United States Patent
`
`:19]
`
`[111
`
`3,781,762
`
`[45] Dec. 25, I973
`Quackenbush
`
`[54] CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY
`
`[75]
`
`Inventor: Edward Clarke Qnacltenlntsh,
`Staatsburg, N.‘{.
`
`[73] Assignee: Tidal Sales Corporation,
`Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`June 26, 1972
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 265,973
`
`[52] U.S. CI.
`[51]
`Int.
`[58] Field of
`
`339}'B9 C, 339;'l7';' R
`Hlllr 13130
`339l39. 90, 177
`
`[56]
`
`Relerences Cited
`UNITED STATES PATENTS
`
`211972 Hutter ............................. .. 339139 C
`3,644,874
`
`2,(l9';'2 Hutter et al ........ ..
`339139 C
`3,646,502
`SH968
`Fomey. Jr. et al ............ .. 339,~‘1'.?'.? R
`3,384,703
`FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS
`
`583,110
`
`5.r'l9£'l-7 Great Britain ................ .. 339,"l'?'T R
`
`Primary Exam:'ner—.loseph H. McGly'nn
`Attomey—I-larry M. Weiss
`
`[51]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`This disclosure relates to a connector assembly which
`utilizes a hollow coupling member or ring having an
`internally threaded portion at one end thereof and a
`cylindrical
`recess at
`the other end thereof which
`serves to hold one end of a tubular shaped member
`that is adapted to make connection to the outer con-
`ductor of a coaxial cable. The tubular shaped member
`not only functions to contact the outer conductor of a
`coaxial cable. but also serves to upset a portion of the
`outer conductor in order to grip the outer conductor
`and hold it securely connected to the coupling ring.
`Additionally, a ferrule is located about the dielectric
`casing and between the upset portion of the outer con-
`ductor and the coupling ring so as to more securely
`provide a firm gripping action between the tubular
`shaped member and the outer conductor of the co-
`axial cable.
`
`1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures
`
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`CORNING EXHIBIT 1035
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`CORNING EXHIBIT 103 5
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`

`
`PATENTEUDEEESIBT5
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`3_781_752
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`I
`CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY
`
`3,781,762
`
`2
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`second end means of the tubular shaped member. The
`hollow coupling member is a coupling ring having an
`internally threaded portion at one end thereof. The
`other internal end portion of the coupling ring is pro-
`vided with a cylindrical recess to hold the second end
`means of the tubular shaped member.
`In accordance with another embodiment of this in-
`vention, a com bination co-axial wire cable and connec-
`tor assembly is provided, which comprises a hollow
`coupling member and a tubular shaped member having
`first end means for connection to the outer conductor
`of the co-axial wire cable and second end means for
`connection to the coupling member. A hollow. ferrule
`shaped member having an inner diameter greater than
`the outer diameter of the tubular shaped member and
`the outer conductor of the co-axial wire cable is posi-
`tioned over the tubular shaped member intermediate
`the first end means and the second end means and
`around a dielectric casing protecting the outer conduc-
`tor of the co-axial wire cable. The first end means of
`the tubular shaped member is provided with an annular
`recessed portion and an annular flared portion con-
`nected to the recessed portion. The annular recessed
`portion is adapted to raise a portion of the outer con-
`ductor of the co-axial wire cable and thereby grip the
`outer conductor. The ferrule shaped member is located
`between the outer surface of the annular recessed por-
`tion and the second end means of the tubular shaped
`member. The second end means of the tubular shaped
`member is provided with an annular flange and an an-
`nular flared portion connected thereto which flared
`portion is insertable within and connectable to the hol-
`low coupling member.
`The foregoing and other objects, features, and advan-
`tages ofthe invention will be apparent from the follow-
`ing, more particular, description of the preferred em-
`bodiments ofthe invention. as illustrated in the accom-
`panying drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
`
`_
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`10
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`IS
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`FIG. I is an exploded cross-sectional view ofthe con-
`nector assembly of this invention and also illustrates a
`co-axial cable that is to be connected to the connector
`assembly.
`FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the combined co-
`axial cable and connector assembly shown in FIG. 1
`with the connector asembly in attachment in accor-
`dance with the practice of this invention.
`FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the cou-
`pling member and the tubular shaped member used to
`contactthe outer conductor of the co-axial cable with
`the tubular shaped member being shown connected to
`the coupling member.
`FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3;
`however. the tubular shaped member is shown not con-
`nected to the coupling member.
