Snap-on coaxial cable connector

• US 7,500,873 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications RF, LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Gilbert Incorporated (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hart, Dennis Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US12/152,692
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 439/63, 439/650, 439/353, 439/557, 439578-585, 439/610
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/025 formed by the conductors of a cable end
• 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 4/023 between cables or wires and terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/05 for coaxial cables

Abstract

A coaxial transmission connector is provided that includes a housing and a plurality of fingers extending from the first end of the housing. The connector can be mated with a mating connector interface, which can be disposed in a bore extending within a multiple-position connector assembly. Methods for attaching a coaxial cable to a coaxial transmission connector and for mating the connector with the mating connector interface are also provided.

Claims

1. An electrical connector for coupling a coaxial cable with a connector interface, the electrical connector comprising:

a housing comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a longitudinal bore along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the housing having a first end and a second end; and

a plurality of fingers extending from the first end of the housing to a leading end of the connector, each of the plurality of fingers having an inner and an outer surface, wherein the plurality of fingers extend axially around a circumference surrounding the longitudinal axis of the connector;

wherein the inner surface of the housing comprises;

a first inner diameter region having a first end, a second end, and an inner diameter D1;

a second inner diameter region having a first end, a second end, and an inner diameter D2, wherein the second inner diameter region is disposed directly adjacent to the first inner diameter region and extends to the first end of the housing;

wherein D2<

D1, such that the first end of the first inner diameter region and the second end of the second inner diameter region define a shoulder facing the second end of the housing; and

wherein the connector is configured to allow at least a portion of a prepared end of the coaxial cable to be inserted into the second end of the housing and through the first and second inner diameter regions, the prepared end of the coaxial cable comprising a center conductor exposed from a first point to a second point, a dielectric layer surrounding the center conductor exposed from the second point to a third point, and an outer conductive layer surrounding the dielectric layer exposed from the third point to a fourth point; and

wherein D1 is greater than the outer diameter of the outer conductive layer and D2 is less than the outer diameter of the outer conductive layer such that the prepared end of the coaxial cable is fully seated in the connector when a leading end of the outer conductive layer abuts the shoulder and a leading end of the center conductor extends beyond the leading end of the connector.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein 0.85≦

D2/D1≦

0.95.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein D1 is less than 0.05 inches.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the housing further comprises a tapered portion disposed directly adjacent to the second end of the first inner diameter region and increasing in diameter toward the second end of the housing for an axial length L1.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fingers have an inner diameter of D2 when in the unbiased state.

6. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of fingers has a protrusion disposed at or near the outer surface of the leading end.

7. The combination of the electrical connector of claim 6 and a mating connector interface, the interface comprising:

a housing comprising an inner surface defining a longitudinal bore along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end;

a central terminal disposed within the longitudinal bore of the housing, wherein the central terminal is adapted to receive the center conductor of the coaxial cable; and

a support member disposed on the inner surface of the housing and holding the central terminal within the longitudinal bore;

wherein the inner surface comprises a tapered portion having a diameter D3 at the distal end of the housing and decreasing in diameter for an axial length L4 to a diameter D4;

and a detent disposed between the tapered portion and the proximal end of the housing having a diameter D5, wherein D3>

D5>

D4.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the protrusion has an outer surface that engages the detent when the electrical connector and mating connector interface are fully mated together.

9. The combination of claim 7, wherein the central terminal comprises a female socket contact comprising a plurality of tines.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein the plurality of tines engage the center conductor of the coaxial cable when the electrical connector and mating connector interface are fully mated together.

11. The combination of claim 7, wherein the detent and the plurality of fingers are mutually adapted to allow the inner surfaces of the plurality of fingers to lie parallel to an outer surface of the dielectric layer when the electrical connector and mating connector interface are fully mated together.

12. The combination of claim 7, wherein 0.65≦

D4/D3≦

0.75 and 0.75≦

D5/D3≦

0.85.

13. The combination of claim 7, wherein the mating connector interface is disposed in a bore extending within a multiple-position connector assembly.

14. A method of attaching a prepared end of a coaxial cable to an electrical connector, the electrical connector comprising:

a housing comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a longitudinal bore along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the housing having a first end and a second end; and

a plurality of fingers extending from the first end of the housing to a leading end of the connector, each of the plurality of fingers having an inner and an outer surface, wherein the plurality of fingers extend axially around a circumference surrounding the longitudinal axis of the connector;

wherein the inner surface of the housing comprises;

a first inner diameter region having a first end, a second end, and an inner diameter D1;

a second inner diameter region having a first end, a second end, and an inner diameter D2, wherein the second inner diameter region is disposed directly adjacent to the first inner diameter region and extends to the first end of the housing;

wherein D2<

D1, such that the first end of the first inner diameter region and the second end of the second inner diameter region define a shoulder facing the second end of the housing; and

the prepared end of the coaxial cable comprising a center conductor exposed from a first point to a second point, a dielectric layer surrounding the center conductor exposed from the second point to a third point, and an outer conductive layer surrounding the dielectric layer exposed from the third point to a fourth point;

wherein the method comprises;

inserting at least a portion of the prepared end of the coaxial cable into the second end of the housing and through the first and second inner diameter regions;

fully seating the prepared end of the coaxial cable in the connector by allowing a leading end of the outer conductive layer to abut the shoulder and allowing a leading end of the center conductor to extend beyond the leading end of the connector; and

soldering at least a portion of the outer surface of the outer conductive layer with at least a portion of the inner surface of the housing.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of fingers has a protrusion disposed at or near the outer surface of the leading end.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises mating the electrical connector with a mating connector interface, the mating connector interface comprising:

a housing comprising an inner surface defining a longitudinal bore along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end;

a central terminal disposed within the longitudinal bore of the housing, wherein the central terminal is adapted to receive the center conductor of the coaxial cable; and

a support member disposed on the inner surface of the housing and holding the central terminal within the longitudinal bore;

wherein the inner surface comprises a tapered portion having a diameter D3 at the distal end of the housing and decreasing in diameter for an axial length L4 to a diameter D4;

and a detent disposed between the tapered portion and the proximal end of the housing having a diameter D5, wherein D3>

D5>

D4;

wherein the method further comprises;

inserting the leading end of the electrical connector into the distal end and through the tapered portion of the housing of the mating connector interface; and

allowing an outer surface of the protrusion to engage the detent.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the central terminal comprises a female socket contact comprising a plurality of tines.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of tines engage the center conductor of the coaxial cable when the electrical connector and mating connector interface are fully mated together.

19. The combination of claim 16, wherein the mating connector interface is disposed in a bore extending within a multiple-position connector assembly.