RFI ingress reduction coaxial cable connector

• US 9,270,064 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Holland Electronics LLC (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Holland Electronics LLC (Amphenol Corporation)
• Inventors: Holland, Michael, Gibson, Reed
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US14/320,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20140315428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 439/578
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6582 with resilient means for engaging mating connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7036 the switch being in series with coupling part, e.g. dead coupling, explosion proof coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/38 having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/40 specially adapted for high frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/46 comprising switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/525 Outlets
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/48 utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member H01R4/52 takes precedence

Abstract

A coaxial connector including a selectively engageable radio frequency interference shield.

Claims

1. A shielded coaxial connector comprising:

a connector body housing a center conductor;

a switch within the body that is electrically isolated from the body; and

,

the switch operable to open a circuit that includes the center conductor;

further comprising;

a switch stationery assembly including a stationery contact; and

, a switch movable assembly including a movable contact;

further comprising;

a nose of the movable assembly;

the nose protruding from a body end; and

, the nose configured to operate the switch when a mating connector engages the nose and pushes it toward the body end.

2. The connector of claim 1 further comprising a spring encircling a switch contact.

3. The connector of claim 1 wherein the movable assembly includes a female contact for receiving a center conductor of a coaxial cable.

4. The connector of claim 1 wherein the movable assembly includes a male contact for engaging a mating coaxial connector.

5. The connector of claim 1 wherein the movable assembly includes a male contact and a female contact.

6. The connector of claim 1 wherein the moveable assembly includes two female contacts.

7. The connector of claim 1 wherein the relative position of the contacts changes with an overall length of the connector.

8. A shielded coaxial cable connector comprising:

a connector body housing a center conductor;

a mechanically actuated radio frequency interference shield assembly including a connector nose moveable with respect to the body;

the connector nose coupled to at least a portion of the center conductor such that when the nose moves, the center conductor portion moves; and

,

a spring that urges at least a portion of the nose to protrude from a nose end of the body;

wherein a mating connector that engages the body nose end forces at least a portion of the nose into the body.

9. The shielded connector of claim 8 wherein the spring encircles the center conductor.

10. A method of providing a coaxial cable connector with a radio frequency interference ingress reduction shield comprising the steps of:

providing a connector body with a center conductor including a movable center conductor portion;

urging a nose to protrude from a nose end of the connector;

the nose freely protruding from the nose end of the connector when no mating connector engages the nose end of the connector;

a mating connector forcing the nose at least partially into the body when the mating connector engages the nose end of the connector; and

,

shielding the center conductor against ingress of radio frequency interference when the nose end of the connector does not engage a mating connector.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a CATV operator replaces non-shielded connectors with the shielded connectors to reduce the ingress of unwanted radio frequency signals into a CATV distribution system.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein non-shielded bulkhead connectors are replaced with the shielded bulkhead connectors to reduce the ingress of unwanted radio frequency signals into radio frequency equipment.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein a nose biasing spring encircles the center conductor.