Title of Invention

"COAXIAL PLUG-IN CONNECTOR ARRANGEMENT"

Abstract

The invention relates to a coaxial plug-in connector arrangement having two plug-in connectors (30, 40), which can be inserted so as to latch in one inside the other along a plug axis (47) and each comprise a housing (31, 41), which extends in the direction of the plug axis (47) and acts as an outer conductor, having a through-hole (48, 50), in which through-hole an inner conductor contact (32, 42) is held in insulated fashion in a coaxial arrangement, a coaxial contact sleeve (45) being formed on the housing (41) of the first plug-in connector (40), with which sleeve this plug-in connector (40) enters the second plug-in connector (30) so as to provide contact when the two plug-in connectors (30, 40) are plugged one inside the other, and detachable tensioning means (34, 37) for prestressing the two plug-in connectors (30, 40) with respect to one another in the plugged-in state being provided on the second plug-in connector (30), which tensioning means comprise a coaxial tensioning sleeve (34), which coaxially surrounds the contact sleeve (45) in the plugged-in state and applies a force acting in the plug-in direction to it. With such a plug-in connector arrangement, sealing-off from the outside is achieved in a simple and space- saving manner by virtue of the fact that one or more seals (39) are arranged within the tensioning means (34, 37), which seals seal off the intermediate space between the contact sleeve (45) and the through-hole (48) of the second plug-in connector in the plugged- together state.

