Connector having a nut-body continuity element and method of use thereof
First Claim
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1. A coaxial cable connector comprising:
- a connector body having a first body end configured to face away from an interface port when the connector is in an assembled state, and a second body end configured to face toward the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, the second body end including an inner body surface configured to engage a post when the connector is in the assembled state and an outer body surface facing away from the inner body surface;
a coupling element having a first coupling element end configured to engage the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, and a second coupling element end configured to face away from the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, the coupling element including;
an inner coupling element portion configured to rotatably engage an outer surface of the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state;
a radial mating edge end face surface extending along a radial direction from the inner coupling element portion and configured to face along a longitudinal direction of the connector and away from the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state; and
an outer internal wall extending from the radial mating edge end face surface along the longitudinal direction of the connector and away from the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state; and
a continuity element configured to be spaced away from the post and located outside the inner coupling element portion of the coupling element and outside the connector body proximate the second end of the connector body such that no portion of the continuity member is located either inside the connector body or inside the radial mating edge end face surface of the coupling element when the connector is in the assembled state, the continuity element including;
a coupling element side surface configured to face toward the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, maintain contact with only the radial mating edge end face surface of the coupling element when the connector is in the assembled state and when the connector body and coupling element move relative to each other, and not contact the outer internal wall of the coupling element when the connector is in the assembled state; and
a body engaging side surface configured to face away from the interface portion and contact only the outer body surface of the body when the connector is in the assembled state; and
wherein the continuity element constantly biases the radial mating edge end face surface of the coupling element to establish and maintain continuous electrical continuity between the coupling element and the post when the connector is in the assembled state and when the coupling element rotates about a central axis of the coaxial cable connector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A connector having a nut-body continuity element is provided, wherein the nut-body continuity element electrically couples a nut and a connector body, thereby establishing electrical continuity between the nut and the connector body. Furthermore, the nut-body continuity element facilitates grounding through the connector, and renders an electromagnetic shield preventing ingress of unwanted environmental noise.
603 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A coaxial cable connector comprising:
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a connector body having a first body end configured to face away from an interface port when the connector is in an assembled state, and a second body end configured to face toward the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, the second body end including an inner body surface configured to engage a post when the connector is in the assembled state and an outer body surface facing away from the inner body surface; a coupling element having a first coupling element end configured to engage the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, and a second coupling element end configured to face away from the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, the coupling element including; an inner coupling element portion configured to rotatably engage an outer surface of the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state; a radial mating edge end face surface extending along a radial direction from the inner coupling element portion and configured to face along a longitudinal direction of the connector and away from the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state; and an outer internal wall extending from the radial mating edge end face surface along the longitudinal direction of the connector and away from the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state; and a continuity element configured to be spaced away from the post and located outside the inner coupling element portion of the coupling element and outside the connector body proximate the second end of the connector body such that no portion of the continuity member is located either inside the connector body or inside the radial mating edge end face surface of the coupling element when the connector is in the assembled state, the continuity element including; a coupling element side surface configured to face toward the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, maintain contact with only the radial mating edge end face surface of the coupling element when the connector is in the assembled state and when the connector body and coupling element move relative to each other, and not contact the outer internal wall of the coupling element when the connector is in the assembled state; and a body engaging side surface configured to face away from the interface portion and contact only the outer body surface of the body when the connector is in the assembled state; and wherein the continuity element constantly biases the radial mating edge end face surface of the coupling element to establish and maintain continuous electrical continuity between the coupling element and the post when the connector is in the assembled state and when the coupling element rotates about a central axis of the coaxial cable connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A coaxial cable connector with a body member having an inner body portion configured to engage a port when the connector is in the assembled state and an outer body portion configured to face substantially away from the inner body portion, the connector comprising:
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a coupling member having a rearwardly facing mating edge portion configured to substantially face a rearward direction of the connector away from the port when the connector is in the assembled state, the rearwardly facing mating edge portion including an inward protrusion; an external continuity member configured to be located outside the inward protrusion of the coupling member and outside the outer body portion of the body member such that no portion of the external continuity member is located either inside the body member or inside the inward protrusion of the coupling member when the connector is in the assembled state, the external continuity member including; a coupling member contact portion configured to substantially face toward the port when the connector is in the assembled state, maintain contact with the rearwardly facing mating edge portion of the coupling member when the connector is in the assembled state; and a body member contact portion configured to maintain contact with the outer body portion of the body member when the connector is in the assembled state; wherein the external continuity member is resilient, is not configured to form an environmental seal, is made of a substantially metallic material that is exposed to environmental materials, is configured to create a constant biasing forcing force against the rearwardly facing mating edge face portion when the connector is in the assembled state and when the coupling member and body member move relative to one another, and is configured to form a continuous metallic electrical grounding path extending between the coupling member and the body member so as to maintain electrical continuity between the body member and the coupling member when the connector is in the assembled state. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of assembling a connector comprising:
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providing a body member having an outwardly facing portion; providing a coupling member having a rearwardly facing portion extending along a substantially radial direction, and an inward protrusion extending from the rearwardly facing portion along the substantially radial direction; providing a post member engageable with the body member and the coupling member when the connector is in an assembled state; providing an external continuity member having a first continuity portion configured to contact the rearwardly facing portion of the coupling member when the connector is in the assembled state, and a second continuity portion configured to contact the outwardly facing portion of the body member when the connector is in the assembled state, the external continuity member being resilient; arranging the external continuity member so as to create a constant biasing force against the rearwardly facing mating edge portion when the connector is in the assembled state and when the coupling member and body member move relative to one another to establish and maintain continuous electrical continuity between the coupling member and the post when the connector is the assembled state, even when the coupling member, the post, and the body member move away from and out of contact with one another; arranging the external continuity member so as to be spaced away from the post member when the connector is in the assembled state; and positioning the external continuity member so as to be located outside both the rearwardly facing mating edge portion of the coupling member and the outwardly facing portion of the body member such that no portion of the external continuity member is located either inside the connector body or inside the inward protrusion of the coupling member. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A coaxial cable connector comprising:
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a connector body having a first body end configured to face away from an interface port when the connector is in an assembled state, and a second body end configured to face toward the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, the second body end including an inner body surface configured to engage a post when the connector is in the assembled state and an outer body surface facing away from the inner body surface; a coupling element having a first coupling element end configured to engage the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, and a second coupling element end configured to face away from the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state, the coupling element including; an inner coupling element portion configured to rotatably engage an outer surface of the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state; a radial mating edge end face surface extending along a radial direction from the inner coupling element portion and configured to face along a longitudinal direction of the connector and away from the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state; and an outer internal wall extending from the radial mating edge end face surface along the longitudinal direction of the connector and away from the interface port when the connector is in the assembled state; and a continuity element configured to be spaced away from the post and located outside the inner coupling element portion of the coupling element and outside the connector body proximate the second end of the connector body such that no portion of the continuity member is located either inside the connector body or inside the radial mating edge end face surface of the coupling element when the connector is in the assembled state, the continuity element including; a coupling element side surface configured to face radially outward from a central axis of the coaxial cable connector when the connector is in the assembled state, maintain contact with only the outer internal wall of the coupling element when the connector is in the assembled state and when the connector body and coupling element move relative to each other; and a body engaging side surface configured to face radially inward from the central axis of the coaxial cable connector and contact only the outer body surface of the body when the connector is in the assembled state; and wherein the continuity element constantly biases the outer internal wall of the coupling element to establish and maintain continuous electrical continuity between the coupling element and the connector body when the connector is in the assembled state and when the coupling element rotates about a central axis of the coaxial cable connector.
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Specification