Coaxial connector grip ring having an anti-rotation feature

• US 7,918,687 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cox, Al, Allison, Lee, Paynter, Jeffrey, Islam, Nahid
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon; Edwin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIRARDI, VANESSA MARY
• Application Number:
  US12/612,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20100112856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578, 439583-584
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/40 specially adapted for high frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0521 Connection to outer conductor by action of a nut
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0527 Connection to outer conductor by action of a resilient member, e.g. spring

Abstract

A coaxial connector with a connector body is provided with a connector body bore. A grip ring is retained within the connector body bore, and an outer diameter of the grip ring abuts an annular wedge surface provided with a taper between a maximum diameter proximate the connector end and a minimum diameter proximate the cable end. The wedge surface may be provided directly on the connector body bore sidewall or alternatively on an inner diameter of a clamp ring coupled to the cable end of the connector body. An inner diameter of the grip ring is provided with a grip surface. A spring contact is retained within the connector body bore. The grip surface provided with a rotational interlock with the connector body directly or via an interconnection with the spring contact and/or clamp ring.

Claims

1. A coaxial connector with a connector end and a cable end for coupling with a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, the connector comprising:

a connector body provided with a connector body bore;

a grip ring retained within the connector body bore;

an outer diameter of the grip ring abutting an annular wedge surface;

the wedge surface provided with a taper between a maximum diameter proximate the connector end and a minimum diameter proximate the cable end;

the grip ring provided with a rotational interlock with respect to the connector body;

an inner diameter of the grip ring provided with a grip ring grip surface;

a spring contact retained within the connector body bore;

the grip ring grip surface and an inner diameter of the spring contact dimensioned to receive the outer conductor from the cable end therethrough and couple with an outer diameter of the outer conductor; and

wherein the wedge surface is formed in a sidewall of the connector body bore.

2. The coaxial connector of claim 1, wherein the rotational interlock is a grip surface on the outer diameter of the grip ring.

3. The coaxial connector of claim 1, wherein the grip ring is c-shaped and ends of the grip ring are stop faces with respect to rotation of the grip ring around the outer conductor.

4. The coaxial connector of claim 1, further including at least one channel through the grip surface between the cable end of the grip ring and the connector end of the grip ring.

5. The coaxial connector of claim 1, further including at least one pocket formed in the connector end of the grip ring.

9. The coaxial connector of claim 5, wherein the grip surface of the wedge surface is a plurality of barb(s) with a longitudinal extent co-planar with a longitudinal axis of the coaxial connector.

6. A coaxial connector with a connector end and a cable end for coupling with a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, the connector comprising:

a connector body provided with a connector body bore;

a grip ring retained within the connector body bore;

an outer diameter of the grip ring abutting an annular wedge surface;

the wedge surface provided with a taper between a maximum diameter proximate the connector end and a minimum diameter proximate the cable end;

the grip ring provided with a rotational interlock with respect to the connector body;

an inner diameter of the grip ring provided with a grip ring grip surface;

a spring contact retained within the connector body bore;

the grip ring grip surface and an inner diameter of the spring contact dimensioned to receive the outer conductor from the cable end therethrough and couple with an outer diameter of the outer conductor; and

wherein the grip ring is c-shaped and the rotational interlock is an interlock tab extending radially inward from the wedge surface, into a gap between each end of the grip ring.

7. A coaxial connector with a connector end and a cable end for coupling with a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, the connector comprising:

a connector body provided with a connector body bore;

a grip ring retained within the connector body bore;

an outer diameter of the grip ring abutting an annular wedge surface;

the wedge surface provided with a taper between a maximum diameter proximate the connector end and a minimum diameter proximate the cable end;

the grip ring provided with a rotational interlock with respect to the connector body;

an inner diameter of the grip ring provided with a grip ring grip surface;

a spring contact retained within the connector body bore;

the grip ring grip surface and an inner diameter of the spring contact dimensioned to receive the outer conductor from the cable end therethrough and couple with an outer diameter of the outer conductor;

wherein the rotational interlock is a grip surface on the outer diameter of the grip ring; and

wherein the grip surface of the outer diameter of the grip ring is a plurality of barb(s) with a longitudinal extent co-planar with a longitudinal axis of the coaxial connector.

