Quick connector for a coaxial cable

• US 20020164900A1
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PCT International Incorporated (Andes Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: PCT International Incorporated (Andes Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Youtsey, Timothy L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,648,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0527 Connection to outer conductor by action of a resilient member, e.g. spring

Abstract

A quick connector for securing a coaxial cable to an electronic device (cable splitter, VCR, monitor, etc.) is formed integrally with the device. The connector has a cylindrical housing extending from the structure of the electronic device, with a generally tubular inner body and collar permanently and immovably affixed within the housing. The only movable component is a retainer having a series of fingers which selectively grip a corresponding circumferential groove inside the collar. A coaxial cable is trimmed to expose the center conductor, a portion of the outer cover is removed, and the shielding is folded back. The cable is inserted into the connector, with the barbed end of the inner body penetrating between the cable dielectric and shielding. The cable and retainer are then withdrawn slightly to force the retainer fingers against the cable outer cover and shielding to capture them between the retainer fingers and inner body.

Claims

1. A quick connector for removably securing a coaxial cable to an electronic device, with the coaxial cable having a center conductor, a dielectric concentrically surrounding the inner conductor, a conducting braided shield concentrically surrounding the dielectric, and an outer electrically insulating jacket concentrically surrounding the conducting shield, the quick connector comprising:

a generally cylindrical housing permanently and integrally formed with the electronic device and extending therefrom;

said housing having an electronic device end wall with a cable passage formed therethrough, and an open cable insertion end;

opposite said electronic device end wall;

a generally tubular inner body permanently and immovably disposed concentrically within said housing, adjacent said electronic device end wall;

a cylindrical collar permanently and immovably affixed concentrically within said cable insertion end of said housing; and

a retainer disposed concentrically within said collar, said retainer being axially movable and having locking means for locking against said collar to prevent removal of said retainer from said collar.

2. The quick connector according to claim 1, further including:

an electronic device end flange extending from said inner body, and disposed concentrically within said cable passage of said electronic device end wall of said housing.

3. The quick connector according to claim 1, wherein:

said inner body has an inner diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the dielectric of the coaxial cable; and

a circumferentially sharpened coaxial cable engagement end extends from said inner body, opposite said electronic device end flange thereof, for penetrating between the dielectric and the shielding of the cable when the cable is inserted into said housing.

4. The quick connector according to claim 1, further including:

a barb circumferentially disposed about said coaxial cable engagement end of said inner body, for engaging the conducting shield of the coaxial cable and precluding inadvertent withdrawal of the coaxial cable from said housing.

5. The quick connector according to claim 1, wherein:

said retainer has an external flange with a generally cylindrical sleeve extending therefrom, the sleeve having a plurality of slots formed therethrough, defining a corresponding plurality of radially flexible fingers therebetween and extending from said flange of said retainer.

6. The quick connector according to claim 5, further including:

an outwardly disposed ridge formed circumferentially across each of said fingers of said sleeve of said retainer; and

wherein said collar includes an inwardly disposed, circumferential groove formed therein, for selectively engaging each said ridge of said fingers of said sleeve of said retainer.

7. The quick connector according to claim 1, wherein said housing, said inner body, said collar, and said retainer are each formed of an electrically conductive material.

8. An electronic device and a quick connector for removably securing a coaxial cable thereto, with the coaxial cable having an inner conductor, a dielectric concentrically surrounding the inner conductor, a conducting shield concentrically surrounding the dielectric, and an outer electrically insulating jacket concentrically surrounding the conducting shield, the electronic device and quick connector comprising in combination:

an electronic device case for containing electronic componentry and for accepting electronic input from at least the coaxial cable;

a generally cylindrical housing permanently and integrally formed with said electronic device case and extending therefrom;

said housing having an electronic device end wall in common with said electronic device case with a cable passage formed therethrough, and an open cable insertion end opposite said electronic device end wall;

a generally tubular inner body permanently and immovably disposed concentrically within said housing, adjacent said electronic device end wall;

a cylindrical collar permanently and immovably affixed concentrically within said cable insertion end of said housing; and

a retainer axially movably disposed concentrically within said collar.

9. The electronic device and quick connector combination according to claim 8, further including:

an electronic device end flange extending from said inner body, and disposed concentrically within said cable passage of said electronic device end wall of said housing and said electronic device.

10. The electronic device and quick connector combination according to claim 8, wherein:

said inner body has an inner diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the dielectric of the coaxial cable; and

a circumferentially sharpened coaxial cable engagement end extends from said inner body, opposite said electronic device end flange thereof, for penetrating between the dielectric and the shielding of the cable when the cable is inserted into said housing.

11. The electronic device and quick connector combination according to claim 8, further including:

a barb circumferentially disposed about said coaxial cable engagement end of said inner body, for engaging the conducting shield of the coaxial cable and precluding inadvertent withdrawal of the coaxial cable from said housing.

