Patent Publication Number: US-6220888-B1

Title: Quick disconnect cable connector device with integral body and strain relief structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to cable connector devices and, more particularly, is concerned with a quick disconnect cable connector device having an integral body and strain relief structure. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Cables, such as coaxial cables and the like, are used in a variety of situations. Ends of these cables often must be connected to one another and to contact terminations on various equipment, such as television sets. Various cable connector devices have been developed over the years for this purpose. Quick disconnect cable connector devices, such as those designed, manufactured and marketed by Hubbell Incorporated, allow for easy connecting and disconnecting of the ends of cables. A typical quick disconnect cable connector device includes a coupling member which is mounted to an end of a cable. The coupling member includes contact terminations which are connected to the end of the cable. The coupling member and the contact terminations thereof have either mateable male or female configurations. The coupling member of one device in the male configuration is fastenable to the coupling member of another device in the female configuration. In such manner, the ends of the cables may be connected to and disconnected from one another and other contact terminations. 
     While the prior art quick disconnect cable connector devices appear to be generally satisfactory for use under the specific conditions for which they were designed, it is perceived by the inventors herein that improvements are still needed in the case of such devices in terms of their durability, ergonomics and ease of use. Consequently, a need remains for innovations in the design of quick disconnect cable connector devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a quick disconnect cable connector device which is designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. The quick disconnect cable connector device of the present invention has an integral body and strain relief structure. The body is substantially rigid for durability. The body has a conical-shaped or elbow-shaped configuration and ribs formed thereon for ease in gripping the body in the process of pushing together and pulling apart male and female coupling members. The strain relief structure has a framework with a configuration that gives support and flexibility to the merger of an end portion of a cable with the rigid body of the device so as to prevent any forces exerted on the cable at its connection with the body from producing a sharp angular bend of the cable relative to the body that could damage the cable and/or its connection with the body. 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a cable connector device which comprises: (a) an elongated body made of a substantially rigid molded material and having opposite first and second ends, the body defining an interior chamber extending between and open at the first and second ends and receiving an end of a cable therethrough from the first end to the second end of the body such that the body provides an overmold encasing the end of the cable and supporting at the second end of the body a contact termination on the end of the cable; and (b) a strain relief structure integrally connected to the first end of the body and made of the same molded material as the body, the strain relief structure surrounding a portion of the cable extending from the first end of the body and having a configuration which distributes away from the first end of the body any bending forces imposed on the cable portion. 
     More particularly, in a first embodiment of the device, the body has a substantially conical-shaped configuration with the body tapering from the second end to the first end thereof. The body also has an exterior surface formed circumferentially thereon and extending between the first and second ends of the body. The exterior surface has gripping means thereon which includes a plurality of longitudinal ribs spaced apart circumferentially from one another and extending longitudinally between the first and second ends of the body. The gripping means also includes a pair of circumferential ribs at the second end of the body adjacent to the strain relief structure. In a second embodiment of the device, the body has a substantially elbow-shaped configuration and an exterior surface formed adjacent to the second end of the body. The exterior surface has gripping means thereon which includes a plurality of ribs extending transversely on the body. 
     The strain relief structure includes a framework having an annular shape defining a longitudinal axis and forming a passage extending along the longitudinal axis and aligned with the first end of the body. The framework receives the portion of the cable through the passage. The framework has a plurality of windows defined therethrough and spaced apart from each other which provide bending flexibility to the strain relief structure sufficient to aid in the distribution of bending forces away from the cable portion at the first end of the body. The windows have transverse dimensions extending circumferentially about the framework and transverse to the longitudinal axis of the framework and also have longitudinal dimensions extending along the longitudinal axis of the framework. The framework also includes a plurality of interconnected support elements defining the windows therebetween. The transverse dimensions of some of the windows differ from the transverse dimensions of other of the windows. Also, the windows are spaced at graduated distances from the first end of the body with the windows spaced farther from the first end of the body having longer longitudinal dimensions than the windows spaced closer to the first end of the body. 
     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view with portions broken away of a first embodiment of a quick disconnect cable connector device of the present invention showing a body and strain relief structure of the device having a substantially conical-shaped co-axial configuration and male and female coupling members of the device. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the body of the device having the conical-shaped configuration. 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the body of the device of FIG. 2 showing a portion of a cable extending from an end of the body. 
     FIG. 4 is an end elevational end view of the body of the device as seen along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a layout of the strain relief structure of the device. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the quick disconnect cable connector device of the present invention showing a body of the device having a substantially elbow-shaped configuration. 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the device of FIG. 6 showing a portion of a cable extending from an end of the body. 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the device as seen along line  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 to  3 , there is illustrated a first embodiment of a quick disconnect cable connector device, generally designated  10 , of the present invention for releasably coupling together mateable conventional male and female contact terminations M, F such as commonly employed on the ends E of coaxial cable C and on equipment to which such cable is connected. Basically, the cable connector device  10  includes an elongated body  12  made of a rigid material, such as a fiberglass reinforced plastic material, and having opposite first and second ends  12 A,  12 B, and a strain relief structure  14  integrally connected to the first end  12 A of the body  12  and made of the same material. The body  12  and strain relief structure  14  can be molded together over the end E of the cable C through employment of conventional injection molding techniques well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  4 , in the first embodiment, the elongated body  12  has a substantially conical-shaped configuration tapering from the second end  12 B to the first end  12 A. Thus, the body  12  has an outside diameter at the first end  12 A which is less than an outside diameter at the second end  12 B thereof. Also, the axial length of the body  12  is substantially greater than the outside diameter of the body  12  at its second end  12 B. The body  12  defines an interior chamber  16  extending between and open at the first end  12 A and second end  12 B and receiving the end E of the coaxial cable C therethrough from the first end  12 A to the second end  12 B such that the body  12  provides an overmold encasing the end E of the cable C and also supports at the second end  12 B of the overmold body  12  one of the mateable male and female contact terminations M, F on the end E of the cable C. 
     The body  12  also has an exterior surface  18  circumferentially encircling the body  12  and having suitable gripping means formed thereon. In one preferred form, the gripping means on the exterior surface  18  includes a plurality of longitudinal ribs  20  spaced apart circumferentially and extending longitudinally between the first end  12 A and the second end  12 B of the body  12 . A portion of the longitudinal ribs  20  can be interrupted at location  22  to provide space for the application of the manufacturer&#39;s logo on the exterior surface  18  of the body  12 . The gripping means on the exterior surface  18  of the body  12  further includes a pair of circumferential ribs  24  spaced apart from one another, protruding outwardly from said exterior surface  18  and circumferentially extending about said body  12  at said first end  12 A thereof and adjacent to said strain relief structure  14 . The longitudinal and circumferential ribs  20 ,  24  give the exterior surface  18  a rough texture but are small in cross-sectional size and thus protrude outwardly only slightly from the exterior surface  18  of the body  12 . The rough texture of the ribs  20 ,  24  and the conical shape of the body  12  provide the device  10  with an ergonomic configuration that aids the user in gripping the device  10  and in pushing and pulling on the device  10  to assist in the process of coupling and decoupling the mateable male and female contact terminations M, F to and from one another. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  5 , the strain relief structure  14  of the cable connector device  10  includes a framework  26  having an annular shape and forming a passage  28  extending along a longitudinal axis L of the framework  26  and aligned with the first end  12 A of the body  12 . The framework  26  surrounds and receives through the passage  28  thereof a portion P of the cable C extending from the first end  12 A of the body  12 . The framework  26  has a configuration which distributes away from the cable portion P at the first end  12 A of the body  12  any bending or other forces imposed on the cable C. 
