Post assembly for coaxial cable connectors

• US 9,130,281 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, Roger Jr., Mansfield, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchi T
• Application Number:
  US14/255,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20140315448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578, 439/540.1, 439/534, 439/550, 439/563, 439/572
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• 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 post assembly for a coaxial cable connector comprises, in one embodiment, a post configured to be coupled to a conductor of the coaxial cable. The post assembly has a post extender disposed between the post and an interface port, and a spring configured to urge the post extender toward the interface port.

Claims

1. A coaxial cable connector comprising:

a post having an aperture defining an elongate axis and configured to be electrically coupled to an outer conductor of a coaxial cable to produce an electrical ground path, the post comprising a forward end configured to face a forward direction toward an interface port, a rearward end configured to face a rearward direction opposite of the forward direction, an external forward lip proximal to the forward end, an annular barb proximal to the rearward end, and an external circumferential groove located between the forward and rearward ends, the aperture of the post furthermore defining a first annular cavity extending from the forward end to a first inwardly projecting lip, and a second annular cavity extending from the first inwardly projecting lip to a second inwardly projecting lip;

a post extender electrically coupled to the post and having a forward face configured to electrically engage the interface port, the post extender received within at least a portion of the aperture,

the post extender having a cylindrical body disposed between an outwardly projecting forward flange and an outwardly projecting rearward protrusion, the outwardly projecting forward flange defining a forward facing contact surface,

the rearward protrusion engaging the second inwardly projecting lip of the post to axially retain the post extender within the post,

the rearward protrusion being segmented by a plurality of axial slots to facilitate radial displacement of the rearward protrusion during assembly of post extender within the second annular cavity;

a biasing member interposing the post and the post extender and configured to urge the post extender axially toward the interface port to maintain electrical contact with the interface port irrespective a relative displacement between the interface port and the post,

the biasing member comprising a coil spring disposed over the cylindrical body and interposing a rearward facing surface of the outwardly projecting forward flange and a forward facing surface of the first inwardly projecting lip of the post;

a coupler operative to couple the post to an interface port and move the post extender toward the interface port to compress the coil spring such that, during axial and/or angular displacement of the post relative to the elongate axis, the post extender maintains contact and electrical continuity with the interface port, the coupler having an inwardly projecting annular lip engaging an outwardly projecting annular lip of the post to urge the post toward interface port, cause a conductive region of the interface port to engage the forward facing contact surface of the post extender, and compress coil spring; and

a connector body defining a central bore configured to receive at least a portion of the post and having an inwardly projecting flange engaging the external circumferential groove of the post,

the connector body and external surface of the post defining an annular cavity for receiving a prepared end of the coaxial cable; and

a compression member received within the central bore of the connector body and having a collapsible bellows disposed axially forward of the rearward end of the post,

the compression member configured to be pushed axially into the central bore to collapse the collapsible bellows radially inward over the prepared end of the coaxial cable so that an elastomeric jacket thereof is radially compressed against the post, the radial compression of the elastomeric jacket effecting frictional engagement of the coaxial cable with the post,

wherein the post extender is configured to cooperate with the biasing member to maintain an electrical ground path from the post to the interface port independent of any axial separation between the post and the interface port and independent of any angular articulation of the post extender relative to the post.

2. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the first annular cavity tapers from a first diameter proximal to the forward end to a smaller diameter proximal the first inwardly projecting lip.

3. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, further comprising an electrical continuity member configured to be received by the post and extend to an aft surface of the coupler.

4. The coaxial cable connector of claim 3, wherein the electrical continuity member is configured to produce an axial force for closing axial gaps between the coupler and the post.

5. A post assembly for a coaxial cable connector, the post assembly comprising:

a post configured to be coupled to a conductor of a coaxial cable the post extending along an axis;

a post extender configured to be disposed between the post and an interface port, the post extender configured to move axially along the axis relative to the post; and

a spring configured to urge the post extender toward the interface port,

wherein the post extender is configured to cooperate with the spring to maintain an electrical ground path from the post to the interface port independent of any axial separation between the post and the interface port and independent of any angular articulation of the post extender relative to the post.

6. The post assembly of claim 5, wherein the post extender articulates angularly relative to the elongate axis.

7. The post assembly of claim 5, wherein the post defines a cavity and wherein at least a portion of the post extender is disposed within the cavity.

8. The post assembly of claim 7, wherein the post extender includes the cylindrical body having a forward facing flange defining a rearwardly facing abutment surface, wherein the cavity of the post includes a forwardly facing abutment surface and wherein the biasing member is a coil spring disposed over the cylindrical body of the post extender and between the forwardly facing and rearwardly facing abutment surfaces of the post extender and cavity.

9. The post assembly of claim 5, wherein within the post includes a first and second cavities separated by an inwardly projecting lip, and wherein the post extender includes an outwardly projecting rearward protrusion engaging the inwardly projecting lip to retain the post extender relative to the post.

10. The post assembly of claim 9, wherein the rearward protrusion is rounded to facilitate articulation of the post extender relative to the elongate axis.

11. The post assembly of claim 9, wherein the first cavity defines a forward end, a first inwardly projecting lip, and a tapered internal surface therebetween, wherein the tapered internal surface defines a first diameter proximal the forward end and a second diameter proximal the first inwardly projecting lip, and wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter to accommodate angular articulation of the post extender relative to the post.

12. The post assembly of claim 9, wherein the rearward protrusion is segmented to facilitate flexure of the rearward protrusion during assembly of post extender.

13. The post assembly of claim 12, wherein the second cavity includes a tapered internal surface tending to bias the post extender forwardly toward the interface port.

14. A post assembly for a coaxial cable connector, the post assembly comprising:

a post comprising a forward end defining a cavity and a rearward end, the post configured to be coupled to a conductor of a coaxial cable at the rearward end to produce an electrical ground path therebetween and configured to be coupled to an interface port at the forward end, the post extending along an elongate axis;

a post extender configured to be (i) at least partially received within the cavity, (ii) electrically connected to the post at a rearward end, and (iii) electrically engaged with the interface port at a forward end, the post extender configured to move axially along the elongate axis relative to the post; and

a spring configured to move the post extender toward the interface port so as to maintain the electrical ground path from the post extender to the interface port independent of axial separation of the post extender relative to the post and independent of any angular articulation of the post extender relative to the post.

15. The post assembly of claim 14, wherein the post extender is configured to articulate angularly relative to the elongate axis while the electrical ground path is maintained.

16. The post assembly of claim 14, wherein within the post includes first and second cavities separated by an inwardly projecting lip, and wherein the post extender includes an outwardly projecting rearward protrusion configured to engage the inwardly projecting lip to retain the post extender relative to the post.

17. The post assembly of claim 16, wherein the rearward protrusion is rounded to facilitate articulation of the post extender relative to the elongate axis.

18. The post assembly of claim 16, wherein the first cavity defines a forward end, a first inwardly projecting lip, and a tapered internal surface therebetween, wherein the tapered internal surface defines a first diameter proximal the forward end and a second diameter proximal the first inwardly projecting lip, and wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter to accommodate angular articulation of the post extender relative to the post.

19. The post assembly of claim 16, wherein the rearward protrusion is segmented to facilitate flexure of the rearward protrusion during assembly of post extender.

20. The post assembly of claim 19, wherein the second cavity includes a tapered internal surface tending to bias the post extender forwardly toward the interface port.