Crimpable connector for coaxial cable

• US 5,975,949 A
• Filed: 12/18/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Randall A. Holliday
• Inventors: Holliday, Randall A., Wong, Shen-Chia
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US08/992,996
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578-585, 439/271-283, 439/877
• US Class Current: 439/585
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5202 Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5205 Sealing means between cable and housing, e.g. grommet H01R13/5221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0518 Connection to outer conductor by crimping or by crimping ferrule

Abstract

A coaxial cable end connector for connecting a cable to a terminal has inner and outer spaced concentric sleeves, the outer sleeve provided with sealing rings which are formed out of the thickness of the outer sleeve along a crimping zone of the sleeve to minimize the crimping force required to crimp the outer sleeve by inward radial deformation into sealing engagement with the cable. Preferably, the wall thickness of at least a portion of the outer sleeve is reduced in order to further reduce the crimping force required to deform the sleeve into sealing engagement with the cable. In certain applications, an external annular seal is interposed between confronting surface portions of one of the inner and outer sleeves and a coupling member which makes up onto the terminal in sealing against moisture infiltration.

Claims

1. In a coaxial cable connector for connection to a terminal wherein said cable has radially inner and outer generally cylindrical conductors separated by an annular dielectric and an outer tubular jacket of a sealable material encasing said outer conductor with a portion of said outer conductor being exposed at the end of said cable, the improvement comprising:

radially inner and outer spaced coaxial sleeves, said inner sleeve being sized for insertion of said inner conductor and said annular dielectric therein, said outer sleeve being sized for insertion of said outer conductor and said jacket into an annular space between said inner and outer sleeves; and

at least one ring extending circumferentially of said outer sleeve adjacent to said one end, each said ring defined by a radially inwardly directed rib and a complementary radially outwardly facing groove formed out of the thickness of said outer sleeve, each said ring being compressible into direct engagement with said jacket when said jacket is fully inserted into an annular space between said inner and outer sleeves whereupon inward radial compression of said outer sleeve is operative to force external surface portions of said jacket into each said groove and establish sealed engagement therewith.

2. In an assembly according to claim 1 wherein said outer sleeve has a substantially uniform wall thickness at least throughout an area occupied by said ring(s).

3. In an assembly according to claim 1 wherein said outer sleeve is of reduced thickness along a portion of said outer sleeve not occupied by said ring(s).

4. In an assembly according to claim 1 wherein said inner sleeve has external projections along an external wall surface portion of said inner sleeve in facing relation to said rings, and there are a plurality of axially spaced rings in said outer sleeve of spaced substantially equal width.

5. In an assembly according to claim 1 wherein said outer sleeve is provided with a body portion and an extension wall extending in spaced outer concentric relation to said inner sleeve, there being a plurality of rings in axially spaced relation to one another at one end of said extension wall opposite to said body portion, and a portion of reduced outer diameter in relation to that portion occupied by said rings.

6. In an assembly according to claim 1 wherein said rings are of generally truncated V-shaped cross-sectional configuration with inner rounded surface portions engageable with said jacket.

7. In a coaxial cable connector for connection to a terminal wherein said cable has radially inner and outer generally cylindrical conductors separated by an annular dielectric and an outer tubular jacket of a sealable material encasing said outer conductor with a portion of said outer conductor being exposed and doubled over an end portion of said jacket, the improvement comprising:

radially inner and outer spaced coaxial sleeves, said inner sleeve being sized for insertion of said inner conductor and said annular dielectric therein, said outer sleeve being sized for insertion of said outer conductor and said jacket into an annular space between said inner and outer sleeves; and

a plurality of alternating inner and outer endless rings extending circumferentially of said outer sleeve adjacent to said one end, each said inner ring having a radially inwardly directed rib and outwardly facing groove, each said outer ring having a radially outwardly directed rib and inwardly facing complementary groove; and

wherein said rings are deformable into direct engagement with said jacket in axially spaced relation to said doubled over portion of said outer conductor when said jacket is fully inserted into an annular space between said inner and outer sleeves and said rings are radially compressed into external surface portions of said jacket.

8. In an assembly according to claim 7 wherein said outer sleeve has a substantially uniform wall thickness at least throughout an area occupied by said rings.

9. In an assembly according to claim 7 wherein said outer sleeve has a tapered wall thickness at least throughout an area not occupied by said rings.

10. In an assembly according to claim 7 wherein said inner sleeve has external projections along an external wall surface portion of said inner sleeve in facing relation to said rings, and said rings are of substantially equal width.

11. In an assembly according to claim 7 wherein said outer sleeve is provided with a body portion and an extension wall extending in spaced outer concentric relation to said inner sleeve, there being a plurality of rings in axially spaced relation to one another at one end of said extension wall opposite to said body portion, and a portion of reduced outer diameter in relation to that portion occupied by said rings.

12. In an assembly according to claim 7 wherein said rings are of generally truncated V-shaped cross-sectional configuration with inner rounded surface portions engageable with said jacket.

13. In a coaxial cable connector for connection to a terminal wherein inner and outer spaced concentric sleeves cooperate in retaining an end of a coaxial cable, said inner concentric sleeve provided with a radially outwardly directed flange at its forward end, and a coupling member for drawing a first annular end of said outwardly directed flange on said inner concentric sleeve into flush engagement with a correspondingly sized second annular end of said terminal, said coupling member including a radially inwardly directed flange interposed between a forward end of said outer concentric sleeve and said outwardly directed flange, the improvement comprising:

said inwardly directed flange and said outwardly directed flange having confronting surface portions and a recessed area in one of said confronting surface portions; and

an annular sealing member disposed in said recessed area being of a size so as to be compressed at least partially into said recessed area when said inwardly and outwardly directed flanges are drawn into flush engagement with one another in response to movement of said first annular end of said inner concentric sleeve into flush engagement with said second annular end of said terminal.

14. In a connector according to claim 13 wherein said recessed area is formed in the confronting surface portion of said coupling member.

15. In a connector according to claim 14 wherein said recessed area is defined by a beveled end surface radially inwardly of said confronting surface of said coupling member.

16. In a connector according to claim 13 wherein said annular seal member is in the form of an O-ring.

17. In a connector according to claim 16 wherein said seal member is oversized with respect to said recessed area and is operative to maintain said inner connector sleeve in centered relation to said terminal when said coupling member is connected to said terminal.