Coaxial electrical connector

An electrical connector having a retaining ring adapted to be loosely received in surrounding engagement with a reduced diameter in an outer surface of said electrical connector for holding said connector within an opening in a housing, the surface of said reduced diameter being relatively soft and malleable characterized by:

• said retaining ring being formed of a material which is softer than said reduced diameter and having an outer wall and an inner wall terminating at a first edge and a second edge spaced from said first edge a distance that is smaller than said reduced diameter,
• wherein said first and second edges include rounded camming surfaces that cause said first and second edges to deflect away from each other when said rounded camming surfaces are forced laterally against said reduced diameter until said edges pass over said reduced diameter and resiliently deflect toward each other into said loose surrounding engagement therewith, without marring said surface of said reduced diameter.

A coaxial electrical connector having a conductive body being profiled to have a reduced diameter portion comprising:

• a retaining ring surrounding a portion of said reduced diameter and adapted to be loosely received in surrounding engagement therewith, said retaining ring having an outer wall and an inner wall, each wall being concentric and terminating at respective first and second edges, each edge having rounded camming surfaces, and being spaced from the other a distance that is smaller than the reduced diameter,
• whereby said rounded camming surfaces cause said first and second edges to deflect away from each other when said rounded camming surfaces are forced laterally against said reduced diameter until said edges pass over said reduced diameter and resiliently deflect toward each other into loose surrounding engagement therewith, without marring the surface of the reduced diameter portion.

A coaxial electrical connector having an inner conductor and an outer conductor separated by a dielectric material wherein the outer conductive is profiled to have a retaining ring receiving area, the electrical connector comprising:

• a retaining ring adapted to be loosely received in surrounding engagement with the retaining ring receiving area, the ring having an outer wall and an inner wall concentric to the outer wall terminating at a first edge and a second edge spaced from the first edge to define a ring opening which is smaller than an outer diameter of the retaining ring receiving area,
• wherein said first and second edges include camming surfaces that cause said first and second edges to deflect away from each other when said retaining ring receiving area is forced laterally into said ring opening until said edges pass over said retaining ring receiving area and resiliently deflect toward each other into loose surrounding engagement therewith, without marring said retaining ring receiving area.