CONNECTOR FOR A COAXIAL CABLE

• US 20180131139A1
• Filed: 10/30/2017
• Published: 05/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications RF, LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Matzen, Michael Ole, Meister, Michael, Miller, Thomas Dewey, Petersen, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 10,367,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/025 formed by the conductors of a cable end
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5812 the cable clamping being achieved by mounting the separate part on the housing of the coupling device
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6593 the shield being composed of different pieces
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/56 specially adapted to a specific shape of cables, e.g. corrugated cables, twisted pair cables, cables with two screens or hollow cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0524 Connection to outer conductor by action of a clamping member, e.g. screw fastening means H01R9/0515 takes precedence

Abstract

A coaxial cable connector for attachment to an end of a coaxial cable is disclosed. The coaxial cable connector has a body having a forward end and a rearward end. An internal surface extends between the forward end and the rearward end defining a longitudinal opening and with a cable receiving area proximal the rearward end and a jacket stop proximal the forward end. A post is positioned in the body proximal the forward end and has a first end and a second end with a bore extending therebetween. An insulator is movably disposed in the bore of the post and has a through-passage, and a movement limiter. A gripping member is disposed within the longitudinal opening of the body proximal the rearward end and provides a gripping action as the gripping member axially moves toward the forward end of the body.

Claims

1. A coaxial cable connector for attachment to an end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the coaxial cable connector comprising:

a body having a forward end and a rearward end, wherein an internal surface extends between the forward end and the rearward end, the internal surface defining a longitudinal opening, and wherein the body comprises a cable receiving area proximal the rearward end and a jacket stop proximal the forward end;

a post positioned in the body proximal the forward end of the body, wherein the post comprises a first end and a second end with a bore extending therebetween, and wherein the bore comprises an inner surface and opens toward the rearward end of the body at the second end of the post;

an insulator movably disposed in the bore of the post, wherein the insulator comprises an outer surface in contact with the post, a through-passage, and a movement limiter to limit movement of the insulator in the post;

a gripping member disposed within the longitudinal opening of the body proximal the rearward end of the body, wherein the gripping member is axially movable in the body, and wherein the gripping member provides a gripping action as the gripping member axially moves toward the forward end of the body; and

a coupling member attached to the body at the forward end of the body.

2. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the jacket stop comprises a rearward facing surface extending radially inwardly from the internal surface of the body.

3. The coaxial cable connector of claim 2, wherein the forward end of the body comprises a neck area, and wherein the rearward facing surface forms a rear surface of the neck area, and wherein the post is positioned in the body by friction fit at the neck area.

4. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the movement limiter comprises at least one projection extending radially outwardly from the outer surface of the insulator.

5. The coaxial cable connector of claim 4, wherein the post comprises a groove in the inner surface of the bore, and wherein the at least one projection locates in the groove to limit movement of the insulator.

6. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the first end of the post comprises a forward face.

7. The coaxial cable connector of claim 6, wherein the insulator comprises a forward side and a rearward side, and wherein the movement limiter limits movement of the insulator to where the forward side of the insulator is flush with the forward face of the post.

8. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal opening comprises a transverse internal dimension, and wherein the transverse internal dimension lessens toward the forward end of the body at a portion of the longitudinal opening along the internal surface.

9. The coaxial cable connector of claim 8, wherein the narrowing transverse internal dimension forces the gripping member radially inwardly to provide the gripping action as the gripping member axially moves toward the forward end of the body.

10. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the gripping member comprises an internal surface and at least a portion of the internal surface has projections extending radially inwardly.

11. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the gripping member comprises at least one flexible finger.

12. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, further comprising a ring movably disposed within the body proximal to the rearward end of the body;

wherein the ring contacts the gripping member and axially moves the gripping member toward the forward end of the body when the ring axially moves toward the forward end of the body.

