Manually installable coaxial cable connector

• US 5,066,248 A
• Filed: 02/19/1991
• Issued: 11/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Belden Inc.
• Original Assignee: LRC Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Gaver, Joseph C. Jr., Jorgenson, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGlynn, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US07/657,508
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 439/394, 439/578-585
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/053 using contact members penetrating insulation

Abstract

A manually installable coaxial cable connector comprises a housing sleeve, a connector body, a locking ring, and a center post which co-act to permit installation of the connector on both coaxial cable and an interface port, without the use of any installation tool. Cable outer jacket retention is ensured for a wide range of braided shield percentage cables by a plurality of serrations on fingers of the connector body. A stepped feature of an annular collar on the connector body ensures metal-to-metal contact and good retention between the connector body collar and an interface port. Installation of the connector onto a properly prepared piece of coaxial cable is achieved by simply pushing the connector onto the cable, removing a protective cap and manually sliding the housing sleeve until the locking ring locks into place. The connector is slipped onto an interface port whereupon the housing sleeve is manually pushed forward to lock the connector onto the interface port. The connector is removed from the interface port by simply pulling the housing sleeve backward and slipping the connector off of the interface port.

Claims

1. A coaxial cable connector for mating a coaxial cable to an interface port, wherein said coaxial cable includes a center conductor, an interior insulation, a braided shield and an insulating jacket and said interface port includes a conductive receptacle and an outer sheath, said coaxial cable connector comprising:

a housing having a cable insert end and an interface end;

a connector body dimensioned to fit substantially within said housing, said connector body comprising a slotted collar end, a resilient fingered end and an intermediate portion therebetween, said resilient fingered end having a plurality of axial serrations disposed thereon;

a center post having an annular portion with an outer dimension sized for engagement with said intermediate portion of said connector and a tubular portion dimensioned to receive said interior insulation and to electrically engage said braided shield of said coaxial cable; and

a locking ring having an inner dimension to snugly, slidable engage said resilient fingered end of said connector body and an outer dimension slidably engagable with a portion of said housing,

wherein said coaxial cable is manually installable within said coaxial cable connector by actuating said housing in a first direction such that said axial serrations of said connector body pierce said insulating jacket and said coaxial cable connector is manually installable on said interface port by actuating said housing in a second direction to facilitate frictional engagement of said slotted collar end of said connector body and said outer sheath of said interface port.

2. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein said housing has an interior surface proximate to said interface end and engagable with said slotted collar end of said connector body to facilitate frictional engagement between said slotted collar end and said outer sheath of said interface port.

3. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein said slotted collar end of said connector body includes a stepped exterior surface engagable with an interior surface of said housing to facilitate frictional engagement between said slotted collar end and said outer sheath of said interface port.

4. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein said portion of said housing engagable with said outer dimension of said locking ring comprises an interior surface having a shoulder therein.

5. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 further comprising an end cap engagable with said interface end of said housing.

6. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 further comprising a stop for limiting actuation of said locking ring upon said housing being actuated in said first direction.

7. The coaxial cable connector of claim 6 wherein said stop is integral with said connector body.

8. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein said housing further includes an exterior surface having means for facilitating manual gripping of said housing.

9. The coaxial cable connector of claim 8 wherein said means for facilitating manual gripping comprises knurling on said exterior surface.

10. The coaxial cable connector of claim 8 wherein said means for facilitating manual gripping comprises at least one depression having a jagged surface.