Full Text

DESCRIPTION COAXIAL PLUG-IN CONNECTOR ARRANGEMENT TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of detachable connection techniques for coaxial cables. It relates to a coaxial plug-in connector arrangement in accordance with the precharacterizing clause of Claim 1. Such a plug-in connector arrangement is known, for example, from the document EP-B1-1 222 717. PRIOR ART In the past, specific plug-in connector systems have been developed for detachably connecting coaxial cables which make it possible to plug together and detach the plug-in connection rapidly without any screwing operation and at the same time ensure safe and permanent contacts is provided. Such plug-in connector systems, which are based on the principles explained in the document mentioned at the outset, are known on the market under the type designation QMA (Quick Lock SMA). A known embodiment of such a QMA plug-in connector system, as is produced and offered for sale by the Applicant, is reproduced in Figures 1-4. The system comprises two mutually fitting plug-in connectors 10 (male; Figures 1, 2) and 20 (female; Figures 3, 4), which can be plugged one inside the other so as to automatically latch with one another and so as to produce and maintain sufficient axial contact pressure and can be detached again later by actuating an axially displaceable actuating sleeve (15 in Figures 1, 2). The male plug-in connector 10, which is illustrated in longitudinal section in Figure 1 and in the perspective side view in Figure 2, comprises a cylindrical housing 11, which is coaxial with respect to a plug axis 17 and acts as an outer conductor, having a coaxial through- hole 11' having a stepped diameter, in which an inner conductor contact 12 is arranged concentrically such that it is insulated by means of an insulating piece 13. In the front part of the plug-in connector 10, a tensioning sleeve 14, which is in contact with the housing 11, is inserted fixedly into the through-hole 11', in which tensioning sleeve a collar of hook-shaped latching fingers 19, which spring out radially, are formed by a large number of axial slots 18. In the region of the tensioning sleeve 14, an axially displaceable actuating sleeve 15 surrounds the housing 11 on the outside. At the front end of the actuating sleeve 15, a conically tapering unlatching ring 29 is integrally formed on the inner edge, and this unlatching ring engages in the collar of the latching fingers 19 and bends it radially outwards if the actuating sleeve 15 is displaced towards the rear in the axial direction. A clamping sleeve 16 is provided at the rear end of the plug-in connector 10, and this clamping sleeve can be used to fix the coaxial cable to the plug-in connector 10. The associated female plug-in connector 20, which is likewise shown in section and in a perspective side view in Figures 3 and 4, comprises a cylindrical housing 21, which is coaxial with respect to the plug axis 2 8 and acts as an outer conductor, having a concentric through-hole 21' and an inner conductor contact 22, which is held concentrically in the through-hole 21' by means of an insulating piece 24. The inner conductor contact 22 has, at the front end, a contact tube 23 with slots, and the inner conductor contact 12 of the male plug-in connector 10 enters this contact tube 23 when the plug-in connectors 10, 20 are plugged together. The outer conductor contact is produced by a contact sleeve 25, which surrounds the insulating piece 24 and with which the plug-in connector 2 0 enters the tensioning sleeve 14 of the plug-in connector 10 during the plugging-in operation and rests on the base of the tensioning sleeve 14. A clamping sleeve 26 for fixing the coaxial cable is likewise provided at the rear end of the plug-in connector 20. The resilient latching fingers 19 of the tensioning sleeve 14 in the process slide with their front, hook- shaped ends over a circumferential bead 27, which is formed on the outside of the contact sleeve 2 5 and increases slowly and then falls away comparatively steeply in terms of diameter. In this way, the latching fingers 19 latch in behind the bead 27 and exert a force acting in the plug-in direction on the contact sleeve 25, as is described in the document described at the outset EP-B1-1 222 717. The latching of the tensioning sleeve 14 and the contact sleeve 25 can be cancelled again by means of the actuating sleeve 15. The described plug system has proven to be successful in practice, but is not suitable for all application cases since the connection of the inner conductor contacts 12, 22 and housing parts imparting the outer conductor contact is not completely protected from undesirable influences from the outside, in particular water or moisture. Such suitable sealing appears to be problematic since restrictive conditions are provided in the contact region of the system by the tensioning sleeve 14, which springs out radially, and the axially displaceable actuating sleeve 15. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide a coaxial plug-in connector arrangement of the described type which avoids the disadvantages of the known embodiments and is sealed off reliably from the outside in the contact region without any substantial changes to the contact geometry. The object is achieved by the combination of the features in Claim 1. The solution according to the invention is characterized by the fact that one or more seals are arranged within the tensioning means, which seals seal off the intermediate space between the contact sleeve and the through-hole of the second plug- in connector in the plugged-together state. One configuration of the invention is characterized by the fact that the tensioning sleeve engages behind a circumferential bead formed on the contact sleeve during the plugging-in operation with hook-shaped latching fingers, which extend counter to the plug-in direction and spring out radially, that the contact sleeve enters the through-hole of the second plug-in connector so as to provide contact during the plugging- in operation, that the tensioning sleeve is pushed on the outside fixedly onto the housing of the second plug-in connector, and that the at least one seal is annular and is arranged directly between the contact sleeve and the inner wall surrounding it of the through-hole of the second plug-in connector. In particular, it is advantageous owing to the simplicity of the design if the at least one seal is accommodated in the housing of the second plug-in connector, if a circumferential annular groove is provided in the inner wall of the through-hole of the second plug-in connector, and if the at least one seal is in the form of an 0 ring and is arranged in the annular groove. However, it is also conceivable within the context of the invention for the tensioning