Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R9/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, e.g. terminal strips or terminal blocks; Terminals or binding posts mounted upon a base or in a case; Bases therefor
  • H01R9/03—Connectors arranged to contact a plurality of the conductors of a multiconductor cable, e.g. tapping connections
  • H01R9/05—Connectors arranged to contact a plurality of the conductors of a multiconductor cable, e.g. tapping connections for coaxial cables
  • H01R9/0527—Connection to outer conductor by action of a resilient member, e.g. spring
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/02—Contact members
  • H01R13/15—Pins, blades or sockets having separate spring member for producing or increasing contact pressure
  • H01R13/187—Pins, blades or sockets having separate spring member for producing or increasing contact pressure with spring member in the socket
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/58—Means for relieving strain on wire connection, e.g. cord grip, for avoiding loosening of connections between wires and terminals within a coupling device terminating a cable
  • H01R13/5804—Means for relieving strain on wire connection, e.g. cord grip, for avoiding loosening of connections between wires and terminals within a coupling device terminating a cable comprising a separate cable clamping part
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R24/00—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure
  • H01R24/38—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts
  • H01R24/40—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts specially adapted for high frequency
  • H01R24/56—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts specially adapted for high frequency specially adapted to a specific shape of cables, e.g. corrugated cables, twisted pair cables, cables with two screens or hollow cables
  • H01R24/564—Corrugated cables

