Patent Publication Number: US-10326219-B2

Title: Connector with a locking mechanism, moveable collet, and floating contact means

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/711,170, filed Sep. 21, 2017, which claimed the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/397,912, filed Sep. 21, 2016, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to electrical apparatus, and more particularly to coaxial cable connectors. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Coaxial cables transmit radio frequency (“RF”) signals between transmitters and receivers and are used to interconnect televisions, cable boxes, DVD players, satellite receivers, modems, and other electrical devices and electronic components. Typical coaxial cables include an inner conductor surrounded by a flexible dielectric insulator, a foil layer, a conductive metallic tubular sheath or shield, and a polyvinyl chloride jacket. The RF signal is transmitted through the inner conductor. The conductive tubular shield provides a ground and inhibits electrical and magnetic interference with the RF signal in the inner conductor. 
     Coaxial cables must be terminated with cable connectors to be coupled to mating posts of electrical devices. Connectors typically have a connector body, a threaded fitting mounted for rotation on an end of the connector body, a bore extending into the connector body from an opposed end to receive the coaxial cable, and an inner post within the bore coupled in electrical communication with the fitting. Generally, connectors are crimped onto a prepared end of a coaxial cable to secure the connector to the coaxial cable. The connectors must maintain electrical connection and signal shielding with the cable despite rotation, tugging, bending, or other movement of the cable and the connector. 
     Further, the connectors must mitigate the introduction of interference or ingress noise into the connector and signal pathway. Ingres noise causes a variety of problems, including not just reduced signal quality to the home, but large aggregated return path noise issues at the plant. Without properly seating a connector on a female connector or post, ingress noise can leak into the connector. However, it is difficult to know whether a connector is properly seated on a post; without a tool, some ingress noise is nearly guaranteed. An improved connector that mitigates the introduction of ingress noise is needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A coaxial cable termination device including a barrel having opposed front and rear ends, a collet at the front end of the barrel, and a sleeve mounted over the barrel for reciprocal movement. The sleeve moves between a retracted position, in which the sleeve allows compression of the collet, and an advanced position, in which the sleeve urges compression of the collet. In some embodiments, a locking mechanism locks the sleeve into either of the advanced and retracted positions. In some embodiments, contact means carried loosely within the device maintain contact between the barrel and a mating post to which the device is applied. 
     The above provides the reader with a very brief summary of some embodiments discussed below. Simplifications and omissions are made, and the summary is not intended to limit or define in any way the scope of the invention or key aspects thereof. Rather, this brief summary merely introduces the reader to some aspects of the invention in preparation for the detailed description that follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring to the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a device for terminating a coaxial cable, shown exploded from a mating post of an electronic component, the device including an outer sleeve mounted for reciprocation on a barrel; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are section views taken along the line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the sleeve in retracted and advanced positions, respectively; 
         FIG. 3A  is a section view taken along the line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a cable applied to the device, the device applied on a mating post, and the sleeve in the retracted position thereof; and 
         FIG. 3B  is a section view taken along the line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a cable applied to the device, the device applied on a mating post, and the sleeve in the advanced position thereof. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference now is made to the drawings, in which the same reference characters are used throughout the different figures to designate the same elements.  FIG. 1  illustrates a coaxial cable termination device or connector  10  useful for terminating coaxial cables and connecting them to female F-type coaxial mating posts  9  of electronic components. The connector  10  includes a generally cylindrical barrel  12  and an outer sleeve  11  mounted coaxially over the barrel  12  for reciprocation along the barrel  12 . Integrally formed in the barrel  12  is a collet  13  and an opposed rear body  14 , each of which surrounds a common cylindrical interior  15 . As is discussed in detail below, the sleeve  11  reciprocates between retracted and advanced positions over the barrel  12  to allow and prevent expansion of the collet  13 , respectively, and to urge the collet  13  into radial compression or deformation and thereby engage the collet  13  securely on a mating post  9 . 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates the connector  10  in section view taken along the line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 . The barrel  12  includes opposed front and rear ends  20  and  21  and a generally cylindrical sidewall  22  extending therebetween. The collet  13  is at the front end  20 , the cylindrical rear body  14  is at the rear end  21 , and between, a circumferential annular channel  23  is recessed into the sidewall  22  from the outer surface of the barrel  12 . The rear body  14  has generally constant inner and outer diameters, while the collet  13  is slightly conical. The collet  13  has an inner diameter which is generally constant from proximate to the annular channel  23  to the front end  20 , but the outer diameter of the collet  13  expands slightly from the annular channel  23  to the front end  20 , so that the collet  13  is tapered from front to back. 
