The following relates to coaxial cable connectors, and more specifically to embodiments of a center conductor engagement mechanism.
Coaxial cable is used to transmit radio frequency (RF) signals in various applications, such as connecting radio transmitters and receivers with their antennas, computer network connections, and distributing cable television signals. Coaxial cable typically includes a hollow center conductor, an insulating layer surrounding the center conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the insulating layer, and a protective jacket surrounding the outer conductor. A coaxial cable is typically attached to a prepared end of the coaxial cable to connect onto complementary interface ports, such as those on cellular towers and other broadband equipment. One of the difficulties of field-installable coaxial cable connectors, such as compression connectors or screw-together connectors, is maintaining acceptable levels of passive intermodulation (PIM) and return loss. PIM and return loss in the terminal sections of a coaxial cable can result from nonlinear and insecure contact between surfaces of various components of the connector. A nonlinear contact between two or more of these surfaces can cause micro arcing or corona discharge between the surfaces, which can result in the creation of interfering RF signals. Where the coaxial cable is employed on a cellular communications tower, for example, unacceptably high levels of PIM in terminal sections of the coaxial cable and resulting interfering RF signals can disrupt communication between sensitive receiver and transmitter equipment on the tower and lower-powered cellular devices. Disrupted communication can result in dropped calls or severely limited data rates, for example, which can result in dissatisfied customers and customer churn. Accordingly, engaging the hollow center conductor of the coaxial cable when a coaxial cable is attached to a connector is critical for desirable PIM results. The contact between a hollow center conductor and the receptive clamp engages the center conductor to provide a contact force therebetween. The result of poor engaging and/or seizing of the hollow center conductor leads to equally poor contact force between the center conductor and the clamp of the connector.
Thus, a need exists for an apparatus and method for a center conductor engagement mechanism that ensures an adequate contact force between a center conductor of a coaxial cable and a clamp of a coaxial cable connector.
A first general aspect relates to a center conductor engagement member comprising a resilient contact region having a first end and a second end, the resilient contact region being substantially curvilinear from the first end to the second end, wherein the second end of the resilient contact region is secured by a body portion, and an insert engageable with the second end of the resilient contact region to retain the second end of the resilient contact region.
A second general aspect relates to a center conductor engagement member comprising a resilient contact region having one or more axial through-slots defining one or more resilient contact fingers, the one or more resilient contact fingers configured to compress when surrounded by a center conductor of a coaxial cable, wherein a largest radial outer diameter of the resilient contact region occurs at a vertex of a curve of the resilient contact region, an insert, the insert being a generally annular member having an internal groove, wherein the internal groove cooperates with a protrusion on an end of the one or more resilient contact fingers to resist movement of the one or more resilient contact fingers in a radial direction that results in a less than adequate return contact force against an inner surface of the center conductor.
A third general aspect relates to a coaxial cable connector comprising a center conductor engagement member disposed within the connector, the center conductor engagement member comprising a resilient contact region and an insert, wherein the coaxial cable connector achieves an intermodulation level below −155 dBc and return loss below −45 dB.
A fourth general aspect relates to a method of engaging a center conductor of a coaxial cable comprising disposing a center conductor engagement member within a coaxial cable connector, wherein the center conductor engagement member includes: a resilient contact region having a first end and a second end, the resilient contact region being substantially curvilinear from the first end to the second end, wherein the second end of the resilient contact region is secured by a body portion, and an insert engageable with the second end of the resilient contact region to retain the second end of the resilient contact region, and mating a center conductor of a coaxial cable with the center conductor engagement member, wherein the center conductor engagement member is configured to be inserted within the center conductor.
The foregoing and other features of construction and operation will be more readily understood and fully appreciated from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings.
Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:
A detailed description of the hereinafter described embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. Although certain embodiments are shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the present disclosure will in no way be limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc., and are disclosed simply as an example of embodiments of the present disclosure.
As a preface to the detailed description, it should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Referring to the drawings,
Referring now to
The connector 100 may also be provided to a user in a preassembled configuration to ease handling and installation during use. Two connectors, such as connector 100 may be utilized to create a jumper that may be packaged and sold to a consumer. A jumper may be a coaxial cable 10 having a connector, such as connector 100, operably affixed at one end of the cable 10 where the cable 10 has been prepared, and another connector, such as connector 100, operably affixed at the other prepared end of the cable 10. Operably affixed to a prepared end of a cable 10 with respect to a jumper includes both an uncompressed/open position and a compressed/closed position of the connector while affixed to the cable. For example, embodiments of a jumper may include a first connector including components/features described in association with connector 100, and a second connector that may also include the components/features as described in association with connector 100, wherein the first connector is operably affixed to a first end of a coaxial cable 10, and the second connector is operably affixed to a second end of the coaxial cable 10. Embodiments of a jumper may include other components, such as one or more signal boosters, molded repeaters, and the like.
