Compression connector and method of use

• US 7,086,897 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Montena, Noah P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US10/991,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20060105628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578, 439/583, 439/584, 439/460, 439/462
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0524 Connection to outer conductor by action of a clamping member, e.g. screw fastening means H01R9/0515 takes precedence

Abstract

A compression connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable and method of use is discussed. The connector includes a post, configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under the protective outer jacket thereof. The device further includes a connector body, operatively positioned with respect to the post and including a plurality of closeable fingers, a fastener member, slidably receivable with respect to the connector body for closing the closeable fingers and for securing, in both directions, axial movement of the fastener member with respect to the connector body, an outer compression sleeve, and a threaded nut, engageable with the outer compression sleeve for securely coupling the hand installable compression connector to a coaxial cable interface port. An advantage of this connector is installation without the need for specialized tools.

Claims

1. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a coaxial interface port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive shield and a protective outer jacket, said connector comprising:

a connector body having a first end and a second end, the first end configured to be mounted to the coaxial interface port, and the second end having a plurality of closeable fingers for receiving the coaxial cable, said plurality of closeable fingers having an open position and a closed position;

a fastener member operating with a compression sleeve, wherein the fastener member and compression sleeve are slidably mounted on the connector body in a first position where the plurality of closeable fingers are in the open position, and wherein at least one of said connector body and said fastener member includes a surface feature to secure axial movement in both directions of said fastener member with respect to said connector body when the fastener member and compression sleeve are moved to a second position causing the closeable fingers to compress into a closed position securely engaging the coaxial cable; and

a threaded nut for securely coupling said connector to a coaxial cable interface port, wherein said nut comprises at least one axially directional slot upon an exterior surface of said nut.

2. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a post, configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under the protective outer jacket thereof.

3. The connector of claim 1 wherein said compression sleeve comprises at least one surface feature to facilitate axially slidable engagement of said nut with said outer compression sleeve.

4. The connector of claim 3 wherein the surface feature of the outer compression sleeve is an axially directional spline.

5. The connector of claim 3 wherein engagement of said outer compression sleeve and said nut facilitates unified slidably axial rotation of said outer compression sleeve and said nut, the rotation being independent of said post and said connector body.

6. The connector of claim 1 wherein said fastener member is a ring.

7. The connector of claim 6 wherein said ring is flanged at one end.

8. The connector of claim 1 wherein said surface feature comprises a shallow exterior recess formed on said closeable fingers into which said fastener member may be slidably and securely disposed.

9. The connector of claim 1 wherein said closeable fingers comprise at least one axial serration formed on the interior surface of said closeable fingers.

10. The connector of claim 2 wherein said post includes a flange at one end for operable engagement with an internal lip included on said nut.

11. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is configured as a push-on-type connector.

12. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector body includes an integral interior post member, said post member configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under the conductive shield and protective outer jacket thereof.

13. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a coaxial interface port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive shield and a protective outer jacket, said connector comprising:

a post, configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under the protective outer jacket thereof;

a connector body, operatively positioned with respect to said post, said connector body having a plurality of closeable fingers; and

a threaded nut, operatively positioned with respect to said connector body; and

an outer compression sleeve, wherein said outer compression sleeve comprises at least one surface feature to facilitate axially slidable engagement of the nut with said outer compression sleeve, further wherein the surface feature of the outer compression sleeve is an axially directional spline.

14. The connector of claim 13 further comprising a fastener member slidably receivable with respect to said connector body, for closing said closeable fingers, wherein at least one of said connector body and said fastener member includes a surface feature to secure axial movement in both directions of said fastener member with respect to said connector body.

15. The connector of claim 14 wherein said fastener member is a ring.

16. The connector of claim 15 wherein said ring is flanged at one end.

17. The connector of claim 14 wherein said surface feature comprises a shallow exterior recess formed on said closeable fingers into which said fastener member may be slidably and securely disposed.

18. The connector of claim 13 wherein said closeable fingers comprise at least one axial serration formed on the interior surface of said closeable fingers.

19. The connector of claim 13 wherein said nut comprises at least one axially directional slot upon an exterior surface of said nut.

20. The connector of claim 13 wherein engagement of said outer compression sleeve and said nut facilitates unified slidably axial rotation of said outer compression sleeve and said nut, the rotation being independent of said post and said connector body.

21. The connector of claim 13 wherein said post is flanged at one end.

22. The connector of claim 13 wherein said nut comprises an internal lip at one end.

23. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by conductive shield and a protective outer jacket, said connector comprising:

a post, configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under the protective outer jacket thereof;

a connector body, operatively positioned with respect to said post, said connector body having a plurality of closeable fingers; and

an outer compression sleeve, operatively positioned with respect to said connector body and configured to engage a threaded nut, wherein said outer compression sleeve comprises at least one surface feature to facilitate axially slidable engagement of said nut with said outer compression sleeve, and further wherein the surface feature of the outer compression sleeve is an axially directional spline.