`FIG. 5 is an elevational view end of the tubular
`shaped member which contains the slots, one of which
`is shown in dotted form in FIGS. 3 and 4.
`FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tubular shaped
`member of ‘FIG. 5.
`
`. THE SPECIFICATION.
`
`Referring to FIG. 1. a connector assembly generally
`designated by the reference numeral 10 is shown which
`comprises a coupling member or ring 12, a tubular
`shaped member 14 connected to the coupling ring 12.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`l. Field of the Invention
`
`This invention relates generally to electrical connec-
`tors and. more particularly, to electrical connectors
`that are used for coaxial cables in order to permit elec-
`trical contact to be made to the outer conductor of the
`co-axial cable and permit access to the center conduc-
`tor of the co-axial cable.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`In the past, electrical connectors of various complex
`types have been utilized to provide electrical Contact to
`the center and outer conductors of a co-axial cable.
`These connectors have taken many different forms and
`shapes and have been generally fairly complex in struc-
`ture. performance, and operation.
`A need existed for providing a very simple, structural
`arrangement for permitting electrical contact to be
`made to the outer conductor of a co-axial cable while
`leaving open and accessible the center conductor ofthe
`co-axial wire cable. In order to accomplish this goal,
`various types of connectors have been designed and
`utilized to permit connection to the outer conductor
`and access to the center conductor ofa co-axial cable.
`However, these differnt connector structures were rela-
`tively complex and hence costly to manufacture. Fur-
`thermore, because of the complexity of the prior art
`connector structures, the reliability of these structures
`became a major concern to connector manufacturers
`since the relatively complex nature of the prior art con-
`nectors resulted in a number of parts that did not al-
`ways operate in the manner intended. A need existed
`for a simplified connector structure or assembly that
`could solve the problem of providing reliable electrical
`contact to the outer conductor of a co-axial cable and
`yet permit easy access to the center conductor thereof.
`This was especially important with the major increase
`in the use of co-axial cables for the cable TV industry
`and other applications for co-axial cables.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Accordingly, it is an ‘object of this invention to pro-
`vide an improved electrical connector.
`It is a further object of this invention to "provide an
`improved electrical connector for attachment to co-
`axial cables.
`
`lt is a still further object of this invention to provide
`a simplified electrical connector assembly for attach-
`mentto the outer conductor of a co-axial cable and
`permit access to the center conductor of the ‘co-axial
`cable.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`‘EMBODIMENT
`
`In accordance with one embodiment of this inven-
`tion. a connector assembly is provided which _comprises
`a hollow, coupling member and a tubular shaped mem-
`ber having first end means for connection to the outer
`conductor of a co-axial wire cable and second end
`means for connection to the coupling member. A hol-
`low. ferrule shaped member is also provided as part of
`the connector assembly. The ferrule shaped member
`has an inner diameter that is greater than the outer di-
`ameter of the tubular shaped member. The ferrule
`shaped member is positioned over the tubular shaped
`member and_ intermediate the-first end means and the
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`45
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`50
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`3
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`3,781,762
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`4
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`and a hollow, ferrule shaped member 16 adapted to be
`positioned over the tubular shaped member 14 be-
`tween the ends thereof. A co-axial wire cable is gener-
`ally shown by reference numeral 18. The co-axial wire
`cable 18 comprises a center conductor 20, a cylindrical
`outer conductor 22, a dielectric packing material 24
`located between the center conductor 20 and the outer
`
`14 with the force needed to flex the annular flared por-
`tion 38 sufficiently to permit it to contract enough to
`be inserted within the cylindrical recess 42 of the cou-
`pling ring 12. After insertion into the cylindrical recess
`42 of the coupling ring 12, the annular flared portion
`38 returns to its original unflexed position and is pre-
`vented from being removed from the coupling ring 12
`because of the annular lip 44. The coupling ring 12 has
`a beveled portion 48 which facilitates entry of the an-
`nular flared portion 38 of the tubular shaped member
`14.
`
`With regard to FIGS. 3 and 4, FIG. 3 illustrates the
`tubular shaped member 14 connected to the coupling
`ring 12 as described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and
`2, whereas FIG. 4 shows the tubular shaped member 14
`prior to insertion within and connection to the coupling
`ring 12. The feature of significance in these two Figures
`is showing of one slot 50 in dotted line form at the sec-
`ond end 34 of the tubular shaped member 14. The slot
`50 is in the annular flared portion 38 of the tubular
`shaped member 14.
