Annular abutment/alignment guide for cable connectors

An annular abutment configured to prevent damage to at least one axially projecting finger of an outer conductor basket associated with an RF connector, comprising:

• an annular abutment defining an outwardly facing abutment surface configured to define a shallow angle with respect to a back-side surface of the axially projecting fingers of an outer conductor basket of a connector;
• and
• an alignment guide integral with the annular abutment and comprising a flanged end portion projecting radially outboard from an upper end portion of the annular abutment and configured to be disposed over tip ends of each basket finger;
• wherein the outwardly facing abutment surface is configured to prevent radially inward displacement, and plastic deformation, of the basket fingers, and
• wherein the alignment guide is configured to align mating connectors upon joining connectors.

In a connector having a pair of connectors operative to transmit RF signals across a mating interface, at least one of the connectors, comprising:

• an inner conductor surrounded by an outer conductor basket, the outer conductor basket having a plurality of axially projecting fingers separated by an axial slot between adjacent fingers;
• an annular abutment projecting axially from an annular base, radially outboard of the outer conductor basket, the annular abutment comprising:
• an inwardly facing abutment surface spaced apart from and opposing a back-side surface of the axially projecting fingers;
• and
• an alignment guide integral with the annular abutment and comprising a flanged end portion projecting radially inward from an upper end portion of the annular abutment and configured to be disposed forward of tip ends of each basket finger;
• wherein the inwardly facing abutment surface is configured to prevent radially outward displacement, and plastic deformation, of the basket fingers, and
• wherein the alignment guide is configured to align mating connectors upon joining the connectors.

A method for preventing an inadvertent coupling improperly or non-mating connector portions, one of the connector portions having an inner conductor for transmitting RF signals across a connector interface and an outer conductor basket having at least one axially projecting finger to electrically ground the connector portions;

• the method including the steps of:
• structuring the one of the connector portions to comprise an annular abutment projecting axially from an annular base between a socket and the conductor basket, the annular abutment comprising:
• an outwardly facing abutment surface opposing a back-side surface of the axially projecting fingers;
• and
• an alignment guide formed integrally with the annular abutment and comprising a flanged end portion projecting radially outboard from an upper end portion of the annular abutment and configured to be disposed forward of tip ends of each basket finger
• wherein the outwardly facing abutment surface is configured to prevent radially inward displacement, and plastic deformation, of the basket fingers, and
• wherein the alignment guide is configured to align mating connectors upon joining the connectors.