Coaxial cable connector with integral RFI protection

• US 9,912,105 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2017
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications RF, LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burris, Donald Andrew, Lutz, William Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US15/636,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20170302032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• 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 9/0524 Connection to outer conductor by action of a clamping member, e.g. screw fastening means H01R9/0515 takes precedence

Abstract

A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal is disclosed. The connector has a coupler adapted to couple the connector to a terminal, a body assembled with the coupler and a post assembled with the coupler and the body. The post is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable. The post has an integral contacting portion that is monolithic with at least a portion of the post. When assembled the coupler and post provide at least one circuitous path resulting in RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated, such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the terminal.

Claims

1. A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising:

a coupler comprising a front end, a rear end, a surface defining an inner bore disposed between the front end and the rear end, and a lip extending inwardly into the inner bore from the surface defining the inner bore, the lip comprising a forward facing surface, the forward facing surface of the lip comprising a step extending inwardly from the surface defining the inner bore into the inner bore, the coupler configured to couple the connector to the terminal;

a body assembled with the coupler, and

a post assembled with the coupler and the body, the post extending into the inner bore through the rear end of the coupler, wherein the post is configured to receive an end of a coaxial cable and comprises

a flange,

a collar portion defining a clearance fit with a through bore of the coupler to permit rotation of the coupler about the post,

a shoulder spaced from the flange along an outer surface of the post between the flange and the collar portion of the post, the shoulder comprising a rearward facing annular surface opposing the forward facing surface of the lip of the coupler and an outer surface opposing the step of the lip, and

a contacting portion extending from the shoulder over the outer surface of the post between the flange and the shoulder of the post, into the inner bore of the coupler.

2. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz.

3. The coaxial cable connector of claim 2, wherein the RF signals external to the connector comprise RF signals that ingress into and egress out from the connector.

4. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein a transfer impedance measured from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal through the connector averages less than about 0.24 ohms.

5. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein a first circuitous path includes a plurality of pairs of electromagnetically coupled faces established by the lip, the flange, the contacting portion, the coupler, and the shoulder, and wherein the first circuitous path attenuates of RF signals external to the connector.

6. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the contacting portion is integral and monolithic with the shoulder of the post.

7. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises an equipment connection port, and wherein the coupler comprises a threaded portion configured to connect with a threaded portion of an equipment connection port, and wherein at least one thread of the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.

8. The coaxial cable connector of claim 7, wherein the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler is about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.

9. The coaxial cable connector of claim 7, wherein the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler is about 62 degrees.

10. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein RF signals external to the coaxial connector comprise at least one of RF signals that ingress into the connector and RF signals that egress out from the connector.

11. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the coupler and post provide at least one circuitous path that attenuates of RF signals external to the connector.

12. The coaxial cable connector of claim 11 wherein the at least one circuitous path comprises a first circuitous path and a second circuitous path.

13. The coaxial cable connector of claim 12, wherein the the first circuitous path is established by the lip, the flange, the contacting portion, the coupler, and the shoulder.

14. The coaxial cable connector of claim 13, wherein the coupler comprises a threaded portion configured to connect with a threaded portion of the terminal, and wherein the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the terminal establish the second circuitous path.

15. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1, wherein the coupler comprises a threaded portion configured to connect with a threaded portion of the terminal and has a pitch angle of about 62 degrees.

16. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein the contacting portion additionally extends from the outer surface of the post between the flange and the shoulder of the post.

17. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein the contacting portion interfaces with the outer surface of the shoulder at a circumferential portion of the post that is radially displaced from the outer surface of the post between the flange and the shoulder of the post.

18. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein the rearward facing annular surface of the shoulder limits forward axial movement of the coupler by engaging the forward facing surface of the lip.

19. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein the forward facing surface of the lip of the coupler and the surface of the step of the lip opposed by the shoulder are orthogonal.

20. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein the contacting portion extends towards the flange of the post from the shoulder.

21. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein the contacting portion is at least partially preformed to electrically and contactedly fit with the coupler.

22. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein the shoulder and the contacting portion provide an electrically conductive path between the post and the coupler.

23. The coaxial cable connector of claim 1 wherein the forward facing surface of the lip comprises an additional extending further inwardly into the inner bore from the first step.

24. A coaxial cable connector comprising:

a coupler comprising a front end, a rear end, a surface defining an inner bore disposed between the front end and the rear end, and a lip extending inwardly into the inner bore from the surface defining the inner bore, the lip comprising a forward facing surface, the forward facing surface of the lip comprising a step extending inwardly from the surface defining the inner bore into the inner bore, the coupler configured to couple the connector to a terminal;

a body assembled with the coupler, and

a post assembled with the coupler and the body, the post extending into the inner bore through the rear end of the coupler, wherein the post is configured to receive an end of a coaxial cable and comprises

a shoulder spaced from the flange along an outer surface of the post, the shoulder comprising an outer surface opposing the step of the lip and a rearward facing annular surface opposing the forward facing surface of the lip of the coupler to limit forward axial movement of the coupler, and

a contacting portion extending from the shoulder into the inner bore of the coupler, wherein the contacting portion interfaces with the outer surface of the shoulder at a circumferential portion of the post that is radially displaced from an outer surface of the post forward of the shoulder.