12. The electronic device and quick connector combination according to claim 8, wherein:

said retainer has an external flange with a generally cylindrical sleeve extending therefrom, the sleeve having a plurality of slots formed therethrough, defining a corresponding plurality of radially flexible fingers therebetween and extending from said flange of said retainer.

13. The electronic device and quick connector combination according to claim 12, further including:

an outwardly disposed ridge formed circumferentially across each of said fingers of said sleeve of said retainer; and

wherein said collar has inwardly disposed, circumferential groove formed therein, for selectively engaging each said ridge of said fingers of said sleeve of said retainer.

14. The electronic device and quick connector combination according to claim 8, wherein at least said housing, said inner body, said collar, and said retainer are each formed of an electrically conductive material.

16. The method of removably installing a bare coaxial cable to an electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the step of providing cable capturing means for the retainer, further includes the steps of:

(a) forming the retainer with an external flange with a generally cylindrical sleeve extending therefrom;

(b) further forming a plurality of slots in the sleeve of the retainer, and defining a corresponding plurality of radially flexible fingers therebetween and extending from the flange of the retainer;

(c) further forming an outwardly disposed ridge formed circumferentially across each of the fingers of the sleeve of the retainer;

(d) further forming an inwardly disposed, circumferential groove within the collar; and

(e) slightly withdrawing the retainer from the housing, thereby flexing the fingers of the retainer inwardly and capturing the conducting shield and outer insulating jacket of the coaxial cable between the fingers of the retainer and the inner body.

17. The method of removably installing a bare coaxial cable to an electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the step of providing retainer locking means comprises engaging each ridge of the fingers of the sleeve of the retainer with the groove of the collar.

18. The method of removably installing a bare coaxial cable to an electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the step of providing cable capturing means for the inner body, further includes the steps of:

(a) forming a circumferential barb around the coaxial cable engagement end of the inner body; and

(b) slightly withdrawing the coaxial cable from the housing, thereby catching the conducting shield of the coaxial cable upon the barbs of the coaxial cable engagement end of the inner body.

19. The method of removably installing a bare coaxial cable to an electronic device according to claim 15, further including the steps of:

(a) pushing the coaxial cable slightly inwardly into the housing, thereby disengaging the cable capturing means of the inner body;

(b) pushing the retainer slightly inwardly into the housing, thereby disengaging the retainer locking means and the cable capturing means of the retainer;

(c) holding the retainer in an inwardly disposed position to free the capture of the coaxial cable therefrom; and

(d) withdrawing the coaxial cable from the housing.

20. The method of removably installing a bare coaxial cable to an electronic device according to claim 15, further including the step of forming at least the housing, the inner body, the collar, and the retainer of an electrically conductive material.

15. A method of removably installing a bare coaxial cable to an electronic device, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a coaxial cable having an inner conductor, a dielectric concentrically surrounding the inner conductor, a conducting shield concentrically surrounding the dielectric, and an outer electrically insulating jacket concentrically surrounding the conducting shield;

(b) further providing an electronic device having a case for containing electronic componentry and for accepting electronic input from at least the coaxial cable;

(c) further providing a generally cylindrical housing permanently and integrally formed with the electronic device case and extending therefrom, with the housing having an electronic device end wall in common with the electronic device case with a cable passage formed therethrough, and an open cable insertion end opposite the electronic device end wall;

(d) further providing a generally tubular inner body permanently and immovably disposed concentrically within the housing, adjacent the electronic device end wall, with the inner body having an inner diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the dielectric of the coaxial cable and a circumferentially sharpened coaxial cable engagement end opposite the electronic device end wall;

(e) further providing a cylindrical collar permanently and, immovably affixed concentrically within the cable insertion end of the housing;

(f) further providing a retainer axially movably disposed concentrically within the collar;

(g) further providing cable capturing means for the retainer;

(h) further providing cable capturing means for the inner body;

(i) further providing retainer locking means in the housing;

(j) trimming the coaxial cable and exposing a length of the inner conductor;

(k) further trimming the coaxial cable by removing a portion of the outer insulating jacket;

(l) folding the conducting shield back over the outer insulating jacket, and exposing a portion of the dielectric;

(m) inserting the trimmed end of the coaxial cable into the retainer;

(n) pushing the coaxial cable past the inner body, and, separating the dielectric from the conducting shield as the dielectric and inner conductor pass through the tubular inner body and the conducting shield and outer insulating jacket pass around the tubular inner body;

(o) extending the dielectric of the coaxial cable slightly through the cable passage of the end wall of the housing; and

(p) slightly withdrawing the coaxial cable from the housing and simultaneously slightly withdrawing the retainer from the housing, thereby locking the coaxial cable within the housing by the cable locking means of the retainer.