ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH GROUNDING MEMBER

• US 20120270441A1
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Corning Gilbert Incorporated (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bence, Bruce D., Burris, Donald A., Kisling, Brian L., Kooiman, John A., Lutz, William B., McDade, William F., Miller, Thomas D., Chuan, Lee Yung
• Granted Patent: US 8,690,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/583
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5202 Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5216 characterised by the sealing material, e.g. gels or resins
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/44 comprising impedance matching means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/05 for coaxial cables

Abstract

A coaxial cable connector includes tubular post, a coupler secured over an end of the tubular post for securing the connector to an appliance, and an outer body secured to the tubular post. An electrical grounding path is maintained between the coupler and the tubular post whether or not the coupler is tightly fastened to the appliance. The electrical grounding path is provided by a resilient, electrically-conductive grounding member disposed between the tubular post and the coupler. Alternatively, the connector includes conductive grease at a point where mating portions of the tubular post and coupler have closely matching dimensions.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A coaxial cable connector having a grounding member, a post and a nut, wherein:

the grounding member comprises a ring portion and a plurality of fingers extending radially from the ring portion;

the fingers extend to an outer position towards the coupling nut and serve to connect a ground path from the coupling nut to the tubular post while allowing the coupling nut to rotate.

19. A coaxial cable connector having a grounding member, a post and a nut, wherein:

the grounding member comprises a ring portion and a plurality of fingers extending radially from the ring portion;

the grounding member includes contact portions contacting the post and the nut to provide for an electrically-conductive path through the post and the nut; and

the electrically conductive path includes the plurality of fingers.

20. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 19 wherein the ring portion of the grounding member is substantially flat.

21. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 19 wherein the ring portion of the grounding member lies in a plane extending from an inner diameter of the ring portion to an outer diameter of the grounding member.

22. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 21 wherein the plurality of fingers extend radially from the outer diameter of the ring portion.

23. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 21 wherein the outer diameter of the ring portion is interrupted by the plurality of fingers.

24. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 19 wherein the fingers are arranged symmetrically about the ring portion of the grounding member.

25. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 19 wherein the grounding member comprises at least two fingers arranged in diametric opposition across the ring portion of the grounding member.

26. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 19 wherein the fingers extend radially from the ring portion at an angle from the plane of the ring portion.

27. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 19 wherein the fingers extend radially from the ring portion at about a 45°

angle from the plane of the ring portion.

28. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 19 wherein the grounding member is constructed of a metallic material.

29. A coaxial cable connector as claimed in claim 19 wherein:

the grounding member comprises a radial grounding member;

the post comprises a tubular post;

the nut comprises a coupling nut.