RF connector

Abstract

An RF apparatus includes at least one of an exterior periphery surface and an interior periphery surface, and a plurality of conductive members including a plurality of conductive fibers. The plurality of conductive fibers are situated in a polymer forming a conductive region situated in relation to at least one of the exterior periphery surface and the interior periphery surface.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a member having at least one of an exterior periphery surface and an interior periphery surface, and a length; and a plurality of conductive members comprising a plurality of conductive fibers having a length, the plurality of conductive fibers situated within a polymer forming a conductive region situated in relation to at least one of the exterior periphery surface and the interior periphery surface;    wherein the plurality of conductive fibers each having a first end, a length, a second end, and a diameter in the range of from 0.5 microns to 25 microns, the plurality of conductive fibers situated in a conductive composite member having a length and a diameter in the range of from 1 microns to 2 meters; and    a metal coating having a thickness in the range of from 0.001 microns to 25 microns disposed on at least a portion of the outside surface of at least one conductive member;    wherein the plurality of conductive members are disposed in the member and are selectively situated with respect to each other and form a matrix configuration including at least one selected dimension between the imaginary axis of a plurality of conductive members; and wherein a polymer of the member is solidified about at least a portion of a periphery of the plurality of conductive members forming an integral structure.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of conductive fibers are pultruded within the polymer.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of conductive fibers include fibrillated ends extending from a surface of the member.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the apparatus and the conductive member is not straight along its length and extends in more than one direction.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a lumen.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes an opening in a wall between the interior and exterior periphery surfaces.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the conductive region is for communication with a circuit.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the conductive region is exposed at a periphery surface.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of conductive fibers are at least partially coated with an electrically conductive material.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the conductive region is at least partially coated with an electrically conductive material.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the conductive members comprise a thermally conductive material.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further includes a plurality of non-conductive members comprising non-conductive fibers, the plurality of non-conductive members being disposed in the member and associated with the plurality of conductive members.  
     
     
         13 . The connector of  claim 1  wherein the metal coating is formed by at least one of vacuum deposition, vapor deposition, electroplated, sputter coating, and electroless plated process.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the conductive member includes at least one of a metal and metal alloy.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the conductive member includes a material selected from at least one of nickel, copper, gold, platinum, tungsten, silver, palladium, tin, iron, aluminum, zinc, chromium, lead, brass, nickel/boron, gold/carbon, palladium/nickel, and silver carbon.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the metal is an eutectic metal alloy including tin/lead and solder.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the conductive fibers include carbon and the metal coating has a weight in the range of from 2% to 50% of the weight of the carbon in the conductive member.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the conductive region is within 25 microns of at least one of the exterior periphery surface and the interior periphery surface  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the metal coating has a weight in the range of from 1% to 90% of the weight of the conductive member.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of fibers are metal coated and are pultruded in a resin binder to form a selected cross-sectional shape.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of fibers include carbon and are metal coated and separated from another by at least one of the polymer and an insulating fiber.  
     
     
         22 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a composite member comprising a plurality of conductive fibers, each conductive fiber having a length, outside surface, a diameter in the range of from 0.5 microns to 25 microns, a first end and a second end, the composite member having an outside surface and a length; and    a metal coating having a thickness in the range of from 0.001 microns to 10 microns disposed on at least a portion of the outside surface of a plurality of the conductive fibers;    wherein at least one conductive fiber is spaced from another conductive fiber along at least a portion of the length of the composite member; and wherein the composite member includes a polymer resin solidified about at least a portion of a periphery of the plurality of conductive fibers forming an integral structure.    
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  further comprising a plurality of conductive fibers bundled together forming at least one set of conductive fibers in association with the composite member, the at least one set of conductive fibers having a length and cross sectional area in the range of from less than 0.01 square microns to 1000 square microns wherein a metal coating having a thickness is disposed on at least a portion of an outside surface of the at least one set of conductive fibers.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22  further comprising fibrillated fibers extending from a surface.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the fibrillated region has a length in the range from 0.001 mm to 100 mm and is substantially flexible.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the fibrillated region comprises an exposed plurality of conductive fibers extending from the member.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the apparatus is suitable for use in an RF electric circuit to conduct current in the range of 1 hertz to 100 giga-hertz.