Abstract:
A splice connector assembly for electrically connecting or splicing mini-coaxial cable ends together includes an insert having opposed conductor pin-receiving sockets, a crimping member at one end of the body for crimping one cable end to the body with its conductor pin inserted into one of the sockets, and another cable end having its conductor pin inserted into the other socket, the assembly being conformable for use alone or in wall mount applications and with a wall mount clip color-coded to signify intended application of the splice connector for different uses and a tool for positioning the clip onto the connector body.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part patent application of Ser. No. 10/885,246, filed 6 Jul. 2004 for COAXIAL CABLE SPLICE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLIES by Randall A. Holliday and of Ser. No. 11/111,198, filed 20 Apr. 2005 for ADAPTER FOR COAXIAL CABLE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE COLOR BANDS by Randall A. Holliday and both incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     This invention relates to coaxial cable connectors; and more particularly relates to splice connectors for splicing the ends of coaxial cables together.  
         [0003]     In coaxial cable installations, it is often necessary to splice the ends of two cables together. In the past, this has been done by exposing the conductor portions at the end of each cable and attaching special connectors to each end; and the special connectors in turn are then interconnected to opposite ends of a common connector body in such a way as to establish an electrical connection therebetween. Accordingly, there is presently an unmet need for a splice connector which will eliminate special end connectors on the end of each cable as well as to achieve a highly secure connection with minimal signal loss. This is of importance in home entertainment systems in creating improved connections or splicing between mini-coaxial cables as well as wall connections for the min-coaxial cables either manually or with the aid of a tool of the type customarily employed for crimping of a connector to a cable.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     It is therefore an object to provide for a novel and improved splice connector for coaxial cable installations.  
         [0005]     It is another object to provide for a splice connector which is adaptable for use in different applications to establish secure interconnection between ends of a pair of min-coaxial cables to be joined together while avoiding the use of threaded fasteners.  
         [0006]     It is another object to provide for a novel and improved method and means for interchangeably connecting different colored bands to a coaxial cable splice connector according to its intended application.  
         [0007]     It is a further object to provide for a novel and improved splice connector conformable for use in the interconnection of a pair of min-coaxial cables in various applications, such as, wall mounts and which eliminates parts as well as requires less space in the installation or assembly of the cable and connector into a wall.  
         [0008]     It is still another object to provide for a novel and improved connector body incorporating a starter guide extension for a pin conductor to facilitate blind insertion of the cable into one end of the connector body so as to be precisely centered for insertion of another pin conductor at the end of a second coaxial cable and wherein the connector body is readily conformable for use with different types of RGB connectors including but not limited to BNC, RCA and F-connectors.  
         [0009]     In one aspect, a splice connector has been devised for electrically connecting pin or wire-like connectors at ends of each of a pair of cables, the connector comprising a tubular connector body including an insert with a socket end portion in combination with an adapter sleeve therein for insertion of opposite ends of the cables, the adapter including an electrically conductive portion to receive one of the conductors, the guide being axially advanced into centered relation to the adapter, and another of the conductors being inserted into a recessed portion at the socket end of the insert.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment, the splice connector includes a special wall mounting clamp which is snap-fit with a tool onto a non-circular external surface portion of the connector body prior to mounting in the wall of an electrical outlet box, and an opposite end of the connector body protrudes from the wall mounting clamp for connection of the second cable with a color ring mounted on the opposite end in accordance with a standard color code for the industry so as to be visible externally of the wall plate. Typically, the RGB connector body would be a BNC, RCA or F-type socket connector and the second cable would be terminated with a corresponding male connector end in which the conductor extends from the male connector for insertion into a recessed portion at the socket end of the insert.  
         [0011]     In a further embodiment, a corresponding type of splice connector body is employed with a resilient band or ring on its external surface which is color-coded to signify the intended application of the splice connector. The band can be attached to the body after one cable is connected to one end of the insert and the insert is crimped into position in the connector body, after which a second cable is inserted into the opposite end of the splice connector body to complete the connection to the selected electronic component. The color-coded band or ring is manually stretchable over the connector body and releasable to contract into close-fitting engagement with a groove on the body, and in wall mounting applications the band or ring is mounted in a groove externally of the wall mount installation so that it is visible after the installation is completed.  
