CONNECTOR HAVING A GROUNDING MEMBER
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:
- a conductive body member including a forward body end portion and an opposing rearward body end portion, the rearward body end portion configured to receive a portion of the coaxial cable, the forward body end portion having a forward facing body portion that comprises a forwardmost surface of the conductive body member and a conductive member outer body contact portion of a surface extending at least partially in a radial direction when the connector is assembled;
a post member configured to engage the conductive body member, wherein the post member is not integral with the conductive body member, the post member having a forward end including a flange and a rearward end, the rearward end configured to be inserted into a portion of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under at least a portion of the conductive grounding shield thereof to make electrical contact with the conductive grounding shield of the coaxial cable;
a conductive nut member configured to rotate relative to the post member and the conductive body member, the conductive nut member including a forward nut end portion configured to be coupled to an interface port, a rearward nut end portion, and an internal lip, the internal lip having a forward lip surface facing the forward nut end portion and a rearward lip surface facing the rearward nut end portion;
a conductive metal ring grounding member including a nut contact portion configured to be electrically coupled to the conductive nut member and a body contact portion configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the conductive body member and be electrically and physically coupled to the conductive member outer body contact portion of the conductive body member without contacting the forward facing body portion of the conductive body member so as to form a nut-body electrical circuit between the conductive nut member and the conductive member outer body contact portion of the conductive body member, extend electromagnetic shielding from the coaxial cable through the connector, and inhibit RF ingress into the connector when the connector is assembled;
wherein the flange of the post member is configured to electrically contact the internal lip of the conductive nut member so as to form a first electrical ground path between the post member and the conductive nut member, and wherein the conductive metal ring grounding member forms a second electrical ground path between the conductive body member and the conductive nut member when the connector is assembled; and
wherein the conductive metal ring grounding member is configured to maintain the second electrical ground path in an unbroken state, where the conductive metal ring grounding member is in electrical contact with the conductive body member and the conductive nut member, even when the first electrical ground path is in a broken state, where the flange of the post member is not in electrical contact with the internal lip of the conductive nut member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A coaxial cable connector includes, in one embodiment, a conductive body member, a post member, a conductive nut member and a conductive metal ring grounding member. The conductive metal ring grounding member is configured to maintain electrical grounding.
27 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:
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a conductive body member including a forward body end portion and an opposing rearward body end portion, the rearward body end portion configured to receive a portion of the coaxial cable, the forward body end portion having a forward facing body portion that comprises a forwardmost surface of the conductive body member and a conductive member outer body contact portion of a surface extending at least partially in a radial direction when the connector is assembled; a post member configured to engage the conductive body member, wherein the post member is not integral with the conductive body member, the post member having a forward end including a flange and a rearward end, the rearward end configured to be inserted into a portion of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under at least a portion of the conductive grounding shield thereof to make electrical contact with the conductive grounding shield of the coaxial cable; a conductive nut member configured to rotate relative to the post member and the conductive body member, the conductive nut member including a forward nut end portion configured to be coupled to an interface port, a rearward nut end portion, and an internal lip, the internal lip having a forward lip surface facing the forward nut end portion and a rearward lip surface facing the rearward nut end portion; a conductive metal ring grounding member including a nut contact portion configured to be electrically coupled to the conductive nut member and a body contact portion configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the conductive body member and be electrically and physically coupled to the conductive member outer body contact portion of the conductive body member without contacting the forward facing body portion of the conductive body member so as to form a nut-body electrical circuit between the conductive nut member and the conductive member outer body contact portion of the conductive body member, extend electromagnetic shielding from the coaxial cable through the connector, and inhibit RF ingress into the connector when the connector is assembled; wherein the flange of the post member is configured to electrically contact the internal lip of the conductive nut member so as to form a first electrical ground path between the post member and the conductive nut member, and wherein the conductive metal ring grounding member forms a second electrical ground path between the conductive body member and the conductive nut member when the connector is assembled; and wherein the conductive metal ring grounding member is configured to maintain the second electrical ground path in an unbroken state, where the conductive metal ring grounding member is in electrical contact with the conductive body member and the conductive nut member, even when the first electrical ground path is in a broken state, where the flange of the post member is not in electrical contact with the internal lip of the conductive nut member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:
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a conductive body member including a forward body end portion and an opposing rearward body end portion, the rearward body end portion configured to receive a portion of the coaxial cable, the forward body end portion having a forward facing body portion and a conductive member outer body contact portion extending at least partially in a radial direction away from the forward facing body portion when the connector is in an assembled state; a post member configured to engage the conductive body member, wherein the post member is not integral with the conductive body member, the post member having a forward end including a flange and a rearward end, the rearward end configured to be inserted into the portion of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under at least a portion of the conductive grounding shield thereof to make electrical contact with the conductive grounding shield of the coaxial cable; a conductive nut member configured to rotate relative to the post member and the conductive body member, the conductive nut member including a forward nut end portion configured to be coupled to an interface port, a rearward nut end portion, and an internal lip, the internal lip having a forward lip surface facing the forward nut end portion and a rearward lip surface facing the rearward nut end portion; a conductive metal ring grounding member including a nut contact portion configured to be electrically coupled to the conductive nut member and a body contact portion configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the conductive body member forward of the conductive member outer body contact portion of the conductive body member and be electrically and physically coupled to the conductive member outer body contact portion of the conductive body member without contacting the forward facing body portion of the conductive body member so as to form a nut-body electrical circuit between the conductive nut member and the conductive member outer body contact portion of the conductive body member, extend electromagnetic shielding from the coaxial cable through the connector, and inhibit RF ingress into the connector when the connector is in the assembled state; wherein the flange of the post member is configured to electrically contact the internal lip of the conductive nut member so as to form a first electrical ground path between the post member and the conductive nut member, and wherein the conductive metal ring grounding member forms a second electrical ground path between the conductive body member and the conductive nut member when the connector is in the assembled state; and wherein the conductive metal ring grounding member is configured to maintain the second electrical ground path in an unbroken state, where the conductive metal ring grounding member is in electrical contact with the conductive body member and the conductive nut member, even when the first electrical ground path is in a broken state, where the flange of the post member is not in direct electrical contact with the internal lip of the conductive nut member. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:
