Patent ID: 7182639

Claim:
A connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, a braided shield surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the braided shield, the connector comprising: a hollow body comprising a rear end, a front end, and an internal surface extending between the rear and front ends of the body, the internal surface defining a longitudinal hole; a compression ring comprising a rear end, a front end surrounding at least a portion of the hollow body, and an inner surface defining a longitudinal hole extending between the rear and front ends of the compression ring, the compression ring being axially movable over an outside portion the hollow body between a rearward position and a forward position; a tubular post disposed at least partially within the longitudinal hole of the hollow body, the tubular post having a rear end, an inner surface and an outer surface, and wherein the outer surface of the tubular post and the internal surface of the tubular post define an annular cavity therebetween; and a deformable gripping ring disposed within the longitudinal hole of the compression ring between the front and rear ends thereof, the deformable gripping ring comprising a front end, a rear end, an outer surface, an inner surface defining an opening therein, a first portion adjacent the front end, and a second portion adjacent the rear end; wherein in the rearward position the opening in the first portion of the deformable gripping ring has a first inner diameter and the opening in the second portion of the deformable gripping ring has a second diameter; and wherein, in the forward position, the deformable gripping ring is compressed between the hollow body and the compression ring causing the first and the second inner diameters to be smaller in the forward position than in the rearward position.