sleeve to be inserted fixedly into the through-hole of the second plug-in connector, and for the at least one seal to be arranged on the tensioning sleeve. It is also conceivable that, within the tensioning means, in order to detach the tensioning sleeve, an actuating sleeve, which can be displaced in the axial direction and surrounds the two plug-in connectors on the outside in the plugged-in state, is provided, and that the actuating sleeve is sealed off with respect to the two plug-in connectors. BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments in connection with the drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows, in longitudinal section, the male plug-in connector of a coaxial plug-in connector arrangement from the prior art; Figure 2 shows a perspective side view of the plug-in connector from Figure 1; Figure 3 shows, in longitudinal section, the female plug-in connector, which fits the male plug- in connector from Figure 1, from the prior art ; Figure 4 shows a perspective side view of the plug-in connector from Figure 3; Figure 5 shows, in longitudinal section, a detail of a plugged-together plug-in connector arrange- ment in accordance with one preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention; and Figure 6 shows, in longitudinal section, the male plug-in connector of the plug-in connector arrangement from Figure 5. WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THE INVENTION A plugged-together plug-in connector arrangement in accordance with one preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is reproduced in detail in Figure 5 in longitudinal section, and in Figure 6, the associated male plug-in connector, in which the sealing of the arrangement takes place, is reproduced on its own. The plug-in connector arrangement 30, 4 0 of the exemplary embodiment comprises a male plug-in connector 3 0 and a female plug-in connector 40. In principle, the female plug-in connector 40 may have the same design as in the prior art (Figures 3, 4) . It has a cylindrical housing 41 acting as an outer conductor and having a through-hole 50, which is coaxial with respect to the plug axis 47 and in which an inner conductor contact 42 is arranged coaxially by means of an insulating piece 44, which inner conductor contact becomes a contact tube 43 with slots at the front end of the plug-in connector 40. In the plugged- in state, the contact tube 43 accommodates the inner conductor contact 32 (Figure 6) of the male plug-in connector 30. The housing 41 of the plug-in connector 4 0 becomes a contact sleeve 4 5 at the front end, which contact sleeve is inserted into the other plug-in connector 3 0 and produces the outer conductor contact there. At the rear end of the contact sleeve 45, a circumferential bead 46 is formed in a manner known per se, which bead has a slowly increasing diameter enlargement on the front side and, on the other hand, a comparatively severely falling diameter reduction in size on the rear side. The bead 46, in connection with a tensioning sleeve 34 on the male plug-in connector 30, is used for latching the two plug-in connectors 30, 4 0 and for producing an axial contact force, which presses the contact sleeve 45 against a diameter step 49 in the plug-in connector 3 0 so as to provide contact with the end side. The male plug-in connector 3 0 (Figure 6) likewise has a cylindrical housing 31 (not completely illustrated in Figures 5, 6) having a through-hole 48, which is coaxial with respect to the plug axis 47. An inner conductor contact 32 is mounted coaxially in the through-hole 48 by means of an insulating piece 33. The through-hole 4 8 has a diameter step 49, on which the contact sleeve 45 of the other plug-in connector 40 rests in the plugged-in state. The inner conductor contact 32 protrudes with its front end beyond the diameter step 4 9 and thus forms a contact plug which fits the contact tube 43. On the outside, a coaxial tensioning sleeve 34 is pushed onto the front end of the housing 31 so as to have a fixed fit, and spring-elastic latching fingers 3 7 are formed on said tensioning sleeve by means of a plurality of axial slots, which latching fingers engage with their front, hook-shaped ends around the front end of the housing 31 and protrude radially into the through-hole 48. An actuating sleeve 35 is arranged so as to be axially displaceable coaxially over the tensioning sleeve 34 and can bend the latching arms 3 7 for unlatching purposes radially outwards and forwards behind the bead 46 by means of a conical unlatching ring 36 if the actuating sleeve 35 is pushed towards the rear (downwards in Figure 6). Owing to the tensioning sleeve 34 which is fitted on the outside on the housing 31, the plug-in connector 40, in the plugged-together state of the plug-in connector arrangement, bears with the contact sleeve 45 directly against the inner wall of the through-hole 4 8 and against the diameter step 49. This configuration provides the possibility of sealing off the contact region from the outside in a particularly simple manner by means of a seal arranged between the contact sleeve 45 and the inner wall of the through-hole 48. In the exemplary embodiment in Figures 5, 6, such a seal 39 is accommodated, for reasons of space, in an annular groove 38 in the inner wall of the through-hole 48 and is preferably in the form of an O ring. It is also possible for a plurality of seals to be arranged axially one behind the other, as a result of which, however, the plug-in forces are increased. Owing to the seal 39, the contact region of the outer conductors on the diameter step 49 and the inner conductor contacts in the contact tube 43 are sealed off from the outside. However, other sealing configurations are also conceivable: if the tensioning sleeve - as is the case in the previously known plug arrangements shown in Figure 1 - is inserted fixedly into the through-hole of the second plug-in connector and the outer conductor contact is produced via the tensioning sleeve, it is expedient to arrange the seal or seals on the tensioning sleeve itself. However, it is also possible (with increased complexity), in a configuration shown in Figure 5, to seal off the actuating sleeve 3 5 from the housings 31 and 41 of the two plug-in connectors 30, 4 0 using corresponding seals at the two ends of the actuating sleeve 35. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 10, 3 0 Coaxial plug-in connector (male) 11, 31 Housing 11' Through-hole 12, 32 Inner conductor contact 13, 33 Insulating piece 14, 34 Tensioning sleeve 15, 35 Actuating sleeve 16 Clamping sleeve 17, 47 Plug axis 18 Slot 19, 3 7 Latching finger 20, 4 0 Coaxial plug-in connector (female) 21, 41 Housing 21' Through-hole 22, 42 Inner conductor contact 23, 4 3 Contact tube 24, 44 Insulating piece 25, 4 5 Contact sleeve 26 Clamping sleeve 27, 46 Bead (circumferential) 2 8 Plug axis 29, 36 Unlatching ring 3 8 Annular groove 39 Seal (0 ring) 48, 50 Through-hole 4 9 Diameter step PATENT CLAIMS (as amended under Art. 19 / PCT) 1. Coaxial plug-in connector arrangement having two plug- in connectors (3 0, 40), which can be inserted so as to latch in one inside the other along a plug axis (47) and each comprise a housing (31, 41), which extends in the direction of the plug axis (47) and acts as an outer conductor, having a through-hole (48, 50), in which through-hole an inner conductor contact (32, 42) is held in insulated fashion in a coaxial arrangement, a coaxial contact sleeve (45) being formed on the housing (41) of the first plug-in connector (40), with which sleeve this plug- in connector (4 0) enters the second plug-in connector (30) so as to provide contact when the two plug-in connectors (30, 40) are plugged one inside the other, and detachable tensioning means (34, 3 7) for prestressing the two plug-in connectors (3 0, 40) with respect to one another in the plugged-in state being provided on the second plug-in connector (3 0), which tensioning means comprise a coaxial tensioning sleeve (34), which coaxially surrounds the contact sleeve (45) in the plugged-in state and applies a force acting in the plug-in direction to it, characterized in that one or more seals (39) are arranged within the tensioning sleeve (34), which seals seal off the intermediate space between the contact sleeve (45) and the through-hole (4 8) of the second plug-in connector in the plugged-together state. 2. Plug-in connector arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the tensioning sleeve (34) engages behind a circumferential bead (46) formed on the contact sleeve (45) during the plugging-in operation with hook- shaped latching fingers (37) , which extend counter to the plug-in direction and spring out radially. 3. Plug-in connection according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact sleeve (45) enters the through-hole (48) of the second plug-in connector (30) so as to provide contact during the plugging-in operation. 4. Plug-in connection according to Claim 3, characterized in that the tensioning sleeve (34) is pushed on the outside fixedly onto the housing (31) of the second plug-in connector (3 0), and in that the at least one seal (39) is annular and is arranged directly between the contact sleeve (45) and the inner wall surrounding it of the through-hole (48) of the second plug-in connector (30). 5. Plug-in connector according to Claim 4, characterized in that the at least one seal (39) is accommodated in the housing (31) of the second plug-in connector (3 0). 6. Plug-in connector according to Claim 5, characterized in that a circumferential annular groove (3 8) is provided in the inner wall of the through-hole (48) of the second plug-in connector (30) , and in that the at least one seal (3 9) is in the form of an O ring and is arranged in the annular groove (38). 7. Plug-in connection according to Claim 3, characterized in that the tensioning sleeve (34) is inserted fixedly into the through-hole of the second plug-in connector (3 0), and in that the at least one seal is arranged on the tensioning sleeve (34) . 8. Plug-in connection according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in order to detach the tensioning means (34, 37), an actuating sleeve (35), which can be displaced in the axial direction and surrounds the two plug-in connectors (30, 40) on the outside in the plugged-in state, is provided, and in that the actuating sleeve (35) is sealed off with respect to the two plug-in connectors (30, 40). The invention relates to a coaxial plug-in connector arrangement having two plug-in connectors (30, 40), which can be inserted so as to latch in one inside the other along a plug axis (47) and each comprise a housing (31, 41), which extends in the direction of the plug axis (47) and acts as an outer conductor, having a through-hole (48, 50), in which through-hole an inner conductor contact (32, 42) is held in insulated fashion in a coaxial arrangement, a coaxial contact sleeve (45) being formed on the housing (41) of the first plug-in connector (40), with which sleeve this plug-in connector (40) enters the second plug-in connector (30) so as to provide contact when the two plug-in connectors (30, 40) are plugged one inside the other, and detachable tensioning means (34, 37) for prestressing the two plug-in connectors (30, 40) with respect to one another in the plugged-in state being provided on the second plug-in connector (30), which tensioning means comprise a coaxial tensioning sleeve (34), which coaxially surrounds the contact sleeve (45) in the plugged-in state and applies a force acting in the plug-in direction to it. With such a plug-in connector arrangement, sealing-off from the outside is achieved in a simple and space- saving manner by virtue of the fact that one or more seals (39) are arranged within the tensioning means (34, 37), which seals seal off the intermediate space between the contact sleeve (45) and the through-hole (48) of the second plug-in connector in the plugged- together state.

Documents:

02488-kolnp-2008-abstract.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-claims.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-correspondence others.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-description complete.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-drawings.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-form 1.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-form 2.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-form 3.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-form 5.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-international publication.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-international search report.pdf

02488-kolnp-2008-pct request form.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-(09-06-2014)-ABSTRACT.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-(09-06-2014)-ANNEXURE TO FORM 3.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-(09-06-2014)-CLAIMS.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-(09-06-2014)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-(09-06-2014)-ENGLISH TRANSLATION.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-(09-06-2014)-FORM-5.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-(09-06-2014)-PETITION UNDER RULE 137.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-CORRESPONDENCE 1.1.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-CORRESPONDENCE 1.2.pdf

2488-kolnp-2008-form 18.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-FORM 26.pdf

2488-KOLNP-2008-INTERNATIONAL EXM REPORT.pdf

abstract-02488-kolnp-2008 .jpg