Threaded SMA/SMP Bulkhead Cap Tether Without Seal Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for tethering SMA/SMP bulkhead caps to RF communication assemblies, such as software defined radios, introduce openings that allow moisture and contaminants to seep in, compromising the integrity of the assembly over time due to the use of screws and gaskets.
Innovation Solution
A stainless steel accessory with a SMA/SMP connection portion and a second portion intersecting at a predetermined angle, featuring internally tapped openings and a tether chain system that securely attaches the cap to the assembly without introducing additional moisture pathways, ensuring reliable protection against contaminants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw is used to tether the cap to the assembly, then the cap can be securely retained, but an opening is introduced that allows moisture and contaminants to seep in
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the screw entirely from the tethering mechanism. Instead, it uses a mounting ring that attaches to the bulkhead exterior and a tether chain that connects the cap to the ring without penetrating the bulkhead, thereby extracting the harmful opening-creating element while maintaining cap retention functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mounting ring as an intermediary component between the bulkhead and the tether chain. This ring provides a secure attachment point on the bulkhead exterior, allowing the tether chain to retain the cap without requiring direct penetration into the bulkhead, thus mediating between retention needs and sealing requirements
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sealing hardware is used to minimize moisture infiltration through screw openings, then moisture protection is improved, but the sealing hardware breaks down over time leaving the assembly susceptible to moisture damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for sealing hardware entirely by removing the screw that created the opening in the first place. Without an opening, no seal is required, thereby removing the component that would eventually fail and compromising long-term durability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prevents the future failure mode by avoiding the installation of sealing hardware in the first place. By designing a tethering mechanism that doesn't require penetration or sealing, it proactively eliminates the pathway for future seal degradation and moisture infiltration
3Reliability
If a mounting ring with gasket is used to tether the cap, then cap retention is achieved, but the gasket fails over time allowing contaminant infiltration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the gasket from the tethering system by using a tether chain that attaches to the mounting ring externally. This eliminates the need for the gasket to seal around the tether attachment point, thereby removing the component that would fail over time
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of sealing the tether attachment point from the inside (which requires a gasket that fails), the patent inverts the approach by attaching the tether to the exterior of the mounting ring. This reverses the sealing paradigm from internal sealing to external attachment, eliminating the failing gasket component
Data Source
AI summary
An accessory for tethering a cap for a SMA/SMP bulkhead to a device assembly without having to introduce elements that could compromise the integrity of the device assembly. The accessory includes a first portion that engages the SMA/SMP bulkhead and securely interconnects thereto, and a second portion that includes an opening where a tether chain is physically interconnected thereto. The tether chain includes the cap for the SMA/SMP bulkhead secured to the second end thereof.