     The collet  13  is sized and shaped to engage with the mating post  9  of  FIG. 1 . The inner diameter of the collet  13  corresponds in size and shape to the mating post  9 . The collet  13  includes an inner surface  24  bounding and defining a forward bore  25  for receiving the mating post  9 . The forward bore  25  includes a large open forward section  26  and an opposed, smaller rear section  27 . The forward section  26  extends from the front end  20  of the collet  13  to an intermediate wall  30 ; the inner diameter in the forward section  26  is generally constant. The rear section  27 , however, extends from the intermediate wall  30  to an interior wall defined by an annular flange  31  extending inwardly from the inner surface  24 . 
     A radially-directed lip  32  extends inwardly at the intermediate wall  30 , which lip  32  projects inward past the inner surface  24  in the rear section  27 . The inner diameter of the forward bore  25  in the rear section narrows from just behind the lip  32  to the annular flange  31 . Between the lip  32  and the annular flange  31 , the barrel  12  defines an annular shoulder  33  extending inwardly into the rear section  27  of the forward bore  25 . The annular shoulder  33  has a circumferentially concave inner surface; moving rearward from the lip  32 , the outer diameter of the annular shoulder  22  increases to an inflection point, at which it decreases to the base of the annular flange  31 , at which point it increases to the annular flange  31 . In other words, just behind the lip  32 , the annular shoulder  33  includes an annular face  34  directed diagonally rearwardly toward the rear end  21  of the barrel  12 . That face opposes an annular face  35  directed diagonally forwardly toward the front end  20  of the barrel  12 . These opposing faces  34  and  35  create the annular shoulder  33 , a type of annular saddle or seat into which a button  40  is set, the button  40  being useful for maintaining electrical contact and continuity, as will be described. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2A , the collet  13  includes axial slots  36  formed therein, which allow compression of the collet  13  and the front end  20  of the barrel  12 . The slots  34  extend rearward from the front end  20  to proximate to the annular channel  23 . There are preferably eight slots  34 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , but one having ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that there may be a greater or fewer number of slots  34 . The slots define fingers  37  of the collet  13 , which fingers  37  are flexible and structured to flex in a radial direction. The inner surface  24  of the collet  13  is preferably smooth, and so the inner surfaces of each of the fingers  37  are smooth. In other embodiments, however, the inner surface  24  at the front end  20  has a single thread or ridge, or a plurality of threads or ridges for engaging with corresponding threads on a mating post  9 . 
     Carried within the collet  13  is a small floating element, referred to herein as a “button  40 .” The button  40  is a contact means, effective at preventing the ingress of noise and interference into the connector  10  by maintain contact between the end of the mating post  9  and the inner surface  24  of the collet  13 . It maintains circumferential contact, as will be described, thereby maintain continuous electrical continuity in the connector  10  and around a center conduct applied to the connector  10 . 
     The button  40  is somewhat disc-shaped and includes a body  41  with a front end  42  and a rear end  43 . The button  40  is separate from the barrel  12  and the inner post  16 ; in other words, it is not formed to or attached to the barrel  12  and the inner post  16 . Rather, the button  40  floats near them, carried loosely in the forward bore  25  proximate to the annular flange  31  for contact with the barrel  12 . At the front end  42 , the button  40  has a annular front flange  44  with an outer diameter just smaller than the inner diameter of the collet  13  in front of the intermediate wall  30 , so that the front flange  40  is loosely received within the forward section  26  of the forward bore  25 . The flange  41  extends radially outwardly from the cylindrical body  41 . Near the rear end  43 , a small annular lip, or ridge  45 , projects radially outwardly from the body  41 . The ridge  45  extends outward a distance less than the front flange  44 . The ridge  45  has a forwardly-directed diagonal face  46  and an opposed rearwardly-directed diagonal face  47 . Between the front flange  44  and the ridge  45 , the body  41  of the button  40  has a reduced outer diameter. 
     The button  40  has a bore  48  extending therethrough which is coaxial to, aligned with, and in communication with the forward and rear sections  26  and  27  of the bore forward  25 . Axial slots  49  formed into the body  41  and extending from the rear end  43  to the base of the front flange  44  allow the rear end  43  of the body  41  to flex and compress into the bore  48  radially. 