8. A coaxial connector with a connector end and a cable end for coupling with a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, the connector comprising:

a connector body provided with a connector body bore;

a grip ring retained within the connector body bore;

an outer diameter of the grip ring abutting an annular wedge surface;

the wedge surface provided with a taper between a maximum diameter proximate the connector end and a minimum diameter proximate the cable end;

the grip ring provided with a rotational interlock with respect to the connector body;

an inner diameter of the grip ring provided with a grip ring grip surface;

a spring contact retained within the connector body bore;

the grip ring grip surface and an inner diameter of the spring contact dimensioned to receive the outer conductor from the cable end therethrough and couple with an outer diameter of the outer conductor; and

wherein the rotational interlock is a grip surface on the wedge surface.

10. A coaxial connector with a connector end and a cable end for coupling with a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, the connector comprising:

a connector body provided with a connector body bore;

a grip ring retained within the connector body bore;

an outer diameter of the grip ring abutting an annular wedge surface;

the wedge surface provided with a taper between a maximum diameter proximate the connector end and a minimum diameter proximate the cable end;

the grip ring provided with a rotational interlock with respect to the connector body;

an inner diameter of the grip ring provided with a grip ring grip surface;

a spring contact retained within the connector body bore;

the grip ring grip surface and an inner diameter of the spring contact dimensioned to receive the outer conductor from the cable end therethrough and couple with an outer diameter of the outer conductor;

further including at least one pocket formed in the connector end of the grip ring; and

wherein the rotational interlock is a tab of the spring contact keying with the at least one pocket.

11. A coaxial connector with a connector end and a cable end for coupling with a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, the connector comprising:

a connector body provided with a connector body bore;

a grip ring retained within the connector body bore;

an outer diameter of the grip ring abutting an annular wedge surface;

the wedge surface provided with a taper between a maximum diameter proximate the connector end and a minimum diameter proximate the cable end;

the grip ring provided with a rotational interlock with respect to the connector body;

an inner diameter of the grip ring provided with a grip ring grip surface;

a spring contact retained within the connector body bore;

the grip ring grip surface and an inner diameter of the spring contact dimensioned to receive the outer conductor from the cable end therethrough and couple with an outer diameter of the outer conductor; and

wherein the rotational interlock is a tab of the spring contact keying with a gap between ends of the grip ring.

12. A coaxial connector with a connector end and a cable end for coupling with a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, the connector comprising:

a connector body provided with a connector body bore;

a grip ring retained within the connector body bore;

an outer diameter of the grip ring abutting an annular wedge surface;

the wedge surface provided with a taper between a maximum diameter proximate the connector end and a minimum diameter proximate the cable end;

the grip ring provided with a rotational interlock with respect to the connector body;

an inner diameter of the grip ring provided with a grip ring grip surface;

a spring contact retained within the connector body bore;

the grip ring grip surface and an inner diameter of the spring contact dimensioned to receive the outer conductor from the cable end therethrough and couple with an outer diameter of the outer conductor;

further including a clamp ring coupled to the cable end of the connector body, the clamp ring extending within the connector body bore;

the wedge surface formed in an inner diameter of the clamp ring, proximate the connector end of the clamp ring;

wherein the wedge surface is provided on a wedge surface spacer provided between the grip ring and a second grip ring dimensioned to grip the coaxial cable; and

the second grip ring contacting a wedge surface of the clamp ring.

13. The connector of claim 12, wherein a grip surface of the second grip ring is at least one channel along an inner diameter of the second grip ring between the cable end of the second grip ring and the connector end of the second grip ring.

14. The connector of claim 12, wherein a grip surface of the second grip ring contacts a jacket of the coaxial cable.

15. A coaxial connector with a connector end and a cable end for coupling with a coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor, the connector comprising:

a connector body provided with a connector body bore;

a wedge surface spacer in the connector body bore;

a grip ring retained within the connector body bore adjacent the wedge surface spacer;

an outer diameter of the grip ring abutting an annular wedge surface of a clamp ring;

the wedge surface provided with a taper between a maximum diameter proximate the connector end and a minimum diameter proximate the cable end;

an inner diameter of the grip ring provided with a grip ring grip surface;

the clamp ring threadable into the connector body, driving the wedge surface spacer to clamp a leading edge of the outer conductor against the connector body and the grip ring grip surface radially inward against the coaxial cable; and

wherein the grip ring is c-shaped and an interlock tab extends radially inward from the wedge surface, into a gap between each end of the grip ring.

16. The connector of claim 15, wherein the grip ring grip surface contacts the outer conductor of the coaxial cable.

17. The connector of claim 15, wherein the grip ring grip surface contacts a jacket of the coaxial cable.