Connector having a grounding member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9570859-B2
Application number	US-201615094451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2016
Priority date	Nov 24, 2004
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A grounding member for maintaining a ground path in a cable connector includes, in one embodiment, an inner core configured to flex when a force is applied to the grounding member during operation of the connector. The grounding member further includes an outer conductive coating applied to the inner core. The outer conductive coating is configured to flex from a first state to a second state when a force is applied to the grounding member, so as to maintain a conductive path through the connector when the outer conductive coating flexes between the first and second states during operation of the connector.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A conductive ground member for a cable connector, comprising:
a conductively coated component configured to form a conductive ground path between a first component and a second component of a cable connector; the conductively coated component including an inner core and an outer conductive coating configured to maintain a first conductive ground path portion between the first component and the conductive coating portion and a second conductive ground path portion between the second component and the conductive coating portion during operation of the connector; and
wherein the outer conductive coating is configured to flex when a force is applied to the conductively coated component so as to maintain conductivity of the conductive ground path between the first component and the second component of the cable connector when the outer conductive coating flexes and when the force is applied to the conductively coated component during operation of the connector.

2. The conductive ground member of claim 1 , wherein the first component is a coupling member and the second component is a post.

3. The conductive ground member of claim 2 , wherein the coupling member is formed of both conductive and non-conductive materials.

4. The conductive ground member of claim 3 , wherein the coupling member comprises an internal lip formed of a non-conductive polymer, and the remainder of the coupling member is comprised of a conductive material.

5. The conductive ground member of claim 1 , wherein the inner core is non-conductive.

6. The conductive ground member of claim 5 , wherein the inner core is formed from an elastomeric material.

7. The conductive ground member of claim 6 , wherein the inner core is silicone rubber.

8. The conductive ground member of claim 1 , wherein the outer conductive coating comprises a conductive ink.

9. The conductive ground member of claim 8 , wherein the conductive ink is a silver-based ink.

10. A grounding member for maintaining a ground path in a cable connector, comprising:
an inner core configured to flex when a force is applied to the grounding member during operation of a connector; and
an outer conductive coating applied to the inner core, and configured to flex from a first state to a second state different from the first state when a force is applied to the grounding member during operation of the connector so as to maintain a conductive path through the connector when the outer conductive coating flexes between the first and second states during operation of the connector.

11. The grounding member of claim 10 , wherein the grounding member resides within a coupling member of the cable connector.

12. The grounding member of claim 10 , wherein the outer conductive coating is applied to only a portion of the inner core.

13. The grounding member of claim 12 , wherein the outer conductive coating is applied in a spaced-apart, poloidal direction around the inner core.

14. The grounding member of claim 12 , wherein the outer conductive coating is applied in a spaced-apart, toroidal direction around the inner core.

15. The grounding member of claim 12 , wherein the outer conductive coating is applied in a weave-like pattern around the inner core.

16. A grounding member for maintaining a ground path in a cable connector, comprising:
an inner core configured to flex when a force is applied to the grounding member during operation of a connector;
an outer conductive coating applied to the inner core, and configured to flex from an uncompressed state, where the grounding member is not compressed, to a compressed state, where a force is applied to the grounding member during operation of the connector and where the grounding member is compressed; and
wherein the outer conductive coating is configured to maintain a ground path through the connector when the outer conductive coating flexes between the uncompressed state and the compressed state during operation of the connector.

17. A conductive seal for maintaining a seal and a ground path between first and second components of a cable connector, comprising:
an inner core;
an outer conductive coating applied to the inner core, and configured to flex from an uncompressed state, where the grounding member is not compressed between a first component of a connector and a second component of the connector, to a compressed state, where a force is applied to the grounding member during operation of the connector and where the grounding member is compressed between the first component of the connector and the second component of the connector; and
wherein the outer conductive coating is configured to maintain a seal and a ground path between the first and second components of the connector when the outer conductive coating flexes between the uncompressed state and the compressed state during operation of the connector.

18. The conductive seal of claim 17 , wherein the first component is a coupling member and the second component is a post.

19. The conductive seal of claim 17 , wherein the conductive seal is an O-ring, and the outer conductive coating is applied by spray-coating.

20. The conductive seal of claim 17 , wherein the outer conductive coating comprises a conductive ink.

21. The conductive seal of claim 20 , wherein the conductive ink is a silver-based ink.

22. The conductive seal of claim 17 , wherein the inner core is non-conductive.

23. The conductive seal of claim 22 , wherein the inner core is formed from an elastomeric material.

24. A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable and for facilitating electrical connection with a male coaxial cable interface port, the coaxial cable having a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric, the dielectric being surrounded by a conductive grounding shield, the conductive grounding shield being surrounded by a protective outer jacket, the connector comprising:
a connector body configured to engage a portion of the coaxial cable;
a post configured to electrically contact the coaxial cable;
a conductive sealing member comprising an inner core and an outer conductive coating, the conductive sealing member configured to flex between an uncompressed state, where the conductive sealing member is not compressed between the interface port and the post, to a compressed state, where the conductive sealing member is compressed between the interface port and the post; and
wherein the conductive sealing member is configured to maintain a seal and a ground path between the interface port and the post when the conductive sealing member flexes between the uncompressed state and the compressed state during operation of the connector.

25. The connector of claim 24 , further comprising a coupling member, wherein the conductive sealing member resides within the coupling member and only contacts the coupling member in the compressed state.

26. The connector of claim 25 , wherein the conductive sealing member contacts the coupling member in the uncompressed state.

27. The connector of claim 25 , wherein the conductive sealing member is configured to maintain a seal and a ground path between the coupling member and the post when the conductive sealing member flexes between the uncompressed state and the compressed state during operation of the connector.

28. The connector of claim 24 , wherein the conductive sealing member is an O-ring.

Assignees

• Ppc Broadband Inc

Inventors

• Krenceski Mary
• Mathews Roger
• Montena Noah P

Classifications

• H01R13/5202

  Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings · CPC title

• H01R13/5219

  Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal · CPC title

• H01R13/622

  Screw-ring or screw-casing (H01R13/623 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/658 Primary

  High frequency shielding arrangements, e.g. against EMI [Electro-Magnetic Interference] or EMP [Electro-Magnetic Pulse] {(coaxial coupling devices specially adapted for high frequency H01R24/40; for flat or ribbon cable connectors H01R12/774; for coaxial cable H01R9/05)} · CPC title

• Y10T29/49204

  Contact or terminal manufacturing · CPC title