     With continuing reference to  FIG. 2A , the annular flange  31  separates the interior  15  between the forward bore  25  and a rearward bore  50 . The annular flange  31  directly radially opposes the annular channel  23 . A hole  51 , encircled by the annular flange, is coaxial to the forward and rearward bores  25  and  50  and in open communication with both. The rearward bore  50  is substantially cylindrical. The rearward bore  50  corresponds to the size and shape to a coaxial cable, and the hole  51  corresponds in size and shape to the center conductor and surrounding dielectric of said coaxial cable. The rearward bore  50  is encircled by the rear body  14 . The rear body  14  extends rearwardly. The rear body  14  is generally cylindrical and extends from an inner wall  52  to the rear end  21  of the barrel  12 . The rear body  14  bounds the rearward bore  50 . An inner post  16  is carried coaxially within the rear body  14 . The inner post  16  includes a relatively thin sidewall  53  extending from a front end  54  to a back end  55  and having a forward flange  56  proximate to the front end  54 , and rear annular barbs  57  proximate to the back end  55 . The sidewall  53  of the inner post  16  bounds a bore  58  extending axially entirely through the inner post  16 . The forward flange  56 , when the inner post  16  is installed in the rear body  14 , is flush in contact against the inner wall  52  and extends entirely diametrically within the rear body  14 ; the inner post  16  is preferably press fit into the rear body  14 . 
     The collet  13  is joined in mechanical communication with the rear body  14  as a single, unitary body. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the collet  13  is formed integrally and monolithically to the rear body  14 , preferably from a common piece of material. The sleeve  11  is carried outside of the barrel  12 , and is mounted for reciprocal movement thereon. In  FIG. 2A , the sleeve  11  is shown in a retracted position, while  FIG. 2B  shows the sleeve  11  in an advanced position. The sleeve  11  is useful to force the collet  13  into radial compression. As is explained in greater detail below, when the sleeve  11  is slid forward over the barrel  12 , the collet  13  radially compresses, preferably on a mating post  9 . Thus, in the retracted position of the sleeve  11 , the sleeve  11  allows either radial expansion or radial compression of the collet  13 , but in the advanced position of the sleeve  11 , the sleeve  11  prevents radial expansion of the collet  13  and urges compression thereof. 
     The sleeve  11  includes a front  60 , an opposed rear  61 , and a cylindrical sidewall  62  extending therebetween. The sidewall  62  includes an inner surface  63  and an opposed outer surface  64 . The inner surface  63  defines the cylindrical space in which the barrel  12  is received. The inner surface  63  is generally cylindrical, straight, and smooth. However, at the front  60  of the sleeve  11 , the inner surface  63  angles slightly radially outwardly, such that there is a chamfer  68  at the front  60  of the sleeve  11 . This chamfer  68  provides room for the conical collet  13 . 
     Two locking mechanisms  65  are carried in the sleeve  11  and are useful for locking the sleeve  11  with respect to the barrel  12 . The locking mechanisms  65  are identical but for their diametrically opposed locations on the sleeve  11 , and as such, only one of the locking mechanisms  65  will be referred to, with the understanding that the description applies equally to both. Further, two locking mechanisms  65  are shown in the drawings, but one having ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that other numbers of locking mechanisms  65 , such as one, three, four, etc., may be useful depending on the sizes of the connector  10  and cable as well as the desired strength and security of the engagement of the connector  10  on the mating post  9 . 
     The locking mechanism  65  is carried in an axial slot  66  within the sleeve  11 , and includes a rocking arm  67  having a jaw  70  projecting forwardly from a pivot  71  and a lever  72  projecting backward from the pivot  71 . The locking mechanism  65  is arrangeable between a locked condition, in which the sleeve  11  is prevented from moving out of the advanced position, and an unlocked condition, in which the sleeve  11  is allowed to reciprocate between the advanced and retracted positions. The pivot  71  is a pivot pin carried in the sleeve  11 . The rocking arm includes an inwardly-directed tooth  73  at its forward end, oriented normal to the arm  67 . The rocking arm  67  moves from an unlocked position (corresponding to the unlocked condition of the locking mechanism  65 ), shown in  FIG. 2A , to a locked position (corresponding to the locked condition of the locking mechanism  65 ), shown in  FIG. 2B . It rocks in this movement, such that the arm  67  and the lever  72  rock about the pivot  71  to move the tooth  73  into and out of the annular channel  23 . The rocking arm  67  is biased toward the locked position, such as by torsional springs on the pivot  71 . Opposed from the jaw  70 , the lever  72  extends outward and is useful to move, or reset, the rocking arm  67  from the locked position to the unlocked position. The lever  72  may be depressed radially inward to move, or rock, the rocking arm  67  radially outward from the locked position to the unlocked position. 
     At the rear  61  of the sleeve  11 , an inwardly-extending lip  74  is formed and defines a mouth at the back of the connector  10 . The mouth receives a coaxial cable applied to the connector  10 . The lip  74  acts as a stop against the rear end  21  of the barrel  12  to prevent forward movement of the sleeve  11  on the barrel  12  beyond the advanced position of the sleeve  11 . 
     In operation, the connector  10  is useful as a push-on locking connector that can be quickly and easily applied and locked onto a mating post  9 , and then securely left in place. To apply the connector  10  to a mating post  9 , the connector  10  is first preferably applied to a cable  80 . A cable  80 , such as a coaxial cable  80 , is conventionally prepared, such as by stripping back the jacket  81  and foil and braid  82 . The cable  80  is then applied into the connector  10 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , the cable  80  passes through the mouth defined by the lip  61 , and the dielectric  83  and center conductor  84  of the cable  80  pass into the bore  58  inside the inner post  16 , while the jacket  81 , foil, and braid pass over the inner post  16 , between the inner post  16  and the rear body  14 . The cable  80  is advanced until the jacket  81  and foil and braid  82  encounter the forward flange  56  and the inner wall  52 . The center conductor  84 , which is typically prepared to be longer than the dielectric  83 , jacket  81 , and foil and braid  82 , extends through the hole  51 , through the bore  48  of the button  40 , and into the forward bore  25  of the collet  13 . The center conductor thus terminates within the collet  13 . 
     Once so properly prepared, the connector  10  is ready for application to the mating post  9 .  FIG. 3A  shows the connector  10  applied to the mating post  9 . The connector  10 , with the cable  80  extending out the rear  61 , is taken up, such as by hand, and aligned and registered with the mating post  9 . With the sleeve  11  in the unlocked position thereof, as shown in  FIG. 2A , the connector  10  is advanced along a forward axial direction illustrated by line A of  FIG. 3A . While the sleeve  11  is in the unlocked position thereof, and is retracted on the barrel  12 , the collet  13  is free to expand and contract or compress radially. The collet  13  is applied over the mating post  9 , causing the collet  13  to expand: the slots  34  expand such that the fingers  37  splay radially outward slightly, and the collet  13  passes onto and over the mating post  9 . The connector  10  is advanced until the mating post  9  is firmly seated within the forward section  26  of the forward bore  25 . The fingers  37  are slightly expanded. 
     With the mating post  9  seated in the forward bore  25 , the front of the mating post  9  is in contact against the front flange  44  of the button  40 . The button  40  “floats,” such that before a mating post  9  is applied to the collet  13 , the button  40  may freely move in an axial direction with the ridge  45  within the rear section  27  of the forward bore  25 . When it does, the rear end  43  of the button  40  expands and contracts radially to maintain contact with the annular shoulder  33  of the barrel  12 : the slots  49  in the back of the button  40  are slightly compressed and thus the rear end  43  is biased radially outwardly such that they contact and ride against the annular shoulder  33  as the button  40  floats along the axial direction. 
     The button  40  is biased forward, toward the front end  20  of the barrel  12 . The outward bias in the rear end  43  of the button  40  urges the ridge  45  to move into the inflection point between the faces  46  and  47 . This urges the button  40  forward along the annular shoulder  33 . As such, the button  40  contacts the front of the mating post  9  before the mating post is fully applied to the connector  10 . This thus creates electrical continuity between the mating post  9  and the connector  10  even before the mating post  9  is fully captured. 
     When the front of the mating post  9  is in contact against the front flange  44 , and the connector  10  continues to be advanced and applied onto the mating post  9 , the mating post  9  pushes the button  40  rearwardly into the rear section  27  of the forward bore  25 . When the button  40  is so pushed, the ridge  45  is pressed against the annular shoulder, and the rear end  43  of the button  40  is radially compressed. 
     Partial engagement of the mating post  9  with the collet  13  thus provides electrical continuity between the two, and seated engagement of the mating post  9  with the collet  13  ensures electrical continuity between the mating post  9  and the button  40  and between the button  40  and the annular shoulder  43 . The button  40  is limited in axial movement and forms an annular electrical continuity with the inner surface  24  surrounding the center conductor. This engagement, shown in  FIG. 3A , prevents the introduction of outside interference and signals into the connector  10 , thereby preserving much of the quality of the RF signal transmitted through the connector  10 . 
