PUSH-ON CONNECTOR

• US 3,671,922 A
• Filed: 08/07/1970
• Issued: 06/20/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
• Original Assignee: N/A
• Primary Examiner(s): Joseph H. McGlynn
• Application Number:
  US05/061,923
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 339/74,91,177
• US Class Current: 439/352
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/627 Snap or like fastening
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0518 Connection to outer conductor by crimping or by crimping ferrule

Abstract

A locking push-on, pull-off connector which maintains good electrical contact even under conditions where there is movement in the connector. The contact elements of one of the mating connector members are mounted for axial movement in the member and are normally biased by a resilient means to a forward-most position. Leading surfaces of mating contact elements in the two members are adapted to bear against each other to make electrical contact when the members are mated with the elements which are mounted for movement being adapted to be moved back to a predetermined position in their member by the force applied to them by the other contact element. This movement is against the force of the resilient means. A means is provided for locking the contact members together with the moveable element in the predetermined position. The locking means includes a bore in one of the mating members which is sized to accept a leading portion of the other member, said bore having an enlarged internal counterbore, and a wrap spring mounted on the leading portion of the first member. The wrap spring has tabs projecting at an angle to the connector axis which tabs are adapted to be compressed by the walls of the bore as a leading portion of the member is fitted into the bore and to expand into the enlarged counterbore to lock the members together. A sleeve is mounted for movement in an axial direction on the spring-containing member. This sleeve has openings through which the tabs normally project, the walls of the sleeve being moved over the tabs to compress them and unlock the members as the sleeve is moved in a rearward direction.

Claims

1. A push-on connector for a coaxial cable having an inner and an outer conductor, said connector having first and second mating members, comprising:

an inner and an outer contact element in each of said members, each of said outer contact elements having a substantially flat leading surface at an angle substantially perpendicular to the axis of said connector;

means for physically and electrically connecting the inner and outer conductor to the inner and outer contact elements respectively of said first member;

a contact assembly having the inner and outer contact elements of said second member secured together therein, said contact assembly being mounted in said second member in a manner such that it may move in said member in a direction parallel to the axis of the connector;

resilient means for normally biasing said contact assembly to its forward-most position;

the outer contact leading surfaces being adapted to bear against each other to make electrical contact when said members are mated, the outer contact of the first member being adapted to bear against the outer contact of the second member to move said contact assembly back in said second member, against the force of said resilient means, to a predetermined position as said members are mated; and

means for locking said members with said contact assembly in said predetermined position.

2. A connector of the type described in claim 1 wherein said contact assembly includes insulating means for separating the inner and outer contact elements of the assembly;

wherein said second member includes a counterbore in which said assembly is mounted for restrained axial movement; and

wherein said resilient means normally biases said assembly to the forward most position in said counterbore.

3. A connector of the type described in claim 1 wherein said second member includes a bore sized to accept a leading portion of said first member;

and wherein said locking means includes an internal counterbore in the bore of said second member, a wrap spring mounted on said leading portion, said spring having tabs projecting at an angle to the connector axis, said tabs being adapted to be compressed by the walls of said bore as said leading portion is fitted into said bore and to expand into said counterbore to lock said membeRs together.

4. A connector of the type described in claim 3 including means for compressing said tabs out of said counterbore to unlock said members.

5. A connector of the type described in claim 4 wherein said compressing means includes a sleeve mounted for movement in an axial direction on said first member, said sleeve having openings through which said tabs normally project, the walls of said sleeve being moved over said tabs to compress them as said sleeve is moved in a rearward direction.

6. A lockin push-on connector having first and second mating members comprising:

contact means in each of said members, said contact means being adapted to make physical and electrical contact with each other when said members are mated;

a bore in said second member sized to accept a leading portion of said first member, said bore having an internal counterbore;

a wrap spring mounted on said leading portion, said spring having tabs projecting at an angle to the connector axis, said tabs being adapted to be compressed by the walls of said bore as said leading portion is fitted into said bore and to expand into said counterbore to lock said members together; and

a sleeve mounted for movement in an axial direction on said first member, said sleeve having openings through which said tabs normally project, the walls of said sleeve being moved over said tabs when said sleeve is moved in a rearward direction to unlock said members.