Coaxial cable connector

A coaxial cable connector including a plurality of arms, each arm having: a lever, a gripper having inwardly extending teeth, the gripper being on an opposite side of a longitudinal axis of the coaxial cable connector from the lever, and a joint connecting the lever to the gripper, the joint traversing the longitudinal axis to connect the lever to the gripper.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of electrical connectors, and more particularly to the field of coaxial cable connectors.

BACKGROUND

A coaxial cable is a type of cable that is capable of transmitting a signal propagating along an electromagnetic wave. The coaxial cable may have a core conducting wire that is separated from a cylindrical conducting shield by a spacer. The core conducting wire may be a solid or stranded wire formed from a metal such as copper. The conducting shield may be a foil layer of or a braid of conducting metal such as copper or aluminum. The conducting shield may be grounded to minimize interference. The spacer may be a dielectric that surrounds the core conducting wire and is surrounded by the conducting shield. The electromagnetic wave exists within the spacer, and therefore characteristics of the spacer significantly affect the characteristics of the cable, such as impedance. Because the electromagnetic wave may exist within the spacer, interference from outside sources may be minimized. The coaxial cable may have a protective sheath covering the conducting shield to further minimize interference. The protective sheath may be a durable and insulating material.

A wide variety of industrial and consumer applications use coaxial cables, and differing applications may use cables having differing characteristics. To ensure the selected cable is suited for the application, cables may have designations indicating the characteristics of the cable. For example, a cable may have a designation with the prefix “RG”, meaning “radio grade” or “radio guide”, indicating the cable may be used to transmit signals including radio-frequency signals.

At an end, the cable may have a connector to facilitate connecting the cable to a device. Like the cable itself, connectors may be suitable for particular applications and may be sized and shaped for use with particular cables. For example, an “RF” (radio-frequency) connector is a connector that may be used with RG-type cables. Often, each connector may have a male version and a female version. For example, the male connector may be coupled to the cable and the female connector may be coupled to a device. To attach the cable to the device, the male connector may engage the female connector. For example, the male connector may have a threaded interior that screws onto a threaded exterior of the female connector.

One type of connector having threads is an F connector, which is a type of “RF” connector. A conventional female F connector comprises a cylinder having a threaded exterior and a centrally-located hole for receiving the conducting wire of the cable. A conventional male F connector comprises a sleeve having a nut-shaped exterior and a hollow, cylindrically shaped interior that is threaded. The male F connector slips over and is secured to the RG-type cable, with the conducting wire extending through the hollow interior. To attach the male F connector to the female F connector, the male F connector is threadedly engaged to the female F connector.

Coaxial cable may be used with the transmission of television services. To receive this service, a coaxial cable carrying a television signal may be joined to a device such as a television, a VCR, a DVR, a cable box, or a satellite receiver. The coaxial cable may have a male F connector and the device may have a female F connector, and the male F connector on the cable may be screwed onto the female F connector on the device.

Although the design of a conventional male F connector provides a secure connection, it may be difficult to screw the male F connector onto the female F connector. Often, the female F connector is located on a back of the device, which may be cumbersome to reach without moving the device. A user may have to put himself in a physically awkward position to reach the female F connector, and may be required to attach the cable with one hand. Also, it may be easier for the threaded interior of the male F connector to initially engage the threaded exterior of the female F connector if the male F connector is held substantially parallel to the female connector. However, it may be cumbersome to simultaneously hold the male F connector parallel to the female F connector and to twist the nut-shaped exterior of the male F connector, especially if the user is working with one hand. Due to the number of threads, attaching the male F connector may be time consuming, and a user may believe the threads on the male F connector are engaging the threads on the female F connector when in fact the threads are not engaging. It is not uncommon for a user to believe he has effectively screwed the male F connector onto the female F connector, but for the male F connector to completely disengage from the device once the user removes his hand. Additionally, movement of the device may cause the cable to disengage from the device if the male F connector is not securely connected.

Recently, cable service providers have expanded their service offerings to include internet access services and voice-over-IP telephone services. To receive these services, a cable modem is attached to the coaxial cable, usually by attaching a male F connector on the coaxial cable to a female F connector on the cable modem. The cable modem may be attached to a computer, and the signal passing through the connector establishes internet connectivity. The cable modem may also be attached to a router or a phone adapter that is connected to a telephone to establish telephone services. However, a user may encounter the same difficulties joining the coaxial cable to the cable modem as he encounters when joining the coaxial cable to a television.

From the above, it is apparent that a need exists for a male coaxial cable connector that can be easily attached to and released from a conventional female coaxial cable connector, the female connector having a threaded exterior.

SUMMARY

Coaxial cable connectors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a coaxial cable connector may have a plurality of arms, and each arm may include a lever, a gripper having inwardly extending teeth, and a joint connecting the lever to the gripper. The gripper may be on an opposite side of a longitudinal axis of the coaxial cable connector from the lever, and the joint may traverse the longitudinal axis to connect the lever to the gripper.