     To ensure the security of the engagement of the connector  10  on the mating post  9 , the sleeve  11  is moved forward, again along line A, to the advanced position as shown in  FIG. 3B . In the advanced position of the sleeve  11 , the front  60  of the sleeve  11  is advanced to proximate the front end  20  of the barrel  12 , squeezing the barrel  12  inwardly along the lines B in  FIG. 2B . The sleeve  11  constricts the collet  13  in a radially inward direction, with the chamfer  68  compressing the collet  13  and causing the collet  13  and the fingers  37  of the collet  13  to deform and compress in a radial inward direction. The fingers  37  deform onto the mating post  9  and bind against the mating post  9 , increasing the hold of the connector  10  on the mating post  9 . The sleeve  11  prevents expansion of the collet  13 , such that the collet  13  cannot release its grip on the mating post  9 . In this state, the connector  10  cannot be pulled accidentally off the mating post  9 . 
     In response to the sleeve  11  moving into the advanced position thereof, the locking mechanism  65  automatically locks the sleeve  11  to prevent rearward movement. As the sleeve  11  moves forward, the tooth  73  moves forward until it is disposed over the annular channel  23  formed into the outer surface of the barrel  12 . 
     The arm  67  is biased into the locked position thereof. The jaw  70 , biased radially inward, pivots toward and into the annular channel  23 , along the arrowed line C in  FIG. 3B , in response to the sleeve  11  moving into the advanced position. When the sleeve  11  moves to the advanced position, the front of the slot  66  becomes aligned with the annular channel  23 , and the rocking arm  67  pivots so that the tooth  73  moves into the annular channel  23 . The tooth  73 , biased inwardly by the sprung rocking arm  67 , is thus caught in and catches the annular channel  23 ; the sleeve  11  is prevented from moving axially forward or rearward by the interaction of the tooth  73  in the annular channel  23 . This corresponds to a locked position of the connector  10 : with the tooth  73  engaged in the annular channel  23 , the sleeve  11  is prevented from axial movement rearwardly over the barrel  12 , the front  60  of the sleeve cannot be moved back off the collet  13 , and the collet  13  is prevented from moving out of compression moving off the mating post  9 . 
     To confirm that the connector  10  is in the locked condition thereof, a visual indicator is exposed. The visual indicator is preferably concealed when the locking mechanism  65  is in the unlocked condition and is exposed when the locking mechanism  65  is in the locked condition, so that a user can quickly determine the locked status of the connector  10 . Turning back to  FIG. 1 , the connector  10  is in the locked position (for clarity, the connector  10  is not shown installed on a mating post  9 ); the rocking arm  67  is pivoted, the tooth  73  is down into the annular channel  23 , and the lever  72  opposed from the rocking arm  67  is up. The lever  72  has a side face  75 , which is a visual indicator or may carry a visual indicator. When the lever  72  is up, the side face  75 , or a portion thereof, is exposed which is not exposed when the lever  72  is down. The side face  75  preferably carries a color, such as green, which contrasts with the color of the exterior surface of the sleeve  11 , which may be black or silver. As such, when the side face  75  (or portion thereof) is exposed and the user can see the color of the side face  75 , the connector  10  immediately conveys to the user that the lever  72  is up, the jaw  70  is down, the tooth  73  is in the annular channel  23 , and the connector  10  is thus in the locked position thereof. As such, the user can quickly determine whether the connector  10  is locked onto a mating post  9  or loose. In other embodiments, the side face  75  carries another indicator, such as a symbol or word, that allows the user to determine whether the connector  10  is locked. 
     When the user decides to remove the connector  10  from the mating post  9 , the user merely takes up the connector  10 , such as by hand, and depresses the lever  72  on each of the locking mechanisms  65 , until the lever  72  pivots into the slot  66  and the jaw  70  pivots outward, thereby releasing the tooth  73  from the annular channel  23 . The side face  72  of the lever is concealed in the slot  66  so that the color on the side face  75  of the lever  72  is hidden. When the tooth  73  is so released from the annular channel  23 , the sleeve  11  can be slid rearward on the barrel  12  into the unlocked position thereof, thereby releasing the collet  13  from compression, and allowing the fingers  37  to spring away from the mating post  9 . In this state, the connector  10  can now be removed from the mating post  9 . 
     A preferred embodiment is fully and clearly described above so as to enable one having skill in the art to understand, make, and use the same. Those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications may be made to the description above without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that some embodiments include only those elements and features described, or a subset thereof. To the extent that such modifications do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof.