(19)
(11) EP 1 041 680 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
18.06.2003 Bulletin 2003/25

(43) Date of publication A2:
04.10.2000 Bulletin 2000/40

(21) Application number: 00106233.0

(22) Date of filing: 22.03.2000
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: H01R 13/648, H01R 13/646
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 30.03.1999 EP 99106470

(71) Applicant: THE WHITAKER CORPORATION
Wilmington, Delaware 19808 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Bozzer, Dieter
    1892 Lavey (CH)
  • Rithener, Blaise
    1800 Vevey (CH)
  • Kempter, Sébastien
    1860 Aigle (CH)
  • Thomas, Lionel
    1967 Bramois (CH)

(74) Representative: Heinz-Schäfer, Marion 
Tyco Electronics Logistics AG Ampèrestrasse 3
9323 Steinach
9323 Steinach (CH)

   


(54) Electrostatic discharge protection for a coaxial connector


(57) A coaxial connector (2) for mating with a complementary connector (8), the coaxial connector (2) having an insulative housing with a passageway therethrough an inner contact (26) positioned in the passageway and being resiliently biased (62) and moveable along the longitudinal axis, the inner contact (26) has a mating end (56) and a connecting end (64) opposite thereto with a shoulder (36) therebetween; an outer contact (14) mounted to the housing and generally concentric to the inner contact (26), the outer contact (18) having a grounding contact for connection to a ground and a coupling end (14) for mating with the complementary connector (8), the coupling end including a fixing surface therealong; and, an electrostatic discharge protection member (28) in contact with the fixing surface and located relative the inner contact (26) such that prior to mating with the complementary connector (8), the shoulder (36) contacts the electrostatic discharge protection (28) member and upon mating with the complementary connector (8), the inner contact (26) is displaced such that the shoulder (36) is moved out of contact with the electrostatic discharge protection member (28).






Search report