Solderless wedge-lock coaxial cable connector

• US 4,834,676 A
• Filed: 03/01/1988
• Issued: 05/30/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Solitron Vector Microwave Products, Inc. (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Solitron Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Tackett, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGlynn, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US07/162,422
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 439/570-585
• US Class Current: 439/584
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0521 Connection to outer conductor by action of a nut

Abstract

A wedge-lock type coaxial cable connector includes a main body, a ferrule locatable inside the rear end of the main body and a coupling nut. The rear end of the main body has a frusto-conical inner surface and the ferrule has a matching frusto-conical outer surface as well as an axial slit completely therethrough. When opposing forces are exerted against the rear surface of the ferrule, the ferrule is compressed and a barb on the inner surface of the ferrule engages the coaxial cable. Preferably, frusto-conical surfaces of the main body and the ferrule have interlocking axial indentations and protrusions to prevent relative axial and radial movement.

Claims

1. A coaxial cable connector for joining a coaxial cable to a jack comprising:

(a) a main body having a front portion with a front end surface and generally cylindrical inner and outer surfaces, and a rear portion with a generally cylindrical outer surface and a frusto-conical inner surface with front and rear diameters;

(b) a ferrule locatable inside the rear portion of said main body between the main body and the outer conductor of the coaxial cable, the ferrule having an axial slit completely therethrough, a rear end surface, a generally cylindrical inner surface, a barb on the generally cylindrical inner surface, and a frusto-conical outer surface with front and rear diameters, the ferrule frusto-conical outer surface being engagable with the main body frusto-conical inner surface with the front diameters of the frusto-conical surfaces of said main body and said ferrule being smaller than the rear diameters of the frusto-conical surfaces of said main body and said ferrule; and

(c) coupling means having a front portion with an open end for receiving a jack and a rear portion for receiving therein said ferrule with a shoulder engagable with said rear end surface of said ferrule, the shoulder having an inner diameter smaller than the rear diameter of the frusto-conical surface of said ferrule, and wherein, when opposing forces are exerted against the rear end surface of said ferrule and the front portion of said main body, said ferrule is caused to be radially compressed and the barb on the generally cylindrical inner surface of said ferrule is forced into the outer conductor of the coaxial cable.

2. A coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the front diameters of the frusto-conical surfaces of said main body and said ferrule are larger than the diameter of generally cylindrical inner surface at the front portion of said main body, and

wherein the rear diameter of the frusto-conical surface of said ferrule is larger than the rear diameter of the frusto-conical surface of said main body both before and after compression.

3. A coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 2, wherein said ferrule has a generally cylindrical front outer surface with a diameter smaller than the front diameter of the frusto-conical rear outer surface of said ferrule and smaller than the diameter of generally cylindrical inner surface at the front portion of said main body.

4. A coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the frusto-conical surfaces of said main body and said ferrule meet in substantially face-to-face contact in an interlocking manner when said ferrule is compressed.

5. A coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 4, wherein the frusto-conical surface of said ferrule is knurled with axially oriented protrusions.

6. A coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 5, wherein the frusto-conical surface of said main body has axially extending identations corresponding in shape to the axially oriented protrusions in the frusto-conical surface of said ferrule.

7. A coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the barb on the generally cylindrical inner surface of said ferrule is formed by a continuous reduction of the inner diameter adjacent the rear end surface of said ferrule, forming in axial cross-section an acute angle on the inner surface of said ferrule.

8. A coaxial cable connector to be used in conjunction with a jack having an inner cylindrical surface and a threaded outer surface, said connector comprising:

a main body having a front portion with generally cylindrical inner and outer surfaces and a rear portion with a generally cylindrical outer surface and a frusto-conical inner surface with front and rear diameters and axially extending indentations;

a ferrule locatable inside the rear portion of said main body between the main body and the outer conductor of the cable, the ferrule having an axial slit completely therethrough, front and rear end surfaces, a generally cylindrical front portion having inner and outer surfaces with a barb formed by a continuing reduction of the inner diameter adjacent the rear end surface of said ferrule, and a rear portion having a frusto-conical outer surface with front and rear diameters and circumferential knurled region with axially oriented protrusions, the front diameters of the frusto-conical surfaces of said main body and said ferrule being larger than the diameter of generally cylindrical inner surface of the front portion on of said main body and smaller than the rear diameters of the frusto-conical surfaces of said main body an said ferrule, the rear diameter of the frusto-conical surface of said ferrule being larger than the rear diameter of the frusto-conical surface of said main body both before and after assembly of said connector; and

