Coaxial cable connector having electrical continuity member

• US 8,323,060 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Purdy, Eric, Montena, Noah, Amidon, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chambers, Travis
• Application Number:
  US13/523,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20120270428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 173 Days
• Field of Search: 439/792, 439583-585
• US Class Current: 439/792
• 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; a nut, 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 a continuity member disposed within a 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, 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 post including a forward post end, a rearward post end, and a flange having a forward facing flange surface, a rearward facing flange surface, a lip surface extending from the rearward facing flange surface, and a continuity post engaging surface extending from the lip surface, wherein the rearward post end is configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under at least a portion of the conductive grounding shield thereof to make electrical contact with the conductive grounding shield of the coaxial cable;

a connector body having a forward body end, a rearward body end, and a continuity body engaging surface configured to fit the continuity post engaging surface of the flange of the post when the connector body is positioned around a portion of the post;

a coupler configured to rotate relative to the post and the connector body, the coupler including a forward coupler end configured for fastening to an interface port and to move between a partially tightened coupler position on the interface port and a fully tightened coupler position on the interface port, a rearward coupler end, and an internal lip having a forward facing lip surface facing the forward coupler end and configured to rotate relative to the rearward facing flange surface of the post and allow the post to pivot relative to the coupler, a rearward facing lip surface facing the rearward coupler end, and an intermediate surface between the forward facing lip surface and the rearward facing lip surface, the intermediate surface configured to fit the lip surface of the flange of the post that extends from the rearward facing flange surface of the flange of the post; and

a continuity member disposed only rearward of the forward facing lip surface of the internal lip of the coupler, the continuity member having a continuity base portion extending between the continuity post engaging surface of the post and the continuity body engaging surface of the connector body, and a continuity contact surface configured to be biased against the rearward facing lip surface of the internal lip of the coupler so as to maintain electrical continuity between the coupler and the post when the coupler is in the partially tightened position on the interface port, even when the coupler is in the fully tightened position on the interface port, and even when the post moves relative to the coupler.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector includes a cable fastener member movably coupled to the connector body.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the coupler contacts the body.

4. The connector of claim 1, further including a sealing member, positioned between the coupler and the connector body, the sealing member providing a physical seal and barrier to ingress of environmental contaminants into the connector.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein the continuity member helps ensure a continuous electromagnetic shield from the coaxial cable to the interface port, even when the coupler is coupled to the interface port by only a few threads.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the continuity member is configured to flex and retain consistent physical and electrical contact with a conductive surface of the rotatable coupler, to help ensure continuity of an electrical path between the interface port and the coaxial cable, even when the coupler moves.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a component of the connector is formed having a conductive coating.

8. The connector of claim 1, wherein the continuity member includes a disc-like portion and a resilient flexible portion connected to the disc-like portion and configured to arch away from a plane of the disc-like portion of the continuity member.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the continuity member includes a plurality of flexible portions, the plurality of flexible portions forming symmetrical portions each arched above the general plane of the disc.

10. A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable, 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 connector body, having a forward end and an opposing rearward end, the rearward end configured to receive a portion of the coaxial cable;

a post, configured to engage the connector body, the post having a forward end including an external annular protrusion and a rearward end, the rearward end configured to be inserted into an end of the coaxial cable around the dielectric and under at least a portion of the conductive grounding shield thereof to make electrical contact with the conductive grounding shield of the coaxial cable;

a nut, rotatable relative to the post and the connector body, the nut including a forward nut end portion configured for coupling to an interface port, a rearward nut end portion, and an internal lip, the internal lip having a forward lip surface facing the forward end portion of the nut and a rearward lip surface facing the rearward end portion of the nut; and

a continuity member having a nut contact portion positioned to electrically contact the nut and positioned to reside around an external portion of the connector body when the connector is assembled, wherein the continuity member helps facilitate electrical grounding continuity through the body and the nut and helps extend electromagnetic shielding from the coaxial cable through the connector to help prevent RF ingress into the connector.

11. The connector of claim 10, further comprising positioning a sealing ring between the nut and the body structure, the sealing ring being configured to prevent ingress of unwanted environmental contaminants into the connector.

12. The connector of claim 10, wherein the continuity member includes a generally disk-like portion.

13. The connector of claim 10, wherein the continuity member is configured to make axially lengthwise contact with the post at a position axially rearward of the external annular protrusion.

14. The connector of claim 10, wherein the continuity member is configured to maintain a constant electrical ground path extending from the post to the nut when the connector is only partially installed on the interface port.

15. The connector of claim 10, wherein the nut contact portion of the continuity member is configured to be biased against the second surface of the internal lip of the nut when the connector is assembled.

16. The connector of claim 10, further comprising a cable fastener member, movably coupled to the connector body, so that movement of the fastener member with respect to the connector body helps secure engagement between the coaxial cable and the post.

17. The connector of claim 16, wherein the fastener member is configured to act upon the connector body as it moves to help secure the cable to the post.

18. The connector of claim 10, wherein the external protrusion of the post includes a forward facing surface and at least one rearward facing surface.

19. The coaxial cable connector of claim 18, wherein at least one rearward facing surface of the external protrusion of the post is configured to face the forward lip surface of the internal lip of the nut, when the connector is assembled.

20. The connector of claim 19, wherein the internal lip of the nut includes an innermost portion between the first surface and the second surface.

21. The connector of claim 20, wherein the external annular protrusion of the post includes a surface configured to extend from the rearward facing surface of the external protrusion of the post that faces the forward facing lip surface of the internal lip of the nut, so that the surface of the external protrusion that extends from the rearward facing surface of the external protrusion is positioned to face the innermost surface of the internal lip of the nut, when the connector is assembled.

22. The connector of claim 19, wherein the continuity member is configured to contact a rearward facing surface of the external protrusion of the post other than the rearward facing surface of the external protrusion that is configured to face the first surface of the internal lip of the nut, when the connector is assembled.

23. The connector of claim 22, wherein the continuity member is configured to contact the forward end of the connector body.

24. The connector of claim 23, wherein the continuity member is configured to extend between the first end of the connector body and the rearward facing surface of the external protrusion of the post other than the rearward facing surface of the external protrusion that is configured to face the first surface of the internal lip of the nut, when the connector is assembled.

25. The coaxial cable connector of claim 24, wherein the continuity member is configured to contact the nut while extending between the connector body and the post so as to help facilitate electrical grounding continuity through the post and the nut even when the nut is not fully tightened on the interface port.