Connector for hard-line coaxial cable

• US 6,884,115 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Malloy, Allen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US10/443,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20030224657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 439/583, 439/584
• US Class Current: 439/584
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0521 Connection to outer conductor by action of a nut
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0527 Connection to outer conductor by action of a resilient member, e.g. spring

Abstract

The present invention is a connector for connecting a coaxial cable to a device. The coaxial cable generally has a center conductor, an outer conductor, and a cable jacket. The connector includes a first portion and a second portion that are configured to be removably connected while providing both an electrical and mechanical connection between the front nut and back nut assemblies. The connector includes a ferrule having a split tubular body with first and second portions configured to cooperate with two pairs of cooperating biasing rings so that the first pair of biasing rings radially compress the first portion about the outer conductor while the second pair of biasing rings radially compress the second portion about the cable jacket.

Claims

1. A connector for connecting a coaxial cable to a device, the coaxial cable having a center conductor, an outer conductor, and a cable jacket, said connector comprising:

an entry body housing formed of an electrically conductive material with an axial bore therethrough, a first end of said entry body housing configured to be removably connected to the device and a second end opposite the first end;

a pin terminal formed of an electrically conductive material and being supported within said axial bore substantially along a longitudinal central axis thereof, a first end of said pin terminal communicating with the device, and a second end of said pin terminal configured to form an electrical connection with the coaxial cable center conductor;

a clamp nut housing formed of an electrically conductive material with an axial bore therethrough, a first end of said clamp nut housing configured to be removably connected to said second end of said entry body housing, and a second end of said clamp nut housing receiving the coaxial cable;

a holder sleeve formed of an electrically conductive material having a first end, a second end, an exterior surface, and an interior surface, said exterior surface configured to be slidingly received within said axial bore of said clamp nut housing, said interior surface including first and second ramped biasing rings;

a tubular insert formed of a dielectric material defined by an outside diameter and an inside diameter, said outside diameter being dimensioned so that an outer conductor of a prepared coaxial cable can slide over the outside diameter of the insert and said inside diameter is dimensioned so that said insert provides a passageway to receive the center conductor of a prepared coaxial cable; and

a tubular ferrule formed of an electrically conductive material having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and an inner surface, said tubular ferrule being split to form a gap, said inner surface being formed with a first portion at said first end configured to closely receive the outer conductor positioned over said insert and a second portion at said second end configured to closely receive the cable jacket of a prepared coaxial cable, said outer surface being formed with a third ramped biasing ring located around said first portion and a fourth ramped biasing ring located around said second portion,

wherein upon connection of said clamp nut housing to said entry body housing, said second end of said pin terminal electrically couples to the center conductor and said second end of said entry body housing is longitudinally translated to engage said first end of said holder sleeve, and wherein upon coupling of the entry body housing to the clamp nut housing said first ramped biasing ring engages said third ramped biasing ring to radially compress said first portion about the outer conductor, said second ramped biasing ring engages said fourth ramped biasing ring to radially compress said second portion about the cable jacket of a prepared coaxial cable.

2. The connector as defined in claim 1, further comprising a terminal support formed of a dielectric material for supporting the pin terminal within said axial bore of said entry body housing.

3. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said entry body housing includes an external thread and said clamp nut housing includes a mating internal thread whereby said clamp nut housing rotates about an inserted, prepared coaxial cable upon coupling of said clamp nut housing to said entry body housing.

4. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said second end of said entry body housing has a rim face and said first end of said holder sleeve includes a first end face;

and

said rim face and said first end face are formed with cooperating interlocking surfaces to limit rotation therebetween upon connection/disconnection of said clamp nut housing and entry body housing.

5. The connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said interlocking surfaces comprise a radial knurl.

6. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said first portion of said ferrule is formed with a first plurality of teeth for biting the outer conductor.

7. The connector as defined in claim 6, wherein said second portion of said ferrule is formed with a second plurality of teeth for biting the cable jacket.

8. The connector as defined in claim 6, wherein said first and second plurality of teeth comprise an internal thread.

9. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said third ramped biasing ring comprises a conical segment defined by a first radius at said first end of said third ramped biasing ring and a second radius at said second end of said third ramped biasing ring which is larger than said first radius.

10. The connector as defined in claim 9, wherein said fourth ramped biasing ring comprises a conical segment defined by a first radius at said first end of said fourth ramped biasing ring and a second radius at said second end of said fourth ramped biasing ring which is larger than said first radius.

11. The connector as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a snap ring including a first end formed with an annular recess and an outside surface having an annular key;

wherein said tubular insert includes a flange at said first end that is received by said annular recess of said snap ring; and

said holder sleeve includes an annular channel which cooperates with said annular key.

