Coaxial cable connector having electrical continuity member

• US 9,419,389 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Purdy, Eric, Montena, Noah P., Amidon, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, TRAVIS SLOAN
• Application Number:
  US14/104,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20140099814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 439/322, 439583-585, 439/792, 439/578
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6592 the conductive member being a shielded cable
• 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 4/48 utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member H01R4/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/05 for coaxial cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0521 Connection to outer conductor by action of a nut
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49123 Co-axial cable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

A coaxial cable connector comprising a connector body; a post engageable with the connector body, wherein the post includes a flange; a nut, axially rotatable with respect to the post and the connector body, the nut having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the nut includes an internal lip, and wherein a second end portion of the nut corresponds to the portion of the nut extending from the second end of the nut to the side of the lip of the nut facing the first end of the nut at a point nearest the second end of the nut, and a first end portion of the nut corresponds to the portion of the nut extending from the first end of the nut to the same point nearest the second end of the nut of the same side of the lip facing the first end of the nut; and a continuity member disposed within the second end portion of the nut and contacting the post and the nut, so that the continuity member extends electrical grounding continuity through the post and the nut is provided.

Claims

1. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an interface port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:

a body having a forward-most end having a forward facing body surface relative to a forward direction toward an interface port when the connector is installed on the interface port, and a rearward end configured to receive a portion of a coaxial cable;

a post configured to engage the body, the post including a flange having a forward facing post surface and a rearward facing post surface, the post being comprised of a conductive material sufficient to form an electrical grounding post path through the post, the rearward facing post surface facing away from the interface port when the connector is installed on the interface port;

a coupler configured to axially move between a first axial position relative to the interface port and a second axial position relative to the interface port, the coupler including;

a first end configured for coupling to the interface port;

an opposing second end;

a forwardly facing coupler surface; and

a rearwardly facing coupler surface;

wherein the coupler is further configured to move between a first coupler position, where the forwardly facing coupler surface contacts the rearward facing post surface, and a second coupler position, where at least a portion of the forward facing coupler surface is spaced away from and does not contact the rearward facing post surface, the coupler being comprised of a conductive material sufficient to form an electrical grounding coupler path through the coupler;

an electrical grounding continuity member including;

a rearward facing body contact surface configured to maintain contact with the forward facing body surface throughout an entire range of movement of the body when the connector is in an assembled state and during operation of the connector when the connector is installed on the interface port and when the connector is installed on a cable, the rearward facing body contact surface being configured to be maintained parallel to, while being maintained in contact with, the forward facing body surface of the body during operation of the connector when the connector is installed on the interface port and when the connector is installed on a cable;

a forward facing post contact surface configured to be maintained parallel to, and in electrical contact with, the rearward facing post surface of the flange of the post when the connector is in an assembled state and during operation of the connector when the connector is installed on the interface port and when the connector is installed on a cable, so as to maintain a first continuous electrical contact path portion between the electrical grounding continuity member and the post during operation of the connector when the connector is installed on an interface port and when the connector is installed on a cable; and

a forward facing coupler contact surface configured to maintain contact with the rearwardly facing coupler surface of the coupler so as to maintain a second continuous electrical contact path portion between the electrical grounding continuity member and the coupler throughout an entire range of movement of the coupler when the connector is in the assembled state and during operation of the connector when the connector is installed on the interface port and when the connector is installed on the cable, the coupler contact surface being comprised of a conductive and non-elastomeric material sufficient to form the second continuous electrical contact path portion between the electrical grounding continuity member and the coupler,

wherein the electrical grounding continuity member does not comprise an elastic sealing member;

wherein the electrical grounding continuity member is configured to maintain a continuous and non-intermittent electrical coupler-to-post grounding path portion through the post and the coupler when the coupler is in the first coupler position, when the coupler is in the second coupler position, and while the coupler moves between the first coupler position, where the forward facing coupler surface contacts the rearward facing post surface, and the second coupler position, where at least a portion of the forward facing coupler surface of the coupler is spaced away from and does not contact the rearward facing post surface of the post, such that the electrical grounding continuity member maintains the continuous and non-intermittent electrical coupler-to-post grounding path portion between the post and the coupler regardless of a location of the coupler relative to the post during operation of the connector when the connector is installed on the interface port and when the connector is installed on the cable;

wherein the continuous and non-intermittent electrical coupler-to-post grounding path portion between the post and the coupler is maintained by the electrical grounding continuity member even when the coupler, the post, and the body do not directly contact one another and when the connector is in the assembled state during operation of the connector;

