Hand tightenable coaxial cable connector

• US 8,444,433 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Belden Inc.
• Inventors: Snyder, Bryan S., Derenthal, Brian, Phillips, Roger Jr., Rodrigues, Julio
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US13/223,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20120108104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 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 9/05 for coaxial cables

Abstract

A coaxial cable connector includes a connector body having a forward end and a rearward cable receiving end for receiving a cable and a nut rotatably coupled to the forward end of the connector body. The nut includes a flanged head portion at its forward end and a tubular body portion extending rearwardly from the head portion over the connector body and terminating adjacent the rearward cable receiving end of the connector body. The flanged head portion is radially enlarged, having an outer diameter greater than a maximum outer diameter of the tubular body portion, and the tubular body portion preferably surrounds more than half the length of the connector body.

Claims

1. A coaxial cable connector for coupling a coaxial cable to a mating connector, the connector comprising:

a connector body having a forward end, a rearward cable receiving end for receiving a cable, and a midway point axially therebetween; and

a nut rotatably interconnected to the forward end of the connector body, the nut extending from a foremost end to a rear end, the nut including;

a radially enlarged flanged head portion extending from the foremost end of the nut to a peripheral wall;

a tubular body portion extending rearwardly from the peripheral wall over the connector body past the midway point of the connector body, the radially enlarged head portion having an outer diameter greater than a maximum outer diameter of the tubular body portion;

a bore extending axially from the foremost end of the nut to the rear end of the nut; and

a counter-bore extending axially rearward from the foremost end; and

an insert disposed between the connector body and the nut, wherein the insert fixed to the nut and rotatably coupled to the connector body, and wherein the insert comprises a radially outward extending flange received in the counter-bore of the nut.

2. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular body portion of said nut surrounds more than half the length of said connector body.

3. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular body portion of said nut includes a knurled outer surface to enhance gripping of said nut by hand.

4. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 3, wherein said knurled outer surface comprises an uneven pattern for improved moldability.

5. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said uneven pattern of said knurled outer surface comprises:

a first row of protrusions disposed along a first central axial reference plane;

a second row of protrusions disposed along a second central axial reference plane, said second central axial reference plane being perpendicular to said first central axial reference plane; and

a series of intermediate rows of protrusions arranged sequentially between and parallel with said first and second rows of protrusions, each intermediate row of protrusions including a ramp portion having an outer surface sloping in a direction from said first central axial reference plane to said second central axial plane at an angle of at least ninety degrees when measured from said first central axial reference plane to said outer surface.

6. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 5, wherein said angle of said ramp portion outer surface of each row of said series of intermediate rows is greater than said angle of said ramp portion outer surface of a preceding row when moving in a direction from said first row of protrusions to said second row of protrusions.

7. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 1, further comprising an annular post disposed within said connector body, said tubular body portion of said nut surrounding more than half the length of said annular post.

8. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said nut is made from a plastic material, and said insert is electrically conductive.

9. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 1, wherein the insert extends from a foremost end to a rearward end adjacent the forward end of the connector body, the foremost end of the insert being substantially flush with the foremost end of the nut.

10. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 1, wherein the tubular body portion of the nut terminates adjacent the rearward cable receiving region of the connector body.

11. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 1, wherein the radially enlarged head portion has a substantially circular radial cross-section to inhibit use of a tool thereon, and the tubular body portion of the nut has a substantially circular radial cross-section to inhibit use of tools thereupon, an outer surface of the tubular body portion being knurled to enhance gripping of said nut by hand.

12. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 1, wherein the tubular body portion defines a preferred region for grasping the nut, and the peripheral wall defines a stop to keep as user'"'"'s fingers from moving off of the preferred region for grasping the nut.

13. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 1, wherein the rearward cable receiving end of the connector body is configured to receive a locking sleeve.

14. A coaxial cable connector for coupling a coaxial cable to a mating connector, the coaxial cable connector comprising:

a connector body having a forward portion and a rearward cable receiving portion for receiving a cable;

an annular post disposed within the connector body, the post having a forward portion coupled with the forward portion of the connector body;

an electrically conductive, tubular insert having a rearward portion rotatably coupled to the forward portion of the connector body and the forward portion of the annular post, the tubular insert comprising an internal threaded surface; and

a nut made from a plastic material coupled to an outer surface of the tubular insert, the nut extending from a foremost end to a rear end, the nut configured to receive the tubular insert in an opening in the foremost end such that the threaded surface of the tubular insert is within the nut;

wherein said nut comprises a radially enlarged flanged head portion defining a forward end of said nut and a tubular body portion extending rearwardly from said head portion, said radially enlarged head portion having an outer diameter greater than a maximum outer diameter of said tubular body portion.

15. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 14,

said tubular body portion extends rearwardly from said head portion over more than half the length of said connector body and said annular post and terminating adjacent said rearward cable receiving portion of said connector body.

16. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 15, wherein said tubular body portion comprises a knurled outer surface to enhance gripping of said nut by hand, said knurled outer surface having an uneven pattern for improved moldability.

17. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 16, wherein said uneven pattern of said knurled outer surface comprises:

a first row of protrusions disposed along a first central axial reference plane;

a second row of protrusions disposed along a second central axial reference plane, said second central axial reference plane being perpendicular to said first central axial reference plane; and

a series of intermediate rows of protrusions arranged sequentially between and parallel with said first and second rows of protrusions, each intermediate row of protrusions including a ramp portion having an outer surface sloping in a direction from said first central axial reference plane to said second central axial plane at an angle of at least ninety degrees when measured from said first central axial reference plane to said outer surface.

18. A coaxial cable connector as defined in claim 17, wherein said angle of said ramp portion outer surface of each row of said series of intermediate rows is greater than said angle of said ramp portion outer surface of a preceding row when moving in a direction from said first row of protrusions to said second row of protrusions.