Electrical connectors – Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use – Movement about axis
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-21
2003-09-02
Patel, Tulsidas C (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use
Movement about axis
C439S028000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06612849
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rotatable coupler for electrically connecting two RF or UHF coaxial cables together. The coupler allows for relative rotation between the cables, thereby preventing damaging torques from occurring during use.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many environments in which a coaxial cable used to transmit RF or UHF signals is subject to intermittent or continual rotational forces as a part of its normal duties. For instance, a long coaxial cable is normally coiled during storage and transport. When connecting such a coaxial cable to an antenna or to another coaxial cable in a coaxial line, each coaxial cable is uncoiled. As each is uncoiled to add it to the line, straightening the cable produces rotational torques within it and applies them to all of the cables connected to it. Between their ends, coaxial cables are designed to withstand these forces, but they are vulnerable at their ends where they connect to each other or to intermediate connectors. Without some way of eliminating the rotational forces or of relieving their effects, at least one of the cables along the line will inevitably fail, requiring the line to be inspected to determine which cable has failed and requiring the subsequent replacement thereof. When in the field, such a failure is never convenient and is always expensive.
A prior art cable connector
10
typical of those currently used in the field is shown in
FIG. 3
in a perspective view, partly in section. Connector
10
releasably joins a first cable
12
and a second cable
14
.
Both cables
12
and
14
are coaxial cables such as are commonly used to transmit RF or UHF signals. The structural configurations of both cables
12
and
14
are in most respects the same, so common reference numerals are used to denote corresponding elements. Cables
12
and
14
comprise a central lead
16
and a conductive outer sleeve
18
(see the portion of cable
14
which is in section), the conductors
16
and
18
being separated and supported by an insulative material
20
(cable
12
). A tough but flexible skin
22
, reinforced by a helical wire
24
imbedded therein (cable
14
), protects the innards of cables
12
and
14
from physical damage during transport, storage, and use. Conductive ferrules
26
are fixed to the ends of cables
12
and
14
to effect signal transfer from one cable to another.
Connector
10
comprises a cylindrical, metallic extension
28
integral with ferrule
26
of cable
12
and an elongated, metallic, cylindrical ring
30
rotatably attached to ferrule
26
of cable
14
. Extension
28
has an externally threaded end
32
which mates with internal threads
34
in cylindrical ring
30
, much like the two connecting ends of an ordinary water hose. When extension
28
and cylindrical ring
30
are threadedly connected, a knife-like tip
36
of central lead
16
of cable
14
is forced into and gripped by resilient fingers
38
of central lead
16
of cable
12
, thus assuring good conductivity along the central leads. Conductivity through outer sleeves
18
is through extension
28
, cylindrical ring
30
, and ferrules
26
. Each of ferrules
26
have a flange
40
in conductive contact with sleeve
18
, as shown in the broken-away portion of cable
14
.
When ring
30
is securely joined together with extension
28
via threads
32
and
34
, cables
12
and
14
cannot rotate or swivel relative to each other. Any torques on either cable are resisted by the internal structures of the cables. When a failure occurs, it most usually occurs in the area of the juncture of flange
40
and sleeve
18
.
Other inventors have addressed problems arising when connecting coaxial cables. Representative are the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,847,463 to Hayward et al., 4,022,518 to Gattaz, 4,336,974 to Wilson, 4,988,963 to Shirosaka et al., and 5,419,707 to Kelley. While undoubtedly effective for their purposes, to the inventor's knowledge, they and others like them tend to be complicated, expensive, and have not met with widespread acceptance.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the difficulties described above by providing a coupler for a pair of coaxial cables, said coupler permitting good transmission of RF and/or UHF signals while concurrently permitting relative rotation between the cables coupled thereby. As a consequence, both cables are relieved of the stresses normally imposed by the rotational torques suffered by moving the cables, which greatly extends their useful lives.
It is an object of the invention to provide a coupler for coaxial cables which permits relative rotation or swivelling between the cables.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a coupler for coaxial cables which resists linear forces along the line while permitting relative rotation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a coupler for coaxial cables in which the burden for the rotational and non-linear constraints are carried by the coupler housing structure and not by the electrical components thereof.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a coupler for coaxial cables which effectively transmits the signals therein from one cable to another while permitting easy rotation therebetween.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a coupler for coaxial cables which shields the signals in the coupler as they are transmitted from one coaxial cable to another.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a coupler for coaxial cables which is easy to attach and detach from the cables.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a coupler for coaxial cables which permits adapting the coupler for different input and output connectors on the ends of coaxial cables.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a coupler for coaxial cables which is simple in structure and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a coupler for coaxial cables which is small enough that an extensive inventory of couplers and parts can easily be carried into the field.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1404097 (1922-01-01), Dennis
patent: 1665018 (1928-04-01), Black
patent: 2542935 (1951-02-01), McElroy
patent: 2923907 (1960-02-01), Buckelew
patent: 3437976 (1969-04-01), Nelson
patent: 3536870 (1970-10-01), Izumi
patent: 3671922 (1972-06-01), Zerlin et al.
patent: 3847463 (1974-11-01), Hayward et al.
patent: 4022518 (1977-05-01), Gattaz
patent: 4336974 (1982-06-01), Wilson
patent: 4488139 (1984-12-01), Snider, Jr.
patent: 4894014 (1990-01-01), Palus et al.
patent: 4988963 (1991-01-01), Shirosaka et al.
patent: 5376022 (1994-12-01), Carr et al.
patent: 5419707 (1995-05-01), Kelley
patent: 5454735 (1995-10-01), Nelson
patent: 5498175 (1996-03-01), Yeh et al.
Franklin Lawrence R.
Patel Tulsidas C
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