Electrical and mechanical coupling for coupling a microwave case both to its source and to its support, and a method of using such a coupling

Claim 1

An electrical and mechanical coupling for electrically coupling a microwave head case to its microwave source and mechanically to its support, wherein the support includes: a fixed back stop; source-positioning pegs; a toggle fastener system mounted on one face of said support, said toggle fastener system including a draw-bar, a fixing portion, and an operating lever; and a blade-shaped return spring having one end fixed to the support and having a free end, and being situated so as to enable the draw-bar to rest on the free end of the spring when the operating lever is pushed back; wherein the microwave source includes a body: means for engaging said source-positioning pegs to locate said source body relative to said support; a flexible metal waveguide having a free end face; a special flange disposed on the free end face of the flexible waveguide and having an opening therethrough; two centering pegs disposed on the special flange and projecting towards said case; and a damper disposed between the special flange and the body of the source; and wherein the microwave head case includes: an assembly flange on a first face thereof facing said special flange of said free end face of said flexible waveguide, said assembly flange including an opening for alignment with said opening through the special flange; said assembly flange including two peg-receiving orifices aligned with said centering pegs, respectively to receive said centering pegs; and a second face including a hook positioned to engage the draw-bar and a moving backstop engageable with the fixed backstop of the support.

Claim 11

A method of effecting an electrical coupling between a microwave head case and a microwave source and a mechanical coupling between said microwave head case and a support, wherein the support includes a fixed backstop, source-positioning pegs; a toggle fastener system mounted on one face of said support, said toggle fastener system including a draw-bar, a fixing portion and an operating lever; and a blade-shaped return spring having one end fixed to the support and having a free end, and being situated so as to enable the draw-bar to rest on the free end of the spring when the operating lever is pushed back; wherein the microwave source includes a body; means for engaging said source-positioning pegs to locate said source body relative to said support; a flexible metal waveguide having a free end face; a special flange disposed on the free end face of the flexible waveguide and having an opening therethrough; two centering pegs disposed on the special flange and projecting towards said case; and a damper disposed between the special flange and the body of the source; an wherein the microwave head case includes: an assembly flange on a first face thereof facing said special flange of said free end face of said flexible waveguide, said assembly flange including an opening for alignment with said opening through the special flange; said assembly flange including two peg-receiving orifices and aligned with said centering pegs, respectively, to receive said centering pegs; and a second face including a hook positioned to engage the draw-bar and a moving backstop engageable with the fixed back stop of the support, and wherein locking takes place in accordance with the following stages: the source is fixed to the support; the microwave head is placed on the support so as to place the two flanges face to face, with the end of the hook then being placed above a flared U-shaped end of the return spring; the lever of the toggle fastener system is maneuvered so as to slide its draw-bar along the return spring in a first direction; and the lever is then maneuvered in a second direction opposite to the first, thereby causing the spring blade to move out of the way to allow the draw-bar of the fastener to be held captive by the hook, and wherein during maneuvering of the lever in a second direction opposite to the first, the microwave head case moves so that said assembly flange contacts the special flange thereby effecting penetration of the centering pegs into corresponding peg-receiving orifices of said assembly flange.

Claim 12

A method of effecting an electrical coupling between a microwave head case and a microwave source and a mechanical coupling between said microwave head case and a support, wherein the support includes a fixed backstop, source-positioning pegs; a toggle fastener system mounted on one face of said support, said toggle fastener system including a draw-bar, a fixing portion and an operating lever; and a blade-shaped return spring having one end fixed to the support and having a free end, and being situated so as to enable the draw-bar to rest on the free end of the spring when the operating lever is pushed back; wherein the microwave source includes a body; means for engaging said source-positioning pegs to locate said source body relative to said support; a flexible metal waveguide having a free end face; a special flange disposed on the free end face of the flexible waveguide and having an opening therethrough; two centering pegs disposed on the special flange and projecting towards said case; and a damper disposed between the special flange and the body of the source; an wherein the microwave head case includes: an assembly flange on a first face thereof facing said special flange of said free end face of said flexible waveguide, said assembly flange including an opening for alignment with said opening through the special flange; said assembly flange including two peg-receiving orifices and aligned with said centering pegs, respectively, to receive said centering pegs; and a second face including a hook positioned to engage the draw-bar and a moving backstop engageable with the fixed back stop of the support, and wherein locking takes place in accordance with the following stages: the source is fixed to the support; the microwave head is placed on the support so as to place the two flanges face to face, with the end of the hook then being placed above a flared U-shaped end of the return spring; the lever of the toggle fastener system is maneuvered so as to slide its draw-bar along the return spring in a first direction; and the lever is then maneuvered in a second direction opposite to the first, thereby causing the spring blade to move out of the way to allow the draw-bar of the fastener to be held captive by the hook, and wherein during maneuvering of the lever in a second direction opposite to the first, the microwave head case moves so that said assembly flange contacts the special flange thereby effecting penetration of the centering pegs into corresponding peg-receiving orifices of said assembly flange.