EP0988666B1

EP0988666B1 - Coaxial cable connector with integral cable gripping external bushing

Info

Publication number: EP0988666B1
Application number: EP98925365A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Albert Stirling
Original assignee: Cabletel Communications Corp
Current assignee: Cabletel Communications Corp
Priority date: 1997-06-09
Filing date: 1998-06-09
Publication date: 2003-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-09
Also published as: EP0988666A1; AU7754698A; CA2207287C; WO1998057395A1; IL133417A0; CA2207287A1; ATE235748T1; DE69812620D1

Abstract

A connector is provided for interconnecting a coaxial cable to an electrical device. The connector has an internal body and an external body which are assembled together, and which can be activated to clamp upon and seal to an inserted coaxial cable without disassembling the external body from the internal body.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a connector for coaxial cable, such as the type used for cable TV transmission.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Coaxial cable connectors that require crimping are associated with certain disadvantages. Crimping tools tend to wear out with repeated use, and crimping does not provide a satisfactory seal. A number of crimpless connectors have been developed which attempt to overcome these problems.

One type of crimpless connector, described in U.S. patent 4,834,675, receives a compression sleeve, which is first broken away from a plastic ring mounted on the connector, and then slid over the cable and finally inserted into the annular cavity between the inner wall of the connector and the jacket of the cable. A tool is used to push the compression sleeve fully into the connector with a snap engagement.

A problem with this connector is that it can be awkward to break the compression sleeve away from the connector and then thread it onto the cable, particularly when used in field installations where there may be adverse weather conditions. The compression sleeve can as well be inadvertently threaded onto the cable backwards, and it can also be dropped and lost.

An. alternative crimpless, described in U.S. patent 5,007,861, connector has more recently been provided, which permits the cable to be secured to it simply by pushing the cable into the connector and subsequently pulling it back. The body of this "push-pull" connector has a bushing mounted within it near the cable receiving end having a diameter to closely receive the cable. The body of the connector also has within it an annular mandril having a bore to receive the stripped core of the cable, and having a sleeve adapted to engage the cable beneath the jacket by pushing the cable and the mandril together. This stretches the jacket of the cable to a diameter greater than the internal diameter of the bushing.

The mandril is moveable from a position in which the sleeve is surrounded by the bushing in which the sleeve may be engaged to the cable, to a position in which the sleeve is at least partially within the bushing in which the jacket is frictionally engaged by the bushing by pulling the cable away from the connector after it has been pushed onto the mandril sleeve.

EP-A2-0 459 825 disloses a crimpless coaxial cable connector with pull back cable engagement having a mandrel movable longitudinally in a body of a connector. Fig. 1 of EP '825 shows the connector in its disassembled state, and the movement of the mandrel is shown in Figs. 2 to 5. This prior art connector necessarily requires a rigid bushing which is mounted to the body proximal to one end thereof. For achieving the assembled state of the connector shown in Fig. 2 of EP '825, an O-ring is first loaded into the connector body, and then the bushing is loaded therein, and then a collar shown in Fig. 1 is inserted into the body in a first orientation of the collar, which is then changed by turning the collar by 90°, such that the collar is confined within a longer recess in the body. Figs. 3 to 5 and the description relating thereto of EP '825 explain how a coaxial cable is joined with the connector. In Fig. 3, the mandrel is in its first position at the lefthand side in this figure. The sleeve of the mandrel is not surrounded by the bushing which is located at the right-hand side of the connector body; in this position of the mandrel the cable is inserted and engages the mandrel. Fig. 4 shows the intermediate position of the mandrel. After the cable has been mounted on the sleeve of the mandrel, the cable is pulled back, such that the mandrel is located intermediate its left- and right-hand side positions. The jacket of the cable becomes wedged between the sleeve and the bushing. Fig. 5 shows the third position, that is the right-hand position of the mandrel. This position is achieved by screwing the connector on a mounting unit shown in Fig. 5. This results in that the mandrel is pushed to the right end of the connector body, which causes further squeezing of the cable jacket between the sleeve and the bushing. The intermediate position shown in Fig. 4 of EP '825 represents an instable state, taking into consideration that the cable which was first pushed onto the sleeve of the mandrel has now to be pulled back, taking the mandrel with it. This might result in that the cable becomes at least partially loose with respect to the sleeve of the mandrel.

While the push-pull cable connector has many advantages, it does not lend itself to all applications. In some publicly accessible installations, for example, it is the usual practice to cover the threaded posts to which the cables are connected by a security ring, making the threaded portion of an installed cable connector inaccessible to finger manipulation or common wrenches or pliers. Unauthorized removal of the cable is thereby discouraged as a special tool is needed to fit within the security ring.

Due to the close tolerances of the standard security ring, the dimensional limitations of the push-pull connector present a significant obstacle. The internal bushing and mandril of the push-pull connector require a larger body diameter than can be accommodated in the standard sized security ring. While a larger security ring could be substituted, doing so would present additional costs.

It has also been found that the push-pull connector can be awkward to use with coaxial cable having multiple layers of braided shielding. Because of the limited travel of the mandril and bushing, the inserted cable must be trimmed to expose only a short distance of braided shielding. Folding back one layer of braided shielding presents little difficulty. However, manipulating multiple layers of braided shielding that are as short as required can be awkward. While a push-pull connector could be made with a longer travel for the mandril and bushing, thus allowing a longer trimmed section for the cable, this would require a longer overall connector length which would increase material costs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to obviate or mitigate the disadvantages of known connectors for coaxial cable.

In accordance with the invention, a connector according to claim 1 or claim 15 is provided.

The connector comprises an internal body, means for interconnecting the connector to an electrical device, and an external body, assembled together so as to resist subsequent disassembly. The connector is adapted to receive a coaxial cable and to tightly hold the cable and form a seal with it by moving the external body relative to the internal body without disassembling the external body from the internal body.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are indicated in the dependent claims.

The internal body is preferably in the form of a mandril that has a bore of a diameter to receive the dielectric insulator of the coaxial cable. The mandril has a sleeve with an end adapted to engage the cable beneath the braided shield and jacket.

The interconnecting means preferably comprises threaded nut means which is connected to the mandril at the end thereof remote from the sleeve end adapted to engage the cable.

The external body is preferably in the form of a gripping bushing that is mounted to the connector surrounding the mandril and concentric-to it, remote from the nut means. At its free end it has a bore of a diameter to receive the jacket of the cable. The bushing is moveable from a first position in which the bore of the bushing and the sleeve of the mandril define an annular gap to receive the braided shield and the jacket of the cable, to a second position, closer to the nut means, in which the annular gap between the bushing and the sleeve of the mandril is reduced, thereby squeezing the braided shield and the jacket of the cable.

Preferably the nut means is rotatably mounted to the mandril and retained thereto by a flange on the mandril. More preferably, the sleeve of the mandril is tapered and barbed.

Advantageously the gripping bushing is assembled with the mandril by close frictional contact and is moveable slidingly from its first position to its second position by means of a squeezing tool.

Most advantageously, the connector also includes an O-ring retained upon the mandril close to the nut means, and the bushing slides over the O-ring when it is moved into its second position.

It has been found that the connector of the present invention provides an effective solution to the problems presented by known prior art coaxial cables, as described above.

The connector of the present invention is preassembled. No separate pieces are involved that must be threaded onto the cable, and which can be misoriented or lost. The dimensional tolerances of the connector of the present invention, moreover, enable it to be used with the standard sized security ring. In addition, the connector of the present invention easily accepts coaxial cable having multiple layers of braided shielding with longer trimmed sections that facilitate folding of the braided shielding back over the cable jacket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the coaxial cable connector of the present invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cable connector of the present invention, shown with a coaxial cable;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the connector of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the same connector as shown in Fig. 2, with a coaxial cable having been inserted therein;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the same connector as in Fig. 3, with the coaxial cable having been inserted further therein; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the same connector as in Fig. 4, with the outer bushing of the connector having been moved from its original position, in which the connector can receive the coaxial cable, to its final position, in which the connector tightly holds the inserted coaxial cable and forms a seal therewith.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the drawings, the coaxial cable connector is denoted generally by reference number 10. The cable is denoted by reference number 40 and is of a standard configuration comprising a central conductor 41, a dielectric insulator 42 with a foil cover 43, a braided shield 44 and a plastic jacket 45.

The connector 10 comprises a mandril (internal body) 11, a nut member (interconnecting means) 12, an O-ring 13, a retainer 14 and a bushing (external body) 15. The O-ring 13 is made of a compressible, elastomeric material, such as rubber or plastic, and the mandril 11, nut member 12, retainer 14, and bushing 15 are all made of a rigid material, preferably metallic, such as brass.

The mandril 11 is generally cylindrical having an enlarged base with a sleeve 17 extending therefrom. A flange 16 projects outwardly from the end of the enlarged base of the mandril 11. The sleeve 17 has a tapered end 18 with a barb 19. A bore 20 extends through the mandril 11 having a diameter to receiving the dielectric 42 and its foil cover 43 and the conductor 41.

The nut member 12 is mounted rotatably to the mandril 11. The nut member 12 has a collar 23 that engages the flange 16 of the mandril 11 to permit free rotation between the nut member 12 and the mandril. The nut member 12 is provided with internal threads 25 and hexagonal flats 24.

The retainer 14 is generally cylindrical and is fixedly mounted to the mandril 11. The retainer 14 has a base 26 with a wall 27 extending therefrom. The base 26 has an internal diameter that allows it to be mounted to the enlarged base of the mandril 11 and held securely by frictional engagement. A square shoulder 22 on the enlarged base of the mandril 11 provides a seat for the base 26 of the retainer 14.

The collar 23 of the nut member 12 and the enlarged base of the mandril 11 and the base 26 of the retainer 14 together define an annular groove 28 in which sits the O-ring 13. The O-ring 13 is of a size and dimension to seat in the annular groove 28, and to extend slightly beyond the retainer 14.

The bushing 15 is also cylindrical and has a mouth 31 at one end dimensioned to receive the coaxial cable 40. The other end of the bushing 15 is adapted to be mounted to the retainer 14 with a close fitting but slidable engagement.

The bushing 15 has a stepped internal surface. A first step 29 reduces the internal diameter of the bushing from a dimension corresponding to the outside diameter of the retainer 14 to a dimension corresponding to the inside diameter of the wall 27 of the retainer 14. The first step 29 of the bushing 15 seats against the end of the wall 27 of the retainer 14 when the bushing 15 has been activated to slide into its clamping position, as shown in Fig. 5. A second step 30 on the internal surface of the bushing 15 defines the depth of the mouth 31.

The connector 10 is assembled by first mounting the nut member 12 to the mandril 11, then mounting the O-ring 13, and subsequently mounting the retainer 14, which prevents the O-ring 13 and the nut member 12 from subsequent removal from the mandril 11. Finally, the bushing 15 is mounted to the retainer 14 as shown best in Fig. 2.

In mounting the connector 10 to the coaxial cable 40, the cable is first prepared by exposing a length of the central conductor 41, and also stripping a further length of the dielectric 42 and its foil-cover 43. The braided shield 44 is cut slightly longer than the jacket 45 and is folded back over the edge thereof, as shown in Fig.1.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the cable 40 is inserted into the connector 10 such that the conductor 41, the dielectric 42 and the foil 43 are received within the bore 20 of the mandril 11. The tapered end 18 of the mandril slides beneath the braided shield 44 and the jacket 45 of the cable 40. The barb 19 on the sleeve 17 of the mandril 11 resists subsequent removal of the cable 40 from the mandril 11.

The trimmed end of the jacket 45 of the cable 40 and the folded back portion of the braided shield 44 encounter a flared shoulder 21 on the sleeve 17 of the mandril 11. A cavity 33 between the internal surfaces of the bushing 15 and retainer 14 and the external surface of the sleeve 17 accommodates the jacket 45 and the folded back portion of the braided shield 44 of the cable 40.

When the cable 40 has been fully inserted into the connector 10 such that the conductor 41 extends into the nut member 12, the connector is placed in a levered squeezing tool (not shown) by means of which the bushing 15 can be forced to slide over the retainer 14 and the O-ring 13.

As the bushing is moved, the gap 32 between the bushing 15 and the tapered end 18 of the mandril 11 is reduced, as shown in Fig. 5. The second step 30 of the bushing 15 impinges upon the cable 40, squeezing the braided shield 44 and jacket 45 between the mouth 31 of the bushing 15 and the tapered end 18 of the mandril 11 such that when the bushing 15 is collapsed fully onto the retainer 14, with the first step 29 seated upon the end of the wall 27, the cable 40 is clamped tightly by the connector 10 with a moisture seal formed between the jacket 45 of the cable and the mouth 31 of the bushing 15.

In addition, the end of the bushing 15 that is mounted to the retainer 14 contacts and compresses the O-ring 13 within the annular groove 28 to provide a more secure seal between the nut member 12 and the mandril 11.

It will of course be appreciated that many variations are possible within the broad scope of the invention. For example, the retainer and mandril could be an integral body. The configuration of the connector and its component parts could also be modified. Means other than the threaded nut member could be substituted for engagement of the connector to an electronic device. The O-ring could be replaced with a different type of sealing means between the mandril and the nut member, and the placement of such O-ring or other sealing means could as well be altered.

Claims

A connector (10) for interconnecting to an electrical device, a coaxial cable (40) having a central conductor (41), a foil-covered dielectric insulator (42) encasing the central conductor (41), at least one braided shield (44) around the dielectric insulator (42), and a jacket (45) covering the at least one braided shield (44), said connector (10) comprising:

a) an internal body (11) having a bore (20) of a diameter to receive the dielectric insulator (42) of such a coaxial cable (40) and having a sleeve (17) with a sleeve end (18) adapted to engage the coaxial cable (40) beneath the at least one braided shield (44) and the jacket (45);

b) interconnecting means (12) mounted to said internal body (11), remote from said sleeve end (18) of said internal body (11), for interconnecting said connector (10) to such an electrical device;

c) an external body (15) surrounding said internal body (11) remote from said interconnecting means (12), having at a free end thereof, proximal said sleeve end (18) of said internal body (11), a mouth (31) of a diameter to receive the jacket (45) of the coaxial cable (40), said mouth (31) being generally concentric with said bore (20) of said internal body (11),

d) said external body (15) being assembled with said internal body (11) and said interconnecting means (12) so as to resist subsequent disassembly,

e) and said external body (15) being moveable without disassembly from said internal body (11), from a first position in which said external body (15) and said sleeve end (18) of said internal body (11) define an annular gap (32) to receive the at least one braided shield (44) and the jacket (45) of the coaxial cable (40), to a second position, closer to said interconnecting means (12), in which said annular gap (32) between said sleeve (17) of said internal body (11) and said external body (15) is reduced,

f) such that said connector (10) can be attached to the coaxial cable (40) by inserting the coaxial cable (40) into said mouth (31) of said external body (15) while said external body (15) is in said first position, and pushing the dielectric insulator (42) of the coaxial cable (40) into the bore (20) of the internal body (11) with said sleeve end (18) thereof engaging beneath the at least one braided shield (44) and the jacket (45) of the coaxial cable (40), and subsequently moving said external body (15) to said second position, thereby squeezing the at least one braided shield (44) and the jacket (45) of the coaxial cable (40) between said sleeve (17) of said internal body (11) and said external body (15) so as to tightly hold the coaxial cable (40) within said connector (10) and to form a seal between said mouth (31) of said external body (15) and the jacket (45) of the coaxial cable (40).
The connector of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means (12) is rotatably mounted to said internal body (11).
The connector of claim 1 or 2, wherein said internal body (11) and said external body (15) are generally cylindrical and concentric with each other.
The connector of claim 3, wherein said external body (15) is in the form of a bushing.
The connector of claim 2, wherein said internal body (11) is in the form of a mandril.
The connector of claim 5, wherein said interconnecting means (12) is in the form of threaded nut means.
The connector of claim 6, wherein said nut means(12) is internally threaded (25) for mounting to a threaded male connector post of the electrical device.
The connector of claim 7, wherein said mandril (11) has a flange (16) remote from said sleeve end (18) which retains said nut means (12).
The connector of claim 8, wherein said sleeve end (18) is tapered and barbed (19).
The connector of claim 9, wherein said bushing (15) is assembled with said internal body (11) by close frictional contact, and is movable slidingly from said first position to said second position by means of a squeezing tool.
The connector of claim 10, further comprising sealing means (13) retained upon said mandril (11) and proximal said flange (16), dimensioned to form a close fitting seal with said mandril (11) and said nut means (12).
The connector of claim 11, wherein said bushing (15) slides over said sealing means (13) when moved into said second position, thereby forming a compressive moisture proof seal between said bushing (15) and said mandril (11) and said nut means (12).
The connector of claim (12), further comprising a retainer (14) mounted to said mandril (11) proximal said flange (16) such that said nut means (12), said mandril (11) and said retainer (14) define an annular groove (28) wherein is disposed said sealing means (13).
The connector of claim 13, wherein said bushing (15) is mounted to said retainer (14).
A connector (10) for use with a coaxial cable (40) having a central conductor (41), a foil-covered dielectric insulator (42) encasing the central conductor (41), at least one braided shield (44) around the dielectric insulator (42), and a jacket (45) covering at least one braided shield (44), said connector comprising:

a mandril (11) with a bore (20) of a diameter to closely receive the dielectric insulator (42) of such coaxial cable (40), having at a first end thereof a sleeve (17) adapted to engage the cable (40) beneath the at least one braided shield (44) and the jacket(45), and having a flange (16) at the second end thereof ;

threaded nut means (12) engaged to said mandril (11) at the second end thereof, remote from said sleeve (17), retained by said flange (16);

a bushing (15) assembled with said mandril (11) and said threaded nut means (12) so as to resist subsequent disassembly, said bushing (15) being mounted concentric to said mandril (11) remote from said threaded nut means (12), having at its free end a bore (31) of a diameter to receive a jacket of the cable, and being movable without disassembly from a first position in which said bore (31) of said bushing (15) and said sleeve (17) of said mandril (15) define an annular gap (32) to receive the at least one braided shield (44) and the jacket (45) of the cable (40), to a second position, closer to said threaded nut means (12), in which said annular gap (32) between said sleeve (17) of said mandril (15) and said bushing (15) is reduced, thereby to squeeze the at least one braided shield (44) and the jacket (45) of said cable (40).
The connector of claim 15, wherein the nut means (12) is internally threaded (25) for mounting to a threaded male connector post, and wherein said nut means (12) is rotatably mounted to said mandril (11).
The connector of claim 16, wherein said sleeve (17) is tapered and barbed (19).
The connector of claim 17, wherein said bushing (15) is engaged to said mandril (11) by close frictional contact, and is movable slidingly from said first position to said second position by means of a squeezing tool.
The connector of claim 18, further comprising an O-ring (13) retained upon said mandril (11) and proximal said second end thereof, dimensioned to form a close fitting seal with said mandril (11) and said nut means (12).
The connector of claim 19, wherein said bushing (15 slides over said O-ring (13) when moved into said second position, thereby forming a compressive moisture proof seal between said bushing (15) and said mandril (11) and said nut means (12).
The connector of claim 20, further comprising a retainer (14) mounted to said mandril (11) proximal said second end thereof such that said nut means (12), said mandril (11) and said retainer (14) define an annular groove (28) wherein is disposed said O-ring (13).
The connector of claim 21, wherein said bushing (15) is mounted to said retainer (14).
The connector of claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means (12) comprises a threaded nut means rotatably mounted to said internal body(11), said connector (10) further comprises sealing ring means (13) disposed around said internal body (11) contiguous to said nut means (12), and moving said external body (15) to said second position, seals said external body (15) to said interconnecting means (12) by compressing said sealing ring means (13) between said external body (15) and said nut means (12).