Referring to
Referring back to
Moreover, the plurality of resilient contact fingers 245 may arc from the body 230 of the center conductor engagement member 200 until retained by an insert 250. Embodiments of the resilient contact region 240 may be curvilinear or substantially curvilinear from the first end 241 to the second end 242. Embodiments of the resilient contact region 240 may also be continuously curvilinear or continuously substantially curvilinear from the second end 242 proximate the body portion 230 to an internal annular protrusion 247. Further, embodiments of the resilient contact region 240 may have a slotted oblong-like or elliptical-like shape, wherein a largest radial outer diameter of the resilient contact region 240 may occur at the vertex of the curve of the resilient contact region 240. The substantially arced, curved, curvilinear, etc., shape of the resilient contact region 240 (and each of the plurality of resilient contact fingers 245) may facilitate compression and/or deflection of the resilient contact region 240, when the center conductor 18 is in the second, closed position. The substantially arced or curved resilient contact region 240 may also assist the initial physical mating and timing of the mating of the center conductor 18 and resilient contact region 240 because of the gradual increase in radial diameter of the resilient contact region 240. The distal end of the resilient contact fingers 245 may include an internal annular protrusion 247, wherein the distal end of the resilient contact fingers 245 can coincide with the first end 241 of the resilient contact region 240; an annular groove 249 may be located on the outer surface 203 proximate the location of the internal annular protrusion 247. Embodiments of the internal annular protrusion 247 may be a portion at the end of each resilient contact finger 245 that extends or protrudes a distance from the inner surface 203, 243 towards a central axis 5 of the center conductor engagement member 200. The internal annular protrusion 247 may be configured to cooperate with an annular groove 257 of the insert 250. For instance, the internal annular protrusion 247 may snap into the groove 257 of the insert 250 to secure, retain, capture, etc., the first end 241 of the resilient contact region 240 of the center conductor engagement member 200. Thus, the resilient contact region 240 of the center conductor engagement member 200 may be engageable with the insert 250; the first end 241 of the resilient contact region may be securably retained within the annular groove 257 of the insert 250, while the second 242 may be integrally retained by the body portion 230.
Referring still to
Embodiments of the annular groove 257 of the insert 250 may prevent movement of the resilient contact fingers 245 in an axial and/or radial direction that results in less than adequate return contact force against the inner surface of the hollow center conductor 18, when the resilient contact region 240 is compressed as the hollow center conductor 18 passes over the resilient contact region 240. For example, as the cable 10 is being inserted within the connector 100, the center conductor is configured to mate with the center conductor engagement member 200, as shown in
Compression connectors having PIM levels above this minimum acceptable standard of −155 dBc result in interfering RF signals that disrupt communication between sensitive receiver and transmitter equipment on the tower and lower-powered cellular devices in 4G systems. Advantageously, the relatively low PIM levels achieved using the example compression connector 100 surpass the minimum acceptable level of −155 dBc, thus reducing these interfering RF signals. Accordingly, the example field-installable compression connector 100 having a center conductor engagement member 200 enables coaxial cable technicians to perform terminations of coaxial cable in the field that have sufficiently low levels of PIM to enable reliable 4G wireless communication. Advantageously, the example field-installable compression connector 100 having a center conductor engagement member 200 exhibits impedance matching and PIM characteristics that match or exceed the corresponding characteristics of less convenient factory-installed soldered or welded connectors on pre-fabricated jumper cables. Accordingly, embodiments of connector 100 may be a compression connector, wherein the compression connector achieves an intermodulation level below −155 dBc over a frequency of 1870 MHz to 1910 MHz.
Compression connectors having return loss greater than the graduated limits associated with specific frequency ranges indicated in
As further depicted in
Referring now to
While this disclosure has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as required by the following claims. The claims provide the scope of the coverage of the invention and should not be limited to the specific examples provided herein.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/585,871 filed Jan. 12, 2012, and entitled “CENTER CONDUCTOR ENGAGEMENT MECHANISM.”
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