Definitions

• This invention relates to electrical cable connectors. More particularly, the invention relates to a coaxial cable connector capable of self-gauging for coupling to coaxial cables with an increased range of outer conductor diameters.
• Coaxial cable connectors are used, for example, in communication systems requiring a high level of precision and reliability.
• Figure 1 is a schematic cutaway side view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector with a coaxial cable inserted, prior to clamp ring advance.
• Figure 2a is a schematic close up cutaway side view of the electrical connector of Figure 1 .
• Figure 2b is a schematic close up cutaway side view of an electrical connector similar to Figure 1 , demonstrated installed upon a minimum diameter coaxial cable.
• Figure 2c is a schematic close up cutaway side view of an electrical connector similar to Figure 1 , demonstrated installed upon a maximum diameter coaxial cable.
• Figure 3 is a schematic cutaway side view of the electrical connector of Figure 1 with a nominal diameter coaxial cable inserted and a clamp ring advancing a gauge sleeve longitudinally toward the connector end.
• Figure 4 is a schematic close up cutaway side view of the electrical connector of Figure 3.
• Figure 5 is a schematic cutaway side view of another exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector with a nominal diameter coaxial cable inserted and a clamp ring advancing longitudinally toward the connector end.
• Figure 6 is a schematic close up cutaway side view of the electrical connector of Figure 5.
• Figure 7 is a schematic cutaway side view of another exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector with a nominal diameter coaxial cable inserted and a clamp ring advancing longitudinally toward the connector end.
• Figure 8 is a schematic close up cutaway side view of the electrical connector of Figure 7.
• Figure 9 is a schematic cutaway side view of another exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector with a nominal diameter coaxial cable inserted and a clamp ring advancing longitudinally towards the connector end.
• Figure 10 is a schematic close up cutaway side view of the electrical connector of Figure 9.
• Figure 1 1 is a schematic isometric angled view of the grip ring of the electrical connector of Figure 10.
• Figure 12 is a schematic cutaway side view of another exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector with a nominal diameter coaxial cable inserted and a clamp ring advancing longitudinally towards the connector end.
• Figure 13 is a schematic close up cutaway side view of the electrical connector of Figure 12.
• Insertion coupling coaxial connectors for example as disclosed in the inventor's commonly owned US Utility Patent Application Serial No. 12/264,932, titled “Insertion Coupling Coaxial Connector", filed November 5, 2008, currently pending and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, introduces several significant improvements to the coaxial connector arts, eliminating the need for manual flaring of the outer conductor and/or high torque threading of the coupling nut into the connector body during outer conductor end clamping connector to cable end interconnection.
• the outer diameter of coaxial cables can vary.
• the outer diameter of a coaxial cable made by one manufacturer may differ from the outer diameter of a coaxial cable made by another manufacturer.
• the inventor's electrical performance analysis of the prior insertion coupling coaxial connectors has recognized that a variance in the diameter of the outer conductor of a coaxial cable can negatively impact the quality of the electrical interconnection formed via contact between a helical spring coil outer conductor electrical contact and the outer conductor.
• an insertion coupling type coaxial connecter 6 has a connector body 10 with a connector body bore 16.
• An insulator 7 seated within the connector body bore 5 supports an inner contact 9 coaxial with the connector body bore 16.
• the coaxial connector 1 mechanically retains the outer conductor 4 of a coaxial cable 2 inserted into the cable end 14 of the connector body bore 16 via a mechanical grip provided by a grip surface 18 located on the inner diameter of a grip ring 19, the grip surface 18 driven radially inward by interaction of the grip ring 19 with a wedge surface 30.
• An electrical contact 20, herein demonstrated as a helical coil spring, seated within the connector body bore 5 makes circumferential contact with the outer conductor 4, proximate the end of the outer conductor 4, electrically coupling the outer conductor 4 across the connector body 3 to a connector interface 21 at the connector end 12.
• the connector interface 21 may be any desired standard or proprietary interface.
• each individual element has a cable end side and a connector end side, i.e. the sides of the respective element that are facing the respective cable end 14 and the connector end 12 of the coaxial connector 1 .
• the grip ring 19 may be retained within the connector body bore 5, for example seated within a grip ring groove 27.
• the grip ring groove 27 may be formed wherein the cable end grip ring groove sidewall and/or bottom are surfaces of a clamp ring 8 coupled to the connector body 10, for example, via threads 23.
• the clamp ring 8 may be retained upon the connector body 3 by a retaining feature 29, such as an interlock between snap barb(s) 35 provided on the outer diameter of the clamp ring 8 and one or more corresponding annular snap groove(s) 33 provided on an inner diameter of the connector body bore 5, as best shown for example in Figure 1 .
• a retaining feature 29 such as an interlock between snap barb(s) 35 provided on the outer diameter of the clamp ring 8 and one or more corresponding annular snap groove(s) 33 provided on an inner diameter of the connector body bore 5, as best shown for example in Figure 1 .
• the positions of the snap groove(s) 33 and the corresponding snap barb(s) 35 may be reversed.
• annular wedge surface 30 of the clamp ring 8 has a taper between a maximum diameter at a connector end side and a minimum diameter at a cable end side.
• An outer diameter of the grip ring 19 contacts the wedge surface 30 and is thereby driven radially inward by passage along the wedge surface 30 towards the cable end 15.
• the spreading/contracting variable diameter characteristic of the grip ring 19 as the wedge surface 30 is traversed axially and/or any manufacturer variances in the diameter of the coaxial cable outer conductor 4 are encountered requires a gap along the circumference of the grip ring 19.
• a width of the gap may be selected in view of a differential between the maximum and minimum diameter the grip ring 19 is expected to provide.
• the grip surface 18 of the grip ring 19 has a directional bias, for example via an angled face on a cable end side and a stop face on the connector end side of a plurality of annular or helical protrusions, engaging and gripping the outer diameter surface of the outer conductor 4 when in tension toward the cable end 14 while allowing the outer conductor 4 to slide past the grip surface 18 when moved toward the connector end 12.
• the grip ring 19 has a range of longitudinal movement within the grip ring groove 27. As the grip ring 19 moves along the wedge surface 30 toward the connector end 12, for example as the leading edge of the outer conductor 4 is inserted into the connector body bore 5 from the cable end 15 and contacts the angled grip surface 18, the grip ring 19 will either spread to allow the outer conductor 4 to pass through, or will also begin to move longitudinally towards the connector end 12, within the grip ring groove 27.
