Coaxial cable compression connectors

• US 8,388,375 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates, Llc
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Chawgo, Shawn, Montena, Noah
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US13/093,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20110244722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578, 439583-585
• US Class Current: 439/578
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/38 having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/56 specially adapted to a specific shape of cables, e.g. corrugated cables, twisted pair cables, cables with two screens or hollow cables
• 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

Coaxial cable connectors. In one example embodiment, a coaxial cable connector for terminating a coaxial cable is provided. The coaxial cable includes an inner conductor, an insulating layer, an outer conductor, and a jacket. The coaxial cable connector includes an internal connector structure, an external connector structure, and a conductive pin. The external connector structure cooperates with the internal connector structure to define a cylindrical gap that is configured to receive an increased-diameter section of the outer conductor. The external connector structure is configured to be clamped around the increased-diameter section so as to radially compress the increased-diameter section between the external connector structure and the internal connector structure. The conductive pin is configured to deform the inner conductor.

Claims

1. A coaxial cable connector for terminating a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, an insulating layer surrounding the inner conductor, and a flexible outer conductor surrounding the insulating layer, the coaxial cable connector comprising:

an internal connector structure;

an external connector structure that cooperates with the internal connector structure to define a gap that is configured to receive a widened section of the flexible outer conductor; and

a conductive pin,

wherein, under the condition that the coaxial cable connector is transitioned from a first position to a second position, the external connector structure is configured to be clamped around the widened section so as to radially compress the widened section between the external connector structure and the internal connector structure, and a contact force between the conductive pin and the inner conductor is configured to increase.

2. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the internal connector structure has an outside surface with a radial width that is greater than an average radial width of the outer conductor;

the external connector structure has an inside surface that surrounds the outside surface of the internal connector structure and cooperates with the outside surface to define the gap; and

the inside surface is configured to be clamped around the widened section so as to radially compress the widened section between the inside surface and the outside surface under the condition that the coaxial cable connector is transitioned from the first position to the second position.

3. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 2, wherein the radial width of the outside surface of the internal connector structure is greater than a smallest radial width of the flexible outer conductor.

4. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 2, wherein the internal connector structure further has an inwardly-tapering outside surface adjacent to the outside surface.

5. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 2, wherein the conductive pin is configured to be radially expanded or radially contracted so as to radially engage the inner conductor.

6. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 2, wherein the external connector structure has an outwardly-tapering inside surface adjacent to the inside surface.

7. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 2, wherein the outside surface has a length that is at least two times a thickness of the flexible outer conductor.

8. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 7, wherein the inside surface has a length that is at least two times a thickness of the flexible outer conductor.

9. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the external connector structure defines a slot running the length of the external connector structure, the slot being configured to narrow or close as the connector is moved from the first position to the second position.

10. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 9, wherein the external connector structure further has an inwardly-tapering outside transition surface.

11. The coaxial cable connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the collet portion is configured to receive and surround a narrowed portion of the inner conductor such that, when the coaxial cable connector is in the second position, an outer surface of the collet portion is substantially radially equidistant with an outside surface of the inner conductor.

12. A connector for terminating a corrugated coaxial cable, the corrugated coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, an insulating layer surrounding the inner conductor, and a corrugated outer conductor having peaks and valleys and surrounding the insulating layer, the connector comprising:

a mandrel having an outside surface with a radial width that is greater than a radial width of valleys of the corrugated outer conductor;

a clamp having an inside surface that surrounds the outside surface of the mandrel and cooperates with the mandrel to define a gap that is configured to receive a widened section of the corrugated outer conductor; and

a conductive pin,

wherein, under the condition that the coaxial cable connector is moved from an open position to an engaged position, the inside surface is configured to be clamped around the widened section so as to radially compress the widened section between the clamp and the mandrel, and a contact force between the conductive pin and the inner conductor is configured to increase.

13. The connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the radial width of the outside surface of the mandrel is greater than an average radial width of the corrugated outer conductor.

14. The connector as recited in claim 13, wherein the radial width of the outside surface of the mandrel is greater than or equal to the inside radial width of the peaks of the corrugated outer conductor.

15. The connector as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

a jacket surrounding the corrugated outer conductor; and

a jacket seal configured to surround the jacket and configured to become shorter in length and thicker in width as the connector is moved from the open position to the engaged position.

16. The connector as recited in claim 15, wherein a smallest radial width of the jacket seal with the connector in the engaged position is less than the sum of a radial width of the outside surface of the mandrel plus two times the average thickness of the jacket.

17. The connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the collet portion is configured to receive and surround a narrowed portion of the inner conductor such that, when the coaxial cable connector is in the engaged position, an outside surface of the collet portion is substantially radially equidistant to an outer surface of the inner conductor.

18. A connector for terminating a smooth-walled coaxial cable, the smooth-walled coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, an insulating layer surrounding the inner conductor, and a smooth-walled outer conductor surrounding the insulating layer, the connector comprising:

a mandrel having an outside surface with a radial width that is greater than an inside radial width of the smooth-walled outer conductor;

a clamp having an inside surface that surrounds the outside surface of the mandrel and cooperates with the mandrel to define a gap that is configured to receive a widened section of the smooth-walled outer conductor; and

a conductive pin,

wherein, under the condition that the coaxial cable connector is moved from an open position to an engaged position, the inside surface is configured to be clamped around the widened section so as to radially compress the widened section between the clamp and the mandrel, and a contact force between the conductive pin and the inner conductor is configured to increase.

19. The connector as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

a jacket surrounding the smooth-walled outer conductor; and

a jacket seal configured to surround the jacket, the jacket seal having an inside radial width that is less than the sum of the radial width of the outside surface of the mandrel plus two times the thickness of the jacket.

20. The connector as recited in claim 18, wherein the length of the outside surface of the mandrel is greater than or equal to about thirty times the thickness of the smooth-walled outer conductor.