furthermore, the comb member 23 locks the rotation of each of the wired RF contacts 4.1 to 4.8, preventing them from accidentally disconnecting and breaking.

[0101] Other variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0102] For example, the housing 20 may be constructed from two parts: an outer perimeter wall and an insert with a cavity, which are assembled together before the contacts are inserted.

[0103] For example, although the RF coaxial contacts are shown as cylindrical contacts in the illustrated embodiment, any known cylindrical contact may be implemented, such as twin-ax, tri-ax, quad-ax, or octo-ax contacts.

[0104] The number of wired RF contacts is typically eight in the illustrated example, but can vary from two to 32 or more depending on the application. To increase the number of channels, two parallel rows of eight contacts or one or two opposing comb members are also possible.

[0105] The phrase "including" should be understood as synonymous with "including at least one" unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0106] It is also possible within the scope of the present invention to leave one or more cavities in the housing of the multi-contact connector empty, in other words, each cavity of the multi-contact connector may or may not contain a cylindrical contact.

Claims

1. a front portion (40) including a center contact (400), an outer cylindrical body (401), and a solid insulating structure (402) disposed between the center contact and the outer housing; a rear portion (41) slidably mounted relative to said front portion along a central axis X1, a central contact (410) inserted into or surrounding the central contact of the front part; On its periphery, at least one protrusion (413) extending radially outward and configured to cooperate with a portion of the multi-contact connector to form a longitudinal abutment; at least one flat surface (414) configured to cooperate with a portion of the multi-contact connector to form a rotational abutment; an outer cylindrical body (411) comprising: a solid insulating structure (412) disposed between the center contact and the outer housing; a rear portion (41) including elastic return means (42) for realizing a variable length sliding movement between said front and rear portions under axial compression; A cylindrical contact (4) having a central axis (X1).

2. 2. The cylindrical contact of claim 1, wherein the outer housings at the front and rear are electrically conductive and form external contacts.

3. 3. A cylindrical contact according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the projections on the outer cylindrical body at the rear are lugs.

4. 4. The cylindrical contact according to claim 1, wherein the outer cylindrical body at the rear portion is provided with two projections facing each other.

5. 5. A cylindrical contact according to claim 1, wherein the outer cylindrical body of the rear portion comprises two flat surfaces facing each other.

6. 6. The cylindrical contact of claim 4 in combination with claim 5, wherein the planes of symmetry of the two protrusions are aligned with the planes of symmetry of the two flat surfaces.

7. A cylindrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the outer cylindrical body of the rear portion comprises a shoulder (415) located rearward of the projection.

8. The cylindrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the elastic return means is a spiral spring (42) wound around the rear outer housing and abutting against the rear outer housing and the front outer housing.

9. The cylindrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is a coaxial contact.

10. The cylindrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the central contact of the front portion is a pogo pin contact.

11. The cylindrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a guide portion (L) that slides between the front portion and the rear portion.

12. The cylindrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 11, configured to transmit RF or HSDL signals.

13. A housing (20) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), at least two cavities (200) extending parallel to said longitudinal axis (X) within the housing or within an insert housed and fixed in the housing; a through slit (203) extending transversely to the longitudinal axis (X) at the rear of the cavity; a housing (20) including: a retaining plate (22) integrated into or fixed to the rear of the housing, the retaining plate (22) having at least two through holes (220) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis (X), each through hole being provided with at least one notch (223) around its periphery facing one of the cavities; At least one comb member (23) fixed to the housing and inserted into the through slit, the comb member having at least two pairs of adjacent teeth (230); at least one comb member (23) including: Equipped with The cylindrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 12 is inserted into one of the at least two through holes of the retaining plate with the at least one protrusion inserted into the at least one notch, and is housed in one of the at least two cavities, and the at least one comb member is disposed between the retaining plate and the cavity such that the at least one flat surface engages with one of the flat side surfaces of the teeth of the comb member. A multi-contact connector (2) configured in particular as a plug.

14. 14. The multi-contact connector of claim 13, wherein the cylindrical contact is received in the cavity with the protrusion longitudinally abutting an inner surface of the retainer plate.

15. 15. A multi-contact connector according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the cylindrical contacts are received in the cavities with a shoulder (415) of the rear outer housing abutting an outer surface of the retainer plate.

16. A multi-contact connector according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the flat sides (233) of the teeth of the comb member are configured to prevent rotation of the cylindrical contacts.

17. A multi-contact connector (2) according to any one of claims 13 to 16, in particular configured as a plug; a complementary multi-contact connector (3), in particular configured as a socket and comprising a cavity for receiving a multi-contact connector according to any one of claims 13 to 16; a PCB (6) having ground and signal tracks on which the complementary multi-contact connector is mounted; A connection system (1) comprising:

18. 18. A connection system according to claim 17, wherein the multi-contact connector (2) comprises fastening means (21) which cooperate with complementary fastening means (31) of the complementary multi-contact connector (3).

19. 19. A connection system according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the cavity of the complementary multi-contact connector is configured to laterally position the housing of the multi-contact connector.

20. A connection system according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the complementary multi-contact connectors are soldered to the PCB.

21. i / inserting the cylindrical contact longitudinally into the through-hole of the retaining plate, and aligning the at least one protrusion of the outer housing with the notch of the through-hole; ii / After the cylindrical contact is inserted into the cavity and the protrusion is positioned between the retaining plate and the cavity, the cylindrical contact is rotated to prevent the protrusion from slipping out, preferably so that the retaining plate is sandwiched between the protrusion and the shoulder; iii / The comb member is inserted into the through slit, and the teeth of the comb member slide along the flat surface of the outer housing, and then a gap between the flat side of the teeth and the flat surface of the outer housing prevents the cylindrical contact from rotating back and coming off the housing; iv / fixing the comb member to the housing of the multi-contact connector; A method for assembling a cylindrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 12 into a multi-contact connector according to any one of claims 13 to 16, comprising:

Images