Coaxial cable connector

• US 6,210,222 B1
• Filed: 12/13/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eagle Comtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eagle Comtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: McLaughlin, William D., Langham, Arvin L., Harrison, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US09/460,258
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 439/322, 439/578, 439/583, 439/584
• US Class Current: 439/583
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0518 Connection to outer conductor by crimping or by crimping ferrule

Abstract

A F-type coaxial cable connector includes an outer tubular sleeve which receives an inner tubular post. The inner post includes a projecting barrel portion sized to receive the center conductor and the dielectric layer of a prepared coaxial cable end. The barrel portion includes a raised barb which separates the outer jacket and conductive braid or foil of the coaxial cable, the post further including an annular flange having a circumferential cavity which receives the end of the separated cable jacket and braid, providing a 360° seal. The post and rotating nut are driven longitudinally into the stationary outer sleeve to crimp the connector and to complete the cable termination.

Claims

1. A longitudinally compressed coaxial cable connector used for terminating a drop end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable including a center electrical conductor, a dielectric layer surrounding the center electrical conductor, a conductive layer surrounding the dielectric layer, and an outer insulating layer, said connector comprising:

an outer tubular sleeve having opposing first and second ends;

an inner hollow post pressfitted into one of the ends of said outer tubular sleeve, said inner hollow post comprising an annular flange and an extending barrel portion sized for receiving the dielectric layer and center electrical conductor of a prepared cable end inserted into the other end of said outer tubular sleeve, said barrel portion including a raised barb for expanding and trapping the conductive layer and the outer insulating layer of the inserted cable end; and

a rotating nut member attached to said inner post, said rotating nut member having an internal threaded portion for mating with a cable termination device, wherein said inner post, said rotating nut member and said outer tubular sleeve are preassembled as a one piece connector, and, when terminating the drop end of the coaxial cable, said inner post and said rotating nut member are axially movable within the interior of said outer tubular sleeve from a preassembly position to a second assembled position toward the cable receiving end of the outer tubular sleeve to compress the inserted cable end and to complete the termination thereof.

2. A cable connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer tubular sleeve includes a stop for preventing additional axial movement of said inner post and said rotating nut member toward the cable receiving end of said outer tubular sleeve beyond the second assembled position.

3. A cable connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end of said outer tubular sleeve receiving said prepared cable end includes an opening having a narrowed throat.

4. A cable connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner post includes a nut fastening portion disposed oppositely from said barrel portion relative to the annular flange, said rotating nut member having an engagement portion including an opening for receiving said nut fastening portion.

5. A cable connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein said nut fastening portion includes a radially expandable cylindrical section having an annular rib at an extended end thereof, said rotating nut member including a recess sized for retaining the annular rib when said cylindrical section is expanded to lock the rotating nut member to said inner post.

6. A cable connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein said raised barb is disposed at an extending end of said barrel portion.

7. A cable connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein said raised barb is initially axially disposed proximally of said throat prior to cable insertion and said raised barb is disposed substantially in said throat after said inner post and said rotating nut member have been moved toward said cable receiving end of said outer tubular sleeve.

8. A cable connector as recited in claim 1, wherein said annular flange includes a distal facing surface facing said cable receiving end of said outer tubular sleeve, said distal facing surface including a circumferential recess for receiving separated portions of the inserted cable end.

9. A cable connector as recited in claim 1, including at least one sealing member disposed between said rotating nut and the nut fastening portion of said inner hollow post.

10. A cable connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotating nut member is attached only to said inner post.

25. A cable connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein an axial length of said outer tubular sleeve is the same before and after terminating a drop end of the coaxial cable.

11. A longitudinally compressed coaxial cable connector used for terminating a drop end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable including a center electrical conductor, a dielectric layer surrounding the center electrical conductor, a conductive layer surrounding the dielectric layer, and an outer insulating layer, said connector comprising:

an outer tubular sleeve having opposing first and second ends;

an inner hollow post pressfitted into one of the ends of said outer tubular sleeve, said inner hollow post comprising an annular flange and an extending barrel portion sized for receiving the dielectric layer and center electrical conductor of a prepared cable end inserted into the other end of said outer tubular sleeve, said barrel portion including a raised barb for expanding and trapping the conductive layer and the outer insulating layer of the inserted cable end, said annular flange including a distal facing surface facing said other end of said outer tubular sleeve, said distal facing surface including a circumferential recess for receiving separated portions of the inserted cable end;

a rotating nut member attached to said inner post, said rotating nut member having an internal threaded portion for mating with a cable termination device, wherein said inner post, said rotating nut member and said outer tubular sleeve are preassembled as a one piece connector, and in which said inner post and said rotating nut member are axially movable within the interior of said outer tubular sleeve from a preassembly position to a second assembled position toward the cable receiving end of the outer tubular sleeve to compress the inserted cable end and to complete the termination thereof.