12. The connector as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a holder ring having an inside diameter dimensioned to slidingly receive the cable jacket, a first end of said holder ring being adjacent to said second end of said tubular ferrule, a second end of said holder ring being formed with an annular recess about said inside diameter and adjacent to said annular face of said clamp nut housing; and

an o-ring located within said annular recess of said holder ring,

wherein upon connection of said clamp nut housing to said entry body housing, said second end of said ferrule biases said holder ring and said o-ring against said annular face of said clamp nut housing so that said o-ring seals said clamp nut housing with respect to the cable jacket.

13. The connector as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a closing collar formed of a dielectric material having a tubular body having an inner surface formed with a fifth ramped biasing ring, a first end of said closing collar receiving said second end of said pin terminal and a second end opposite the first end;

wherein said second end of said pin terminal includes a conductor bore for receiving the center conductor, said conductor bore being defined by a plurality of pin-terminal fingers and having a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the center conductor,

wherein upon connection of said clamp nut housing to said entry body housing, said first end of said tubular insert engages said second end of said closing collar so that said fifth ramped biasing ring engages said second end of said pin terminal to radially compress said pin-terminal fingers about the center conductor.

14. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said first ramped biasing ring is located between said first end and second end of said holder sleeve;

and

said second biasing ring is located substantially at said second end of said holder sleeve.

15. A connector for connecting a coaxial cable to a device, the coaxial cable having a center conductor, an outer conductor, and a cable jacket, said connector comprising:

a front nut assembly comprising;

an entry body housing formed of an electrically conductive material with an axial bore therethrough, a first end of said entry body housing configured to be removably connected to the device and a second end of said entry body housing having a rim face; and

a pin terminal formed of an electrically conductive material and being supported within said axial bore substantially along a longitudinal central axis thereof, a first end of said pin terminal communicating with the device, and a second end of said pin terminal configured to form an electrical connection with the center conductor of a prepared coaxial cable;

a backnut assembly comprising;

a clamp nut housing formed of an electrically conductive material including an axial bore therethrough, a first end of said clamp nut housing configured to be removably connected to said second end of said entry body housing, and a second end of said clamp nut housing receiving a prepared coaxial cable; and

a compression subassembly having an end face and being rotatably supported within said axial bore of said clamp nut housing for forming both an electrical and mechanical connection to the outer conductor of a prepared coaxial cable; and

wherein said rim face and said end face of the compression subassembly are formed with cooperating interlocking surfaces to limit rotation between said entry body housing, said compression subassembly, and the prepared coaxial cable while rotating said clamp nut housing relative to said entry body housing to connect said front nut assembly to said back nut assembly.

16. The connector as defined in claim 15, further comprising a terminal support formed of a dielectric material for supporting the pin terminal within said axial bore of said entry body housing.

17. The connector as defined in claim 16, wherein said interlocking surfaces comprise a radial knurl.

18. A coaxial cable connector comprising:

a front nut assembly including;

an entry body housing formed of an electrically conductive material having an axial bore therethrough, a first end configured to removably terminate a coaxial cable in said connector to a device, and a second end opposite said first end; and

a pin terminal formed of an electrically conductive material and being supported within said axial bore substantially along a longitudinal central axis thereof, a first end of said pin terminal communicating with the device, and a second end of said pin terminal configured to form an electrical connection with the center conductor of a prepared coaxial cable inserted into said connector;

a backnut assembly including;

a clamp nut housing formed of an electrically conductive material including an axial bore therethrough, a first end of said clamp nut housing configured to be removably connected to said second end of said entry body housing, and a second end of said clamp nut housing receiving a prepared to coaxial cable; and

a compression subassembly having a tubular insert and being rotatably supported within said axial bore of said clamp nut housing for forming both an electrical and mechanical connection to the outer conductor of a prepared coaxial cable, said tubular being formed of a dielectric material and tapered from a first end to a second end whereby an outside diameter of said insert is smaller at said second end than said first end, the outside diameter of said tubular insert being dimensioned to slidingly receive the outer conductor of a prepared coaxial cable, said inside diameter of the tubular insert dimensioned to provide a passageway to receive the center conductor of a prepared coaxial cable removed; and

wherein said tapered tubular insert of said compression subassembly directs formation of a pleat in the coaxial cable outer conductor towards said second end of said clamp nut housing when the front nut assembly and backnut assembly are connected together.

19. The connector as defined in claim 18, further comprising a terminal support formed of a dielectric material for supporting the pin terminal within said axial bore of said entry body housing.

20. The connector as defined in claim 18, wherein said second end of said entry body housing has a rim face and said compression subassembly has an end face;

and

said rim face and said end face are formed with cooperating interlocking surfaces to limit rotation between said entry body housing, said compression subassembly, and the prepared coaxial cable while rotating said clamp nut housing relative to said entry body housing to connect said front nut assembly to said back nut assembly.