Coaxial cable continuity connector

• US 7,824,216 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Purdy, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US12/472,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20100255719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 439578-585
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/40 specially adapted for high frequency
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49195 with end-to-end orienting

Abstract

A coaxial cable continuity connector comprising a connector body, a post engageable with connector body, wherein the post includes a flange having a tapered surface, a nut, wherein the nut includes an internal lip having a tapered surface, wherein the tapered surface of the nut oppositely corresponds to the tapered surface of the post when the nut and post are operably axially located with respect to each other when the coaxial cable continuity connector is assembled, and a continuity member disposed between and contacting the tapered surface of the post and the tapered surface of the nut, so that the continuity member endures a moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces, when the continuity connector is assembled, is provided.

Claims

1. A coaxial cable continuity connector comprising;

a connector body;

a post engageable with the connector body, wherein the post includes a flange having a tapered surface;

a nut, wherein the nut includes an internal lip having a tapered surface, wherein the tapered surface of the nut oppositely corresponds to the tapered surface of the post when the nut and post are operably axially located with respect to each other when the coaxial cable continuity connector is assembled; and

a continuity member disposed between and contacting the tapered surface of the post and the tapered surface of the nut, so that the continuity member endures a moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces, when the continuity connector is assembled;

wherein as the continuity member endures the moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces, when the connector is assembled, the continuity member maintains continuous physical and electrical contact between the post and the nut; and

wherein the continuity member is a flat washer.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the flat washer is flexed into a somewhat conical shape as it endures the moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces when the connector is assembled.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein, as the continuity member endures the moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces when the connector is assembled, the continuity member resists axial wiggle movement between the post and the nut.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the nut is spaced apart from and does not contact the connector body.

5. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a body sealing member disposed between the nut and the connector body.

6. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a fastener member slidably secured to the connector body, wherein the fastener member includes an internal ramped surface that acts to deformably compress the outer surface the connector body when the fastener member is operated to secure a coaxial cable to the coaxial cable continuity connector.

7. A coaxial cable continuity connector comprising;

a connector body

a nut rotatable with respect to the connector body, wherein the nut includes an internal lip having a tapered surface;

a post securely engageable with connector body, wherein the post includes a flange having a tapered surface, wherein the tapered surface of the post oppositely corresponds to the tapered surface of the nut when the post and the nut are operably axially located with respect to each other, when the coaxial cable continuity connector is assembled; and

a continuous ground path located between the nut and the post, the ground path facilitated by the disposition of a continuity member positioned between the tapered surface of the nut and the tapered surface of the post to continuously contact the nut and the post under a pre-load condition, wherein the continuity member is continuously compressed by a resultant moment existent between oppositely tapered surfaces of the nut and the post, when the continuity connector is assembled; and

wherein the continuity member is a flat washer.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein the flat washer is flexed into a somewhat conical shape as it endures the moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces when the connector is assembled.

9. The connector of claim 7, wherein, as the continuity member endures the moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces when the connector is assembled, the continuity member resists axial wiggle movement between the post and the nut.

10. The connector of claim 7, wherein the nut is spaced apart from and does not contact the connector body.

11. The connector of claim 7, further comprising a body sealing member disposed between the nut and the connector body.

12. The connector of claim 7, further comprising a fastener member slidably secured to the connector body, wherein the fastener member includes an internal ramped surface that acts to deformably compress the outer surface the connector body when the fastener member is operated to secure a coaxial cable to the coaxial cable continuity connector.

13. A method of extending an electrical ground path from a coaxial cable, through a coaxial cable connector, to an interface port, the method comprising:

providing a coaxial cable continuity connector including;

a connector body;

a post engageable with connector body, wherein the post includes a flange having a tapered surface;

a nut, wherein the nut includes an internal lip having a tapered surface, wherein the tapered surface of the nut oppositely corresponds to the tapered surface of the post when the nut and post are operably axially located with respect to each other when the coaxial cable continuity connector is assembled; and

a continuity member disposed between and contacting the tapered surface of the post and the tapered surface of the nut, so that the continuity member endures a moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces, when the continuity connector is assembled;

wherein as the continuity member endures the moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces, when the connector is assembled, the continuity member maintains continuous physical and electrical contact between the post and the nut;

assembling the coaxial cable continuity connector;

operably attaching a coaxial cable to the coaxial cable continuity connector in a manner that electrically integrates the post and an outer conductor of the coaxial cable; and

installing the assembled connector, having the attached coaxial cable, to an interface port to extend an electrical ground path from the coaxial cable, through the port and the nut of the coaxial cable continuity connector, to the interface port; and

wherein the continuity member is a flat washer.

14. The method of extending an electrical ground path from a coaxial cable, through a coaxial cable connector, to an interface port of claim 13, wherein the flat washer is flexed into a somewhat conical shape as it endures the moment resulting from the contact forces of the opposite tapered surfaces when the connector is assembled.

15. The method of extending an electrical ground path from a coaxial cable, through a coaxial cable connector, to an interface port of claim 13, wherein the nut is spaced apart from and does not contact the connector body.