Cable connector and method of terminating a cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10862228-B2
Application number	US-201916406128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2019
Priority date	May 8, 2018
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A cable connector and methods for terminating a coaxial cable to the cable connector, designed to facilitate assembly to and proper termination of the cable with improved grounding between the connector and the cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable connector, comprising:
an inner subassembly comprising a coupling nut for coupling to a mating connector or port and a post end for electrically connecting to a cable; and
an outer body comprising separable sections forming an inner bore that receives at least the post end of the inner subassembly, each section having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal ends being configured to accept the cable, and each section having at least one engagement feature that cooperates with at least one corresponding engagement feature of the other section for assembly of the sections together in a closed position around the inner subassembly.

2. The cable connector of claim 1 , wherein the sections of the outer body are half sections and the outer body further comprising a connecting piece connecting the proximal ends of the half sections, the connecting piece being coupled to a transition portion of the inner subassembly between the coupling and post ends.

3. The cable connector of claim 2 , wherein the connecting piece is press-fit onto the transition portion of the inner subassembly.

4. The cable connector of claim 2 , wherein the connecting piece has a keying feature that engages a corresponding keying feature of the transition portion.

5. The cable connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inner subassembly or the outer body is a unitary one-piece member.

6. The cable connector of claim 1 , wherein the inner subassembly is formed of a conductive material and the outer body is formed of a dielectric material.

7. The cable connector of claim 1 , wherein the sections of the outer body are half sections and the engagement features of the half sections are located at the distal ends thereof, respectively.

8. The cable connector of claim 1 , wherein the sections of the outer body are half sections and the half sections include another set of engagement features at or near the proximal ends, respectively.

9. The cable connector of claim 1 , wherein the engagement features form a snap engagement.

10. The cable connector of claim 1 , further comprising a creep compensation insert received in the inner bore of the outer body.

11. A coaxial cable connector assembly, comprising:
a cable having inner and outer conductors and an outer jacket; and
a coaxial connector comprising:
an outer body having sections configured to engage one another to form an inner bore;
an inner subassembly including a coupling nut for coupling to a mating connector or port and a post end receivable in the inner bore of the outer body, the post end being inserted into a prepared end of the cable so that the outer conductor of the cable is in electrical grounding contact with the post; and
a creep compensation insert received in the inner bore between the post end and inner surfaces of the half sections, the creep compensation insert being configured to limit material creep of the outer jacket of the cable terminated to the coaxial connector.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the creep compensation insert is formed of silicone and the outer jacket of the cable is formed of PVC.

13. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the sections of the outer body are half sections and two creep compensation inserts are received in respective recessed areas in the inner surfaces of the half sections of the outer body and surrounding the post end.

14. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the creep compensation insert is a sleeve inserted over the post end.

15. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the outer body is formed of a dielectric material and is a unitary one-piece member.

16. Method of terminating a cable with a cable connector, the cable connector comprising an outer body and an inner subassembly, comprising the steps of:
assembling the outer body to the inner subassembly by coupling a connecting piece of the outer body with a portion of the inner subassembly and with separable sections of the outer body being disengaged and in an open position, the inner subassembly having a coupling nut for coupling to a mating connector or port and a post end for electrically connecting to the cable;
after assembling the outer body to the inner subassembly, terminating a prepared end of the cable with the post end of the inner subassembly, thereby electrically connecting the cable and the inner subassembly, while the sections of the outer body remain disengaged and in the open position; and
after terminating the prepared end of the cable with the post end of the inner subassembly, assembling the sections together via cooperating engagement features to a closed position, thereby clamping the cable therebetween.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the sections of the outer body are half sections; and the step of assembling the half sections of the outer body together includes snap fitting the half sections.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the outer body is dielectric and the inner subassembly is conductive.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the sections of the outer body are half sections; and further comprising the step of releasing the cooperating engagement features to disengage the half sections of the outer body from the cable and move the half sections to the open position.

20. A method of terminating a cable with a coaxial cable connector, comprising the steps of:
preparing a termination end of the cable by,
removing an end portion of an outer jacket thereof, that is formed of dielectric material, at a termination end of the cable to expose a portion of an outer conductor of the cable commensurate with the end portion removed from the outer jacket,
forming one or more lateral slits in a predetermined portion of the outer jacket and in the outer conductor, at the termination end of the cable, and
folding back the exposed portion of the outer conductor to provide a post lead-in at the termination end of the cable;

installing the coaxial connector onto the termination end of the cable by inserting a post end of the coaxial connector into the post lead-in of the outer conductor, thereby electrically connecting the outer conductor of the cable and the post end of the coaxial connector; and
clamping the termination end of the cable between sections of an outer body of the coaxial cable connector.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein a length of the one or more lateral slits of the predetermined portion of the outer jacket is generally the same as the length of a cable termination end of the post.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the outer jacket slits at the one or more lateral slits when the post end is inserted into the termination end of the cable.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the one or more lateral slits are two lateral slits located on opposite sides of the outer jacket.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the sections of the outer body are half sections; and further comprising the step of snap fitting together the half sections around the post end of the coaxial cable connector when claiming the termination end of the cable.

25. The method of claim 20 , further comprising the step of inserting a creep compensation insert in the outer body prior to clamping the termination end of the cable, the creep compensation insert is configured to limit material creep of the outer jacket when clamping the termination end thereof.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the creep compensation insert is

Assignees

• Amphenol Corp

Inventors

• Thakare Rakesh
• Gordea Iuliu Cosmin
• Song Caichun
• Hoogendoorn Stefan Nicholas
• Padfield Nicholas
• Mothersdale Keith

Classifications

• H01R13/506

  assembled by snap action of the parts · CPC title

• H01R9/0524 Primary

  Connection to outer conductor by action of a clamping member, e.g. screw fastening means (H01R9/0515 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/501

  comprising an integral hinge or a frangible part · CPC title

• H01R43/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors (of trolley lines B60M1/28) · CPC title

• H01R43/28 Primary

  for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26 · CPC title