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a metal body member including a forward body end portion and an opposing rearward body end portion, the rearward body end portion configured to receive a portion of the coaxial cable, the forward body end portion having a forward facing body portion and an outer body grounding contact portion positioned apart from the forward facing body portion; a post member configured to engage the metal body member, wherein the post member is not integral with the metal body member, the post member having a forward end including a flange and a rearward end, the rearward end configured to be inserted into the portion of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under at least a portion of the conductive grounding shield thereof to make electrical contact with the conductive grounding shield of the coaxial cable; a metal coupler member configured to rotate relative to the post member and the metal body member, the metal coupler member including a forward coupler end portion configured to be coupled to an interface port, a rearward coupler end portion, and an internal lip, the internal lip having a forward lip surface facing the forward end portion of the metal coupler member and a rearward lip surface facing the rearward coupler end portion; a metal grounding member including a coupler contact portion configured to electrically contact the metal coupler member and a body contact portion configured to at least partially face and electrically and physically contact the outer body grounding contact portion of the metal body member without physically contacting the forward facing body portion of the metal body member so as to form a coupler-body electrical ground circuit between the metal coupler member and the outer body grounding contact portion of the metal body member, extend electromagnetic shielding from the coaxial cable through the connector, and inhibit RF ingress into the connector when the connector is in an assembled state; wherein the outer body grounding contact portion of the metal body member comprises an external body contact surface that at least partially faces a forward direction and extends along a radial direction when the connector is in the assembled state; wherein the body contact portion of the metal grounding member comprises a curved body contact surface configured to electrically contact the external body contact surface so as to form the coupler-body electrical ground circuit; wherein the flange of the post member is configured to engage the internal lip of the metal coupler member so as to prevent axial movement of the post member relative to the metal coupler member when the connector is in the assembled state; wherein the metal grounding member is rearwardly spaced from the internal lip of the metal coupler member and the flange of the post member such that no portion of the metal grounding member is located inside the metal body member when the connector is in the assembled state; wherein the flange of the post member is configured to electrically contact the internal lip of the metal coupler member so as to form a first electrical ground path between the post member and the metal coupler member, and wherein the metal grounding member forms a second electrical ground path between the metal body member and the metal coupler member when the connector is in the assembled state; and wherein the metal grounding member is configured to maintain the second electrical ground path in an unbroken state, where the metal grounding member is in electrical contact with the metal body member and the metal coupler member, even when the first electrical ground path is in a broken state, where the flange of the post member is not in electrical contact with the internal lip of the metal coupler member. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:
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a metal body member including a forward body end portion and an opposing rearward body end portion, the rearward body end portion configured to receive a portion of the coaxial cable, the forward body end portion having a forward facing body portion and an outer body grounding contact portion spaced away from the forward facing body portion; a post member configured to engage the metal body member, wherein the post member is not integral with the metal body member, the post member having a forward end including a flange and a rearward end, the rearward end configured to be inserted into the portion of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under at least a portion of the conductive grounding shield thereof to make electrical contact with the conductive grounding shield of the coaxial cable; a metal coupler member configured to rotate relative to the post member and the metal body member, the metal coupler member including a forward coupler end portion configured to be coupled to an interface port, a rearward coupler end portion, and an internal lip, the internal lip having a forward lip surface facing the forward end portion of the metal coupler member and a rearward lip surface facing the rearward coupler end portion; a metal grounding member including a coupler contact portion configured to electrically contact the metal coupler member and a body contact portion configured to at least partially face and electrically contact the outer body grounding contact portion of the metal body member without contacting the forward facing body portion of the metal body member so as to form an electrical ground circuit between the outer body grounding contact portion of the metal body member and the metal coupler member, extend electromagnetic shielding from the coaxial cable through the connector, and inhibit RF ingress into the connector when the connector is in an assembled state; wherein the outer body grounding contact portion comprises a radially extending body surface, and wherein the body contact portion of the metal grounding member comprises a curved body contact surface configured to electrically and physically contact the radially extending body surface so as to form the electrical ground circuit; wherein the flange of the post member is configured to engage the internal lip of the metal coupler member so as to prevent axial movement of the post member relative to the metal coupler member when the connector is in the assembled state; wherein the metal grounding member is rearwardly spaced from the internal lip of the metal coupler member and the flange of the post member such that no portion of the metal grounding member is located inside the metal body member when the connector is in the assembled state; wherein the flange of the post member is configured to electrically contact the internal lip of the metal coupler member so as to form a first electrical ground path between the post member and the metal coupler member, and wherein the metal grounding member forms a second electrical ground path between the metal body member and the metal coupler member when the connector is in the assembled state; and wherein the metal grounding member is configured to maintain the second electrical ground path in an unbroken state, where the metal grounding member is in electrical contact with the metal body member and the metal coupler member, even when the first electrical ground path is in a broken state, where the flange of the post member is not in electrical contact with the internal lip of the metal coupler member. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification