Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/EP0626102B1/en
Timestamp: 2020-01-18 09:40:30
Document Index: 519362882

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 22', 'art 22', 'art 23', 'art 22', 'art 23', 'arts 22', 'art 22', 'art 23', 'art 22']

EP0626102B1 - Electrical connectors - Google Patents
EP0626102B1
EP0626102B1 EP19930902441 EP93902441A EP0626102B1 EP 0626102 B1 EP0626102 B1 EP 0626102B1 EP 19930902441 EP19930902441 EP 19930902441 EP 93902441 A EP93902441 A EP 93902441A EP 0626102 B1 EP0626102 B1 EP 0626102B1
EP19930902441
EP0626102A1 (en
Ian James Stafford Wild Harvest Gray
1992-02-14 Priority to GB9203234 priority Critical
1992-02-14 Priority to GB929203234A priority patent/GB9203234D0/en
1994-11-30 Publication of EP0626102A1 publication Critical patent/EP0626102A1/en
1995-12-20 Publication of EP0626102B1 publication Critical patent/EP0626102B1/en
A connector is known from USA Patent Specification number 3761870 in which, a cylindrical connector body is provided with a contact having one end in the form of a collet like clamp. A resilient clamping element which has a through bore slides over the collet and is compressible onto the collet to effect clamping of a conductor by rotation of a hexagonally headed male threaded component which cooperates with a female thread in the cylindrical body to urge a clamping member to compress the resilient clamping element onto the collet. In order to effect clamping two hands are required in order to hold the body and rotate the nut and there is uncertainty about the degree of clamping which results as pressure is gradually applied during the screwing action.
Another connector is known from USA Patent Specification Number 3847463 which has a two part cylindrical housing the parts being threadingly engageable and housing a collet having a conical end which cooperates with a collet closer having a conical through bore which is urged onto the conical end by the screwing together of the housing parts to close the collet and clamp a conductor therein. This construction again relies on the screw action of the housing parts to effect clamping with the requirement for two handed operation and uncertainty as to the degree of clamping that results.
According to the present invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising a tubular body having an axially extending bore therein for receiving an incoming cable and for accommodating electrically-conductive contact-making means located within the tubular body and electrically coupled with contact means (e.g. pin contact) of the connector, and axially displaceably means at least partly received by and axially displaceable within the tubular body and effective to cause the contact making means to make good electrical contact with a conductor of an incoming cable in response to a predetermined axial displacement of the displaceable means, characterised in that in the assembled state of the connector the displaceable means has a preclamping position relative to the tubular body at which it acts to retain the contact making means relative to the body to permit insertion of the conductor, which displaceable means is accessible from outside the tubular body to permit axial depression thereby to effect displacement to a clamping position which establishes good electrical contact between the contact making means and the conductor.
Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a coaxial cable connector according to the present invention;
Figure 1a shows an enlarged detail of Figure 1;
Figure 2 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an assembled coaxial cable connector substantially as shown in exploded form in Figure 1;
Figures 3a, 3b and 3c show different steps in the connection of an incoming cable to the connector of Figure and,
Figure 4 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of another coaxial cable connector similar to that of Figure 2 but having a different cable strain relief arrangement.
Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the embodiment depicted therein in exploded form comprises a coaxial connector facilitating a pre-conductor clamping assembled state.
The tubular body structure of the connector comprises two generally cylindrical metal parts 22 and 23, the body part 22 having an externally-threaded portion 24 which, as facilitated by the integral nut head 25, can be screwed into an internally-threaded portion (not shown) of the body part 23. The body part 22 includes a cylindrical cavity 26 which slidingly receives a hollow cylindrical latching member 27 of electrically insulating material. The end of the latching member 27 which engages the base of the cavity 26 is provided with a conical recess 28 against the surface of which the end of the dielectric layer of an incoming. coaxial cable to the connector will abut, as will later be apparent. The right-hand end of the latching member 27 is provided with a radially inwardly extending lip or projection 29 and, although in the present embodiment the latching member 27 is rendered radially resilient by the provision of slots 30, it should be understood that this may not be necessary, as will hereinafter become apparent.
The latching member 27 is adapted to receive the end of a split radially compressible metal clamping collet 31 which, in the present embodiment is formed integrally with a contact 32 (e.g. pin contact) of the connector connectea to the collet 31 by a split conical section 33. The internal periphery of the clamping collet may be threaded or provided with serrations or surface irregularities or otherwise configured in order to bite into the outer surface of the single or stranded central conductor of the coaxial cable during a conductor clamping operation. In the present embodiment the metal clamping collet 31, as can best be seen from Figure 1a of the drawings, is split axially by means of four radial slots 34 which define a cruciform passageway extending axially through the collet and providing four axially extending sharp corners or edges 34a towards the centre of the passageway where clamping of central conductor 44 takes place. The width of the radial slots 34 will be less than the diameter of the central conductor but the central passage or region of the cruciform passageway will be sufficiently large to slidingly receive the central conductor 44 before radial compression of the collet 31 takes place to effect clamping of the conductor. During such conductor clamping the axially extending sharp edges 34a of the collet 31 will bite into the conductor 44 in order to ensure good electrical contact therewith. As will readily be apparent, other multi-slot collet constructions could alternatively be provided to achieve a similar result. A six slot collet construction is also especially contemplated.
