Abstract:
The coaxial connector has a coupling nut, a post, a hollow body, and a ring that prevents interfaces from gapping and provide a robust alternative ground path that also RF shields the connector from both ingress and egress. The ring is biased radially outward to engage the coupling nut, thereby biasing the coupling nut in a rearward direction and, at the same time, biasing the post in a forward direction to engage a terminal.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of, and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/258,871 filed on Nov. 6, 2009 entitled, “Integrally Conductive Locking Coaxial Connector”, the content of which is relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to coaxial cable connectors, and particularly to coaxial cable connectors capable of securely connecting a coaxial cable to a terminal. 
         [0004]    2. Technical Background 
         [0005]    With the advent of digital signal in CATV systems, a rise in customer complaints due to poor picture quality in the form of signal interference resulting in what is known as “tiling” and the like has also occurred. Complaints of this nature result in CATV system operators having to send a technician to address the issue. Frequently it is reported by the technician that the cause of the problem is a loose F connector fitting. Type F connector fittings may be loose for many reasons; sometimes they are not properly tightened due to installation rules of system operators that prohibit the use of wrenches in-doors on customer equipment. Other times a homeowner may relocate equipment after the technician departs and may not adequately secure the F connectors. Additionally, some claim that F connector coupler loosen due to vibration and/or heat and cold cycles. 
         [0006]    Regardless, an improperly installed connector may result in poor signal transfer because there are discontinuities along the electrical path between the devices, resulting in a leak of radio frequency (“RF”) signal. That leak may be in the form of signal egress where the RF energy radiates out of the connector/cable arrangement. Alternately, an RF leak may be in the form of signal ingress where RF energy from an external source or sources may enter the connector/cable arrangement causing a signal to noise ratio problem resulting in an unacceptable picture. 
         [0007]    Many of the current state of the art F connectors rely on intimate contact between the F male connector interface and the F female connector interface. If for some reason, the connector interfaces are allowed to pull apart from each other, such as in the case of a loose F male coupler, an interface “gap” may result. This gap can be a point of an RF leak as previously described. 
         [0008]    To overcome this issue a number of approaches have been introduced including U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,990 (Bence, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,035 (Bence, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,062 (Palinkas, et al.) and US Patent application 20080102696 (Montena). While these approaches have been successful in varying degrees it is desirable to provide a functioning connector junction that will operate at various stages of engagement. 
         [0009]    To address the issue of loosening Type F couplers a number of approaches have been introduced including a lock-washer design produced by Phoenix Communications Technologies International (PCT) known as the TRS connector. While this approach may be somewhat successful in varying degrees, it is desirable to provide a functioning connector junction that will provide an improved locking mechanism. 
         [0010]    It would be desirable therefore to provide a coaxial connector that provides a connection without gapping, an alternative ground path, and a way to RF shield both ingress and egress. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Disclosed herein is coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable connector that includes a body, the body comprising a rear end, a front end, and an internal surface extending between the rear and front ends of the body, the internal surface defining a longitudinal opening, a post disposed at least partially within the longitudinal opening of the body, the post comprising a front end and an outer surface, the outer surface having a groove disposed adjacent the front end, a coupling nut disposed proximate the front end of the body to engage a terminal, the coupling nut having a front end and a back end and an opening extending therebetween, the opening having an internal surface, the internal surface having a threaded portion to engage the terminal, a forward facing surface to engage the tubular post and a forward facing inclined surface, and a ring having an internal surface, a forward facing surface, and a rearward facing inclined surface, the ring disposed in the groove between the coupling nut and the tubular post, the ring biased radially outward with at least a portion of the rearward facing inclined surface of the ring engaging at least a portion of the forward facing inclined surface of the coupling nut. 
         [0012]    In some embodiments, the coaxial cable connector also includes a sealing member. 
         [0013]    In other embodiments, the rotation of the coupling nut on a terminal biases the tubular post against the terminal so as to maintain contact with the terminal. 
         [0014]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0015]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present embodiments of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operations of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of a coaxial connector according to the present invention prior to engagement; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the coupling nut of the coaxial connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the post of the coaxial connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the ring of the coaxial connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the coaxial connector of  FIG. 1  in partial engagement; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the coaxial connector of  FIG. 1  in full engagement; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of a coaxial connector according to the present invention prior to engagement; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of an coaxial connector according to the present invention prior to engagement. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a coaxial connector  20  has a coupling nut  30 , a post  60 , a ring  90 , a sealing member  100 , a body  110 , a gripping member  150 , and compression ring  160 . The coaxial connector  20  is an axial-compression type coaxial connector and the connection of the coaxial connector  20  to a coaxial cable is known in the art. The coaxial connector  20  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  in its unattached, uncompressed state. As described in more detail below, the ring  90  is snap fit onto the post  60 . The coupling nut  30  is then disposed over the post  60  and the ring  90 . The body  110  is then press-fit over the post  60  (and into the coupling nut  30 ). Finally, the gripping number  150 , with the compression ring  160  disposed therein, is press-fit on to the body  110  to complete the coaxial connector  20 . The coupling nut  30  is free to spin around the post  60  in the front portion of the body  110 . Also, as described in more detail below, the coupling nut  30  also has limited axial movement so as to be allowed to engage a terminal. 
         [0026]    As illustrated in more detail in  FIG. 2 , the coupling nut  30  has a front end  32 , a back end  34 , and an opening  36  extending there between. The opening  36  of the coupling nut  30  has an internal surface  38 . The internal surface  38  includes a threaded portion  40 , a forward facing surface  42  to engage the post  60  and a forward facing inclined surface  44 . The coupling nut  30  also has a smooth outer surface  46  adjacent the front end  32  and a hexagonal configuration  48  adjacent the back end  34 . The coupling nut  30  is preferably made from a metallic material, such as brass, and it is plated with a conductive, corrosion-resistant material, such as nickel. 
         [0027]    The post  60 , illustrated in  FIG. 3 , includes a front end  62 , rear end  64 , and an opening  66  extending there between. The post  60  also includes an outer surface  68 , the outer surface  68  having a groove  70  near the front end  62 . The groove  70  also includes a bottom surface  72  and a rearward facing surface  74 . The post  60  is also made from a metallic material, such as brass, and it is also plated with a conductive, corrosion-resistant material, such as tin. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  illustrates the ring  90 , having a shape that can generally be described as frustoconical. The ring  90  has an internal surface  92 , a forward facing surface  94 , and a rearward facing inclined surface  96 . The ring  90  also has an opening  98  along one side to allow a change in the diameter of the ring  90 . The ring  90  is preferably made from a metallic material, such as heat-treated beryllium copper and is an elastic element. That is, the ring  90  can be compressed and expand, as described below. 
         [0029]    Turning now to  FIG. 5 , the coaxial connector  20  has been installed onto a coaxial cable  180  as is known in the art. The coupling nut  30  of the coaxial connector  20  has been turned to engage a terminal  190  and, in particular, the threads  192  of the terminal  190 . It should be noted that in this configuration, as well as the ready-to-be-shipped configuration of  FIG. 1 , the coupling nut  30  is biased rearwardly to engage the body  110 . The ring  90 , disposed in the groove  70 , is biased radially outward from the groove  70  so as to engage the coupling nut  30 . Preferably, the outer diameter of the ring  90  is larger than the internal diameter of the coupling nut  30 , causing the ring  90  to engage the internal surface  38  of the coupling nut  30 . The rearwardly facing inclined surface  96  therefore engages the forward facing inclined surface  44  of the coupling nut  30 . Since the forward facing surface  94  of the ring  90  engages the rearward facing surface  74  of the groove  70 , the coupling nut  30  is biased rearwardly toward the body  110  and relative to the post  60 . 
         [0030]    It should also be noted in  FIG. 5  that the post  60  engages the terminal  190  with just a few turns of the coupling nut  30 . Additionally, the coupling nut  30  has not yet begun to move axially toward the terminal  190  relative to the post  60  and the body  110 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  illustrates coupling nut  30  fully engaging the terminal  190 . With the post  60  having engaged the terminal  190  at the beginning of engagement and as the coupling nut  30  was rotated onto terminal  190 , the coupling nut  30  moved axially forward relative to the post  60  and the ring  90 . As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , the forward facing surface  44  of the coupling nut  30  has moved along the rearwardly facing inclined surface  96 , radially compressing the ring  90 . Since the forward facing inclined surface  44  of the coupling nut  30  constantly engages the rearwardly facing inclined surface  96  of the ring  90 , an alternative ground path is created through the coupling nut  30  and the ring  90 . The coupling nut  30  can be rotated until the forward facing surface  42  of the coupling nut  30  engages the rearward facing surface  74  of the post  60 . The forward facing inclined surface  44  of the coupling nut  30  engaging the rearwardly facing inclined surface  96  of the ring  90  and the ring  90  engaging the bottom surface  72  of the groove  70  impart both axial and radial forces that both bias, or load, and restrain the coupler nut  30  from rotating. 
         [0032]    It should also be noted that the radially outward biasing effect of the ring  90  also tends to center the coupling nut  30  relative to the post  60  (and therefore the center conductor of the coaxial cable  180 ). The outward biasing of the ring  90  also causes thread loading on the coupling nut  30 . Since the coupling nut  30  is biased in a rearward direction (axially), it imparts a force on the threads  192  of the terminal  190 . This force assists in maintaining a positive axial engagement between the terminal  190  and the coaxial connector  20 . Moreover, when the coaxial connector  20  (and the coupling nut  30  in particular) is unthreaded, the coupling nut  30  will tend to pop off of the terminal  190 , returning the coaxial connector  20  to the state illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0033]    The sealing member  100 , illustrated in  FIG. 6  as being at the junction of the body  110  and the post  60 , prevents moisture and debris from entering into the coaxial connector  20 . It should be noted that the coupling nut  30  moves axially forward over the sealing member  100 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the sealing member  100  is an O-ring. 
         [0034]      FIG. 7  illustrates an alternative embodiment of a coaxial connector  20 ′. The coaxial connector  20 ′ has a larger sealing member  100 ′. Coaxial connector  20 ′ has a coupling nut  30 ′, a post  60 ′, a ring  90 ′, a sealing member  100 ′, a body  110 ′, a gripping member  150 ′, and compression ring  160 ′. Generally, the difference in co-axial connector  20 ′ is that the configuration of the internal surface  38 ′ of coupling nut  30 ′ and the outer surface of body  110 ′ are slightly different to accommodate a larger sealing member  100 ′. Rather than sealing the junction of three components (i.e., the coupling nut, the post, and the body), only the junction of two components are sealed in coaxial connector  20 ′. The rest of the structure, as well as the workings of, the coaxial connector  20 ′ are the same as the prior embodiment. 
         [0035]    An alternative embodiment of the coaxial connector  20 ″ is illustrated in  FIG. 8  according to the present invention. The coaxial connector  20 ″ includes a coupling nut  30 ″, a post  60 ″, a ring  90 ″, a sealing member  100 ″, and a body  110 ″. The coaxial connector  20 ″ is configured as a pin-type connector arrangement wherein the central conductor  200 ″ and the post  60 ″ remain in contact with the terminal (not shown). The operation of the coupling nut  30 ″, the ring  90 ″, and the post  60 ″ operate in the same fashion as described above with respect to coaxial connector  20 . 
         [0036]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.