Patent ID: 9385446
Filing Date: 2016-07-05
CPC Classification: H01R,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A coaxial interface port accessory comprising: a port body configured to be a portion of an interface port, the port body configured to receive a signal-carrying inner conductor of a coaxial cable along an elongate axis and configured to be electrically grounded to an outer conductor of the coaxial cable, the port body including a body adapter having first and second portions and a ridge separating the first and second portions, the ridge protruding radially from the body adapter; a post engager configured to receive and engage a post of a coaxial cable connector in a first operating mode, the post engager comprising a cylindrical sleeve and a bi-directional flange integral with, and extending radially from, the sleeve, the bi-directional flange defining an aperture for accepting the second portion of the body adapter and having a plurality of axial retention fingers extending from the sleeve, each axial retention finger extending across the ridge of the body adapter from the second portion to the first portion of the body adapter, each axial retention finger, furthermore, comprising an arcuate shoulder at one end of the axial retention finger and defining a cantilever spring for biasing the arcuate shoulder radially into engagement with a ring-shaped retention lip of the post, the post engager including at least three equiangular axial retention fingers, each having an inclined surface for slideably engaging an inclined surface of the post, the inclined surfaces of the post engager and the inclined surfaces of the post spreading the end of each axial retention finger in a radial direction such that, when the post is fully received within the port body, the axial retention fingers bias the arcuate shoulders of the post engager radially toward the elongate axis and into engagement with the ring-shaped retention lip of the post; an actuator configured to translate axially along the elongate axis to release the post engager from the ring-shaped retention lip of the post in a second operating mode, the actuator including a collar and a drive assembly coupled to the collar, the collar circumscribing the axial retention fingers and coaxial with the body adapter, the drive assembly releasing the arcuate shoulder of each axial retention finger from engagement with the ring-shaped retention lip of the post in response to axial displacement of the collar, the drive assembly furthermore including a frustum driver defining an outwardly facing conical surface and an expansion ring having a complimentary inwardly facing conical surface, the outwardly facing conical surface of the frustum driver engaging the inwardly facing conical surface of the expansion ring to expand the expansion ring radially outward to lift the axial retention fingers and the respective arcuate shoulders from engagement with the ring-shaped retention lip of the post; and a biasing assembly operably coupled to the post engager and configured to axially bias the post against the port body in the first operating mode to maintain an electrical ground path between the post and the port body, the biasing assembly comprising first and second biasing elements, the first biasing element interposing the post engager and a forwardly facing shoulder of the port body and the second biasing element interposing the post engager and the radially projecting rigid of the port body.