12. A longitudinally compressed cable connector for terminating a drop end of a coaxial cable, said connector comprising:

an outer tubular sleeve having opposing first and second ends;

a hollow inner post pressfitted into one of the ends of the outer tubular sleeve, said inner post comprising an annular flange and an extending barrel portion having a diameter sized for receiving a portion of a prepared coaxial cable end inserted into the opposing end of said tubular sleeve, said barrel portion having means for separating portions of said coaxial cable; and

a rotating nut fixedly attached to said inner post, said rotating nut having an internal threaded portion mating with a cable termination device, wherein, when terminating a drop end of a coaxial cable, said rotating nut and inner post move axially in a direction directed toward the cable receiving end of the outer tubular sleeve, said sleeve being stationarily held after insertion of said cable end and in which said outer tubular sleeve includes an opening at the cable receiving end, said opening having a throat for compressing said inserted cable end.

13. A cable connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said inner post includes a nut fastening portion disposed oppositely from said barrel portion relative to the annular flange, said rotating nut having an engagement portion including an opening for receiving said nut fastening portion.

14. A cable connector as claimed in claim 13, wherein said nut fastening portion includes a radially expandable cylindrical section having an annular rib at an extended end thereof, said rotating nut including a recess for retaining the annular rib when said cylindrical section is expanded to lock the rotating nut to said inner hollow post.

15. A cable connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said cable separating means includes a raised barb provided on the exterior of said extending barrel portion.

16. A cable connector as claimed in claim 15, wherein said raised barb is disposed at an extending end of said barrel portion.

17. A cable connector as recited in claim 16, wherein said inner post is initially axially disposed within said outer tubular sleeve prior to crimping such that said raised barb is proximally disposed relative to said throat.

18. A cable connector as recited in claim 17, wherein said outer tubular sleeve includes an axial stop disposed within said sleeve for preventing movement of said inner post and rotating nut beyond a predetermined axial distance to allow the raised barb to be positioned substantially in said throat.

19. A cable connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said inner post includes a distal facing surface facing the cable receiving end of said outer tubular sleeve, said distal facing surface including a circumferential recess for receiving separated portions of said cable.

20. A cable connector as claimed in claim 12, including at least one sealing member disposed between the rotating nut and the inner post.

21. A method of terminating a coaxial cable using an F connector, said F connector having an inner post, an outer tubular sleeve and a rotating nut, each of which are attached forming a one piece connector, said method comprising the steps of:

i) preparing an axial end of a coaxial cable by removing at least one outer layer of the cable;

ii) inserting the prepared coaxial cable end into one end of said outer tubular sleeve of said cable connector wherein insertion of the cable end causes an inner portion of the axial end of the cable to extend through an axial sleeve of said inner post and separates outer layers of the remainder of the cable inserted into the connector;

iii) inserting the cable until the separated ends thereof engage a circumferential recess formed on said inner post; and

iv) supporting said outer tubular sleeve in a stationary position and axially driving the inner post and rotating nut within said outer tubular sleeve toward the end thereof which received the cable end in order to compress the cable.

22. An assembly comprising a coaxial cable and a cable connector, said coaxial cable including:

a center conductor;

an inner insulating layer surrounding said center conductor;

at least one outer conductive layer surrounding said inner insulating layer; and

an outer insulating jacket surrounding said at least one outer conductive layer, said cable connector comprising;

an outer tubular sleeve;

a hollow inner post pressfitted in said outer tubular sleeve, said hollow inner post having an annular flange and a distal barrel portion extending from said annular flange having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the inner conductive layer, said distal barrel portion further having a raised barb on an exterior surface thereof for separating the outer insulating layer and said at least one conductive layer from said inner insulating layer and said center conductor, said inner insulating layer and center conductor extending through said distal barrel portion; and

a rotating nut proximally attached to said hollow inner post, in which the rotating nut, hollow inner post, and outer tubular sleeve are preassembled as a one piece connector, and, when terminating an end of the coaxial cable, said inner post and rotating nut are axially movable within said outer tubular sleeve toward the distal end thereof in order to crimp the inserted cable end.

23. The combination of claim 22, wherein said inner post includes an annular flange having means for receiving ends of the separated at least one outer conductive layer and outer insulating layer of the coaxial cable.

24. The combination of claim 22, including seal means for sealing the interior of the cable connector.

26. A longitudinally compressed cable connector for terminating a drop end of a coaxial cable, said connector comprising:

an outer tubular sleeve having opposing first and second ends;

a hollow inner post pressfitted into one of the ends of the outer tubular sleeve, said inner post comprising an annular flange and an extending barrel portion having a diameter sized for receiving a portion of a prepared coaxial cable end inserted into the opposing end of said tubular sleeve, said barrel portion having means for separating portions of the coaxial cable, said inner post including a distal facing surface facing said opposing end of said outer tubular sleeve, said distal facing surface including a circumferential recess for receiving separated portions of the cable; and

a rotating nut fixedly attached to said inner post, said rotating nut having an internal threaded portion mating with a cable termination device, wherein said rotating nut and inner post are capable of axial movement in a direction directed toward the cable receiving end of the outer tubular sleeve, said sleeve being stationarily held after insertion of said cable end and in which said outer tubular sleeve includes an opening at the cable receiving end, said opening having a throat for compressing said inserted cable end.