In another embodiment, a coaxial cable assembly may include a coaxial cable, and a coaxial cable connector coupled to the coaxial cable. The coaxial cable connector may have a plurality of arms, and each arm may include a lever, a gripper having inwardly extending teeth, and a joint connecting the lever to the gripper, the gripper being on an opposite side of a longitudinal axis of the cable than the lever.

In another embodiment, a method of attaching a male coaxial cable connector to a female coaxial cable connector may comprise compressing at least one lever of the male connector to move at least one gripper of the male connector in a direction away from a coaxial cable, the coaxial cable being positioned along a longitudinal axis, inserting an inner conducting wire of the coaxial cable into an opening on the female connector, and releasing the at least one lever to move the grippers toward a threaded outer surface of the female coaxial cable connector to engage teeth on the grippers with the threaded outer surface of the female coaxial cable connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described above, a need exists for a male coaxial cable connector that quickly joins to and releases from a female coaxial cable connector having a threaded exterior surface. As is described below, one such male connector may be formed having arms, each arm having a gripper that may engage threads on the female connector. The male connector may be quickly attached to and released from the female connector by compressing and releasing levers on the arms.

Referring now to the Figures,FIG. 1shows a perspective view of an embodiment a male coaxial cable assembly5having a male coaxial cable connector10coupled with a conventional coaxial cable12. The cable12may be a cylindrical cable having substantially concentric cylindrical layers including an inner conducting wire16, a dielectric spacer, an outer conducting shield20, and an exterior protective sheath22. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the protective sheath22may be omitted or stripped away along a distal portion of the cable12, exposing the outer shield20. In other embodiments, the distal portion may have the protective sheath22. At a distal tip of the cable12, the inner conducting wire16may protrude from the cable12.

Along the distal portion of the cable12, the male connector10may be physically coupled to the cable12. Once the male connector10is coupled to the cable12, a longitudinal axis74of the cable12may substantially align with a longitudinal axis of the male connector10.

The male connector10has a plurality of arms30. Each arm30may have a gripper36, a lever38, and a joint40connecting the gripper36to the lever38. The arm30may be formed from a conducting material. In some embodiments, the arm30may be formed as a single piece from conducting metal. In other embodiments, the arm30may be formed from more than one piece of conducting material.

The gripper36may have a surface that may be substantially planar, and may have a distal edge that may be substantially straight, as shown inFIG. 1. Teeth44may extend inwardly from the distal edge. To facilitate a connection with the female connector, the teeth44may be sized and shaped to fit between threads on the female connector. In other embodiments, the surface and the distal edge of the gripper36may be curved inwardly to mate with an exterior curve on the female connector (not shown). The teeth44may also extend inwardly from a different location on the gripper36. For example, the teeth may extend inwardly from the distal edge and the side edge of the gripper (not shown).

The lever38may be substantially planar, as shown inFIG. 1, or the lever may have other configurations. The joint40may be shaped such that, once the arm is coupled to the cable12, the gripper36and the lever38may be on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis74, and the joint40may traverse the longitudinal axis74to connect the gripper36to the lever38. In some embodiments, the joint40may have an opening42to facilitate this configuration, and the cable12may pass through the opening42such that the lever38may be on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis74than the gripper36.

As shown in the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1, the male connector10may have two arms30, including a first arm30aand a second arm30b. The first arm30amay have a gripper36a, a lever38a, and a joint40a, and the joint40amay have an opening42a. Likewise the second arm30bmay have a gripper36b, a lever38b, and a joint40b. The joint40bmay have an opening42b.

Once attached to the distal portion of the cable12, the first arm30amay mirror the second arm30balong the longitudinal axis74, the first arm30abeing opposite from and substantially aligned with the second arm30balong the longitudinal axis74. In such an embodiment, the grippers36aand36bmay be substantially aligned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis74, with the teeth44of both grippers36aand36bextending inwardly toward the longitudinal axis74. Likewise, the lever38aof the first arm may be on an opposite side of the longitudinal axis74than the lever38bof the second arm30b. Because the joint40aof the first arm30amay extend across the longitudinal axis74to connect to the gripper36a, and the joint40bof the second arm30bmay extend across the longitudinal axis74to connect to the gripper36b, the joints40aand40bmay intersect. To facilitate the intersection, the joint40aof the first arm30amay pass through the opening42bin the joint40bof the second arm30b.

The male connector10may also include a fastener32. The fastener32may be used to fasten at least one lever38to the distal portion of the cable12. For example, the fastener32may be a screw56. The lever38may have a screw hole at a proximal end of the lever, and the screw56may be inserted through the screw hole to fasten the lever38to the distal portion. A bottom surface of the screw56may press against the distal portion without entering the cable12, the screw56acting to clamp the arm to the distal portion. In other embodiments, the lever38may be fastened to the distal portion using other fasteners32that are known in the art. For example, the fastener32may be solder, and the lever38may be soldered to the distal portion (not shown).

Other arms30may be coupled to the at least one lever38that is fastened to the distal portion. For example, as described above and as shown in the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1, the lever38amay have a screw hole, and the lever38amay be fastened to the distal portion with a screw56. The second arm30bmay then be attached to the first arm30a. The second arm30bmay have a hole58and tabs60at a proximal end of the lever38b, and the first arm30amay have slots62configured to receive the tabs60. The cable12may extend through the hole58on the second arm30b, and the second arm30bmay attach to the first arm30aby hooking the tabs60on the second arm30bthrough the slots62on the first arm30a.

Alternatively, each lever38may be individually fastened to the distal portion (not shown). In such an embodiment, the hole58, tabs60, and slots62may be omitted. For example, each lever38may have the screw hole, and the lever may be fastened to the distal portion with the screw56. In other embodiments, the fastener32may be another fastener that is known in the art.

In addition to being physically coupled to the distal portion of the cable12, the arm30may be electrically coupled to the outer shield20of the cable12, to provide electrical grounding when the male connector10is connected to the female connector. The fastener32may be made from a conductive material, and fastening the arm30to the outer shield20may ground the arm. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1, the protective sheath22may be removed so that the outer shield20is exposed along the distal portion. The screw56may be a conductive material, and the screw56may come into contact with the arm30and with the outer shield20to ground the arm. In other embodiments, the outer shield20may not be exposed along the distal portion, and the fastener32may extend through the protective sheath22to come into contact with the outer shield20.

Once the arm30is coupled to the cable12, the distal tip of the cable12may protrude past the teeth44of the gripper36along the longitudinal axis74. The gripper36may be moved with respect to the longitudinal axis74by moving the lever38, so that the gripper36may be moved closer to or farther from the distal tip. The lever38may have a resting position and a compressed position, the lever being farther away from the longitudinal axis when in the resting position than when in the compressed position. As mentioned above, the gripper36may be on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis74from the lever38, due to the shape of the joint40. Therefore, the gripper36may be in the closed position when the lever is in the resting position, and the gripper may be in the open position when the lever is in the compressed position, the gripper being closer to the longitudinal axis74when in the closed position than when in the open position.

The male connector10may also include an elastic retainer34. The elastic retainer34may cover the lever38to maintain the lever in the resting position, so that the gripper36is maintained in the closed position. For example, an embodiment including an elastic retainer34is illustrated inFIG. 2, depicting the elastic retainer34covering the levers38aand38b, the fastener32, and a portion of the length of the cable. The elastic retainer34may be a resilient material, and in some embodiments may be an insulating material.

In other embodiments, the male connector34may not include the elastic retainer34. For example, the male connector10may include a spring positioned between at least two levers38, the spring maintaining the levers in the resting position (not shown). In other embodiments, the lever may be configured to naturally assume the resting position without the aid of the elastic retainer34or the spring, and the lever may naturally return to the resting position once compression is released from the lever.

The male connector10may then be joined to a female coaxial cable connector64, as shown inFIG. 2. The female connector64may be substantially cylindrical, having surfaces that are substantially cylindrical. An exterior surface of the female connector64may have threads68, and an interior surface of the female connector may define a tube. The tube may be shaped and sized to mate with the inner conducting wire16of the cable12. The tube may be substantially aligned with a central axis of the female connector64.

The operation of the male coaxial cable connector10will now be described with reference toFIG. 2. The male connector10may be in a rest state with the levers in the resting position and the grippers in the closed position. The elastic retainer34may be compressed to move the levers from the resting position to the compressed position. Due to the shape of the joints, the grippers may be moved from the closed position to the open position. The elastic retainer34may be compressed until the grippers are opened wider than a width of the female connector64. The male connector10may be moved toward the female connector64, so that the longitudinal axis substantially aligns with the central axis of the female connector64. The grippers may pass adjacent the exterior of the female connector64, and the inner conducting wire16of the distal tip may enter the centrally-located tube of the female connector64. The compression may be released from the elastic retainer34, and the levers may return to the rest position so that the grippers return to the closed position. When in the closed position, the teeth44on the grippers may engage threads68on the exterior surface of the female connector64, and the elastic retainer34may maintain the grippers in the closed position.

The arms may be electrically coupled to the outer shield, mitigating signal interference once the outer shield is connected to a grounded female connector. In some embodiments, the elastic retainer34may be made from an insulating material to further mitigate signal interference.

The embodiments described above are set forth as illustrative examples of the principles of the present disclosure to facilitate a clear understanding of the principles. Many variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without substantially departing from the principles of the present disclosure. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure, as protected by the following claims.