Float adapter for electrical connector and method for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9735531-B2
Application number	US-201615392759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2016
Priority date	Jan 9, 2013
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

A method for making a float adapter for an electrical connector that includes a conductive shell that has opposite first and second ends, and at least one insulator received in the conductive shell. The at least one insulator has an engagement end and an interface end opposite the engagement end. The interface end has a lead-in tip portion that extends outside of one of the first and second ends of the shell. The at least one insulator has an inner bore for receiving an inner contact. A retaining sleeve is disposed around the conductive shell, the retaining sleeve having an engagement member for engaging the at least one insulator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Method of manufacturing of a float adapter, comprising the steps of:
stamping a piece from a metal sheet;
rolling the stamped piece into a cylindrical body to form a conductive shell;
providing at least one insulator, the at least one insulator having an engagement end, an interface end opposite the engagement member, and an inner bore extending through the engagement end and the interface end;
inserting one end of an inner contact into the inner bore of the at least one insulator;
inserting the at least one insulator and the inner contact into the conductive shell through one end of the conductive shell; and
coupling a retaining sleeve around the conductive shell such that the retaining sleeve engages the at least one insulator.

2. A method of claim 1 , wherein
the retaining sleeve includes an engagement member corresponding to an engagement member of the at least one insulator.

3. A method of claim 2 , wherein
the engagement member of the retaining sleeve is a tab and the engagement member of the at least one insulator is a groove; and
the conductive shell includes a slot for receiving the tab.

4. A method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of
prior to rolling the stamped piece, cutting slots into ends of the stamped piece to form fingers.

5. A method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of
prior to rolling the stamped piece, impressing a groove into the ends of the stamped piece.

6. A method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of
prior to rolling the stamped piece, cutting at least one slot into stamped piece.

7. A method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of
inserting the other end of the inner contact into a second insulator.

8. A method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of
coupling the retaining sleeve with the second insulator.

Assignees

• Amphenol Corp

Inventors

• Zhu Juliver
• He Harry
• Qin Leo
• Hoyack Michael A
• Barthelmes Owen R

Classifications

• H01R24/542 Primary

  Adapters · CPC title

• H01R43/20

  for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve · CPC title

• H01R2103/00

  Two poles · CPC title

• H01R43/16 Primary

  for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending · CPC title

• H01R12/91

  allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating or self aligning (for coupling devices not specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R13/6315 takes precedence) · CPC title