Captivated low VSWR high power coaxial connector

Claim 1

A coaxial connector capable of high power RF (radio-frequency) transmission along a longitudinal axis and using a low VSWR captivating bead, comprising: an inner conductor and an outer conductor surrounding said inner conductor to form an RF coaxial transmission line; said inner conductor having a radially raised step with first and second faces oppositely directed along said axis; said outer conductor having a substantially even inner surface along its length and being interrupted with integral edges oriented to restrain axial movement of the captivating bead and inner conductor; means for coaxially supporting and axially restraining said inner conductor, said means including a captivating bead having a flower pot-like shape formed with a funnel-like wall portion including inner and outer surfaces that are axially tapered in the same direction between differently sized annular rims at opposite axial ends; the smaller of said rims enclosing the inner conductor with radial support thereof and being effectively axially seated against the first face of the raised step of the inner conductor; the larger of said rims being effectively seated against one of said outer conductor edges, said captivating bead being formed of a material that is mechanically strong; and insulating means surrounding the inner conductor and effectively seated against the second face of the raised step and against another of said edges of the outer conductor to restrain, in cooperation with the captivating bead, the inner conductor against axial motion in either direction along said axis with the raised step clamped between the captivating bead and the insulating means.