US 2003/0211778 A1Published application

Sealed coaxial cable connector and related method

AssigneeCorning Gilbert Inc.

InventorsDonald A. Burris, Herman P. Durst, David M. Kearsey, William B. Lutz, Steven E. Sundvold, Kenneth S. Wood

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A connector is provided for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, such as a cable terminal, a terminal for coupling to another connector, and the like The connector includes a coupler, such as a nut, having a receiving port for engaging the terminal. The coupler also includes an annular collar. The connector also includes a body member, one end of which includes a lip. The lip is inserted through the collar opening. The other end of the body section includes an inner surface portion. The connector still further includes a post, an end of which is sized for insertion between the dielectric and the outer conductor of the cable. The post further includes a post flange and a post shank. The post shank forms a post channel sufficient in diameter to receive the inner conductor and the dielectric of the cable. The post is movable between a cable-insertion position and a cable-installed position. In the cable-installed position, the post shank is received in the body member to form an annular chamber between the post shank and the inner surface portion. The annular chamber is sufficiently narrow in this cable-installed position to compress the outer conductor and the jacket with the post shank and the inner surface portion for establishing a distal seal. Tightening of the coupler to the terminal compresses the lip between the post flange and the annular collar for establishing a proximal seal. Related methods also are provided.

Claims72

Dependent claims

A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising:

(a) a coupler comprising
(i) a substantially cylindrical portion having a receiving port for engaging the terminal, and
(ii) an annular collar extending radially inward from the substantially cylindrical portion to provide a collar opening having an opening diameter;
(b) a body member comprising
(i) a distal body end and a proximal body end,
(ii) a proximal body section receivable in the collar opening and comprising a lip at the proximal body end, the lip having an outer lip diameter greater than the opening diameter, the body member being sufficiently resilient for flexible insertion of the lip through the collar opening, and
(iii) a distal body section extending away from the proximal body section, the distal body section comprising an inner surface portion;
and
(c) a post comprising
(i) a distal post end and a proximal post end, the distal post end sized for insertion between the dielectric and the outer conductor,
(ii) a radially extending post flange movable within the receiving port, and
(iii) a post shank extending from the post flange, the post shank forming a post channel sufficient in diameter to receive the inner conductor and the dielectric, the post shank being sufficient in length to extend from the lip to the inner surface portion,
wherein the post is movable between a cable insertion position, in which the post flange is spaced apart from the lip and the distal post end is sufficiently spaced apart from the inner surface portion for inserting the coaxial cable into the body member, and a cable-installed position, in which the post shank is received in the body member to form an annular chamber between the post shank and the inner surface portion, the annular chamber being sufficiently narrow to compress the outer conductor and the jacket with the post shank and the inner surface portion for establishing a distal seal, and
wherein tightening the coupler to the terminal compresses the lip between the post flange and the annular collar for establishing a proximal seal.

11 more elements

(a) a coupler comprising an outer portion providing a receiving port for coupling to the terminal, and an annular collar extending radially inward from the outer portion to provide a collar opening having an opening diameter;
(b) a body member comprising an inner surface portion;
and
(c) a post comprising
(i) a distal post end and a proximal post end, the distal post end sized for insertion between the dielectric and the outer conductor,
(ii) a radially extending post flange, and
(iii) a post shank extending from the post flange, the post shank forming a post channel sufficient in diameter to receive the inner conductor and the dielectric, the post shank being sufficient in length to extend from the annular collar to the inner surface portion,
wherein the post is movable between a cable-insertion position, in which the distal post end is sufficiently spaced apart from the inner surface portion for inserting the coaxial cable into the body member, and a cable-installed position, in which the post shank is inserted in the body member to form an annular chamber between the post shank and the inner surface portion, the annular chamber being sufficiently narrow to compress the outer conductor and the jacket with the post shank and the inner surface portion for establishing a distal seal.

