Ferrule for a coaxial cable terminal having overlapping crimp wings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11637388-B2
Application number	US-202117511726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2021
Priority date	Sep 17, 2021
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

A coaxial cable assembly includes a coaxial cable having a shield conductor surrounding a central conductor, a shield terminal in contact with an inner surface of the shield conductor, and a ferrule configured to secure the shield terminal to the coaxial cable. The ferrule defines first and second crimping wings. The first and second crimping wings each having an arcuate shape and are compressively connected to an outer surface of the shield conductor. A distal end of the first crimping wing overlies a distal end of the second crimping wing. A method for forming the coaxial cable assembly and a crimping tool for attaching the ferrule to the coaxial cable is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coaxial cable assembly, comprising:
a coaxial cable having a shield conductor surrounding a central conductor;
a shield terminal in contact with an inner surface of the shield conductor; and
a ferrule configured to secure the shield terminal to the coaxial cable, the ferrule defining first and second crimping wings each having an arcuate shape and compressively connected to an outer surface of the shield conductor, wherein a first distal end of the first crimping wing overlies a second distal end of the second crimping wing, wherein side edges of the first distal end are congruent with side edges of the second distal end of the second crimping wing, and wherein there is no gap between the first crimping wing and the second distal end.

2. The coaxial cable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ferrule further comprises a pair of retention wings, each having an arcuate shape and compressively connected to an insulation layer surrounding the shield conductor.

3. The coaxial cable assembly according to claim 2 , wherein distal ends of the pair of retention wings define pointed tabs that pierce the insulation layer.

4. The coaxial cable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the arcuate shape of the first crimping wing has a first radius and the arcuate shape of the second crimping wing has a second radius that is less than the first radius.

5. The coaxial cable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the ferrule defines a knurled surface having a plurality of recesses and wherein a plurality of protrusions is arranged on perimeter edges of the plurality of recesses.

6. The coaxial cable assembly according to claim 5 , wherein each recess in the plurality of recesses is rhombus shaped.

7. A method of attaching a ferrule to a shield conductor of a coaxial cable, comprising:
providing the ferrule having a pair of crimping wings; and
compressively attaching the ferrule to the shield conductor by forming the pair of crimping wings into arcuate shapes such that a first distal end of a first crimping wing in the pair of crimping wings overlies a distal end of a second crimping wing in the pair of crimping wings, side edges of the first distal end are congruent with side edges of the second distal end of the second crimping wing, and there is no gap between the first crimping wing and the second distal end.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the forming the pair of crimping wings into arcuate shapes is performed using a crimping tool having two asymmetrical lobes having unequal radii.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the crimping tool forms the pair of crimping wings such that the formed first crimping wing has a first radius and the formed second crimping wing has a second radius that is less than the first radius.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein centers of the unequal radii are offset from one another.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the ferrule further includes a pair of retention wings having distal ends that define pointed tabs and wherein the method further includes:
forming the pair of retention wings into arcuate shapes such that the pointed tabs pierce an insulation layer surrounding the shield conductor.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein an inner surface of the ferrule defines a knurled surface having a plurality of recesses and wherein a plurality of protrusions is arranged on perimeter edges of the plurality of recesses.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein each recess in the plurality of recesses is rhombus shaped.

14. A crimping tool configured to compressively attach ferrule having first and second crimping wings to a shield of a coaxial cable by forming pair of crimping wings into arcuate shapes such that a first distal end of the first crimping wing overlies a second distal end of the second crimping wing side edges of the first distal end are congruent with side edges of the second distal end of the second crimping wing, and there is no gap between the first crimping wing and the second distal end, the crimping tool comprising:
a crimping plate having a pair of asymmetrical lobes, wherein a first radius of a first lobe of the pair of asymmetrical lobes is less than a second radius of a second lobe of the pair of asymmetrical lobes.

15. The crimping tool according to claim 14 , wherein the first lobe is configured to form the first crimping wing and the second lobe is configured to form the second crimping wing.

16. The crimping tool according to claim 14 , wherein a center of the first radius of the first lobe is offset from a center of the second radius of the second lobe.

17. The crimping tool according to claim 14 , wherein an arc length of the first lobe is less than an arc length of the second lobe.

18. The crimping tool according to claim 14 , wherein an intersection of the first lobe with the second lobe is offset from a centerline of the crimping plate.

Assignees

• Aptiv Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Schuster James P
• Bucey Luke

Classifications

• H01R43/048

  Crimping apparatus or processes (H01R43/042 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R4/2495

  Insulation penetration combined with permanent deformation of the contact member, e.g. crimping · CPC title

• H01R9/0518 Primary

  Connection to outer conductor by crimping or by crimping ferrule · CPC title