Electrical compression connector

An electrical connector for connecting to a jack having a socket and a rim and including a cylindrical hollow body having a pin and a flared contact member projecting from one end thereof for engaging the socket and the rim respectively. An outer sleeve extends around the body member and is adapted for slidable movement relative to the body member and contact member for compressing the contact member inwardly into engagement with the rim.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a connector, a more particularly to an electrical 
connector for establishing an electrical and mechanical connection to a 
jack. 
Various electronic components require an external electrical conductor to 
be connected to a component, usually via a female jack formed on the 
component. Thus, several types of electrical connectors have been devised 
which are connected to the conductor and are adapted to be inserted or 
otherwise fitted to a female jack on the component to effect a mechanical 
connection with the jack and an electrical connection between the 
conductor and circuitry electrically connected to the jack. 
One of the most popular type connectors of this type is termed an "RCA 
plug" which features a pin and an outer rim which receives the electrical 
conductor and which connects to a socket and an inner rim, respectively, 
of a complementary jack. The outer rim of the RCA plug is constructed and 
arranged to extend over the rim of the jack in a engaging relationship. 
However, upon repeated use, the outer rim becomes bent outwardly, which 
compromises the mechanical and electrical connection between it and the 
corresponding rim of the jack. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electrical 
connector which effects a secure and stable mechanical and electrical 
connection with a corresponding jack. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide and electrical 
connector of the above type in which a flared contact sleeve is provided 
which extends around the rim of the jack and which is compressed inwardly 
into a positive contact with the rim of the jack to effect a stable and 
secure mechanical and electrical connection. 
Toward the fulfillment of these and other objects, the connector of the 
present invention includes a pin and a flared contact sleeve projecting 
outwardly from a body member and adapted to engage a socket and a rim, 
respectively, of a corresponding jack. A sleeve is slidable over the body 
member into an engagement with the contact sleeve to compress the latter 
into a secure and stable mechanical and electrical connection with the rim 
of the jack.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference to numeral 10 refers, in 
general, to the connector of the present invention which consists of a 
cylindrical body member 12 one end portion of which is internally 
threaded, as shown by the reference numeral 12a, and the other end portion 
of which has an inner shoulder 12b formed thereon. A longitudinal slot 14 
is formed in the body member 12 between the end portions thereof for 
reasons to be described. 
A plastic support member 16 partially extends within one end portion of the 
body member 12. The outer diameter of the support member 16 is slightly 
less than the inner diameter of the body member 12 so that it fits snugly 
within the body member in a frictional type fit. The outer surface of the 
support member 16 is stepped to form a shoulder 16a which engages the 
shoulder 12b of the body member 12 to locate the support member 16 
relative to the body member. 
A frustoconcial sleeve 18 is embedded in the support member 16 and has a 
plurality of flared contact leaves 20 formed integrally therewith and 
projecting outwardly from one end thereof. The leaves 20 together form a 
flared sleeve, or frustocone, extending coaxially with the body member 12 
and having a diameter increasing in a direction extending from the sleeve 
18. A pair of extensions, or terminals, 21a and 21b extend from the other 
end of the sleeve 18 and project outwardly from the support member 16 and 
into the interior of the body member 12. 
A plurality of tabs 16b extend around the inner end of the support member 
16 and mate with corresponding tabs (not shown) formed on an inner sleeve 
22 also disposed within the body member 12 and extending coextensive with 
the tabs 16b, so that the inner sleeve is axially aligned with the support 
member. 
A plurality of leaves 23 are formed integrally with, and extend from, the 
free end portion of the inner sleeve 22 and are compressed radially 
inwardly by a compression nut 24 which extends within the interior of the 
threaded end portion 12a of the body member 12 in threaded engaged 
therewith. The dimensions of the inner sleeve 22, the body member 12, and 
the nut 24 are such that, upon rotation of the nut and axial advancement 
of the nut into the interior of the body member, the leaves 23 are 
compressed radially inwardly for reasons that will be explained. 
An outer sleeve 26 extends over the body member 12 and has an inner 
diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the body member to 
permit slidable movement of the sleeve relative to the body member. One 
end portion of the sleeve 26 is stepped to form an inner shoulder 26a 
which normally engages the end of the body member 12. A tab 26b is formed 
on the inner wall of the sleeve 26 and extends in the slot 14 of the body 
member 12 to limit the slidable movement of the sleeve relative to the 
body member 12. The inner diameter of the sleeve 26 is less than that of 
the diameter of the free end portion of the frustocone defined by the 
leaves 20 so that, during movement of the sleeve 26 in a direction from 
right-to-left as shown by the arrows in FIG. 1 to the position shown by 
the dashed lines, the left end portion of the sleeve 26 exerts a radially 
inwardly directed compressive action against the flared leaves 20 to 
compress them radially inwardly for reasons to be described. 
A contact pin 30 is provided which extends coaxially with the body member 
12 and the frustocone formed by the leaves 20, and has a portion extending 
through a bore in the support member 16 in a friction fit. One end portion 
of the pin 30 projects outwardly from one end of the support member 16 
within the interior of the body member 12 and is notched as shown by the 
reference numeral 30a. The other end portion of the pin projects outwardly 
from the other end of the support member 16 and is notched as shown by the 
reference numeral 30b to facilitate its insertion within a complementary 
opening, or socket (not shown), formed in a jack as will be described. 
