Electrical connectors – Including or for use with coaxial cable
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-09
2003-07-15
Gilman, Alexander (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Including or for use with coaxial cable
C439S585000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06592403
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to coaxial connectors for securing devices such as coaxial cables to connectors of equipment boxes or other coaxial components, and more particularly, to an improved coaxial connector that permits two mating connectors to be screwed together, or unscrewed from each other, without requiring that the main body of either connector be rotated.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cable television (CATV) industry within the United States, through the organization known as The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers, Inc. (SCTE) of Exton, Pa., has long since standardized on a Radio Frequency Coaxial Connector Interface known as the “KS” interface for use in trunk and distribution applications for CATV and high speed digital signals. These “KS” interface connectors are typically used to attach the end of a coaxial cable to a port on an amplifier housing, or other similar equipment. However, the “KS” interface is subject to several problems. Chief among these problems is that the SCTE “KS” interface specifications make no provision for a coupling apparatus or coupling method that could allow two mating connectors to be screwed together, or unscrewed from each other, without rotating one of the two connector bodies.
The most common method for dealing with this problem is to use a two-piece connector, or three-piece connector, that includes at least a so-called front body and a rear body; an example of such a connector is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,893, owned by the assignee of the present invention. The '893 patent discloses a two-piece coaxial cable connector wherein the rear nut body is engaged over the exposed end of a coaxial cable and engages the outer conductor of the coaxial cable. The front nut body includes a center pin that seizes the center conductor of the coaxial cable as the front nut body is tightened over the rear nut body. When disconnecting such a two-piece connector from an internally-threaded port of an equipment box, the two-piece connector must first be disassembled from the coaxial cable, so that the front nut body may be unscrewed from the equipment housing without twisting the coaxial cable. This is obviously more complicated and time consuming than simply unscrewing a coupling nut, as is the case with most other types of coaxial connectors.
In many cases, it would be highly desirable to allow the mating of two connectors without the need to disassemble either connector, and without the need to rotating either connector body. For example, in the case of a factory-made jumper cable assembly, equipped with coaxial connectors at each end of such cable, the end connectors cannot be removed from the cable assembly, and it would be impossible to mate such a jumper to two fixed pieces of equipment without somehow disassembling one or both of such end connectors. The nature of the standardized KS interface precludes the use of a simple rotatable coupling nut from being used to secure the connectors to mating ports because the coupling nut would “bottom-out” before the main body of the connector “bottoms-out”; this would leave the main body of the connector loose, and without a proper electrical ground connection. Moreover, the standardized “KS” interface is dimensionally incomplete, and accordingly allows a wide range of dimensions that can cause compatibility problems between various manufacturers.
The most common approach toward dealing with the above-described problem is to use a coupling nut in conjunction with a jam nut. The coupling nut is first tightened against the equipment housing; then, the jam nut is tightened against the coupling nut in order to take up any slack between the coupling nut and connector body. It is usually necessary to form wrench flats on the connector body for allowing an installer to apply a wrench to the connector body to prevent it from rotating while the coupling nut and jam nut are being tightened. However, the need to apply wrenches to the coupling nut, jam nut, and connector body presents an awkward and confusing situation, and one that is prone to error. For example, it is not uncommon for an installer to tighten the nuts is the wrong order, or to have one nut loosen while the other is being tightened. The end result is loose connections in the field.
In addition, prior art seizing mechanisms, used within female coaxial connectors to seize the central conductor of the male connector, rely upon the distance that the front, male body of the coaxial connector protrudes into the rear, female body to activate the seizing mechanism. The SCTE interface specifications allows this distance to vary from 0.290″ to 0.370″, and this permitted variation distance is too large to ensure consistent performance of any seizing mechanism that relies upon this dimension. Moreover, such seizing mechanisms within female connectors typically have sharp edges which can rub against, and damage, the protective coating ordinarily plated upon the center conductor of the male connector if the seizing mechanism and center conductor are allowed to rotate with respect to one another during tightening of the male connector to the female connector.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coaxial connector for connecting the end of a coaxial member to a mating component wherein the two mating connectors can be coupled together, or uncoupled from each other, without requiring that the main body of either connector be rotated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a coaxial connector that avoids the need for disassembly of two or more pieces of the connector from a coaxial cable in order to disengage the connector from the mating component.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a coaxial connector that is relatively easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a coaxial connector that can be coupled with a mating component by a field technician in a relatively quick manner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a coaxial connector that is relatively insensitive to the wide dimensional variations allowed by the SCTE interface specifications, thereby assuring the compatibility of such coaxial connectors with mating components produced by various other manufacturers.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a coaxial connector that can be securely tightened in a simple manner akin to the tightening of a conventional coupling nut, but which may also include an internal actuating mechanism, actuated during the tightening process, to accomplish additional desired functions, such as seizing the center conductor of the mating connector with great force.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a connector that can form a weather-tight seal, while avoiding any significant drag on any rotatable components until the rotatable component approaches its fully mated condition, thereby allowing such connector to be quickly hand tightened initially, and requiring a wrench only for the last few turns.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a coaxial connector which enhances the reliability and stability of the connector by providing low and stable contact resistance and preventing any mechanical movement as between the coaxial connector and the coaxial conductors joined thereto.
An additional object of the present invention is to prevent any relative rotation as between the center conductor/center contact mechanism that electrically joins the coaxial connector and its mating coaxial component as the outer conductor of the coaxial conductor is tightened onto the outer conductor of its mating component, thereby avoiding damage to the plating applied to such center conductor/center contact mechanism that might otherwise result when sharp edges of the center contact mechanism rub against the coating plated upon the center conductor.
These and other
Cahill von Hellens & Glazer, P.L.C.
Corning Gilbert Inc.
Gilman Alexander
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