A resilient split metal ring 35 is provided for cooperating with the collet 31 to effect radial compression thereof to effect clamping engagement with the central conductor 44 (Figure la). To achieve such compression, a tubular axially-displaceable member 36 of insulating material is provided. The ring 35 and member 36 together form axially displaceable means for effecting clamping as will be described. The displaceable member 36 is slidably received in a through bore 37 of the connector body part 23 and when the two body parts 22 and 23 are secured together with the collet 31 and the co-operating split clamping ring 35 located within the internal cylindrical cavity of the body structure, the member 36 can readily be displaced axially simply by exerting pressure on the right-hand end thereof, as viewed in the drawing, so that the radially flexible slotted end of the member 36 defined by slots 38 first makes snap engagement with the tubular latching member 27 by the engagement of the lip or projection 29 on the member 27 with an external circumferential groove 39 in the slotted end of the displaceable member 36. It will be appreciated that with the latching member 27 slotted, as shown, the slots 38 in the member 36 could be dispensed with. As will readily be appreciated from Figure 2 of the drawings which shows a connector very similar to the exploded connector of Figure 1 but in an assembled state prior to clamping of the central cable conductor, component parts of the connector are securely held in situ by the initial latching arrangement provided between the members 27 and 36. Such an arrangement importantly enables connectors to be handled and/or transported/delivered in readiness for cable connection and conductor clamping without the risk of connector parts becoming detached or lost.
In order to connect the assembled connector to a coaxial cable, as shown at 40 in Figure 3a of the drawings, the usual outer insulation sleeve 41 will be cut back, as shown, to expose a suitable length of an underlying metal braided screen 42. The metal braid will then be stripped back, as shown, over a requisite length to leave a length of extruded dielectric insulation 43 exposed. This dielectric will then be cut back to leave a length of bared central conductor 44. The cable end will then be inserted through a metal crimping ferrule, shown at 45 in Figures 1 and 3b, and then into the cable receiving end of the body part 22 which is already screwed to the body part 23 in the pre-conductor clamping assembled state of the connector. The body part 22 has a tubular extension 46 which may have circumferential ridges 47 so that as the cable moves into the interior of the connector the ridged extension 46 will be urged between the dielectric layer 43 and the metal braiding sleeve 42 of the cable, as shown in Figure 3b, whilst the bared end 44 of the central conductor will move into and along the central passage of the clamping collet 31 as indicated in Figure 1a of the drawings, until the forward end of the exposed dielectric material 43 abuts against the conical surface of the recess 28 provided in the latching member 27.
To effect clamping of the collet 21 to the central conductor 44 of the incoming cable 40, the axially dispiaceable member 36 is simply pressed from its initial pre-clamping latched position further into the bore 37, as a result of which the split clamping ring 35 will be forced by the displacement member 36 over the cylindrical surface of the split collet 31 which is accordingly compressed radially inwards so that the inner axially extending sharp edges 34a, as shown in Figure la, bite into the outer surface of the single or stranded central conductor in order to make good electrical contact therewith. When sufficient clamping force has been exerted on the collet 31 by movement of the clamping ring 35, the displaceable member 36 makes a second and final snap engagement with the latching member 27 by the engagement of a second circumferential groove 48 in the member 36 with the inturned lip or projection 29 on the latching member 27. In this position of the displaceable member 36 the components of the connector are in the conductor clamped assembled state and the resilient split clamping ring 35 co-operates with the collet 31 to provide an ongoing pressure engagement between the collet and the central conductor 44 without the need for a continuing axially applied force to the ring 35. In this state of the connector the cable may be pulled to carry out a tensile test for ensuring that effective clamping of the central conductor has been achieved.
Although in the embodiments described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 the sleeve member 35 comprises a resilient split ring 35 which co-operates with the clamping element 31 to provide ongoing pressure engagement with the central conductor 44 it will be appreciated, as already mentioned, that the resilient sleeve member 35 could be replaced by a non-resilient sleeve member which co-operates with resilient contact-making means over which the sleeve member fits to provide the ongoing pressure engagement between the contact-making means and the central conductor of the coaxial cable.
In order to complete the strain relief connection between the incoming cable 40 and the connector, the metal ferrule 45 may be positioned over the metal braiding overlying the tubular ridged extension 46, as can be seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, and then crimped down on to the braiding, as shown in Figure 3c.
Referring finally to Figure 4 of the drawings this shows a coaxial cable connector which is identical to that shown in Figure 3 apart from the cable strain relief arrangement.
After suitable stripping back of the outer insulation sleeve 41 and braiding 42 of the cable 40, as shown the stepped tubular extension 46 will be forced between and effect separation of the inner dielectric layer 43 from the braiding 42 so that the separated outer layers of the cable extend over the extension 46. A stepped clamping bush 50 which has radial slots 51 defining resilient arms 52 is then pressed over the extension 46 so that latches 53 at the ends of the arms 52 make snap engagement with an internal groove 54 provided in the nut 25. In this position of the clamping bush 50, the incoming cable is firmly clamped relative to the connector body structure to prevent straining of the central conductor 44 which is clamped to the clamping element/contact 32,33.