The pin 30 is adapted to be connected to an electrical conductor (not 
shown) by connecting the positive lead of the conductor to the notched 
portion 30a of the pin and the negative lead of the conductor to one of 
the terminals 21a or 21b. These connections can be made in any known 
manner such as by soldering. After these connections have been 
established, the nut 24 is advanced relative to the body member 12 in a 
direction from right-to-left as viewed in FIG. 1 to compress the leaves 23 
against the conductor and thus secure the latter relative to the body 
member 12. 
The connector 10 is designed to establish an electrical connection between 
a "female" jack and the conductor connected to the terminals 21a or 21b 
and the notched portion 30a of the pin 30. The outer rim of the jack is 
shown by the reference numeral 32, and to establish the connection, the 
connector 10 is advanced in a direction from right-to-left towards the 
jack until the leaves 20 extend over, and in engagement with, the rim 32 
of the jack. This establishes a "ground" connection between the negative 
lead of the conductor connected to the terminals 21a and 21b and a 
corresponding conductor or component connected to the jack. The connector 
10 is then advanced further in the right-to-left direction until the pin 
30 extends fully within a corresponding socket (not shown) defined by the 
jack to establish the positive connection between the positive lead of the 
conductor connected to the notched portion 30a of the pin 30 and a 
corresponding conductor or component connected to the jack. 
The outer sleeve 26 is then manually advanced in a right-to-left direction 
to engage and compress the flared leaves 20 radially inwardly against the 
rim 32. This advancement continues until the above compression is 
maximized and the connector 10 is thus positively secured to the jack. 
It is thus seen that the connector 10 of the present invention provides a 
stable and secure mechanical and electrical connection between its 
conductor and the jack and eliminates the possibility of the leaves 20 
bending outwardly to compromise the quality of the connection. Also, the 
connector 10 can easily be disconnected from the jack by retracting the 
sleeve 26 in a left-to-right direction to release the engagement with the 
rim 32 and then moving the body member 12 in the same direction until the 
pin 30 is removed from the socket and the leaves 20 are moved out of 
engagement with the rim 32. 
It is also noted that, according to the present invention, the ground 
connection established between the contact sleeve 16 and the rim 32 is 
established initially before the positive connection between the rim 30 
and the corresponding socket, and, upon withdrawal of the connector 10 
from the jack, the ground connection is broken last. 
The embodiment of FIG. 2 is similar to that of FIG. 1 and therefore the 
same components are given identical reference numerals. According to the 
embodiment of FIG. 2, a connector 10' is provided which includes a contact 
sleeve 34 which has an outwardly flared portion 34a and an inwardly 
tapered end portion 34b. Thus the sleeve 26, when advanced in a 
right-to-left direction, compresses the flared portion 34a inwardly which 
urges the tapered portion 34b into a positive engagement with the rim of 
the jack. Otherwise the connector 10' of FIG. 2 is identical to the 
connector of FIG. 1. 
According to the embodiment of FIG. 3, a connector 40 is provided which 
consists of a cylindrical body member 42 having a stepped outer surface to 
form an annular shoulder 44. A contact sleeve 46 has an end portion 
extending within an outer sleeve 48 and over an end portion of the body 
member 42. The remaining portion of the sleeve 46 projects from the sleeve 
48 and is flared outwardly as shown. The portion of the sleeve 46 
extending within the sleeve 48 has an annular flange, 46a extending 
outwardly therefrom which normally engages an inwardly directed flange 48a 
formed on the corresponding end of the sleeve 48. 
The other end portion of the sleeve 48 has an internally threaded bore in 
engagement with a corresponding threaded outer surface 42a formed on the 
body member 42. Thus, by rotating the sleeve 48 relative to the body 
member 42 the sleeve moves in an axial direction relative to the body 
member. During this movement in a right-to-left direction, the flange 48a 
of the sleeve 48 exerts a radially inwardly-directed compressive action 
against the flared end portion of the sleeve 46. 
A contact pin 50 is provided which has a portion extending through a ring 
52 secured in the body member 42. The ring 52 is fitted within an annular 
flange 42b extending from the inner surface of the body member 42. One end 
portion of the pin 50 projects outwardly from the ring and is notched as 
shown by the reference numeral 50a. The remaining portion of the pin 50 
extends through the interior of the sleeve 46. 
The pin 50 is adapted to be connected to an electrical conductor (not 
shown) by connecting the positive lead of the conductor to the notched 
portion 50a of the pin and the negative lead of the conductor to an 
internal surface of the body member 42. 
The operation of the connector 40 is identical to that of the connector 10 
of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the exception that the sleeve 48 is 
advanced relative to the body member 42 by rotating the former relative to 
the latter. Thus the embodiment of FIG. 3 enjoys all of the advantages of 
the connector 10 of the previous embodiment. 
It is understood that several variations may be made in the foregoing 
without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the leaves 
20 do not have to be flared, but can be sized to define an inner diameter 
that receives the rim 32 with minimum clearance or so that they are forced 
slightly radially outwardly upon insertion of the rim therein. 
Other modifications, changes and substitutions are intended in the 
foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention 
will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. 
Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed 
broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.