This invention relates to a coaxial accessory connector which allows an accessory item to disconnect a radio or telephone device from its own antenna and redirect the RF energy through the coaxial accessory connector to the accessory.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Many two-way radios and cellular telephones have external RF connectors and internal RF switches which add to the size and cost of the units. This feature allows an accessory item to disconnect the radio/telephone from the antenna and direct the RF energy through the auxiliary RF connector. This auxiliary external connector is usually attached to an external antenna. A typical application would be a vehicular charger which activates the internal RF switch to disconnect the radio/telephone antenna from the standard antenna, and conduct the RF energy to the auxiliary connector, which may be connected to another antenna mounted external to the vehicle. An external antenna greatly increases the operating range of the radio/telephone.

Alternatively, the process may be carried out manually by disconnecting the original antenna and attaching the remote antenna. The manual s itching of the antennas, however, is cumbersome and time consuming for the user. The auxiliary coaxial connector and internal RF switch add size, complexity and cost to the radio/phone, and those who do not use the feature of the remote antenna must still pay for the extra components in their radio/phone.

The present invention relates to a coaxial accessory connector (CAC) which contains the auxiliary RF connector and its own internal RF switch. The CAC can be attached to and removed from the radio/telephone standard antenna port easily and quickly. The standard or original antenna is then mounted in a top port of the CAC. A radial or side entry port in the CAC allows the radio/telephone to be used with an accessory which activates the RF switch to disengage from the original antenna contact and to engage a contact in the side port In this way, the RF signal is conducted to the accessory, e g , another antenna, rather than to the unit's own standard or original antenna When the RF switch is not activated by the accessory, the radio/telephone is used normally, with the RF signal carried through the CAC to the standard or original antenna.

More specifically, the CAC includes a housing with an axial port at its upper end and a radial or side port extending outwardly from the peripheral side wall of the housing The axial port is adapted to receive a lower threaded connector of a standard radio/phone antenna such that the antenna contact extends downwardly into an area accessible by the side port. The CAC also incorporates an externally threaded shaft connector or stud, axially aligned with the top port, and projecting downwardly from the base of the housing. An electrical contact is secured within a contact housing or sleeve press fit within the lower part of the housing such that this contact projects below the housing With this arrangement, the CAC can be threadably inserted into a radio, phone or other communications device in the same way as the standard device antenna A lock nut is threadably mounted on the shaft and is utilized to firmly lock the CAC in place on the device.

A leaf spring contact is fixed to the upper end of the CAC electrical contact and extends upwardly at an angle (relative to a longitudinal axis

extending through the top port and the threaded CAC connector stud) so as to be normally engaged by the antenna contact to transmit RF energy between the device and the antenna

The side port is formed in the CAC so as to extend substantially perpendicularly to the top port, such that the side port bore intersects the top port bore in the area of the leaf spring contact The side port is provided with a contact housing which encloses a spring loaded, sliding contact which projects outwardly from opposite ends of the housing Thus, one end of the contact extends toward the side port entry end and is adapted to engage a contact in an accessory, for example, another external antenna (or other device) upon insertion of that device into the side port. The opposite end of the sliding contact extends into the axial port area and is adapted to engage the leaf spring contact Accordingly, when an accessory is loaded into the side or radial port of the CAC housing, one end of the sliding contact will engage the leaf spring contact and move it away from the antenna contact, thus establishing a new contact with the accessory so that the RF energy from the device is now channeled through the CAC to the accessory device Upon removal of the accessory, the sliding contact will move away from the leaf spring contact, allowing the latter to move back into engagement with the original antenna contact

Accordingly, in its broader aspects, the present invention relates to a coaxial accessory connector adapted to fit within an antenna port of a communications device, the coaxial accessory connector comprising a housing having a first port and a first conductor element, a second port including a second conductor element; and a switch element connected to the first conductor element and, in a first position, engageable through the first port, and wherein the second conductor element is engageable through the second port and movable into

contact with the switch element to move the switch element away from t e first position.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the coaxial accessory connector n accordance with the present invention, shown with an antenna attached; and

FIGURE 2 is a partial side section of the coaxial accessory connector shown in Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the CAC 10 includes a housing 12 with an axial or top port 14 at its upper end, and a radial or side port 16 extending outwardly from the peripheral side wall 18 of the housing. The axial poit 14 includes a counterbore 20, internally threaded at 22, and adapted to receive a lower threaded connector 24 of an antenna 26. An electrical contact 28 for the antenna extends below the connector 24 and into an area accessible by the side port 16.

It will be understood that the antenna 26 is initially threaded into a mobile a cellular telephone, radio or other device (not shown). In other words, the CAC device 10 of this invention is not (necessarily) intended to include its own

antenna. Rather, the CAC 10, in the exemplary embodiment, permits a user to remove the antenna 26 from its own device, so that the CAC of this invention can be attached to that device in place of the antenna. Accordingly, the lower axial end of the CAC 10 is designed for threaded attachment to the same port in the device that would normally accept the antenna 26. To this end, the CAC 10 incorporates an externally threaded shaft connector or stud 30, axially aligned with the port 14 and projecting downwardly from the base 32 of the housing 12. An electrical contact 34 is secured within a contact housing or sleeve 36 press fit within the housing 12, such that contact 34 projects below the housing. Thus, the stud or shaft 30 can be threadably inserted into the device port in the same way as the device antenna 26, i.e., the connector 30 and contact 34 mimic the connector 24 and contact 28. A lock nut 38 threadably mounted on the shaft 30 is utilized to secure the CAC 10 in conventional fashion to the device.

Note also that a leaf spring contact 40 is fixed to the opposite end 36 of contact 34 and extends upwardly at an angle to vertical so as to be normally engaged by the antenna contact 28 to thereby transmit the RF signal between the device and the antenna 26. In this regard, it is to be noted that a longitudinal axis through the axal port 14 intersects a radial axis through the side port 16 at a point adjacent the approximate mid-point of the leaf spring contact 40.

The side port 16 is formed in the CAC 10 by drilling a transverse hole 40 through the device, counterbored at both ends. Thus, at the port entry end, a radial flange 44 provides a stop for a contact housing 46 press fit or otherwise secured within the hole 42. The contact housing 46 encloses a spring loaded, sliding contact 48 which projects outwardly from opposite ends of the housing 44. The contact 48 includes a first contact portion 50 adapted to engage a contact in an accessory (another antenna or other device, not shown) upon insertion into

the side port A reduced diameter portion 52 of the contact 48 extends into the axial port area, and is adapted to engage the leaf spring contact 40 in the manner described below. At the entry end of the port 16, contact housing 44 is sealed vis-a-vis the contact by a bronze disk or washer 54, while the back end is similarly sealed by a second but smaller disk or washer 56 The contact itself has a larger diameter portion 58 on which is seated a coil spring 60, the latte- engaging a radial flange 62 at one end of portion 58 The opposite end of the spring 60 bears on the disk 56, thus tending to bias the contact 48 away from the leaf spring contact 40 (to the right as shown in Figure 2)

The opposite end of the hole 40 is closed by a plug 64 It will be appreciated here that the through bore nature of hole 42 is dictated only by manufacturing concerns, and thus, the plug 64 is considered permanent

An O-ring 66 is seated within a groove 68 in the radial port 16, u Dstream of the contact end 48, and serves to engage the accessory plugged into the port, thus sealing against the entry of dirt or debris The O-ring is captured within the groove 68 by surrounding sleeve 70.

In use, a user desirous of attaching an accessory to a mobile or cellular phone or radio or like device would initially remove the antenna 26 from the device, insert the CAC 10 in the antenna port of the device, and re-attach the antenna 26 to the CAC 10 as shown in the Figures. In this arrangement, the RF signal is conducted to the antenna 26 in the usual fashion, but through the CAC 10 When an accessory is loaded into the side or radial port 16, the end 52 of contact 48 will engage the leaf spring contact 40 and move it (to the left is shown in Figure 2), thus breaking the contact with antenna contact 28 and establ ishing a new contact with the accessory via contact 52 Upon removal of the accessory,

spring 60 will move contact 48 to the right, allowing the leaf spring 40 to re¬ engage contact 28 of the antenna 26.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims