JPH11345655A - Coaxial cable connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely connect a center contact to a mating connecting terminal to prevent the trouble generating in connecting work by installing a sleeve held so as to slide in the longitudinal direction to the state that the tip of a center contact is exposed by the specified length. SOLUTION: A sleeve 16 having a through hole of a tip 8A of a center contact 8 is installed at the end of a connecting nut 12. The sleeve 16 has elastic force applied to the right direction with a spring 18 on the inside, surrounds a center contact 8, and is positioned with a stopper 20 installed on the inside of the nut 12, and when constant or more force is applied to the stopper 20, the sleeve 16 moves in the left direction. When a coaxial cable is connected to a terminal of a relay, the center contact 8 is inserted without coming in contact with an outer conductor by the existence of the sleeve 16, the sleeve 16 is moved in the left direction, the tip 8A of the center contact 8 is exposed and connected to the terminal. Damage or short circuit of a center wire by an error during connection work is prevented, and work is made smooth.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a coaxial cable connector used in a CATV (cable television broadcasting) system or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a CATV system, a television broadcast is received at a head end and is distributed to users while amplifying the television broadcast with a repeater or the like. The headend and the repeater, and the repeater and the user are connected by a coaxial cable or an optical fiber. The coaxial cable sends a broadcast wave received at the head end and power for driving the repeater to each repeater.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems to be solved. When connecting the coaxial cable to the repeater, the outer conductor and the center conductor are electrically connected simultaneously. The coaxial cable connector is configured to provide good mechanical and electrical connection while achieving electrical impedance matching at the connection portion.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a conventional coaxial cable connector and terminals of a repeater and the like. The connector shell 33 is attached to a coaxial cable end (not shown). A screw portion 34 is formed at one end of the shell 33.
A center contact 35 is arranged at the center of the screw portion,
The center conductor of the cable (not shown) is electrically connected.

The screw portion 34 has a role of electrically and mechanically connecting the shell 33 to the terminal 31 of the device. Screw part 3
When the screw 4 is screwed into the terminal hole 32 of the terminal 31, the shell 33 and the terminal 31 of the device are connected and fixed. The center contact 35 is inserted into a contact 37 provided inside the terminal 31 as shown in FIG. The contact 37 is supported by the insulator 36 inside the terminal 31.

FIG. 3B shows a problem in this case. As shown in the figure, the center contact 35 may come into contact with the inner surface of the terminal hole 32 of the terminal 31 during the work of grasping the shell 33 by hand, for example, and connecting it to the terminal 31. Normally, a repeater of a CATV system is suspended at a high place, and a work of connecting a coaxial cable connector to the repeater together with the coaxial cable is performed. During this operation, various forces are applied to the shell 33. Therefore, the center contact 35 may vigorously collide with the inner surface of the terminal hole 32, and the center contact 35 may be bent.

[0007] Further, in the CATV system, when construction is performed in an area where service has already been started, an uninterrupted construction method is adopted in which transmission of broadcast waves is not stopped as much as possible. Therefore, if an existing cable is replaced or repaired due to an accident, or if a new repeater is added to the area connected to the area where the service was started to extend the service section, the broadcast Work to connect a cable that is still supplied with power for driving the repeater to a new repeater. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the center contact 35 contacts the terminal hole 32 of the terminal 31, the terminal 31 is grounded and short-circuited because it has the same potential as the outer conductor of the coaxial cable. This may not only cause a failure in the power supply circuit connected to the cable (not shown), but may also prevent the power supply to the repeater. This kind of problem is not limited to a connector for a CATV system, but is a problem common to coaxial cable connectors connected to various devices and systems.

[0008]

The present invention employs the following structure to solve the above problems. <Configuration 1> In a terminal of a coaxial cable, a center contact electrically connected to a center conductor of the coaxial cable, and the center contact is held on a shaft portion of the coaxial cable via an insulator, and is electrically connected to an outer conductor of the coaxial cable. A shell that is slidably held in a longitudinal direction of the center contact from a state surrounding the end of the center contact to a state where the end of the center contact is exposed for a predetermined length at an end of the shell. So as to hold this sleeve in a state surrounding the tip of the center contact,
A coaxial cable connector comprising: a spring for applying elasticity to the sleeve in a longitudinal direction of the center contact.

<Structure 2> The coaxial cable connector according to Structure 1, wherein the sleeve is formed of an electric conductor electrically connected to the shell.

<Structure 3> In the coaxial cable connector according to Structure 1, when the sleeve surrounds the tip of the center contact, a predetermined force or more in the longitudinal direction is applied to the sleeve against the elasticity of the spring. The coaxial cable connector further includes a click stop mechanism for preventing movement of the sleeve.

<Structure 4> In the coaxial cable connector according to Structure 1, an insulating spacer having a through-hole having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the center contact is arranged on the shaft of the sleeve. Coaxial cable connector.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below using specific examples. In the present invention, a sleeve that protects the center conductor of the coaxial cable connector during the connection operation and that retreats in the longitudinal direction after the connection is employed. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a coaxial cable connector of the present invention. The coaxial cable 1 shown in the figure has a foamed insulator 3, an aluminum outer conductor 4, and a sheath 5 provided on the outer periphery of a center conductor 2.
The coaxial cable 1 has a well-known structure used in, for example, a CATV system.

A terminal of the coaxial cable 1 is connected to a coaxial cable connector for electrically connecting to a not-shown repeater or the like. This coaxial cable connector includes fasteners 6 and 7, a shell 9, and connection nuts 11 and 12. A central contact 8 that is electrically connected to the central conductor 2 of the coaxial cable 1 is provided on a shaft portion of the shell 9. The structure up to this point does not differ from the conventional coaxial cable connector, and a detailed description is omitted.

The center contact 8 is held on the shaft of the shell 9 by an insulator 10. Shell 9 is key 1
The connection nut 11 is connected to the connection nut 11 by a connection member 4, and is configured to freely rotate while being fitted into the shell 9. The gasket 13 sandwiched between the connection nut 12 and the shell 9 keeps the watertight between the two, and allows the connection nut 12 to be rotatable during the connection work.

The coaxial cable connector of the present invention is characterized in that a sleeve 16 is newly provided at the right end of the connection nut 12. A spring 18 is disposed inside the sleeve 16. The spring 18 abuts the left end against the step 9A of the shell 9 and the step 16A of the sleeve 16.
To the other end. In this way, the sleeve 16 is given a resilience toward the right in the figure.

The right end opening of the sleeve 16 has a through hole through which the tip 8A of the center contact 8 passes.
An insulating spacer 17 is provided. Also, sleeve 1
6 is a screw portion 12 of the connection nut 12 as described later.
It is configured to be positioned by a stopper 20 arranged inside A. The gasket 13 fitted on the outer periphery of the connection nut 12 maintains water tightness between the repeater and the coaxial cable connector when the coaxial cable connector is connected to the terminal of the repeater by tightening the screw portion 12A. It is for doing.

The structure of the main part of the coaxial cable connector will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Before connecting the coaxial cable connector to a repeater or the like, the state is as shown in FIG. That is, the tip 8A of the center contact 8 shown in FIG. 1 is covered with the sleeve 16 as shown in this figure, and is not visible from the outside. During the operation of connecting the coaxial cable connector to the repeater or the like, the sleeve 16 functions to mechanically and electrically protect the tip 8A of the center contact 8.

(B) shows a state after connection. That is, after connection to the repeater or the like, the sleeve 16 is housed inside the shell, and the tip 8A of the center contact is exposed as shown in FIG. 2B. This is electrically connected to the contact 37 of the repeater as shown in FIG. The sleeve 16
Is elasticized in the right direction in the figure by the spring 18 shown in FIG. 1, so when the connector is removed from the terminal or the like, the sleeve 16 returns to the state shown in FIG. Hide tip 8A. Next, the configuration and function of the sleeve will be described in more detail.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the sleeve 16
The spring 18 has the configuration described above.
The elasticity is given in the direction of arrow 24 by. That is, in this state, the positioning is performed so as to surround the front end 8A of the center contact 8 existing in the center portion, that is, the shaft portion. A stopper 20 is provided for positioning the sleeve 16. The stopper 20 is usually provided in the state shown in FIG.
When the sleeve 16 is held in a stable state as shown in FIG. 4 and a force of a certain level or more is applied to the sleeve 16, the sleeve 16 is allowed to move in the direction of the arrow 23.

FIG. 4D shows a side view of the center contact 8. The center contact 8 connects the center conductor of the coaxial cable already described on the left side of the figure, and the tip 8A is connected to the sleeve 16
Is arranged so as to be located at the center or slightly to the left. An insulating spacer 17 is fitted inside the end of the sleeve 16.
A is configured such that the tip 8A of the center contact 8 penetrates A. Accordingly, when the sleeve 16 moves in the direction of the arrow 26, the insulating spacer 17 moves in the direction of the arrow 26, and the tip 8A of the center contact 8 is exposed to the outside while the center contact 8 is held at the center of the sleeve 16.

FIG. 1E is a sectional view showing the structure of the stopper 20. The stopper 20 is made of a cylindrical plastic provided with a slit in the longitudinal direction, and its longitudinal section is as shown in this figure. On the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 16, an annular groove 16B as shown in the figure is provided. The free end 20A of the swinging piece of the stopper 20 fits into the annular groove 16B.
The free end 20A swings in the direction of the arrow 21 in the drawing to position the sleeve 16 when fitted in the groove 16B, and moves the sleeve 16 lighter in the direction of the arrow 23 when disengaged from the groove 16B. Slide with force.

The base of the stopper 20 is fixed to the inner surface of the threaded portion 12A of the connection nut 12 so as not to easily come off. The free end 20A is fitted in the annular groove 16B of the sleeve 16. In such a state, the sleeve 16 is attached to the tip 8A of the center contact.
Is in a stable state so as to surround it. here,
When a force in the direction of the arrow 22 is applied over a certain amount, the free end 20A of the stopper 20 comes off the annular groove 16B. As a result, the sleeve 16 moves in the direction of the arrow 22 with a relatively light force. In this way, the state as shown in FIG. 2B can be established, and the connection with the terminal of the repeater can be made.

The reason why such a stopper is provided is that the sleeve 16 is arranged to surround the tip of the center contact by the force of the spring 18,
This is because the tip 8A of the center conductor is exposed by some force during the work, and an accident such as a short circuit does not occur. Therefore, if the force of the spring 18 is relatively large, there is no problem even without such a stopper. Conversely, if the force of the spring 18 is sufficiently reduced, the sleeve can be moved with a small force except when the stopper is removed, and the resistance during the connection operation can be reduced. In this way, the stopper 20 can be used as long as a certain amount of force is not applied to the sleeve 16 during the operation.
6 has the function of not moving.

FIG. 3C is a sectional view showing a working state when the coaxial cable connector having the above-described configuration is used. As shown in FIG. 3, when connecting to the terminal 31 such as a repeater while supporting the shell 33 of the coaxial cable, since the sleeve 16 covers the center contact, FIG.
In the state shown in FIG. 7, the center contact 35 and the terminal 31 do not come into contact with each other. When a little strong force is applied to the shell 33 in a state where the insulating spacer 17 is in contact with the contact 37 on the repeater side, the stopper already described
6, and the sleeve 16 is housed inside the shell 33. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2B, the tip 8A of the center contact is exposed, and the shell 33 and the terminal 3 are exposed.
1 is completed.

With the above arrangement, the core contact is protected electro-mechanically by the longitudinally slidable sleeve. That is, during the work of connecting the connector to the terminal of the device, an impact on the center contact is prevented, and an accident that the center contact is bent is prevented. Further, it is possible to prevent an accident in which the center contact and the shell are simultaneously brought into contact with a terminal of the device to cause a short circuit. Furthermore, before the connector is connected to the terminal of the device, the center contact is surrounded and shielded by the sleeve, so that radio waves from the outside are prevented from jumping into the cable through the center contact. The above configuration can be widely applied to connectors for connecting coaxial cables as well as connectors for CATV systems.

[0026]

As described above, the end of the shell is slidably held in the longitudinal direction of the center contact from the state surrounding the end of the center contact to the state where the end of the center contact is exposed for a predetermined length. Since the sleeve is provided, it is possible to prevent the center contact from accidentally touching each part of the connection terminal of the mating partner during the operation of connecting the connector to the mating connecting terminal, thereby preventing a short circuit accident.

Further, if a spring is provided on the sleeve to provide elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the center contact so as to hold the sleeve in a state of surrounding the tip of the center contact, the connector can be connected to the other end. During the connection to the terminals, the sleeve moves as needed to help the connection work while protecting the center contact.

In addition, the center contact is immediately surrounded and protected during the operation of disconnecting the connector from the mating connection terminal. Further, if the sleeve is formed of a good electrical conductor electrically connected to the shell, the center contact is electrically shielded, and the external noise picked up when the center contact is exposed to the outside can be sufficiently reduced.

Further, when the sleeve is in a state of surrounding the tip of the center contact, a click stop mechanism for preventing movement of the sleeve until a certain or more longitudinal force is applied to the sleeve against the elasticity of the spring. If provided, the sleeve does not easily move during the preparation work for connecting the connector to the mating connection terminal, so that the protection state of the center contact can be maintained.

In addition, when an insulating spacer having a through-hole having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the center contact is disposed on the shaft of the sleeve, the position of the center contact is maintained at the center of the sleeve, and the center contact of the center contact is maintained. It has the effect of not only preventing bending due to external force but also correcting it.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a coaxial cable connector of the present invention.

2A is a side view of a main part before connection of the coaxial cable connector shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2B is a side view of a main part after connection, and FIG. 2C is an exploded side view of a sleeve and a spring. Figure, (d) is a side view of the center contact and spacer,
(E) is a longitudinal sectional view showing the function of the stopper portion.

3 (a) is a perspective view of a conventional coaxial cable connector and a terminal of a device, FIG. 3 (b) is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a coaxial cable connector and a terminal of a device showing a conventional problem, and FIG. It is a principal part longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the effect | action of the coaxial cable connector of this invention.

[Description of Signs] 1 Coaxial cable 2 Center conductor 3 Insulator 4 Outer conductor 5 Sheath 6,7 Clamping fixture 8 Center contact 9 Shell 10 Insulator 11,12 Connection nut 16 Sleeve 17 Insulation spacer 18 Spring 20 Stopper

Claims (4)

[Claims] At the end of a coaxial cable, a center contact electrically connected to a center conductor of the coaxial cable, and the center contact is held on a shaft portion of the coaxial cable via an insulator, and electrically connected to an outer conductor of the coaxial cable. And a sleeve that is slidably held in the longitudinal direction of the center contact from a state surrounding the end of the center contact at the end of the shell to a state in which the end of the center contact is exposed for a predetermined length. And a spring for applying elasticity to the sleeve in a longitudinal direction of the center contact so as to hold the sleeve in a state of surrounding the tip of the center contact. Cable connector. 2. The coaxial cable connector according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve is formed of a good electrical conductor electrically connected to the shell. 3. The coaxial cable connector according to claim 1, wherein when the sleeve surrounds the tip of the center contact, a predetermined longitudinal force is applied to the sleeve against the elasticity of the spring. And a click stop mechanism for preventing movement of the sleeve. 4. The coaxial cable connector according to claim 1, wherein an insulating spacer having a through-hole having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the center contact is disposed on the shaft of the sleeve. Coaxial cable connector.