CATV port terminator with contact-enhancing ground insert
AssigneeJohn Mezzalingua Associates, Inc.
InventorsNoah Montena, Richard Haube
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A port terminator includes an outer nut, which may be either electrically conductive or non-electrically conductive, and an electrically conductive ground insert. A portion of the ground insert captures a ground portion of a termination resistor, while a deformable portion of the ground insert makes electrical contact with a connection end of an equipment port when the port terminator is screwed onto the equipment port. The deformable portion can take the form of a flexible brim or a plurality of petals. The petals preferably alternate between flat petals and biased petals. The ground insert permits the port terminator to make a uniform RF seal on an equipment port even with a range of tightening torques.
Claims20
A port terminator for use in a coaxial cable system, comprising:
- an outer nut;
- the outer nut having first and second chambers;
- an inside of the first chamber having at least one thread therein;
- a ground insert positioned inside the second chamber;
- the ground insert being electrically conductive;
- the ground insert having a capture portion, a middle portion, and a deformable portion, with the capture portion connected to the middle portion, and the middle portion connected to the deformable portion via a transition band;
- a termination resistor including a ground portion and a conductor portion, wherein an electrical resistance is electrically connected between the conductor portion and the ground portion;
- and
- the ground portion of the termination resistor being held inside and making electrical contact with the capture portion of the ground insert.
A method for manufacturing a port terminator for use in a coaxial cable system, comprising the steps of:
- forming an outer nut having first and second chambers;
- forming at least one thread on an inside of the first chamber;
- forming an electrically conductive ground insert, wherein the ground insert includes a capture portion, a middle portion, and a deformable portion, with the capture portion connected to the middle portion, and the middle portion connected to the deformable portion via a transition band;
- positioning the ground insert inside the second chamber;
- providing a termination resistor including a ground portion and a conductor portion, wherein an electrical resistance is electrically connected between the conductor portion and the ground portion;
- positioning the ground portion of the termination resistor inside the capture portion of the ground insert;
- and
- fastening the ground portion of the termination resistor to the capture portion of the ground insert, thereby making good electrical contact between the termination resistor and the ground insert.
A port terminator for use in a coaxial cable system, comprising:
- an outer nut;
- the outer nut having first and second chambers;
- an inside of the first chamber having at least one thread therein;
- a ground insert positioned inside the second chamber;
- the ground insert being electrically conductive;
- a termination resistor including a ground portion and a conductor portion, wherein an electrical resistance is electrically connected between the conductor portion and the ground portion;
- the ground insert including means for receiving and being electrically connected to the ground portion of the termination resistor;
- and
- the ground insert further including deformable means for establishing electrical contact with a connector end of an equipment port when the port terminator is connected to the equipment port, such that an electrical path is established from a conductor port of the equipment port to the termination resistor to the ground insert to the connector end of the equipment port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.