24. The connector of claim 23 wherein said nut comprises at least one axially directional slot upon an exterior surface of said nut.

25. The connector of claim 23 wherein engagement of said outer compression sleeve and said nut facilitates unified slidably axial rotation of said outer compression sleeve and said nut, the rotation being independent of said post and said connector body.

26. The connector of claim 23 further comprising a fastener member slidably receivable with respect to said connector body, for closing said closeable fingers, wherein at least one of said connector body and said fastener member includes a surface feature to secure axial movement in both directions of said fastener member with respect to said connector body.

27. The connector of claim 26 wherein said fastener member is a ring.

28. The connector of claim 27 wherein said ring is flanged at one end.

29. The connector of claim 26 wherein said surface feature comprises a shallow exterior recess formed on said closeable fingers into which said fastener member may be slidably and securely disposed.

30. The connector of claim 23 wherein said closeable fingers comprise at least one axial serration formed on the interior surface of said closeable fingers.

31. The connector of claim 23 wherein said post is flanged at one end.

32. The connector of claim 23 wherein said nut comprises an internal lip at one end.

33. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive shield and protective outer jacket, said connector comprising:

a connector body, wherein said connector body includes, a plurality of closeable fingers extending from an exterior casing; and

an integral interior post member, said post member configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under the conductive shield and protective outer jacket thereof; and

a threaded nut for securely coupling said connector to a coaxial cable interface port, wherein said nut comprises at least one axially directional slot upon an exterior surface of said nut.

34. The connector of claim 33 further comprising an outer compression sleeve.

35. The connector of claim 34 wherein said outer compression sleeve comprises at least one surface feature to facilitate axially slidable engagement of said nut with said outer compression sleeve.

36. The connector of claim 35 wherein the surface feature of the outer compression sleeve is an axially directional spline.

37. The connector of claim 35 wherein engagement of said outer compression sleeve and said nut facilitates unified slidably axial rotation of said outer compression sleeve and said nut, the rotation being independent of said post and said connector body.

38. The connector of claim 33 further comprising a fastener member slidably receivable with respect to said connector body, for closing said closeable fingers, wherein at least one of said connector body and said fastener member includes a surface feature to secure axial movement in both directions of said fastener member with respect to said connector body.

39. The connector of claim 38 wherein said fastener member is a ring.

40. The connector of claim 39 wherein said ring is flanged at one end.

41. The connector of claim 38 wherein said surface feature comprises a shallow exterior recess formed on said closeable fingers into which said fastener member may be slidably and securely disposed.

42. The connector of claim 33 wherein said closeable fingers comprise at least one axial serration formed on the interior surface of said closeable fingers.

43. The connector of claim 33 wherein said post member is flanged at one end.

44. The connector of claim 33 wherein said nut comprises an internal lip at one end.

45. A method for coupling a connector and a coaxial cable, said method comprising:

preparing a coaxial cable;

providing a hand installable compression connector in a first initially assembled position, said compression connector including a connector body having a first end and an opposing second end and wherein said providing the hand installable compression connector in a first initially assembled position further includes the insertion of a threaded nut into an end of an outer compression sleeve opposite an end wherein the connector body and a fastener member have been slidably inserted until a threaded nut abuts an edge of the connector body;

inserting the coaxial cable into the connector by initially passing the coaxial cable through a plurality of closeable fingers included on said second end of the connector body; and

,

securing the connector by hand to the cable by moving the outer compression sleeve in cooperation with the fastener member thereby compressing said closeable fingers of the connector body against the cable to retain the cable axially when the fastener member moves into a final mechanically secured position.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of preparing a coaxial cable further comprises removing a protective outer jacket, drawing back a conductive shield to expose a portion of an interior dielectric and stripping the dielectric to expose a portion of a center conductor.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of providing a hand installable compression connector in a first initially assembled position further comprises axially sliding a fastener member around an outer diameter of the connector body until the fastener member just begins to compress closeable fingers of the connector body thereby retaining the fingers in an initially static open position.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the provision of a hand installable compression connector in a first initially assembled position further comprises slidably inserting the connector body and fastener member into the outer compression sleeve until an end of the outer compression sleeve abuts a protruded edge of the fastener member.

49. The method of claim 45 wherein the provision of a hand installable compression connector in a first initially assembled position further comprises axial insertion of a post into the outer compression sleeve until a flange of the post abuts a lip of the threaded nut and a ridge of the post abuts an inserted edge of the connector body.

50. The method of claim 45 wherein the step of inserting the coaxial cable into the connector further comprises maneuvering the prepared coaxial cable such that a post is positioned into an end of the cable around the dielectric and under the drawn back conductive shield and protective outer jacket thereof.

51. The method of claim 45 further comprising a step of installing the connector on a coaxial cable interface port.

52. The connector of claim 51 wherein installation of the connector on the coaxial cable interface port includes turning an outer compression sleeve to engage a threaded nut that advances onto the coaxial cable interface port until the center conductor of the coaxial cable moves into a conductive receptacle of the interface port thereby forming an electrical connection.