Device and method for protecting spring-biased conductor elements

In a connector having first and second connector portions operative to transmit RF signals across an interface of the connector, at least one of the connector portions, comprising:

• an inner conductor socket for transmitting the RF signals from one connector portion to the other connector portion;
• an outer conductor operative to electrically ground the respective one of the connector portions;
• the conductor socket and the conductor basket each having a plurality of axially projecting fingers wherein adjacent fingers of the socket and basket are separated by an axial slot;
• and
• an inhibitor interposing the inner conductor socket and the outer conductor basket and comprising an insert configured to:
• (i) engage at least one of the axially projecting fingers of the outer conductor basket to prevent plastic deformation of a spring-biased finger upon attempting to mate improperly sized connectors;
• and
• (ii) disengage the at least one axially projecting fingers upon assembly of properly mated connectors.

A first cable connector portion configured to electrically transmit RF signals from the first cable connector portion to a second cable connector portion across a mating interface, comprising:

• an inner conductor socket transmitting the RF signals across the mating interface;
• an outer conductor basket operative to electrically ground the cable connector portion;
• the inner conductor socket and the outer conductor basket each having a plurality of axially projecting fingers, wherein adjacent fingers thereof are separated by an axial slot;
• and,
• an insert interposing the inner conductor socket and the outer conductor basket;
• the insert configured to:
• (i) engage at least one of the axially projecting fingers of the outer conductor basket to prevent plastic deformation of a spring-biased finger upon attempting to mate improperly sized connectors;
• and
• (ii) disengage the at least one axially projecting fingers upon assembly of properly-mated connectors
• (i) engage an inwardly disposed surface of at least one of the axially projecting fingers of the outer conductor basket to prevent plastic deformation thereof in a radially outboard direction;
• (ii) disengage the inwardly disposed surface of the at least one axially projecting finger upon assembly properly-mated connector portions;
• and
• (iii) prevent the insertion of a non-mating second connector portion into the space between the inner conductor socket and the outer conductor basket to prevent plastic deformation of at least one of the axially projecting fingers in a radially inboard direction by the non-mating second connector portion.