Method of manufacture a connector with outer conductor axial compression connection
An electrical connector for a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, the connector in combination with a cable and a method for manufacturing. The electrical connector having a connector body with a bore between a connector end and a cable end. The bore having an inner diameter shoulder at the cable end. A cylindrical sleeve positioned in the bore abutting the inner diameter shoulder. An annular groove open to the cable end, between the cylindrical sleeve and the cable end of the connector body. The annular groove dimensioned to receive an end of the solid outer conductor.
1. A method for manufacturing an electrical connector for a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, comprising the steps of:
forming a connector body from a first material with a bore between a connector end and a cable end, the bore having an inner diameter shoulder at the cable end; and
positioning a cylindrical sleeve formed from a second material in an interference fit within the inner diameter shoulder, the cylindrical sleeve and the connector body together forming an annular groove open to the cable end, the annular groove dimensioned to receive an end of the solid outer conductor, the solid outer conductor contacting both the conductor body and the cylindrical sleeve,
the second material having a greater rigidity characteristic than the first material.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connector body is formed by thixotropic metal injection molding.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the thixotropic metal injection molding is of a magnesium alloy.
4. The method of claim 1 , further including the step of positioning a center contact within the bore and forming an insulator within the bore between the center contact and the connector body by plastic injection molding through at least one aperture in the connector body.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical sleeve has a sleeve inner diameter substantially equal to a corrugation bottom diameter of the outer conductor.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical sleeve has a notch(s) dimensioned to receive a lead helical corrugation(s) of the end of the solid outer conductor.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connector body extends toward the cable end farther than the cylindrical sleeve by greater than twice a thickness of the solid outer conductor.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the annular groove is formed between the cylindrical sleeve and the cable end of the connector body by an outer diameter step in the cable end of the cylindrical sleeve.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the annular groove is formed between the cylindrical sleeve and the cable end of the connector body by an inner diameter step in the cable end of the connector body.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first material is a magnesium alloy.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a connector interface is formed at the connector end.
12. A method for manufacturing an electrical connector for a coaxial cable in combination with a solid outer conductor coaxial cable, comprising the steps of:
forming a connector body from a first material with a bore between a connector end and a cable end, the bore having an inner diameter shoulder at the cable end;
positioning a cylindrical sleeve formed from a second material within the inner diameter shoulder, the cylindrical sleeve and the connector body together forming an annular groove open to the cable end,
the second material having a greater rigidity characteristic than the first material;
inserting an end of the solid outer conductor into the annular groove, the solid outer conductor contacting both the conductor body and the cylindrical sleeve; and
inwardly deforming the cable end of the connector body.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the inward deformation of the cable end of the connector body is applied until the cable end of the connector body has a diameter less than an inner diameter of the annular groove.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the inward deformation of the cable end of the connector body is applied via an angled surface moving along a longitudinal axis of the connector body.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the angled surface is formed on a plurality of segmented dies carried by a die nest.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the inward deformation is a uniform circumferential deformation.
17. A method for manufacturing an electrical connector for a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, comprising the steps of:
forming a connector body by thixotropic metal injection molding from a first material;
the connector body provided with a bore between a connector end and a cable end, the bore having an inner diameter shoulder at the cable end; and
positioning a cylindrical sleeve formed from a second material within the inner diameter shoulder in an interference fit,
the cylindrical sleeve and the connector body together forming an annular groove open to the cable end, the annular groove dimensioned to receive an end of the solid outer conductor, the solid outer conductor contacting both the conductor body and the cylindrical sleeve;
the connector body extends toward the cable end farther than the cylindrical sleeve by greater than twice a thickness of the solid outer conductor.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second material has a greater rigidity characteristic than the first material.