Connector having conductive member and method of use thereof

• US 7,828,595 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Mathews, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon; Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US12/397,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20090176396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 439578-585, 439/63, 439/733.1, 439/944, 439/271, 439 98- 99
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5202 Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6584 formed by conductive elastomeric members, e.g. flat gaskets or O-rings
• 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 connector having a conductive member is provided, wherein the connector comprises a connector body capable of sealing and securing a coaxial cable, and further wherein the conductive member, such as an O-ring, physically seals the connector, electrically couples the connector and the coaxial cable, facilitates grounding through the connector, and renders an electromagnetic shield preventing ingress of unwanted environmental noise.

Claims

1. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable and facilitating electrical connection with a male coaxial cable interface port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:

a connector body;

a post;

a threaded nut; and

a conductive seal, said conductive seal electrically coupling the post and the threaded nut, wherein the conductive seal is positioned to physically and electrically contact the male interface port.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein said post includes a first end and a second end, the first end configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under the conductive grounding shield thereof, and the second end having a face.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector body includes a first end and a second end, said first end configured to deformably compress against and seal a received coaxial cable.

4. The connector of claim 2, wherein the connector body is operatively attached to said post.

5. The connector of claim 2, wherein the threaded nut is operatively attached to said post.

6. The connector of claim 3, further including a fastener member, wherein the fastener member is configured to operate on and deform the first end of said connector body.

7. The connector of claim 2, wherein the conductive seal is located proximate the second end of the post and contacting said face, and further wherein the seal is configured to provide a shield for preventing ingress of environmental contaminates into the connector.

8. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable and facilitating electrical connection with a male coaxial cable interface port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:

a post, having a first end and a second end, the first end configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under the conductive grounding shield thereof, and the second end having a face;

a connector body, operatively attached to the post; and

a conductive member, located proximate the second end of the post and contacting said face, wherein said conductive member facilitates grounding of the coaxial cable and physically contacts the male interface port.

9. The connector of claim 8, further including a threaded nut, wherein the threaded nut is operably attached to said post.

10. The connector of claim 8, wherein the conductive member is an O-ring which completes a shield preventing ingress of electromagnetic noise into the connector.

11. The connector of claim 8, wherein in the conductive member facilitates grounding of the coaxial cable.

12. The connector of claim 8, further including a fastener member, wherein the fastener member is configured to operate on and deform the connector body sealingly compressing it against and affixing it to the coaxial cable.

13. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable and facilitating electrical connection with a male coaxial cable interface port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:

a connector body, having a first end and a second end, said first end configured to deformably compress against and seal a received coaxial cable;

a post, operatively attached to the connector body and including a first end and a second end, the second end of the post having a face;

a threaded nut, operatively attached to the post; and

a conductive member, located proximate the second end of the post and contacting the face of the post, wherein said conductive member physically contacts the male interface port and extends a shield preventing ingress of electromagnetic noise into the connector.

14. The connector of claim 13, wherein the conductive member is an O-ring for electrically coupling and physically sealing the post and threaded nut.

15. The connector of claim 13, wherein the first end of the post being configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under the conductive grounding shield thereof.

16. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable and facilitating electrical connection with a male coaxial cable interface port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:

a connector body;

a post;

a threaded nut; and

means for conductively sealing and electrically coupling the post and the threaded nut, wherein the means physically and electrically contact the male interface port.

17. A method for grounding a coaxial cable through a connector, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the method comprising:

providing a connector, wherein the connector includes a connector body, a post having a first end and a second end, the second end having a face, and a conductive member located proximate the second end of said post and contacting said face;

fixedly attaching the coaxial cable to the connector; and

advancing the connector onto a male coaxial cable interface port until a surface of the interface port mates with the conductive member facilitating grounding through the connector.

18. The method of claim 17, further including providing said connector, wherein said connector further includes a threaded nut, and the conductive member electrically coupling and physically sealing the post and threaded nut.

19. The method of claim 18, further including completing an electromagnetic shield by threading the nut onto the interface port.

20. A method for electrically coupling a coaxial cable and a connector and facilitating electrical connection with a male coaxial cable interface port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, said method comprising:

providing a connector, wherein the connector includes a post, a threaded nut, and a conductive member electrically coupling and physically sealing the post and the threaded nut;

fixedly attaching the coaxial cable to the connector; and

completing an electromagnetic shield by threading the nut onto the male interface port so that the conductive member physically contacts the interface port.

21. The method of claim 20, further including providing said connector, wherein said connector includes a post having a first end and a second end, and the conductive member located proximate the second end of said post and contacting said face.