An electrical connector comprising a tubular body (22, 23) having an axially extending bore (26) therein for receiving an incoming cable (40) and for accommodating electrically-conductive contact-making means (31) located within the- tubular body and electrically coupled with contact means (32) (e.g. pin contact) of the connector, and axially displaceably means (35, 36) at least partly received by and axially displaceable within the tubular body (22, 23) and effective to cause the contact making means (34) to make good electrical contact with a conductor (44) of an incoming cable (40) in response to a predetermined axial displacement of the displaceable means (35, 36), characterised in that in the assembled state of the connector the displaceable means (35, 36) has a preclamping position relative to the tubular body (22, 23) at which it acts to retain the contact making means (32) relative to the body to permit insertion of the conductor (44), which displaceable means is accessible from outside the tubular body to permit axial depression thereby to effect displacement to a clamping position which establishes good electrical contact between the contact making means (32) and the conductor (44).
A connector as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the displaceable means (35, 36) is secured in one or each of said-preclamping and clamping positions by latching.
A connector as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that latching is effected by cooperating projection(s) (29) and groove(s) (39,48) formed in the axially displaceable means (35,36) and a cooperating latching element (27) to effect snap engagement with one another in the latched position.
A connector as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that cooperating latching element (27) is tubular and is accommodated in the bore (26) of the tubular body (22, 23)
A connector as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the latching element (27) is slotted (30) to provide a plurality of radially deflectable arms having a groove or projection (29) thereon for making snap engagement with spaced projections or grooves (39, 48) on the axially displaceable means (35, 36).
A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the axially displaceable means (35, 36) is arranged to exert a radially inward force on a contact-making element (34a) of the contact-making means (31) to make good electrical contact with the conductor of the cable in response to the aforesaid predetermined axial displacement of the axially displaceable means (35, 36).
A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the contact-making means (31) comprises a compressible clamping element adapted to fit over a bared part of the conductor within the tubular body structure of the connector and electrically coupled with the contact means (32) of the connector, the- axially displaceable means (35, 36) in response to predetermined movement thereof exerting a radially-inward compressive force on the clamping element to cause it to clamp down on to the conductor.
A connector as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the compressible clamping element (31) comprises a split tubular metal part into one end of which the bared part of the conductor extends.
A connector as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the clamping element (31) is formed integrally with the contact means (32) (e.g. pin contact) of the connector.
A connector as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9, characterised in that the actual conductor clamping region (34a) of the compressible clamping element (31) is screw-threaded or otherwise configured to bite into the outer surface of the conductor as clamping takes place.
A connector as claimed in any of claims 7 to 10, characterised in that the compressible clamping element (31) is provided with radial slots (34) (e.g. four or six) which have a width less than the diameter of the conductor and which present at the periphery of a central passage in the element for slidingly receiving the conductor, sharp edges (34a) to bite into the outer surface of the conductor when the clamping element is compressed.
A connector as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the compressible clamping element (31) is stepped on its inner surface to accommodate conductors of different diameters.
A connector as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12, characterised in that the displaceable means (35, 36) includes a resilient sleeve member (35) which initially progressively envelops a split clamping element (31) compressing it radially inwards in response to axial displacement of the displaceable means (35, 36) towards the rear of the-connector from the preclamping position of the displaceable means.
A connector as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that the resilient sleeve member (35) is provided by a split metal ring or a sleeve of resilient material (e.g. plastics material).
A connector as claimed in claim 14, characterised in that the resilient sleeve member (35) is engaged by, or attached to, a tubular insulating member (36) of the displaceable means which is slidably mounted in the bore (37) of the tubular body structure (22, 23) at the contact end of the connector.
A connector as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12, characterised in that the axially displaceable means (35, 36) includes a rigid or non-resilient sleeve member (35) which is engaged by, or attached to, a tubular insulating member (36) slidably mounted in the bore (37) of the tubular body structure (22, 23) at the contact end of the connector and which moves over resilient contact-making means (31) in order to exert thereon an inward pressure to cause the resilient contact-making means to make continuing pressure engagement with the conductor of the cable.
A coaxial connector constructed in accordance with any preceding claim, characterised in that the conductor with which the contact-making means makes good electrical contact is the central conductor of an incoming coaxial cable.
EP19930902441 1992-02-14 1993-01-22 Electrical connectors Expired - Lifetime EP0626102B1 (en)
EP0626102A1 EP0626102A1 (en) 1994-11-30
EP0626102B1 true EP0626102B1 (en) 1995-12-20
EP19930902441 Expired - Lifetime EP0626102B1 (en) 1992-02-14 1993-01-22 Electrical connectors
DK0994527T3 (en) * 1998-10-13 2005-04-04 Cabel Con As Coaxial cable connector with friction locking arrangement
EP1111727B1 (en) * 1999-12-22 2005-08-03 Interlemo Holding S.A. Connector plug
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