`With regard to FIG. 5. a frontal view of the tubular
`shaped member 14 is shown illustrating three slots 50‘,
`50“. and 50'“ separated apart by l20° with respect to
`each other and located in the annular flared portion 38
`of the tubular shaped member 14. The view of FIG. 5
`shows the outline of the annular flange 36, which is
`connected to the annular flared portion 38. Opening 52
`is provided in the annular flange 36 in order to permit-
`the center conductor 20 and the dielectric packing ma-
`terial 24 to be inserted therethrough as shown in FIG.
`2.
`
`FIG. 6 illustrates the tubular shaped member 14 by
`itself and has been fully described above with respect
`to the other Figures.
`While the invention has been particularly shown and
`described with reference to preferred embodiments
`thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art
`that the foregoing and other changes in form and de-
`tails may be made therein without departing from the
`spirit and scope of the invention.
`We claim:
`
`1. A tubular shaped member especially adapted to
`make electrical contact to the outer conductor of a co-
`axial wire cable comprising first end means for connec-
`tion to the outer conductor of said co-axial wire cable
`and second end means for connecting a coupling mem-
`ber, said first end means ofsaid tubular shaped member
`having an annular recess portion and an annular flared
`portion connected to said recess portion, said annular
`recess portion being adapted to raise a portion of the
`outer conductor of a co-axial wire cable. said second
`end means of said tubular shaped member having an
`annular flange and an annular flared portion connected
`to said annular flange. said annular flared portion being
`insertable within and connectable to said coupling
`member. said annular flared portion having slot means
`located therein to permit said annular flared portion to
`be flexed into connectable contact with said coupling
`member.
`I!
`IF
`ii
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`conductor 22, and a dielectric casing 26 located about
`the cylindrical outer conductor 22.
`The tubular shaped member 14 has a first end 28
`which is used for connection to the outer conductor 22
`of the co-axial wire cable 18. The first end 28 of the tu-
`bular shaped member I4 is provided with an annular
`recess portion 30 and an annular flared portion 32,
`which together function to raise a portion of the outer
`conductor 22 of the co-axial wire cable 18 when con-
`nection is made between the connector assembly 10
`and the co-axial wire cable 18. A second end 34 of the
`tubular shaped member 14 is connected to the coupling
`ring 12 by means of annular flange 36 and annular
`flared portion 38 of the second end 34 of the tubular
`shaped member 14. The annular flared portion 38 is in-
`sertable within and connectable to the hollow coupling
`ring 12.
`The hollow coupling ring 12 is provided with an in-
`ternally threaded portion 40 at one end thereof and a
`cylindrical recess 42 at the other end thereof. The an-
`nular lip 44 is provided to define one side of the cylin-
`drical recess 42 of the coupling ring 12. This annular
`lip 44 serves to engage the annular flared portion 38 of 30
`the tubular shaped member 14 to prevent the tubular
`shaped member 14 from being disengaged from the
`coupling ring 12. The annular flared portion 38 con-
`nected to the annular flange 36 which serves as the sec-
`ond end 34 of the tubular shaped member 14 is insert-
`able within the cylindrical recess 42 of the coupling
`ring 12.
`With regard to FIG. 2, similar reference numerals
`used in FIG. 1 are repeated in FIG. 2 to identify the
`similar elements shown in FIG. 1 in order to clarify the
`connection of the connecter assembly 10 to the co-
`axial wire cable 13.
`As is shown in FIG. 2, the ferrule shaped member 16
`is located between the first endportion 28 and the sec-
`ond end portion 34 of the tubular shaped member 14.
`However.
`the ferrule shaped member 16 is located
`about and in contact with the outer surface of the di-
`electric casing 26. The annular recess portion 30 lo-
`cated at the first end 28 of the tubular shaped member
`14 serves to upset a portion 46 of the outer conductor
`22 as shown in this Figure. and thus serves to provide
`a good electrical and mechanical connection to the
`outer conductor 22 along this annular portion thereof.
`The manner of attachment ofthe connector assembly
`NJ to the co-axial wire cable 18 is to insert the tubular
`shaped member 14 in between the outer conductor 22
`and the dielectric packing material 24. Then, the fer-
`rule shaped member I6 is inserted over the dielectric
`casing 26 in the position shown, for example, in FIG.
`2. Subsequently, the coupling ring 12 is then inserted
`over the second end 34 of the tubular shaped member
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