13. A coaxial cable connector for attachment to an end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the coaxial cable connector comprising:

a body having a forward end and a rearward end, and an internal surface extending between the forward end and the rearward end, the internal surface defining a longitudinal opening, wherein the body comprises a cable receiving area proximal the rearward end and a jacket stop proximal the forward end, wherein the jacket stop is configured to contact an end of the jacket of the coaxial cable received by the body through the cable receiving area and block forward movement of the coaxial cable;

a post positioned in the body proximal the forward end of the body, the post comprising a first end and a second end with a bore extending therebetween wherein the bore comprises an inner surface and opens toward the rearward end of the body at the second end of the post, and wherein the first end of the post comprises a forward face, and wherein the second end of the post is configured to insert under the jacket to electrically contact the outer conductor of the coaxial cable received by the body;

an insulator movably disposed in the bore of the post, the insulator comprising a forward side, a rearward side, and an outer surface in contact with the post, a through-passage extending from the forward side through the rearward side and adapted to receive and guide an inner conductor of a coaxial cable, and a movement limiter to limit movement of the insulator in the post at the first end of the post;

a gripping member disposed within the longitudinal opening of the body proximal the rearward end of the body, wherein the gripping member is axially movable toward the forward end of the body, and wherein the gripping member provides a gripping action as the gripping member axially moves toward the forward end of the body, wherein the gripping action is configured to cause the gripping member to engage the jacket of the coaxial cable received by the body to secure the coaxial cable in the body; and

a coupling member attached to the body at the forward end.

14. The coaxial cable connector of claim 13, wherein the jacket stop is positioned in the body to permit the inner conductor of the coaxial cable to extend through the through-passage of the insulator into the coupling member when the jacket stop contacts the end of the jacket of the coaxial cable.

15. The coaxial cable connector of claim 13, wherein the movement limiter limits movement of the insulator to where the forward side of the insulator is flush with the forward face of the post.

16. The coaxial cable connector of claim 15, wherein the rearward side of the insulator is configured to contact an end of a dielectric of the coaxial cable received by the body.

17. The coaxial cable connector of claim 16, wherein the jacket stop is configured to contact the end of the jacket and the rearward side of the insulator is configured to contact the end of a dielectric of the coaxial cable, when the forward side of the insulator is flush with the forward face of the post.

18. The coaxial cable connector of claim 13, wherein the longitudinal opening comprises a transverse internal dimension, and wherein the transverse internal dimension lessens toward the forward end of the body at a portion of the longitudinal opening along the internal surface and narrows the longitudinal opening.

19. The coaxial cable connector of claim 18, wherein the internal surface forces the gripping member radially inwardly as the longitudinal opening narrows to provide the gripping action as the gripping member axially moves toward the forward end of the body and causes the gripping member to engage the jacket of the coaxial cable received by the body at about a location where the longitudinal opening aligns with the second end of the post.

20. A method for connecting a coaxial cable to a coaxial cable connector, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the method comprising:

preparing a coaxial cable by exposing a predetermined length of the inner conductor beyond the ends of the jacket, the dielectric, and the outer conductor, wherein the ends of the jacket, the dielectric, and the outer conductor remain generally flush with each other;

inserting the prepared coaxial cable into a cable receiving area of a body of a coaxial cable connector, wherein the body has a forward end and a rearward end, and an internal surface extending between the forward end and the rearward end, the internal surface defining a longitudinal opening, and wherein the cable receiving area is proximal the rearward end;

advancing the prepared coaxial cable toward the forward end of the body of the coaxial cable connector until the end of the jacket contacts a jacket stop proximal the forward end of the body, wherein the inner conductor is received by and guided through a through-passage in an insulator movably positioned in a post disposed proximal the forward end of the body, and wherein an end of the dielectric contacts a rearward side of the insulator, and wherein a forward side of the insulator is flush with a forward face of the post; and

axially moving a gripping member disposed within the longitudinal opening of the body proximal the rearward end of the body toward the forward end of the body to cause a gripping action of the gripping member to engage the jacket of the coaxial cable received by the body to secure the coaxial cable in the body.