         [0012]     The above and other objects, advantages and features of the embodiments described will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a view partially in section of an RCA connector assembly with a mini-cable inserted into the connector prior to the crimping operation;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an end view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is still another view of the assembly shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  after the connector body has been crimped onto the end of the cable;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an end view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a longitudinal section view of a completed RCA splice connector assembly;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of an extension tip for a mini-coaxial cable;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is another exploded view of the assembled extension tip of  FIG. 1  and an adapter sleeve;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is another exploded view of a socket end portion prior to assembly onto the adapter sleeve;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a view in section of one embodiment of FIGS.  1  to  5  illustrating the initial stages of assembly of a mini-coaxial cable in relation to the RCA connector;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is an exploded view in section of an RCA connector and a wall mount clip and color band;  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is an end view of the clip shown in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a view partially in section of the form shown in  FIG. 10  after the clip and color band have been mounted thereon;  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is an exploded perspective view of the splice connector assembly of FIGS.  10  to  12  and illustrating the extension of a first cable through an outlet box;  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is an exploded view partially in section of a BNC/RGB socket connector and wall mount clip and color band therefor;  
         [0027]      FIG. 15  is a view partially in section of the connector of  FIG. 14  after assembly of the wall mount clip and connection of a second cable;  
         [0028]      FIG. 16  is a sectional view of a tool for mounting of the wall mount clip onto the connector body;  
         [0029]      FIG. 17  is another sectional view of the tool of  FIG. 15  in the closed position after mounting the clip on the connector body;  
         [0030]      FIG. 18  is a front perspective view of one form of wall mount clip;  
         [0031]      FIG. 19  is a rear perspective view of the clip shown in  FIG. 18 ;  
         [0032]      FIG. 20  is a front perspective view of another form of wall mount clip;  
         [0033]      FIG. 21  is a rear perspective view of the clip shown in  FIG. 20 ; and  
         [0034]      FIG. 22  is an exploded perspective view of the tool and connector body of  FIGS. 16 and 17 ;  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0035]     FIGS.  1  to  22  illustrate embodiments of the present invention which are specifically adaptable for use with smaller diameter coaxial cables, customarily referred to as mini-coaxial cables which are on the order of 2.5 mm. to 4 mm. in diameter and are utilized with RGB splice connector bodies including but not limited to the BNC and RCA connector bodies.  
         [0036]     In FIGS.  1  to  5  a wall mount splice connection is comprised of an RCA socket-type connector  10  having a barrel portion  12  which is enlarged at one end to provide a hexagonal surface portion  15 ; and an external circumferentially extending groove  13  is provided which may, for example, accommodate a color band B shown in  FIGS. 10 and 12  and selected from one of a set of different colored bands which are furnished for the installation. Each band B may be composed of an elastic material and sized to fit over the connector body and then released to contract into the groove  13 . Thus, the user can identify the specific application after installing a given size and frequency of cable into the connector  10 . A series of grooves or slots  14  are provided on the hexagonal portion  15  for insertion of a seal to be hereinafter described.  
         [0037]     An inner concentric sleeve  16  is composed of an electrically non-conductive material and mounted within the barrel  12  to receive an insert  30 , and the sleeve  16  extends from an end of the connector body  9  to a stop  10 ′ at the end of the barrel  12 . In addition, an external rib  11  is mounted on the barrel  9  for a purpose to be described; and the body  12  is in the form of a standard universal compression connector adapted to accommodate different sized cables and includes first and second tapered sleeves S 1  and S 2  in stepped relation to one another and interconnected to form a first external shoulder therebetween. The first sleeve S 1  also forms an external shoulder at one end which terminates in a groove  17 . The sleeve S 2  is provided with inner sealing ribs  18 , the sealing ribs  18  being axially spaced along the inner wall surface of the sleeve S 2  to effect a positive sealed engagement with a cable member inserted therein.  
         [0038]     A crimping ring  20  is preassembled over the sleeve S 2  and is comprised of a main body  22  which is composed of a plastic material of limited compressibility, such as, DELRIN®. The leading end of the body  22  which fits over the sleeve  23  has an inner, tapered wall surface which terminates in an internal shoulder  24  at its leading end, the end  24  being of a diameter slightly less than the external diameter of the distal end of the sleeve S 2  so that the shoulder  24  can be forced over the distal end until it extends beyond the sealing rings  18  and is then free to expand into engagement with the external surface of the sleeve S 1 . The body  22  is undercut along its outer surface to receive a reinforcing liner  25  which will fit snugly over the body  22  and limit expansion of the body  22  when it is subsequently advanced over the sleeve S 2  during the crimping operation to be described.  