     More particularly, the framework  26  has a plurality of windows  30  defined therethrough and spaced apart from each other which provide some minimal amount of flexibility to the strain relief structure  14  which aids in the distribution of the bending and other forces away from the cable portion P at the first end  12 A of the body  12 . The windows  30  have transverse dimensions (or lengths) extending circumferentially about the framework  26  and transverse to the longitudinal axis L of the framework  26 . The windows  30  also have longitudinal dimensions (or widths) extending along or parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the framework  26 . The framework  26  also includes a plurality of interconnected longitudinal and transverse support elements  32 ,  34  defining the windows  30  therebetween. As can be readily understood in FIG. 5, the transverse dimensions of the windows  30 A in an inner row thereof are greater than the transverse dimensions of the windows  30 B in an outer row thereof while the transverse dimensions of all windows  30 A,  30 B in the inner and outer rows thereof are substantially smaller than the transverse dimensions of the windows  30 C in a center row thereof. The respective windows  30 A,  30 C,  30 B in the inner, center and outer rows thereof are spaced at graduated distances from the first end  12 A of the body  12 . The windows  30 B of the outer row thereof spaced farther from the first end  12 A of the body  12  have longer longitudinal dimensions than the windows  30 A,  30 C of the inner and center rows thereof which are spaced closer to the first end  12 A of the body. The windows  30 C of the center row thereof have a longer longitudinal dimension than the windows  30 A of the inner row thereof. The configuration of the framework  26 , as defined by the interconnected longitudinal and transverse support elements  32 ,  34  and the windows  30  therebetween, thus eliminates the occurrence of a sharp angular bend of the cable C relative to the body  12  at the end  12 A thereof that could damage the cable C and/or its connection with the body  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 6 to  8 , there is illustrated a second embodiment of the elongated body, designated  36 , of the cable connector device  10 . The body  36  of the second embodiment is similar to the body  12  of the first embodiment in that the body  36  has opposite first and second ends  36 A,  36 B and defines an interior chamber  38  open at the first and second ends  36 A,  36 B. Also, like the body  12 , the body  36  receives the end E of the cable C through the first end  36 A, the interior chamber  38  and the second end  36 B of the body  36  such that the body  36  provides an overmold encasing the end E of the cable C and also supports at the second end  36 B of the overmold body  36  one of the mateable male and female contact terminations M, F on the end E of the cable C. The body  36  of the second embodiment has the same integrally connected strain relief structure  14  as described above in association with the body  12  of the first embodiment and both the body  36  and strain relief structure  14  are molded using the same material and through employment of conventional injection molding techniques well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Unlike the body  12  of the first embodiment, the body  36  of the second embodiment has a substantially elbow-shaped configuration. The body  36  has a first leg portion  40  extending interiorly from the first end  36 A and a second leg portion  42  extending interiorly from the second end  36 B. Each of the first and second leg portions  40 ,  42  has a substantially cylindrical configuration. The outside diameter of the first leg portion  40  is less than the diameter of the second leg portion  42 . The body  36  also has a rear surface portion  44 . The rear surface portion  44  is formed generally at the juncture of the first and second leg portions  40 ,  42 . The rear surface portion  44  is substantially flat and assists the user in pushing on the body  12  in mateably coupling the male and female contact terminations M, F to one another. 
     The body  36  also has an exterior surface  46  formed on second leg portion  42  adjacent to the second end  36 B of the body  36 . The exterior surface  46  has gripping means thereon which includes a plurality of ribs  48 . The ribs  48  extend transversely on the body  36 , particularly, on top and opposite sides of the second leg portion  42  and are spaced from the second end  36 B of the body  36 . The gripping ribs  48  preferably are three in number and extend in spaced apart generally parallel relationship to one another. The rib  48 A disposed farthest from the second end  36 B of the body  36  is continuous on the top and opposite sides of the second leg portion  42 . The ribs  48 B and  48 C disposed progressively closer to the second end  36 B of the body  36  are interrupted at two locations where the top and opposite sides of the second leg portion  42  come together. The rib  48 B is farther from the second end  36 B than is the rib  48 C. Each of the ribs  48 B,  48 C have sections on each of the top and opposite sides of the second leg portion  42 . The rib  48 A protrudes outwardly from the exterior surface  46  slightly farther than each of the ribs  48 B,  48 C, but all of the ribs  48  are small and do not protrude to a substantial degree. The ribs  48  give the user finger holds in pushing and pulling the body  36  in the process of coupling and decoupling the mateable male and female contact terminations M, F to and from one another. 
     It is thought that the present invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from its spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely preferred or exemplary embodiment thereof.