• the grip ring 19 may be spread radially outward to enable the passage of the outer conductor 4 through the grip ring 19 and toward the connector end 12. Conversely, once spread, the bias of the grip ring 19 inward toward its relaxed state creates a gripping engagement between the grip surface 18 and the outer diameter surface of the outer conductor 4.
• the grip ring 19 is driven against the tapered wedge surface 30, progressively decreasing the depth of the grip ring groove 27, thereby driving the grip ring 19 radially inward and further increasing the gripping engagement as the grip surface 18 is driven into the outer diameter surface of the outer conductor 4.
• the clamp ring 8 is threaded into the connector body 10 via threads 23
• the lateral position of the wedge surface 30 moves progressively towards the connector end 12, eventually driving the grip ring 19 against the wedge surface 30 with the same gripping engagement result.
• the grip ring groove connector end sidewall lateral position, dimensions of the electrical contact 20, and any offsets or spacers also present in the grip ring groove 27 may be dimensioned to allow a range of travel where the resulting grip ring radial inward movement / diameter relative to the expected range of outer conductor diameters is configured for the grip surface 18 to have securely engaged the outer conductor 4 but which is short of a grip ring radial inward movement capable of causing the outer conductor 4 to collapse radially inward beyond an acceptable level.
• a final lateral position of the grip ring 19 along the wedge surface 30 is dependent upon a diameter of the outer conductor 4.
• Figure 2a demonstrates an initial position prior to advance of the clamp ring 8 and Figures 2b and 2c demonstrate a final lateral position of the grip ring 19 resulting from a minimum and maximum outer diameter outer conductor 4, respectively.
• the range of possible lateral positions of the grip ring 19 (between the minimum diameter position and the maximum diameter position), and thus the final radial inward position of the grip ring 19 in contact with the outer diameter of the outer conductor 4 provides a range of outer conductor 4 diameter variability that is accommodated by the mechanical grip.
• a ramp surface 24 coupled with the electrical contact 20 may be applied.
• the ramp surface 24 may be provided, for example, on the connector end 12 of a gauge sleeve 22 positioned between the clamp ring 8 and the electrical contact 20.
• the ramp surface 24 has a taper with a maximum diameter at the connector end side and a minimum diameter at the cable end side.
• An annular spacer 26 may be applied between the grip ring 19 and the electrical contact 20 to provide a cable end sidewall for the electrical contact 20, so that, as the electrical contact 20 is displaced radially inward, the electrical contact 20 biases against the outer conductor 4 rather than merely expanding laterally. Further, the spacer 26 along with the connector body 10 and clamp ring 8 may be configured to position the electrical contact 20 and the mechanical grip laterally, for example so that each engages a corrugation peak 28 of the outer conductor 4.
• the electrical contact 20 has a spring/elastic compressibility characteristic which creates a secure electrical interconnection resistant to degradation resulting from, for example, vibration and/or thermal expansion cycling of the coaxial connector 6 / coaxial cable 4.
• the advance of the clamp ring 8 may be limited by the radially inward position of the mechanical grip driven by the wedge surface 30 into contact with the outer conductor 4.
• the lateral advance of the clamp ring 8 toward the connector body 10 and/or attempted withdrawal of the inserted coaxial cable 2 towards the cable end 14 displaces the mechanical grip radially inward a first distance to a position corresponding to an outer diameter of the outer conductor 4 and also defines a final position of the clamp ring 8, resulting in a displacement of the electrical contact 20 radial inward a second distance proportional to the mechanical grip radial displacement.
• both the mechanical grip and the electrical contact 20 are displaceable radially inward to securely engage the outer conductor 4, responsive to variability of the outer conductor 4 diameter within a defined range.
• the tapers of the wedge surface 30 and ramp surface 24 are the same angle, the first distance and the second distance will be equal.
• the respective tapers may be arranged wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, providing ease of initial coaxial cable insertion into the connector body bore 16 and enhanced final electrical contact compression into contact with the outer conductor 4.
• the ramp surface 24 may be integrated with the clamp ring 8, eliminating the need for a separate gauge sleeve 22.
• the grip ring 19 may be provided with an extension 31 contacting the electrical contact 20 at the desired displacement, eliminating the spacer 26.
• the ramp surface 24 is preferably formed from a metal material to prevent scoring and/or polymer creep where the ramp surface 24 contacts the electrical contact 20.
• the cable end 14 of a metal ramp pre-form 25 may be overmolded with polymeric material to provide a clamp ring 8 of polymeric material integral with a metal ramp surface 24, for example as shown in Figures 7 and 8.
• the ramp surface 24 may be applied to an inner diameter of the connector body bore 16 and the extension 31 of the grip ring 19 provided with a seating surface 32 positioned to cradle the outer diameter of the electrical contact 20.
• the seating surface 32 may be configured to only partially cradle the electrical contact 20.
• the electrical contact 20 is driven by the seating surface 32 against the ramp surface 24, and thus radially inward.
• the electrical contact 20 is also moved radially inward.
• a retaining lip 34 may be applied to the connector body bore 16 sidewall to retain the grip ring 19 (or gauge sleeve 22, if present) and thereby the electrical contact 20 until the clamp ring 8 is installed.
• an insertion coupling coaxial connector 6 where both the mechanical grip securely retaining the outer conductor 4 within the connector body 10 and the electrical contact 20 electrically interconnecting the outer conductor 4 with the connector body 10 are adaptable to a range of outer conductor diameters provides significant improvements in universality and/or interchangeability, enabling ready exchange upon existing coaxial cable installations during repairs / upgrades and /or new installations wherein coaxial cables from multiple sources are present.

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• Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
• Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=43481035

Family Applications (3)

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• 2010
  • 2010-10-07 BR BR112012010382A patent/BR112012010382A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2010-10-07 EP EP10773184A patent/EP2497160A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-10-07 AU AU2010313684A patent/AU2010313684A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-10-07 EP EP10818112A patent/EP2497157A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-10-07 BR BR112012010319A patent/BR112012010319A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2010-10-07 AU AU2010313682A patent/AU2010313682A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-10-07 CN CN2010800494779A patent/CN102640357A/zh active Pending
  • 2010-10-07 EP EP10773186A patent/EP2497155A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-10-07 CN CN2010800495273A patent/CN102640359A/zh active Pending
  • 2010-10-07 BR BR112012010318A patent/BR112012010318A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2010-10-07 AU AU2010313683A patent/AU2010313683A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-10-07 CN CN2010800494783A patent/CN102640358A/zh active Pending

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