         [0039]     In order to splice the exposed ends of a pair of mini-coaxial cables M and M′ together, an insert  30  is shown in various stages of assembly in FIGS.  6  to  9  and is made up of an elongated tubular portion  32  of an electrically non-conductive material and which is undercut at one end  34  to receive the end of an adapter sleeve  36  of electrically conductive material. The sleeve  36  diverges into relatively thick arcuate end portions  38  which are separated by longitudinally extending slots  40  and have internal teeth  41  as illustrated in FIGS.  7  to  9  for the RCA connector version herein described. The opposite end of the tubular portion  32  has an inner wall surface  42  which diverges into a thin-walled annular end retainer  44 . The retainer  44  is longitudinally slotted at circumferentially spaced intervals to form an internal bore  48 . The tubular portion  32  receives a first socket end portion  50  which has a hollow, thin-walled cylindrical body  52  and which terminates in an annular end wall  54 . The socket end portion  50  fits snugly within the tubular portion  32  with the end wall  54  abutting inner shoulder  33  as best seen from  FIGS. 7, 8  and  9 .  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the second socket end portion  56  includes a tubular end  58  provided with spaced longitudinal slots  59  and terminates in a nose  60  at an opposite end with longitudinal slots  62  dividing the end of the nose  60  into arcuate segments, and the hollow interior of the nose  60  communicates with a central bore  48 . When the nose  60  is advanced into the bore  64 , an external shoulder  66  on the nose will force the end retainer  44  to expand until the shoulder  66  moves into mating engagement with the end portion  46 .  
         [0041]     Each of the mini-coaxial cables M and M′ is of standard construction and made up of a central conductor pin or wire E, a dielectric layer F, an outer braided conductive layer G, an insulating jacket H, and typically a foil layer is interposed between the layers G and H. The end of each cable M and M′ is prepared by removing a limited length of the jacket H and an even shorter length of the dielectric F so as to expose the end of the conductor pin or wire E; and the conductive layer G is peeled away from the dielectric layer F and doubled over the end of the jacket H. The socket end portion  50  is dimensioned to fit snugly over the exposed dielectric layer G with the pin E extending through the central bore  48  and nose  60 , as best seen from  FIGS. 8 and 9 .  
         [0042]     The assembled insert  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 9 , is advanced through the hollow connector body  12  to center the second socket end portion  56  with respect to the inner sleeve  16 , and the socket end portion  56  will continue to advance until the slotted hollow end  58  abuts the end wall of the sleeve  16  and the end retainer  44  is seated in the body  9 .  
         [0043]     It should be noted that the crimping ring  20  must be preassembled onto the end of the sleeve S 2  before the insert assembly  30  and the connector body  12  are assembled as described. Thus, when the crimping ring  20  is advanced from the open position shown in  FIG. 1  to the closed position shown in  FIG. 2  will exert a radially inwardly directed crimping force on the sleeves S 2  and S 1  in succession which will force the arcuate segments  38  into positive uniform crimping engagement with the braided layer G and jacket H.  
         [0044]     Again, the insert  30  reinforces the conductor E and facilitates blind insertion of the cable M into the connector body  12  and assures alignment of the doubled-over portion of the braided layer G and underlying jacket H with the internal teeth  41  along the metallic segments  38 . Once the crimping ring  20  has been advanced to securely crimp the end of the cable M in position, the socket end portion  56  will act as a centering guide and extends through the sleeve  16  and terminates adjacent to the leading end of the barrel  10 ′.  
         [0045]     FIGS.  10  to  13  illustrate the RCA socket connector  12  of FIGS.  1  to  9  and demonstrates its use or application in a wall mount assembly for an electrical outlet box P having a wall plate W, as shown in  FIG. 13 . To this end, a mounting clamp  78  has a square inner body  80  provided with a hexagonal opening  82  which is dimensioned to fit snugly over the hexagonal nut portion  15  of the connector body  12 . The previously referred to band B is inserted into the slot  13  to designate the intended application, such as, a connection to a particular terminal on an electrical device, and the clamp  78  is mounted on the nut portion  15  so that the inner circumferentially spaced ribs  83  in the opening  82  are aligned with and inserted into the aligned slots  14  on the hexagonal nut portion  15 .  
