Zip-grip coaxial cable F-connector
First Claim
1. A connector for coupling the end of a coaxial cable to a threaded port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding braid, and the conductive grounding braid being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, said connector comprising in combination:
- a. a tubular post having a first end adapted to be inserted into an exposed end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric thereof and under the conductive grounding braid thereof, said tubular post having an opposing second end;
b. a cylindrical body member having a first end and a second end, the first end of said cylindrical body member having a first central bore for encircling said tubular post and for receiving the conductive grounding braid and outer jacket of the coaxial cable, the second end of said cylindrical body member having a second central bore coaxial with, but smaller in diameter than, said first central bore for encircling and engaging said tubular post proximate the second end thereof, said cylindrical body member including a generally cylindrical outer wall of a first predetermined diameter, said outer wall having a plurality of spaced annular ridges formed thereupon;
c. a nut having a first end for rotatably engaging the second end of said tubular post and the second end of said cylindrical body member, said nut having an opposing second end with an internally threaded bore for threadedly engaging the threaded port;
d. a collar assembly having a central passage therein extending between first and second opposing ends of said collar assembly, the first end of said collar assembly having a first internal bore forming a portion of the central passage, the first internal bore having an inner diameter commensurate with the first predetermined diameter of the cylindrical outer wall of said cylindrical body member, the first internal bore having a plurality of spaced annular ridges formed thereupon, the second end of said collar assembly having a second internal bore forming a portion of the central passage, the second internal bore being of sufficient diameter to permit the jacket of the coaxial cable to extend therethrough;
e. a wedging member extending within the central passage of said collar assembly and directed toward the first end of said collar assembly; and
f. the first end of said collar assembly being adapted to engage and receive the first end of said cylindrical body member whereby the spaced annular ridges formed upon said first internal bore can be forced over the spaced annular ridges formed upon the outer wall of said cylindrical body member, while simultaneously forcing the first end of said cylindrical body member to engage said wedging member to radially compress said wedging member against the jacket of the coaxial cable inwardly toward said tubular post.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An F-connector for terminating the end of a coaxial drop cable includes a tubular post and fastening nut, along with a modified form of body member. The body member outer wall includes a series of annular ridges, and the end of the body member includes a beveled surface. The F-connector includes a collar assembly that incorporates a gripping ring. The collar assembly has a central passage for receiving the end of the coaxial cable. One end of the collar assembly has an internal bore of a diameter commensurate with the outer diameter of the body member; the internal bore also has annular ridges formed thereon which frictionally engage the ridges on the outer wall of the body member. A compression tool longitudinally compresses the collar assembly over the body member during installation, causing the beveled surface of the body member to cam the gripping ring inwardly toward the tubular post, securing the outer jacket and conductive braid of the coaxial cable therebetween.
251 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A connector for coupling the end of a coaxial cable to a threaded port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding braid, and the conductive grounding braid being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, said connector comprising in combination:
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a. a tubular post having a first end adapted to be inserted into an exposed end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric thereof and under the conductive grounding braid thereof, said tubular post having an opposing second end; b. a cylindrical body member having a first end and a second end, the first end of said cylindrical body member having a first central bore for encircling said tubular post and for receiving the conductive grounding braid and outer jacket of the coaxial cable, the second end of said cylindrical body member having a second central bore coaxial with, but smaller in diameter than, said first central bore for encircling and engaging said tubular post proximate the second end thereof, said cylindrical body member including a generally cylindrical outer wall of a first predetermined diameter, said outer wall having a plurality of spaced annular ridges formed thereupon; c. a nut having a first end for rotatably engaging the second end of said tubular post and the second end of said cylindrical body member, said nut having an opposing second end with an internally threaded bore for threadedly engaging the threaded port; d. a collar assembly having a central passage therein extending between first and second opposing ends of said collar assembly, the first end of said collar assembly having a first internal bore forming a portion of the central passage, the first internal bore having an inner diameter commensurate with the first predetermined diameter of the cylindrical outer wall of said cylindrical body member, the first internal bore having a plurality of spaced annular ridges formed thereupon, the second end of said collar assembly having a second internal bore forming a portion of the central passage, the second internal bore being of sufficient diameter to permit the jacket of the coaxial cable to extend therethrough; e. a wedging member extending within the central passage of said collar assembly and directed toward the first end of said collar assembly; and f. the first end of said collar assembly being adapted to engage and receive the first end of said cylindrical body member whereby the spaced annular ridges formed upon said first internal bore can be forced over the spaced annular ridges formed upon the outer wall of said cylindrical body member, while simultaneously forcing the first end of said cylindrical body member to engage said wedging member to radially compress said wedging member against the jacket of the coaxial cable inwardly toward said tubular post. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of attaching a coaxial cable end connector to the end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, and the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, and the coaxial cable end connector including a tubular post having a first end adapted to be inserted into an exposed end of the coaxial cable between the dielectric and outer jacket thereof and including a second opposing end, the coaxial cable end connector also including a cylindrical body member, the cylindrical body member having a first end including a first central bore therein for encircling the first end of the tubular post and for receiving the outer jacket of the coaxial cable, the cylindrical body member having a second end engaged with the second end of the tubular post, the cylindrical body member including a generally cylindrical outer wall of a first predetermined diameter, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a series of spaced annular ridges upon the outer wall of the cylindrical body member; b. providing a collar assembly having a central passage extending therethrough from a first end of the collar assembly to a second end thereof, including a first internal bore formed in the first end of the collar assembly with an inner diameter commensurate with the first predetermined diameter of the outer wall of the cylindrical body member; c. providing a series of spaced annular ridges upon the first internal bore of the collar assembly; d. providing a wedging member within the central passage of the collar assembly, and directed toward the first end of the collar assembly; e. partially advancing the first end of the collar assembly over the first end of the cylindrical body member for allowing at least one of the annular ridges of the collar assembly to slide past at least one of the annular ridges of the body member, thereby mounting the collar assembly upon the cylindrical body member; f. slipping the collar assembly over the end of the coaxial cable for allowing the coaxial cable to extend through the central passage of the collar assembly and into the tubular post for allowing the center conductor and dielectric to extend through the tubular post and allowing the outer jacket to extend into the first central bore of the cylindrical body member; g. further advancing the first end of the collar assembly over the first end of the cylindrical body member for allowing the series of annular ridges of the collar assembly to slide past the series of annular ridges of the cylindrical body member, while simultaneously forcing the first end of said cylindrical body member against the wedging member to radially compress the wedging member against the jacket of the coaxial cable inwardly toward the tubular post. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification