Universal crimping connector

• US 6,830,479 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2003
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Randall A. Holliday
• Inventors: Holliday, Randall A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRUC T
• Application Number:
  US10/616,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20040097130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 439/583-585, 439/578
• US Class Current: 439/585
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0518 Connection to outer conductor by crimping or by crimping ferrule

Abstract

A coaxial cable TV connector is made up of one or more crimping members having inner tapered surface portions which are preassembled onto a crimpable sleeve member of a connector body, the sleeve having an external tapered portion into which the coaxial cable is inserted so that the crimping ring(s) can be preassembled onto the sleeve and axially advanced to cause inward radial deformation of the sleeve into sealed engagement with an outer surface of the coaxial cable, and each size of connector assembly is conformable for use with more than one size of cable.

Claims

1. A fitting for connecting a cable having an electrically conductive member to another electrically conductive member, said fitting comprising:

a sleeve member of a continuous cylindrical configuration sized for insertion of an end of said cable therein; and

a cylindrical crimping member having at least one inner tapered annular surface portion extending from a rib at its leading end dimensioned to advance over said sleeve member, said inner tapered annular surface portion disposed in close-fitting engagement with said sleeve member whereupon axial advancement of said crimping member along said sleeve member will impart inward radial deformation to said sleeve member into sealed engagement with an external surface portion of said cable; and

wherein said sleeve has an entrance end for insertion of said end of said cable and an external wall surface diverging rearwardly away from said entrance end for a distance and terminating at an external shoulder.

2. A fitting according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve member includes an outer rearwardly tapered wall portion substantially complementary to said inner tapered annular surface portion.

3. A fitting according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve member and said crimping member include releasable locking means therebetween for releasably mounting said crimping member on an external surface of said sleeve member.

4. A fitting according to claim 3 wherein said releasable locking means includes a first locking member projecting radially inwardly from said inner tapered annular surface portion and a second locking member projecting radially inwardly from an external wall surface of said sleeve member.

5. A fitting according to claim 1 wherein said crimping member has at least two inner tapered annular surface portions of progressively increasing angles rearwardly from said leading end of said crimping member.

6. A fitting according to claim 4 wherein said second locking member is defined by an external shoulder on said sleeve member.

7. A fitting according to claim 6 wherein said sleeve member converges rearwardly from said external shoulder and is provided with axially spaced, annular sealing ribs on its inner surface.

8. A fitting according to claim 1 wherein rib is composed of a material of limited resiliency which will compress as it advances along said outer sleeve member and will expand after it clears said external shoulder.

9. A fitting according to claim 5 wherein said crimping member includes a third inner tapered annular surface portion diverging rearwardly from one of said at least two inner tapered annular surface portions.

10. A fitting according to claim 7 wherein said inner tapered annular surface portion tapers at an angle substantially complementary to the angle of convergency of said sleeve member.

11. A fitting for connecting a cable having an electrically conductive member to another electrically conductive member, said fitting comprising:

a thin-wall sleeve member of a continuous cylindrical configuration sized for axial insertion of an end of said cable therein, said sleeve member provided with an external catch thereon; and

a cylindrical crimping member having at least one inner tapered annular surface portion extending radially outwardly of said sleeve member including a circular rib projecting radially inwardly from a leading end of said tapered annular surface portion whereupon axial advancement of said crimping member along said sleeve member said rib will undergo compression as it is advanced along said sleeve member then expand into engagement with said external catch, and wherein continued advancement of said crimping member will impart inward radial deformation to said sleeve member into sealed engagement with an external surface portion of said cable; and

wherein said sleeve member has an entrance end for insertion of said cable and an external wall surface diverging rearwardly away from said entrance end for a distance corresponding to the length of said inner tapered annular surface portion and terminating at said external catch.

12. A fitting according to claim 11 wherein said sleeve member has at least two inner tapered annular surface portions of progressively increasing taper rearwardly from said leading end of said crimping member.

13. A fitting according to claim 11 wherein said sleeve member tapers toward said entrance end from a point in proximity to said external catch.

14. A fitting according to claim 11 wherein said catch is composed of a material of limited resiliency which will compress as it advances along said outer sleeve member and expand after it clears said external catch.

15. A fitting according to claim 12 wherein said crimping member includes a third inner tapered annular surface portion diverging rearwardly from one of said at least two inner tapered annular surface portions.

16. A connector for connecting a coaxial TV cable to a terminal wherein said cable has an outer resilient jacket, inner and outer spaced electrically conductive portions and wherein said connector has a fastener for connection to said terminal and a body provided with inner and outer concentric sleeve members with axially spaced sealing ribs on an inner surface of said outer sleeve member for insertion of said inner electrically conductive portion within said inner sleeve member and insertion of said outer electrically conductive portion between said inner sleeve member and said outer sleeve member, the improvement comprising:

an annular crimping member having a first inner tapered annular surface portion at least as great as an outer diameter of said outer sleeve member and disposed in outer surrounding relation to said outer sleeve member and a second inner tapered annular surface portion converging rearwardly from said first inner tapered annular surface portion wherein slidable axial advancement of said crimping member with respect to said outer sleeve member will impart inwardly radial deformation to said outer sleeve member into sealed engagement with an external surface of said cable;

wherein said crimping member has a circular rib projecting radially inwardly from a leading end of said inner tapered annular surface portion; and

wherein said outer sleeve member has an external shoulder and an external tapered surface portion converging reardwardly from said external shoulder.

17. A connector according to claim 16 wherein said first inner tapered annular surface portion extends from a first diameter as least as great as an outer diameter of said outer sleeve member to a second diameter less than said outer diameter of said outer sleeve member.

18. A connector according to claim 17 wherein said second inner tapered annular surface portion converges rearwardly from said first inner tapered annular surface portion.

19. A connector according to claim 17 wherein said second inner tapered annular surface portion converges at a progressively increased angle with respect to said first inner tapered annular surface portion.

20. A connector according to claim 16 wherein said crimping member includes a third inner tapered annular surface portion diverging rearwardly from said second inner tapered annular surface portion.

21. A multi-stage connector for mechanically and electrically connecting a cable having a first electrically conductive member to a second electrically conductive member, said connector comprising:

a connector body;

an outer sleeve member extending from an end of said connector body for insertion of an end of said cable therein;

a first crimping member having a first inner annular tapered surface portion including a first inner diameter at least as great as an outer diameter of said outer sleeve member and disposed in outer surrounding relation to said outer member; and

a second crimping member having a second inner tapered annular portion at least partially overlying said first crimping member wherein slidable axial advancement of said second crimping member and said first crimping member with respect to said outer sleeve member will impart inward radial deformation to said outer sleeve member into sealed engagement with an external surface of said cable.

22. A connector according to claim 21 wherein said inner tapered annular portion extending from a first diameter at least as great as an outer diameter of said outer sleeve member to a second diameter less than said outer diameter of said outer sleeve member.

23. A connector according to claim 21 wherein said first tapered inner annular surface portion extends from said first diameter to a second diameter less than said outer diameter of said outer sleeve member but greater than an inner diameter of said outer sleeve member.

24. A connector according to claim 21 wherein said first crimping member includes an external shoulder at a leading end thereof.

25. A connector according to claim 24 wherein said second crimping member includes a leading end portion moveable into abutting relation to said shoulder in response to axial slidable advancement of said crimping member with respect to said crimping member.

26. A connector according to claim 21 wherein said first crimping member and said outer sleeve member have releasable connecting means there between whereby to releasably connect a leading end portion of said first crimping member to a trailing end portion of said outer sleeve member.

27. A connector according to claim 21 wherein said first and second crimping members undergo successive axial advancement in the same direction with respect to said outer sleeve member.

28. In a connector for connecting a coaxial TV cable to a terminal wherein said cable has an outer resilient jacket, inner and outer spaced electrically conductive portions and wherein said connector has a fastener for connection to said terminal and a body provided with inner and outer concentric sleeve members with axially spaced sealing ribs on an inner surface of said outer sleeve member for insertion of said inner electrically conductive portion within said inner sleeve member and insertion of said outer electrically conductive portion and said jacket between said inner sleeve members and said outer sleeve member, the improvement comprising:

a first crimping member having a first inner tapered annular portion including a first inner diameter at least as great as an outer diameter of said outer sleeve and a leading end portion disposed in outer surrounding relation to a trailing end portion of said outer sleeve member; and

a second crimping member having a second inner tapered annular portion extending rearwardly from a first diameter at least as great as an outer diameter of said first crimping member to a second diameter less than said outer diameter of said first crimping member but greater than said inner diameter of said outer sleeve member wherein slidable axial advancement of said second crimping member and said first crimping member with respect to said outer sleeve member will impart controlled inward radial deformation to said first crimping member and resultant inward radial deformation of said sealing ribs into sealed engagement with said outer resilient jacket.

29. In a connector according to claim 28 wherein said first crimping member includes an external shoulder portion at a leading end thereof, and said second crimping member includes a leading end portion movable into abutting relation to said external shoulder portion when said second crimping member is axially advanced with respect to said first crimping member.

30. In a connector according to claim 29 wherein said first crimping member and said outer sleeve member have first releasable connecting means therebetween for releasably connecting said first crimping member to an outer surface of said outer sleeve member.

31. In a connector according to claim 29 wherein said first and second crimping members have second releasable connecting means therebetween for connecting a leading end portion of said second crimping member to a trailing end portion of said first crimping member.