Method for connecting coaxial cables and connector for that purpose

• US 6,080,015 A
• Filed: 11/19/1998
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: See SPRL
• Original Assignee: See SPRL
• Inventors: Andreescu, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NASRI, JAVAID H
• Application Number:
  US09/196,465
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 439/584, 439/583, 439/461, 439/462, 439/394
• US Class Current: 439/584
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/564 Corrugated cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0521 Connection to outer conductor by action of a nut

Abstract

A connector for coaxial cables having an inner conductor (14) and an outer conductor (10) separated by a dielectric (16) includes a front body (4) to attach a coaxial cable in the connector and a rear body (8) adapted for connection to the front body (4), and a device for holding the cable in the connector in a manner that permits reproducible deformation of the outer conductor (10) during the connecting operation. The device for holding the cable in position is comprised of a ferrule (1) for holding the coaxial cable, and a bushing (2) that cooperates with the ferrule (1) to permit axial movement of the coaxial cable over a determined distance (L) in the connector during the connecting operation. The surfaces of ferrule (1) and bushing (2) cooperate to produce reproducible compression and/or deformation of the outer conductor (10) between said ferrule (1) and said bushing (2) during said connecting operation. The connector enables the coaxial cable to be deformed during the connection operation in an automatically reproducible manner without requiring precise measurements or special tools. The impedence fault value produced by the deformation of the outer conductor can be predetermined and is automatically reproduced during each connection operation.

Claims

1. A connector for coaxial cables having an inner conductor (14) and an outer conductor (10) separated by a dielectric (16), comprising

a front body (4) for attaching a coaxial cable in the connector,

a rear body (8) adapted for connection to the front body (4),

and a device for holding the coaxial cable in the connector comprising

a ferrule (1) and

a bushing (2) having a front plane (13) wherein the bushing (2) is adapted to cooperate

with the ferrule (1) to compress or deform the outer conductor (10) by contact of the

front plane (13) with an edge of the outer conductor (10).

2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein a gasket (7) is provided between the rear body (8) and the outer conductor (10).

3. The connector according to claim 1, provided for being utilized with smooth outer conductor coaxial cables, wherein the ferrule (1) is provided with a longitudinal slot enabling the diameter of the ferrule to be tightened, and with an inner thread or profile enabling the smooth outer conductor to be gripped during the tightening of the ferrule.

4. The connector according to claim 3 further comprising a collar (20) destined to move the ferrule forward during the assembly of the rear body (8) of the conductor, enabling the ferrule to be wedged between the bushing and the collar.

5. A connector according to claim 1 wherein the ferrule (1) and the bushing (2) cooperate to enable axial movement of the ferrule (1) and the coaxial cable over a predetermined distance (L) relative to the bushing (2) during a connecting operation.

6. A connector according to claim 1 wherein the front plane (13) is configured to enable the outer conductor (10) to be compressed by contact with the front plane (13).

7. A connector according to claim 1 wherein the front plane (13) is configured to enable the outer conductor (10) to be flared by contact with the front plane (13).

10. The connector for coaxial cables having an inner conductor (14) and an outer conductor (10) separated by a dielectric (16), comprising

a front body (4) for attaching a coaxial cable in the connector,

a rear body (8) adapted for connecting to the front body (4),

and a device for holding the cable comprising

a ferrule (1) and

a bushing (2) containing a base cone (d) wherein the bushing (2) cooperates with the ferrule (1) to compress or deform the outer conductor (10) by contact of the base cone (d) with the outer conductor (10).

11. The connector for coaxial cables according to claim 10 wherein the ferrule (1) includes (i) a longitudinal slot and an inner thread or profile to enable the outer conductor (10) to be gripped during the tightening of the ferrule (1), (ii) an outside cone (a) on the outside of ferrule (1), and (iii) an inside cone (b) on the inside of said ferrule (1), and the bushing (2) includes an entrance cone (c) at the entrance of said bushing (2) and said base cone (d) in the base of said bushing (2) wherein the outside cone(a) cooperates with the entrance cone (c) to tighten the ferrule (1) around the cable and wherein said base cone (d) cooperates with the inside cone (b) to deform the outer conductor (10).

12. A method for connecting coaxial cables having said inner conductor (14) and with said outer conductor (10) separated by said dielectric (16) wherein the outer conductor (10) is deformed over a predetermined distance L by connecting a coaxial cable within a connector according to claim 17.

8. A method for connecting coaxial cables having said inner conductor (14) and said outer conductor (10) separated by said dielectric (16) wherein the outer conductor (10) is deformed over a predetermined distance L by connecting a coaxial cable within a connector according to claim 13.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the outer conductor is deformed by contact with the front plane (13) of the bushing (2).

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the outer conductor is deformed by contact with said base cone (d) in the base of the bushing (2).

14. A connector for spiralled outer conductor coaxial cables, said coaxial cables having an inner conductor (14) and an outer conductor (10) separated by a dielectric (16), comprising a front body (4) destined to attach the cable in the connector and a rear body (8) destined to be connected to the front body (4), and a device comprising a ferrule (1) destined to hold the cable, and a bushing (2) working together with the ferrule (1) in such manner as to enable an axial movement over a determined distance (L) of the ferrule and of the cable in relation to the bushing during the connecting operation, and wherein said ferrule (1) and said bushing (2) comprise cooperating surfaces which enable compression and/or deformation of the outer conductor between said ferrule (1) and said bushing (2) during said connecting operation, said ferrule (1) being provided with a thread enabling the spiralled conductor to be screwed thereon and wherein said ferrule and said bushing cooperate to prevent rotation of the ferrule and of the bushing one in relation to the other and in relation to the cable.

15. The connector according to claim 14, wherein the ferrule (1) and the bushing (2) are each provided with grooves destined to lodge a collar (3) thereby enabling the movement of the ferrule in relation to the bushing.

16. A connector for smooth outer conductor coaxial cables, said coaxial cables having an inner conductor (14) and an outer conductor (10) separated by a dielectric (16), comprising a front body (4) destined to attach the cable in the connector and a rear body (8) destined to be connected to the front body (4), and a device comprising a ferrule (1) destined to hold the cable, and a bushing (2) working together with the ferrule (1) in such manner as to enable an axial movement over a determined distance (L) of the ferrule and of the cable in relation to the bushing during the connecting operation, and wherein said ferrule (1) and said bushing (2) comprise cooperating surfaces which enable compression and/or deformation of the outer conductor between said ferrule (1) and said bushing (2) during said connecting operation, said ferrule (1) being provided with a longitudinal slot enabling the diameter of the ferrule to be tightened, and with an inner thread or profile enabling the smooth outer conductor to be gripped during the tightening of the ferrule, and said ferrule (1) being provided on the side contacting said bushing (2) with an outside cone (a) on the outside of said ferrule (1) and with an inside cone (b) on the inside of said ferrule (1), and said bushing (2) being provided with an entrance cone (c) at the entrance of said bushing (2) and with a base cone (d) inside said bushing (2), the outside cone (a) of the ferrule being destined to work together with the entrance cone (c) of the bushing in order to cause the tightening of the slotted ferrule, and the base cone (d) inside the bushing being destined to cause the deformation of the outer conductor, by working together with the inside cone (b) of the ferrule.