wherein the electrical grounding continuity member comprises a metal material configured to extend and maintain the continuous and non-intermittent electrical coupler-to-post grounding path portion through the electrical grounding continuity member when the connector is in the assembled state and during operation of the connector when the connector is installed on the interface port, when the connector is installed on the cable, when the connector is fully tightened on the interface port, when the connector is not fully tightened on the interface port, and when the coupler, the post, and the body are not in direct electrical contact with one another;

wherein the rearward facing body contact surface and the forward facing post contact surface of the electrical grounding continuity member are configured to be physically and temporally maintained in a sandwiched position between the rearward facing post surface of the post and the forward facing body surface of the body during operation of the connector when the connector is installed on the interface port, when the connector is installed on the cable, when the connector is fully tightened on the interface port, when the connector is loosely tightened on the interface port, and when the coupler and the post are not in direct electrical contact with one another; and

wherein the rearward facing body contact surface and the forward facing post contact surface of the electrical grounding continuity member are configured to be physically and temporally maintained in the sandwiched position between the rearward facing post surface of the post and the forward facing body surface of the body even when the connector has not yet been installed on the interface port and even when the connector has not yet been installed on the cable.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical grounding continuity member includes a resilient flexible portion configured to arch out from a plan of the forward facing post contact surface along a curved path.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical grounding continuity member includes a first resilient arcuate portion and a second resilient arcuate portion radially spaced from the first resilient arcuate portion, the first and second resilient arcuate portions each extending between two radially spaced portions of the forward facing post contact surface of the electrical grounding continuity member.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical grounding continuity member is configured to maintain the continuous electrical coupler-to-post grounding path portion even when the post and the coupler are not in direct electrical contact with one another during operation of the connector.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical grounding continuity member is configured to maintain the continuous electrical coupler-to-post grounding path portion even when the post and the coupler are not in electrical contact with one another during operation of the connector.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein continuity is not intermittent.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein continuity is not incidental electrical contact.

8. The connector of claim 1, wherein continuity is formed by a continuous electrical connection and is not formed by an intermittent electrical connection.

9. The connector of claim 1, wherein continuity is not formed by incidental electrical contact.

10. The connector of claim 1, wherein continuity is not formed by momentary electrical contact.

11. The connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical grounding continuity member comprises a fully metal material configured to extend the continuous and non-intermittent electrical coupler-to-post path portion through the entire continuity member when the connector is in the assembled state.

12. The connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical grounding continuity member comprises a fully metal material configured to extend the continuous and non-intermittent electrical coupler-to-post path portion through a center portion of the continuity member when the connector is in the assembled state.

13. The connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical grounding continuity member comprises an annular base portion, the rearward facing body contact surface comprises a first side of the annular base portion, and the forward facing post contact surface comprises a second side of the annular base portion.

14. The connector of claim 13, wherein the annular base portion is configured to remain continuously pressed flat between the rearward facing post surface of the post and the forward facing body surface of the body at all times during operation of the connector.

15. The connector of claim 14, wherein the annular base portion is configured to be pressed flat between the rearward facing post surface of the post and the forward facing body surface of the body even when the connector has not yet been installed on the interface port and on the cable.

16. The connector of claim 13, wherein the electrical grounding continuity member is configured to biasingly maintain the forward facing-coupler contact surface in contact with the rearwardly facing coupler surface of the coupler during operation of the connector when the connector is installed on the interface port and when the connector is installed on the cable such that the forward facing coupler contact surface is configured to move relative to the annular base portion when the coupler moves relative to the post during operation of the connector.

17. The connector of claim 16, wherein the electrical grounding continuity member is configured to biasingly maintain the forward facing coupler contact surface in contact with the rearwardly facing coupler surface of the coupler even when the connector in an assembled, pre-installed state, where the connector has not yet been installed on the interface port and where the connector has not yet been installed on the cable, such that the forward facing coupler contact surface is configured to move relative to the annular base portion when the coupler moves relative to the post even when the connector in the assembled, pre-installed state.

18. The connector of claim 1, wherein the post and the body are configured to form a gap between the rearward facing post surface of the post and the forward facing body surface of the body when the rearward facing body contact surface and the forward facing post contact surface of the electrical grounding continuity member are maintained in the sandwiched position during operation of the connector.

19. The connector of claim 18, wherein the gap forms a leak path between the body and the post.

20. The connector of claim 19, wherein the continuity member is configured to maintain the continuous and non-intermittent electrical coupler-to-post grounding path portion even when the connector is in a loosely assembled state during operation of the connector.

21. The connector of claim 20, wherein the loosely assembled state comprises a state of the connector where the coupler is not in electrical contact with the post.