Tamper-resistant terminator for a female coaxial plug

• US 4,469,386 A
• Filed: 09/23/1981
• Issued: 09/04/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Viewsonics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Viewsonics, Inc.
• Inventors: Ackerman, Abram
• Primary Examiner(s): McQuade, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Austin, Paula
• Application Number:
  US06/304,847
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 339/36, 339/37, 339/38, 339/80-85
• US Class Current: 439/133
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/443 Dummy plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/18 for television

Abstract

A coupling device includes a housing, a coupling cap within the housing, first means for rotatably engaging the cap with the housing, second means for engaging the cap with the coupling, third means for engaging a workpiece to the cap, and fourth means for providing tool access from the housing to the third means.

Claims

1. A coupling device for selectively preventing and enabling access to a coaxial plug comprising:

a housing,

a coupling cap within said housing,

means for retaining said cap within said housing, said cap and housing being rotatable with respect to each other about a common axis when said cap is so retained within said housing,

means for engaging said cap with said plug, said cap being formed with spaced-apart tool-engagement means, and

said housing being formed with spaced-apart slot means that can be aligned with said tool-engagement means in such a manner that spaced-apart fingers which are formed on a rigid tool and respectively capable of passing through said slot means are respectively engageable with said tool-engagement means for selectively engaging said cap with and disengaging said cap from said plug, and further comprising

a deformable baffle between said slot means and said tool-engagement means.

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said cap comprises a head and a body extending therefrom, said head being formed with a well, said body being formed with a central bore that communicates with said well, and said means for engaging said cap with said plug comprising thread means formed in said well.

3. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a circumferential channel formed near one end of the inner surface of said housing, and a relatively circular spring clip engaged in the channel.

4. A device as described in claim 1 wherein the plug terminates a TV cable, further comprising a matching impedance resistor mounted within said cap for electrical connection to said cable.

5. A device as described in claim 1 wherein the axial length of the cap is less than the distance between said retaining means and the baffle.

6. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said cap is coaxial with said housing and comprises a cylindrical head and a body extending from the head, at least a portion of said head adjacent to said body being radially wider than said body.

7. A device as described in claim 6 wherein said tool-engagement means comprises at least two notches formed in said head.