5 more elements

(a) a coupler comprising
(i) a substantially cylindrical portion having a receiving port for engaging the terminal, and
(ii) an annular collar extending radially inward from the substantially cylindrical portion to provide a collar opening having an opening diameter;
(b) a body member comprising
(i) a distal body end and a proximal body end,
(ii) a proximal body section receivable in the collar opening and comprising a lip at the proximal body end, the lip having an outer lip diameter greater than the opening diameter, the body member being sufficiently resilient for flexible insertion of the lip through the collar opening, and
(iii) a distal body section extending away from the proximal body section;
and
(c) a post comprising
(i) a distal post end and a proximal post end, the distal post end sized for insertion between the dielectric and the outer conductor,
(ii) a radially extending post flange movable within the receiving port, and
(iii) a post shank extending from the post flange, the post shank forming a post channel sufficient in diameter to receive the inner conductor and the dielectric,
wherein the post is movable between a cable-insertion position, in which the post flange is spaced apart from the lip and the coaxial cable is insertable into the body member, and a cable-installed position, in which a post flange abuts the lip, and
wherein tightening the coupler to the terminal compresses the lip between the post flange and the annular collar for establishing a proximal seal.

11 more elements

A method for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal using a connector, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the method comprising:

(a) providing a coupler comprising a substantially cylindrical portion having a receiving port for engaging the terminal, and an annular collar extending radially inward from the substantially cylindrical portion to provide a collar opening having an opening diameter;
(b) providing a body member comprising a distal body end and a proximal body end, a proximal body section, and a distal body section, the proximal body section being receivable in the collar opening and comprising a lip at the proximal body end, the lip having an outer lip diameter greater than the opening diameter, the body member being sufficiently resilient for flexible insertion of the lip through the collar opening, the distal body section extending away from the proximal body section and comprising an inner surface portion;
(c) inserting the lip through the collar opening while flexing the lip inward to situate the proximal body section in the collar opening;
(d) providing a post comprising a distal post end, a proximal post end, a radially extending post flange movable within the receiving port, and a post shank having a post channel;
(e) passing the coaxial cable into the body member;
(f) moving the post shank through the coupler and into the body member and inserting the post shank between the dielectric and the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to receive the dielectric and the inner conductor in the post channel and to compress the outer conductor and the jacket in an annular chamber between the post shank and the inner surface portion for establishing a distal seal;
and
(g) engaging the coupler with the terminal and compressing the lip between the post flange and the annular collar for establishing a proximal seal.

5 more elements

(a) providing a coupler comprising an outer portion providing a receiving port for coupling to the terminal, and an annular collar extending radially inward from the outer portion to provide a collar opening having an opening diameter;
(b) providing a body member comprising an inner surface portion;
(c) inserting the body member into the annular collar to join the coupler and the body member to one another;
(d) providing a post comprising a distal post end, a proximal post end, a radially extending post flange movable within the receiving port, and a post shank extending from the post flange, the distal post end sized for insertion between the dielectric and the outer conductor, the post shank forming a post channel sufficient in diameter to receive the inner conductor and the dielectric, the post shank being sufficient in length to extend from the annular collar to the inner surface portion,
(e) passing the coaxial cable into the body member;
and
(f) moving the post through the coupler and into the body member and inserting the post shank between the dielectric and the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to receive the dielectric and the inner conductor in the post channel and to compress the outer conductor and the jacket in an annular chamber between the post shank and the inner surface portion for establishing a distal seal.

4 more elements

(a) providing a coupler comprising a substantially cylindrical portion having a receiving port for engaging the terminal, and an annular collar extending radially inward from the substantially cylindrical portion to provide a collar opening having an opening diameter;
(b) providing a body member comprising a proximal body end, a distal body end, a proximal body section comprising a lip having an outer lip diameter greater than the opening diameter, and a distal body section extending axially away from the proximal body section;
(c) inserting the lip through the collar opening while flexing the lip inward to situate the proximal body section in the collar opening;
(d) providing a post comprising a distal post end, a proximal post end, a radially extending post flange movable within the receiving port, and a post shank having a post channel;
(e) passing the coaxial cable into the body member;
(f) moving the post shank through the coupler and into the body member and inserting the post shank between the dielectric and the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to receive the dielectric and the inner conductor in the post channel and to receive the outer conductor and the jacket in an annular chamber between the post shank and the inner surface portion;
(g) engaging the coupler with the terminal and compressing the lip between the post flange and the annular collar for establishing a proximal seal.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.