This invention relates to an electrical coaxial connector for right angled connection to a coaxial cable. Coaxial cable typically comprises an inner conductor and an outer conductor concentrically mounted therearound and separated from the inner conductor by a dielectric. The outer conductor is usually connected to ground and acts as a shield around the inner conductor for transmission of high speed data signals. A connector that is assembled to a coaxial cable has an outer conductive shell that is connected to the outer conductor of the coaxial cable in a manner to prevent minimum leakage (and therefore attenuation) of the signal transported by the cable. The latter is done by providing an effective connection surrounding the whole circumference of the outer conductor leaving as few gaps as possible therebetween. The inner conductor is connected to the central pin or receptacle contact of the coaxial connector which is separated from the outer housing by a dielectric housing. In many coaxial connectors, the central conductor is a component machined from solid stock rather than stamped and formed for reasons, for example, of quality, size, tolerance requirements etc. For machined inner contacts, reliable connection thereto is often made by soldering, as crimped or clamping connections to the cable inner conductor pose problems due to the size of the central conductor and material properties of machined contacts as well as the small dimensions of the parts. An example of a prior art coaxial connector is shown in Figure 4, the connector 102 comprising an outer conductive housing 104, an inner contact 106 and a dielectric housing 108 for insulatively supporting the inner conductor within the outer housing 104. The outer housing 104 comprises a cylindrical cable inlet 110 that projects at a right angle from the outer housing in relation to the longitudinal direction of the inner contact 106. The coaxial cable 112 comprises an inner

conductor 114 surrounded concentrically by an outer conductor 116 separated therefrom by a dielectric layer 118. The inner conductor 114 is stripped over a certain length from the dielectric 118 for connection to the inner contact 106 by soldering thereto. Access to the solder connection 120 is provided at a rear end 122 of the housing 104 remote from a mating end 124, by provision of a through bore 126 that is closed by a cap 128 threadably engaging the bore 126 after soldering of the conductor 114 to the contact 106. The outer shielding 116 is mounted within the cable receiving extension 110 for contact therebetween and minimal leakage of signals.

One of the problems with the aforementioned prior art, is the high cost of assembly, due to the soldering operation and the need to provide a cap 128 to ensure a sealed and fully shielded connector. It would be desirable to reduce assembly and manufacturing costs of the connector to a coaxial cable, whilst nevertheless providing a reliable connection with effective shielding and sealing.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a coaxial connector for rapid assembly to a coaxial cable, and effective shielding.

It is a further object of this invention to provide very cost-effective and reliable right angled coaxial connector.

Objects of this invention have been achieved by providing a coaxial connector comprising an outer housing and an inner contact, the outer housing having a cable receiving portion extending transversely from the outer housing for receiving a coaxial cable therein, the inner contact comprising a contact portion for mating with a complementary connector, and a connection section for contacting the inner conductor of the coaxial cable, the contact section comprising a clip for elastically latching to a connection piece, the connection piece being securely, permanently fixable to the inner conductor of the coaxial cable prior to connection with the inner

contact. The coaxial cable can thus be pluggably mounted to the coaxial connector due to pluggable connection of the inner conductor to the inner contact. In an advantageous embodiment, the inner contact comprises a pair of cantilever beam arms extending in the axial direction, and biasable apart by plugging of the connection member therebetween in a direction substantially orthogonal to the axial direction. The connection member could have a reduced width portion for receiving the resilient inner contact connection arms thereagainst for retention of the inner conductor to the inner contact. Advantageous features of the invention are described in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the figures, whereby:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view through a right angled coaxial connector;

Figure 2 is a side view of an inner contact of the connector of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top view of the contact of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through a prior art connector. Referring to Figure 1, a coaxial connector 2 comprises a mating section 1 and a connection section 3. The mating section 1 is for coupling to a complementary coaxial connector (not shown) . The mating section 1 of the connector 2 may have a similar design to any conventional coaxial connector, and will thus not be described further.

The connector 2 comprises an axially extending inner terminal 6 mounted in dielectric housings 8 and 9 that are surrounded by an outer conductor 4. The dielectric housing 8 is positioned towards the mating end and the dielectric housing 9 is positioned towards the connection end, where the outer housing 4 substantially surrounds the connection end dielectric housing 9. The outer conductor 4 comprises an axial cavity 7 for receiving the housing 9 and the

inner conductor 6 therein. Extending from the outer conductor 4 is a cable receiving inlet 10 for receiving a coaxial cable similar to the cable 112 shown in Figure 4. The outer conductor 4 has an end wall 28 that closes the cavity 7 at an axial end 22 remote from the mating section 1. The latter ensures effective sealing and shielding of the connector.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the inner terminal 6 comprises a contact section 30 for mating with a complementary contact of a complementary connector, an intermediate mounting section 32 and a connection section 34 that comprises a pair of spaced apart resilient beams 36. The terminal 6 is mainly cylindrical in shape and is machined from solid stock, where the resilient arms 36 have flattened, recessed top and bottom sides 38,40. The flattened top and bottom sides 38,40 of the connection portion 34 enable polarizing of the terminal with respect to the housing 9 to prevent rotation thereof, in order to ensure pluggable connection with the cable conductor. Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a wire end adapter 42 is for secure attachment, by means of crimping or soldering, to the inner wire conductor 114 of a coaxial cable similar to that shown in Figure 4. The wire end adapter 42 comprises a body section 45 surrounding a wire end receiving cavity 44 for receiving the cable inner conductor 114 therein, a connection portion 46 and a head section 48. The adapter 42 is generally axi-symmetric in shape where the contact section 46 is recessed with respect to the body section 45 and also with respect to the head 48. The head 48 comprises a conical portion 50 for enabling insertion between the resilient arms 36 and biasing apart thereof. The contact section 46 of the adapter 42 is long enough to receive the connection end resilient arms 36 therein so as to securely retain the adapter 42 in connection with the terminal 6 once plugged therewith. The body section 45 is deformable such that it an be crimped to the inner conductor for rapid, and secure mechanical and electrical connection thereto.

The adapter 42 can thus be securely and permanently attached to the inner conductor of a coaxial cable by means of crimping or soldering in an assembly step independent of manufacturing and assembly of the rest of the coaxial connector 2. Connection of the cable 112 to the connector 2 can then be performed by merely inserting the cable into the cable inlet 10 until latching of the adapter 42 to the inner terminal connection end arms 36. This plugging connection between the cable inner conductor and the coaxial cable inner terminal 6 is thus rapid and therefore cost-effective, and furthermore does not require the provision of the cap member 128 of the prior art outer conductor 104. The latter requires more parts, more assembly procedures and less shielding and sealing reliability. The coaxial cable can then be attached to the cable inlet 10 in a conventional manner.

Advantageously therefore, the plugging connection of the coaxial cable inner conductor allows rapid assembly of the cable to the connector, and furthermore reduces manufacturing costs of the connector whilst nevertheless providing effective shielding and sealing thereof. The latter is particularly advantageous for right angled coaxial connectors where the transverse joining of inner and outer conductors of the cable to the connector is more difficult than for an in-line connection.