         [0046]     The clamp  78  shown in  FIGS. 10-13 ,  18  and  19  is open-sided and includes a pair of upper and lower clamping plates or legs  84  and  85  spaced apart a distance just greater than the spacing between upper and lower edges of the opening V in wail plate W so that the plates  84  and  85  have to be pressed toward one another at their free ends to enable insertion into the wall plate W until shoulder portions  86  and  87  on the upper and lower plates  84  and  85  move into abutting relation to the wall plate W. It will be noted that the upper clamping plate  84  is joined to the body  80  by inclined connecting portion  88 ; however, the lower mounting plate  85  extends at right angles to the base of the body  80  so as to establish the proper spacing or distance between the plates  84  and  85  in relation to the size of the square opening V in the wall plate W. Further, locating tabs  68  are offset both laterally and downwardly from opposite sides of the upper plate and lower tabs  69  are laterally offset only from opposite sides of the lower plate  85  in order to cooperate with the shoulders  85 ,  86  in mounting the clamp  78  in the wall plate W. The modified form of clamp  78 ′ shown in  FIGS. 20 and 21  is identical to that of  FIGS. 18 and 19  but additionally includes opposite sidewalls  90  with shoulders  91  to engage the sides of the wall plate opening V.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATE FORMS  
       [0047]      FIGS. 14 and 15  illustrate a BNC/RGB socket-end splice connector assembly for use with min-coaxial cables M and M′ which substantially corresponds to the RCA connecter body  12  and accordingly like parts are correspondingly enumerated. The end wall  10 ′ of the RCA connector is eliminated but an external flange  92  on the barrel facilitates connection of a standard BNC socket extension  94  on the end of the barrel with a bayonet slot which is slidable on the flange  92  in a conventional manner. Also, the extension  94  has an internal guide  96  with a tapered central opening  98  for insertion of the extension tip  100  of a pin conductor E′ of the cable M′. For the purpose of illustration but not limitation the cable M′ is mounted in a standard RGB connector, such as, Part No. FS RCA 1 RGB manufactured and sold by ICM Corp. Of Denver, Colo. Accordingly, the socket end  58 ′ is reduced in diameter from that of FIGS.  1  to  9  for snug-fitting engagement with the extension tip  100  on the end of the pin E′.  
         [0048]     In use, the first cable M and its socket end  50  which are located in the electrical outlet box B are inserted into the connector body  12  and the crimping ring  20  is then advanced over the outer sleeves S 1  and S 2  to securely crimp the end of the cable M in position with the leading socket end portion  58  extending through the inner body or barrel portion  12  and terminating just short of the distal end of the barrel  12 . The clamp  78  is mounted on the connector with a compression tool T, as shown in  FIGS. 16, 17  and  22  and wherein the tool itself may be of the type set forth and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,004 for LENGTHWISE COMPLIANT CRIMPING TOOL and U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,396 for UNIVERSAL CRIMPING TOOL, both assigned to the assignee of this patent application. Referring in particular to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,396 , the tool is made up of an elongated body  102  having a yoke  104  at one end defining an end stop and in facing relation to a receiver  106  across a generally channel-shaped recess or opening  108  in the body  102 . The receiver  106  is in the form of a spring clip having circumferentially spaced resilient tabs and is mounted on the plunger  110  which is axially advanced through bushing  112  by a lever arm  114 . The receiver  106  is anchored to the end of the plunger by a shaft  116  having a base plate  118 , and when the shaft is inserted into a bore at the end of the plunger  110  the receiver  106  is sandwiched between the base plate  118  and the end of the plunger  110 .  
         [0049]     Typically, although forming no part of the present invention, the tool T is primarily intended for use with a plurality of different length tip extenders which can be releasably inserted into the receiver  106  for the purpose of engaging one end of a connector body and enable compression of a crimping ring onto the opposite end of the connector body into crimping engagement with a cable. For the purpose of mounting the clamp  78  onto the nut  15 , in place of the tip extender, a hollow cylindrical attachment  120  has one end  122  of slightly reduced diameter and of external concave configuration which is complementary to the receiver tabs for releasable, snug-fitting insertion into the receiver  106 , and a clip-engaging end  124  of increased outside diameter terminates in a circular rim  125  which is sized to engage the end surface  85  of the body  80 . The body  80  is loosely mounted on the end of the connector body  12 , as shown in  FIG. 16 , so as to bear against the rim  125 . When the lever arm  114  is depressed from the open position shown in  FIG. 16  to the closed position shown in  FIG. 17 , the fitting  120  will force the clamp  78  to slide in an axial direction over the nut  15  until the corner ribs  83  are aligned with the slots  14  in the nut  15 . The lever arm  114  is then retracted and the connector body  10  along with the cable M is removed from the tool  
         [0050]     Preferring to  FIG. 13 , after clamp  78 ′ is inserted into the opening V and the wall plate W is fastened to the electrical outlet box P, the color ring B is mounted in the external groove  13  so as to be visible externally of the wall plate after the installation has been completed. The cable M′ which is mounted in a standard BNC/RGB connector R, such as, Part No. FS BNC 1 RGB is inserted into the end of the connector body  12  with the conductor pin E′ and an extension tip  100  aligned for advancement into the socket end portion  58 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . The socket end portion  58  is dimensioned to be slightly smaller than the extension tip  100  so that the slotted end  59  will undergo a slight expansion to receive the extension tip in snug-fitting relation and resist any tendency of the extension tip to accidentally escape from the socket end portion. The connection can be made in the same way as an RCA connector, for example, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0051]     It is therefore to be understood that while different embodiments and aspects are herein set forth and described, the above and other modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and reasonable equivalents thereof. For example, virtually any type or size of coaxial cable connector may be attached in place of the cable M′ into the min-coaxial cable splice connection assembly with or without the wall mount attachment.