coupling means having a front portion with a threaded inner surface for receiving the threaded outer surface of the jack and a rear portion for receiving herein said ferrule with a shoulder engagable with said rear end surface of said ferrule and with an inner diameter smaller than the rear diameter of the frusto-conical surface of said ferrule, and wherein, when opposing forces are exerted against the rear end surface of said ferrule and the front end surface of said main body, said ferrule is caused to be radially compressed and the barb on the generally cylindrical inner surface of said ferrule is forced into the outer conductor of the cable, substantially closing the axial slit therein and causing interlocking of the axially extending indentations on the frusto-conical inner surface of said main body and the axially oriented protrusions on the frusto-conical outer surface of said ferrule.

9. A method for assembling a coaxial cable connector onto a coaxial cable having an inner conductor separated from an outer conductor by a cable dielectric, the connector having a main body, a ferrule locatable inside the main body, and a coupling nut, the main body and the ferrule having generally tubular shapes and, front portions, each with a front end surface and generally cylindrical inner and outer surfaces, the main body having a rear portion with a generally cylindrical outer surface and a frusto-conical inner surface, the frusto-conical inner surface of the main body having front and rear diameters, the ferrule having an axial slit completely therethrough, a rear end surface, a generally cylindrical inner surface, a barb on the generally cylindrical inner surface and a frusto-conical rear outer surface with front and rear diameters, the front diameters of the frusto-conical surfaces of the main body and the ferrule being smaller that the rear diameters of the frusto-conical surfaces of the main body and the ferrule and the coupling nut having a threaded inner front surface and a rear shoulder with an inner diameter smaller that the rear diameter of the frusto-conical surface of the ferrule, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing an end of the coaxial cable by stripping a portion of the cable dielectric and outer conductor to expose the inner conductor and form an end face of the cable dielectric and the outer conductor;

(b) sliding the coupling nut, the ferrule and main body in that order over the outer conductor at the end face until the front surface of the main body is aligned with the end face of the cable dielectric and the outer conductor, the ferrule being inserted in the main body without significant compression and rear shoulder of the coupling nut abutting the rear end surface of the ferrule;

(c) inserting the coaxial connector, aligned with the coaxial cable as recited in step (b), into an assembly tool having an anvil for accepting the coaxial cable and for exerting force against the rear shoulder of the coupling nut and a locator insertable between the threaded inner front surface of the coupling nut and the front end of the main body in face-to-face contact around substantially the entire circumference of the generally cylindrical outer surface at the front portion of the main body; and

(d) exerting a first axial force against the rear shoulder of the coupling nut and a second, oppositely directed, axial force against the end face of the coaxial cable and the front end surface of the front portion of the main body thereby causing the frusto-conical surface of the main body to radially compress the ferrule, substantially closing the axial slit and causing the barb to engage the outer conductor of the coaxial cable.

10. A coaxial cable connector for joining a coaxial connector to a corresponding jack comprising:

(a) a coaxial cable including an outer conductor, a cable dielectric and an inner conductor separated from the outer conductor by the cable dielectric, the coaxial cable having a front end forming a face by the ends of the outer conductor and dielectric, thereby defining a reference plane with the end of the inner conductor extending therefrom;

(b) a one-piece, tubular-like main connector body including a rear portion with a rear frusto-conical inner surface and a front portion with a front end surface;

(c) a one-piece, tubular-like ferrule locatable inside the connector body between the outer conductor of the coaxial cable and the connector body and including front and rear end surfaces, an axial slit through the ferrule, a rear frusto-conical outer surface engagable with the rear frusto-conical inner surface of the connector body and a barb on the inner surface of the ferrule engagable with the outer conductor of the cable; and

(d) a one piece coupling nut having an open-end front portion for receiving the corresponding jack therein and a rear portion for receiving the front end of the cable, the ferrule, and the connector body, the rear portion having a rear shoulder engagable with the rear end surface of the ferrule, wherein when opposing forces are exerted against the rear end surface of the ferrule and the front portion of the main body, the ferrule is radially compressed causing the axial slit to be substantially closed and the barb to engage the outer conductor of the cable and pull the outer conductor toward the front such that the front end surface of the ferrule, the front end surface of the main body, and the front end face of the cable will be substantially aligned in the reference plane.