Electrical connectors – Including or for use with coaxial cable
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-27
2004-08-03
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Including or for use with coaxial cable
C439S584000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06769933
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to connectors for coaxial cables and related components and methods, including, for example, rigid coaxial cables such as those used for trunk and distribution lines in such applications as cable television and the like, and related components and methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Of the various coaxial cable designs, each has shared elements, e.g., including an inner or center conductor surrounded by an insulating material, typically referred to as the core, and an outer conductor surrounding the insulating layer. In some coaxial cables, such as with flexible coaxial cables, the outer conductor comprises a braided conductive material. These flexible coaxial cables typically include an outer insulator material, sometimes referred to as a jacket, that surrounds and encases the outer conductor. In other coaxial cables, for example, rigid coaxial cable, the outer conductor is a solid, conductive material, and the outer conductor commonly constitutes the exterior of the coaxial cable, without any need for an outer insulator or jacket.
Coaxial cable connectors must firmly and securely connect the coaxial cable to a terminal. Moreover, it is usually desirable, if not necessary, to ensure that the connector provide a seal so as to avoid exposure or contamination of the interior of the connector to moisture, particulate matter, and/or other undesirable material to which portions of the connector and/or cable may be exposed.
One concern with some commercially available connectors is that the tightening of the connector during installation causes an undesirable twisting of the coaxial cable, leading to unwanted stress on the cable that can cause wear and/or malfunctions.
To address these concerns, some connectors include a gripping and/or sealing component, for example, such as a ferrule, to contact and grip the cable at its exterior, whether it be an outer insulator or jacket or an outer conductor in cable designs that exclude the jacket. This ferrule or like component grips the cable exterior so that the cable is firmly secured with respect to the connector, and so that infiltration of environmental substances such as those noted above can be limited or avoided. The gripping component typically is housed within a larger housing component that also forms a part of the connector.
An example of a commercially available connector for connecting a coaxial cable to a terminal is shown in FIG.
11
. The connector shown in
FIG. 11
, generally designated as
200
, comprises a back nut assembly
202
, a main nut assembly
204
, and a body
206
. A coaxial cable end (not shown) is inserted into a distal end
210
of connector
200
, at a distal portion of back nut
202
. A conductive pin
212
extends from a proximal end
214
of connector
200
, at a proximal portion of body
206
. A ferrule
220
is disposed in the interior of back nut
202
. Ferrule
220
contacts the exterior of the coaxial cable. A pair of compression rings
222
and
224
are positioned within back nut
202
at proximal and distal ends of ferrule
220
, respectively. The proximal compression ring
222
retains the ferrule
220
in place in the interior of the back nut
202
, while the distal compression ring
224
prevents the ferrule
220
from moving distally.
When such a connector is in a disassembled state, for example, as possibly provided when new and ready for use, the gripping component, e.g., the back nut
202
, and in some cases the ferrule
220
, may be provided as a separate component or components, thereby requiring separate handling, which increases the likelihood of being misplaced or lost. Moreover, during installation the ferrule must be correctly inserted into the housing and retained while the remainder of the connector is installed and tightened in place. Thus, the cable gripping component often is partly or fully responsible for twisting the cable, which can place unwanted stress on the cable and connector through its interaction and cooperation with the associated housing.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector and related components and methods that facilitate efficient pre-assembly handling.
Another object of the invention is to provide a connector and related components and methods that limit or prevent unwanted twisting of the cable during installation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a connector and related components and methods that are relatively efficient and cost effective.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described in this document, a cable gripping component is provided for gripping a coaxial cable. The cable gripping component comprises a housing including a sleeve portion having a terminus forming a first end of the housing. The housing has an inner surface defining an interior channel. The inner surface comprises a retention surface disposed on the sleeve portion proximate the terminus. The sleeve portion includes a weakened area. The retention surface is disposed between the terminus and the weakened area.
The cable gripping component further comprises a ferrule disposed within the interior channel for contacting the coaxial cable. The ferrule comprises an outer surface that includes a raised portion. The interfering engagement between at least a portion of the retention surface and the raised portion prevents at least a portion of the ferrule from exiting the interior channel.
The weakened area may comprise at least one groove, and preferably a plurality of grooves, which preferably is or are disposed on the inner surface of the sleeve portion.
The cable gripping component also preferably comprises a compression ring disposed within the interior channel between the ferrule and the inner surface of the housing. Preferably, the ferrule comprises a beveled mating surface, and the compression ring comprises a beveled mating surface for mating with the beveled mating surface of the ferrule.
The ferrule preferably has a terminus that extends beyond the terminus of the housing. The ferrule also may be loosely held within the interior channel. The ferrule also preferably may be rotatable within the interior channel.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a connector is provided for a coaxial cable. The connector comprises a cable gripping component comprising a cable gripping component housing including a sleeve portion having a terminus forming a first end of the housing. The housing has an inner surface defining an interior channel. The inner surface comprises a retention surface disposed on the sleeve portion proximate the terminus. The sleeve portion includes a weakened area. The retention surface is disposed between the terminus and the weakened area.
The connector further comprises a ferrule disposed within the interior channel for contacting the coaxial cable. The ferrule comprises an outer surface that includes a raised portion. Interfering engagement between at least a portion of the retention surface and the raised portion prevents at least a portion of the ferrule from exiting the interior channel.
The connector according to this aspect of the invention also comprises a coupling component attached to the first end of the cable gripping component. Preferably but optionally, the ferrule contacts the coupling component.
The cable gripping component of this connector may further comprise a compression ring disposed within the interior channel between the cable gripping component housing and the ferrule. Preferably, the compression ring does not contac
Bence Bruce D.
Penunuri Edward M.
Corning Gilbert Inc.
Homa Joseph M.
Sullivan Stephen T.
Ta Tho D.
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