Patent ID: 7189114

Claim:
A connector assembly configured to provide an electrically conductive coupling to a coaxial cable comprising a center conductor and an outer conductor, said connector assembly comprising a cable adapter, a center contact, and a center contact clamping mechanism, wherein: said cable adapter is configured to at least partially surround an end portion of said coaxial cable; said center contact is configured to conductively engage said center conductor of said coaxial cable and comprises a conductive sleeve portion configured to at least partially surround an end portion of said center conductor; said center contact clamping mechanism is configured to engage said cable adapter so as to secure said cable adapter and said clamping mechanism to said end portion of said coaxial cable; said center contact clamping mechanism is further configured to cooperate with said cable adapter and said center contact such that movement of at least a portion of said clamping mechanism along a longitudinal axis of said center contact in the direction of said cable adapter results in compression of said center contact about said end portion of said center conductor by a compressive member of said center contact clamping mechanism; said center contact clamping mechanism and said center contact are configured to permit compression of said center contact about said center conductor independent of relative axial movement between said center contact and said center conductor; said compressive member comprises a conductive fitting and a compressive insulator; and said compressive insulator configured to isolate electrically said center contact from said conductive fitting.