Multiple-position push-on electrical connector

• US 7,165,974 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications RF, LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Gilbert Incorporated (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kooiman, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Truc T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leon; Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US10/967,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20060084286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 439578-585, 439/63, 439/675, 439/874, 439/473, 439/468, 439/466
• US Class Current: 439/63
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/52 mounted in or to a panel or structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/545 Elbows
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/26 for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0521 Connection to outer conductor by action of a nut

Abstract

A multi-port, electrical connector (100) includes a housing (105) having cable ports (122–128) for coaxial cables (421–428) on a cable side (101) of the housing and male push-on ports (271–278) for female connectors (801) on a male side (202). Each cable port has nonstandard internal threads (160). Each coaxial cable is terminated with a cable adapter (120). A coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is removably secured to each cable port by a clamp nut (130) having nonstandard external threads (660). Each coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is individually field replaceable. Another multi-port electrical connector (1000) includes a housing (1005) having male, push-on ports (1021–1028) on a male side (1001) of the housing and printed wiring board (PWB) ports (1171–1178) on a PWB side (1102). Each PWB port includes a straight PWB pin (1181–1188) for insertion into a hole in a PWB (1301).

Claims

1. A multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly, for terminating a plurality of coaxial cables, comprising:

a multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector having a cable side and a male side, the plane of the cable side being at a right angle to the plane of the male side;

a first set of bores extending into the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, the axis of each bore of the first set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the cable side;

a second set of bores extending into the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, the axis of each bore of the second set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the male side, such that respective bores of the first set of bores and of the second set of bores join within the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector;

a cable port on the cable side of the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector at each bore of the first set of bores, each cable port having internal threads;

a cable adapter attached to an end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, thereby forming a coaxial cable-cable adapter combination;

a clamp nut having external threads, a portion of the clamp nut extending out of the housing, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable-cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports; and

a male, push-on port on the male side of the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector at each bore of the second set of bores, each male, push-on port being electrically coupled within one of the bores to a corresponding cable port by a bent center contact disposed within a corresponding pair of bores of the first and second sets of bores, wherein one end of the bent center contact terminates in a male pin end disposed within the male, push-on port, and wherein the bent center contact terminates in a female socket contact disposed proximate the cable port, wherein each coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is separately field replaceable from the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector.

2. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector of claim 1, in which the male, push-on port has a SMP interface.

3. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector of claim 1, in which the male, push-on port has a SMPM interface.

4. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector of claim 1, in which the cable port is sized for a 0.047 diameter coaxial cable.

5. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 1, in which the cable adapter is thermally separable from the connector, and in which the cable adapter is attached to the end of the coaxial cable by solder.

6. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 1, in which the coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is removably attached to the cable port by a threaded connection between the clamp nut and the cable port.

7. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 1, in which each cable port has nonstandard internal threads, and in which the clamp nut has matching nonstandard outside threads.

8. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 7, in which the clamp nut has a centerline and in which the clamp nut includes a cylindrical-shaped passageway through the clamp nut along the centerline, the passageway being sized for one coaxial cable to pass therethrough.

9. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 8, in which the cylindrical-shaped passageway of the clamp nut includes an entrance for the coaxial cable on one side of the clamp nut, the entrance having a rounded inside edge to act as a strain relief for the coaxial cable.

10. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 9, in which the clamp nut includes a head having four flat sides and four rounded corners.

11. A multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on connector assembly, for terminating a plurality of coaxial cables to a plurality of single-position, female, push-on connectors, comprising:

a coaxial cable-to male connector having a cable side and a male side;

a plurality of bores extending through the coaxial cable-to-male connector between the cable side and the male side;

a cable port on the cable side of the coaxial cable-to-male connector at each bore, each cable port having internal threads;

a cable adapter attached to the end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, thereby forming a coaxial cable-cable adapter combination;

a clamp nut having external threads, a portion of the clamp nut extending out of the housing, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable-cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports of the coaxial cable-to-male connector; and

a male, push-on port on the male side of the coaxial cable-to-male connector at each bore, each male, push-on port being electrically coupled within the connector to a corresponding cable port by a bent center contact disposed within the housing, wherein one end of the bent center contact terminates in a male pin end disposed within the male, push-on port, and wherein the bent center contact terminates in a female socket contact disposed proximate the cable port.

12. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 11, in which the cable adapter is thermally separable from the connector, and in which the cable adapter is attached to the end of the coaxial cable by solder.

13. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 11, in which each cable port has nonstandard internal threads;

and in which the clamp nut has matching nonstandard outside threads.

14. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 13, in which the coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is removably attached to the cable port by a threaded connection between the clamp nut and the cable port.

15. A multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, comprising:

a housing having a first face and a second face, the plane of the second face being at a right angle to the plane of the first face;

a first set of bores extending into the housing from the first face, the axis of each bore of the first set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the first face;

a second set of bores extending into the housing from the second face, the axis of each bore of the second set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the second face, such that respective bores of the first set of bores and of the second set of bores join at a right angle within the housing;

a cable port on the first face of the housing at each bore of the first set of bores, each cable port having internal threads;

a male, push-on port on the second face of the housing at each bore of the second set of bores, wherein each cable port is electrically coupled within the housing to a corresponding male, push-on port by a bent center contact disposed within a corresponding pair of bores of the first and second sets of bores, wherein one end of the bent center contact terminates in a male pin end disposed within the male, push-on port, and wherein the bent center contact terminates in a female socket contact disposed proximate the cable port;

a cable side comprising the first face;

a male side comprising the second face, wherein the first set of bores extends through the coaxial cable-to-male connector between the cable side and the male side;

a cable adapter for attachment to the end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, the cable adapter sized for insertion into the cable port;

a clamp nut having external threads, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable and cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports of the coaxial cable-to-male connector;

a male-to-PWB connector having a male side and a PWB side;

at least one other set of bores extending through the male-to-PWB connector between the male side and the PWB side;

a male, push-on port on the male side of the male-to-PWB connector at each bore of the at least one other set of bores;

a PWB port on the PWB side of the male-to-PWB connector at each bore of the at least one other set of bores, each PWB port including a straight PWB pin protruding from the male-to-PWB connector for attachment to a PWB, each PWB port being electrically coupled to a corresponding male, push-on port of the male-to-PWB connector; and

a plurality of female-to-female connectors for connecting each male port of the coaxial cable to-male connector with each male port of the male-to-PWB connector, wherein the coaxial cable-to-PWB connector system allows a user to make and break a plurality of coaxial cable-to-PWB connections with a single action.

16. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-PWB connector system of claim 15 in which the plurality of female-to-female connectors remains attached to the coaxial cable-to-male connector when the plurality of coaxial cable-to-PWB connections is broken.

17. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-PWB connector system of claim 15 in which the plurality of female-to-female connectors detach from the male-to PWB connector when the plurality of coaxial cable-to-PWB connections is broken.

18. A multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly, for terminating a plurality of coaxial cables, comprising:

a multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector having a cable side and a male side, the plane of the cable side being at a right angle to the plane of the male side;

a first set of bores extending into the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, the axis of each bore of the first set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the cable side;

a second set of bores extending into the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, the axis of each bore of the second set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the male side, such that respective bores of the first set of bores and of the second set of bores join within the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector;

a cable port on the cable side of the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector at each bore of the first set of bores, each cable port having internal threads;

a cable adapter attached to an end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, thereby forming a coaxial cable-cable adapter combination;

a clamp nut having external threads, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable-cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports; and

a male, push-on port on the male side of the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector at each bore of the second set of bores, each male, push-on port being electrically coupled within one of the bores to a corresponding cable port, wherein each coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is separately field replaceable from the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector;

wherein each cable port has nonstandard internal threads, and wherein the clamp nut has matching nonstandard outside threads.

19. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 18, in which the clamp nut has a centerline and in which the clamp nut includes a cylindrical-shaped passageway through the clamp nut along the centerline, the passageway being sized for one coaxial cable to pass therethrough.

20. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 18, in which the cylindrical-shaped passageway of the clamp nut includes an entrance for the coaxial cable on one side of the clamp nut, the entrance having a rounded inside edge to act as a strain relief for the coaxial cable.

21. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 20, in which the clamp nut includes a head having four flat sides and four rounded corners.

22. A multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly, for terminating a plurality of coaxial cables, comprising:

a multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector having a cable side and a male side, the plane of the cable side being at a right angle to the plane of the male side;

a first set of bores extending into the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, the axis of each bore of the first set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the cable side;

a second set of bores extending into the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, the axis of each bore of the second set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the male side, such that respective bores of the first set of bores and of the second set of bores join within the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector;

a cable port on the cable side of the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector at each bore of the first set of bores, each cable port having internal threads;

a cable adapter attached to an end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, thereby forming a coaxial cable-cable adapter combination;

a clamp nut having external threads, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable-cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports; and

a male, push-on port on the male side of the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector at each bore of the second set of bores, each male, push-on port being electrically coupled within one of the bores to a corresponding cable port, wherein each coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is separately field replaceable from the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector;

wherein the cable adapter is thermally separable from the connector, and wherein the cable adapter is attached to the end of the coaxial cable by solder.

23. A multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on connector assembly, for terminating a plurality of coaxial cables to a plurality of single-position, female, push-on connectors, comprising:

a coaxial cable-to male connector having a cable side and a male side;

a plurality of bores extending through the coaxial cable-to-male connector between the cable side and the male side;

a cable port on the cable side of the coaxial cable-to-male connector at each bore, each cable port having internal threads;

a cable adapter attached to the end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, thereby forming a coaxial cable-cable adapter combination;

a clamp nut having external threads, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable-cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports of the coaxial cable-to-male connector; and

a male, push-on port on the male side of the coaxial cable-to-male connector at each bore, each male, push-on port being electrically coupled within the connector to a corresponding cable port;

wherein each cable port has nonstandard internal threads, and wherein the clamp nut has matching nonstandard outside threads.

24. A multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on connector assembly, for terminating a plurality of coaxial cables to a plurality of single-position, female, push-on connectors, comprising:

a coaxial cable-to male connector having a cable side and a male side;

a plurality of bores extending through the coaxial cable-to-male connector between the cable side and the male side;

a cable port on the cable side of the coaxial cable-to-male connector at each bore, each cable port having internal threads;

a cable adapter attached to the end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, thereby forming a coaxial cable-cable adapter combination;

a clamp nut having external threads, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable-cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports of the coaxial cable-to-male connector; and

a male, push-on port on the male side of the coaxial cable-to-male connector at each bore, each male, push-on port being electrically coupled within the connector to a corresponding cable port;

wherein the cable adapter is thermally separable from the connector, and wherein the cable adapter is attached to the end of the coaxial cable by solder.

25. A multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, comprising:

a housing having a first face and a second face, the plane of the second face being at a right angle to the plane of the first face;

a first set of bores extending into the housing from the first face, the axis of each bore of the first set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the first face;

a second set of bores extending into the housing from the second face, the axis of each bore of the second set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the second face, such that respective bores of the first set of bores and of the second set of bores join at a right angle within the housing;

a cable port on the first face of the housing at each bore of the first set of bores, each cable port having internal threads;

a male, push-on port on the second face of the housing at each bore of the second set of bores, wherein each cable port is electrically coupled within the housing to a corresponding male, push-on port;

a cable side comprising the first face;

a male side comprising the second face, wherein the first set of bores extends through the coaxial cable-to-male connector between the cable side and the male side;

a cable adapter for attachment to the end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, the cable adapter sized for insertion into the cable port;

a clamp nut having external threads, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable and cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports of the coaxial cable-to-male connector;

a male-to-PWB connector having a male side and a PWB side;

at least one other set of bores extending through the male-to-PWB connector between the male side and the PWB side;

a male, push-on port on the male side of the male-to-PWB connector at each bore of the at least one other set of bores;

a PWB port on the PWB side of the male-to-PWB connector at each bore of the at least one other set of bores, each PWB port including a straight PWB pin protruding from the male-to-PWB connector for attachment to a PWB, each PWB port being electrically coupled to a corresponding male, push-on port of the male-to-PWB connector; and

a plurality of female-to-female connectors for connecting each male port of the coaxial cable to-male connector with each male port of the male-to-PWB connector, wherein the coaxial cable-to-PWB connector system allows a user to make and break a plurality of coaxial cable-to-PWB connections with a single action.

26. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-PWB connector system of claim 25 in which the plurality of female-to-female connectors remains attached to the coaxial cable-to-male connector when the plurality of coaxial cable-to-PWB connections is broken.

27. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-PWB connector system of claim 25 in which the plurality of female-to-female connectors detach from the male-to PWB connector when the plurality of coaxial cable-to-PWB connections is broken.

28. A multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly, for terminating a plurality of coaxial cables, comprising:

a multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector having a cable side and a male side, the plane of the cable side being at a right angle to the plane of the male side;

a first set of bores extending into the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, the axis of each bore of the first set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the cable side;

a second set of bores extending into the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector, the axis of each bore of the second set of bores being perpendicular to the plane of the male side, such that respective bores of the first set of bores and of the second set of bores join within the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector;

a cable port on the cable side of the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector at each bore of the first set of bores, each cable port having internal threads;

a cable adapter attached to an end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, thereby forming a coaxial cable-cable adapter combination;

a clamp nut having external threads, a portion of the clamp nut extending out of the housing, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable-cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports; and

a male, push-on port on the male side of the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector at each bore of the second set of bores, each male, push-on port being electrically coupled within one of the bores to a corresponding cable port, wherein each coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is separately field replaceable from the multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector.

29. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 28, in which each cable port has nonstandard internal threads, and in which the clamp nut has matching nonstandard outside threads.

30. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 29, in which the clamp nut has a centerline and in which the clamp nut includes a cylindrical-shaped passageway through the clamp nut along the centerline, the passageway being sized for one coaxial cable to pass therethrough.

31. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 30, in which the cylindrical-shaped passageway of the clamp nut includes an entrance for the coaxial cable on one side of the clamp nut, the entrance having a rounded inside edge to act as a strain relief for the coaxial cable.

32. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 31, in which the clamp nut includes a head having four flat sides and four rounded corners.

33. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 28, in which the cable adapter is thermally separable from the connector, and in which the cable adapter is attached to the end of the coaxial cable by solder.

34. The multi-port, right-angle, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 28, in which the coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is removably attached to the cable port by a threaded connection between the clamp nut and the cable port.

35. A multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on connector assembly, for terminating a plurality of coaxial cables to a plurality of single-position, female, push-on connectors, comprising:

a coaxial cable-to male connector having a cable side and a male side;

a plurality of bores extending through the coaxial cable-to-male connector between the cable side and the male side;

a cable port on the cable side of the coaxial cable-to-male connector at each bore, each cable port having internal threads;

a cable adapter attached to the end of each coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables, thereby forming a coaxial cable-cable adapter combination;

a clamp nut having external threads, a portion of the clamp nut extending out of the housing, the clamp nut for removably attaching one coaxial cable-cable adapter combination to one of the cable ports of the coaxial cable-to-male connector; and

a male, push-on port on the male side of the coaxial cable-to-male connector at each bore, each male, push-on port being electrically coupled within the connector to a corresponding cable port.

36. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 35, in which the cable adapter is thermally separable from the connector, and in which the cable adapter is attached to the end of the coaxial cable by solder.

37. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 35, in which each cable port has nonstandard internal threads;

and in which the clamp nut has matching nonstandard outside threads.

38. The multi-port, coaxial cable-to-male, push-on, connector assembly of claim 37, in which the coaxial cable-cable adapter combination is removably attached to the cable port by a threaded connection between the clamp nut and the cable port.