CN115428273A

CN115428273A - Coupling mechanism and connector with same

Info

Publication number: CN115428273A
Application number: CN202080099946.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 詹姆斯·T·史密斯; 迈克尔·A·霍亚克; 欧文·R·巴特尔梅斯
Original assignee: Amphenol Corp
Current assignee: Amphenol Corp
Priority date: 2020-02-20
Filing date: 2020-12-21
Publication date: 2022-12-02
Also published as: WO2021167695A1; EP4107822A1

Abstract

A connector has a conductive shell that supports at least one signal contact therein. The housing includes a front end for mating with a mating connector and a rear end opposite the front end for connection to a power or data transmission cable. The coupling member is configured to engage the conductive shell and engage a corresponding component associated with the mating connector to mechanically couple the connector and the mating connector together. A plurality of ground connections are provided at the front end of the conductive shell and a front section of the coupling member for grounding.

Description

Coupling mechanism and connector with same

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 62/979,878, filed on day 2/21 of 2020 and U.S. provisional application No. 62/979,259, filed on day 2/20 of 2020, and is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application serial No. 16/871,114, filed on day 5/11 of 2020. Each of the applications is entitled "High Frequency Electrical Connector" and the subject matter of each of the applications is incorporated herein by reference.

Background

CATV networks are used to deliver high-speed data (e.g., internet and entertainment) to homes and businesses. The need to increase data speed and bandwidth is driving the development and deployment of enhanced or upgraded networks. Current networks are defined by DOCSIS (data over cable service interface specification). Many current networks use a version of DOCSIS, named DOCSIS 3.1, with a maximum frequency of 1.2GHz. The next generation networks might use DOCSIS 4.0, which would contain "ESD" (ultra wide spectrum DOCSIS) and increase the maximum frequency to 1.8GHz. These systems are expected to be deployed quickly and will require upgrading of the entire "factory" (cable network) to run to higher frequencies, such as DOCSIS 3.1 and 4.0 maximum frequencies.

There is an increasing need to prevent RF leakage and RF ingress from all enclosures and transmission lines (including RF connectors and cables) in CATV networks to improve RF performance. This demand is increasing because as more RF spectrum is licensed for commercial use, the chance of crosstalk between systems operating in the same spectrum increases. For optimal RF performance, the connector interface and cable transmission line need to prevent these wireless signals from entering the wired broadband system.

Conventional type F connectors for CATV typically do not perform well at higher frequencies. F-connectors also present well known stability and reliability problems. This is a particular concern if the installer fails to properly secure the connector to its mating component, which can result in a large amount of RF leakage, resulting in reduced RF performance. Conventional F-connectors often cause CATV network failures due to inconsistent and unreliable sealing in outdoor applications.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure provides a connector including a conductive shell supporting at least one signal contact therein. The housing includes a front end for mating with a mating connector and a rear end opposite the front end for connection to a power or data transmission cable. The coupling member is configured to engage the conductive shell and also engage a corresponding component associated with the mating connector to mechanically couple the connector to the mating connector. A plurality of ground connections are disposed at the front end of the conductive shell and the front section of the coupling member, the ground connections configured to connect the mating connector with the connector and the cable.

In some examples, the coupling member is disposed on the conductive shell; the coupling member is rotatably coupled to the conductive shell; the coupling member is a sleeve including a front section configured to engage a corresponding component associated with a mating connector; and a rear section configured to engage a rear end of the conductive shell; the connector further includes a retention member disposed on the coupling sleeve, the retention member being slidable relative to the coupling member between an unlocked position and a locked position; the retention member comprises a ring body disposed on a coupling sleeve; and/or the ring body includes an end portion that extends beyond the rear section of the coupling member.

In other examples, the front section of the coupling member includes internal threads; the plurality of ground connections defining a plurality of ground paths through the connector to electrically engage the mating connector with the connector and the cable; the coupling member is a spring clip that engages the outer annular groove of the conductive shell; the conductive shell includes a dielectric insert supporting at least one signal contact; and/or the connector is an electrical connector.

The present disclosure may also provide a connector including a conductive shell supporting at least one signal contact therein. The housing includes a front end for mating with a mating connector and a rear end opposite the front end for connecting to a power or data transmission cable. The coupling sleeve is disposed on the conductive shell. The coupling sleeve includes a front section configured to engage a corresponding component associated with a mating connector; and a rear section configured to engage the conductive shell. A retaining member is disposed on at least a portion of the coupling sleeve, the retaining member being slidable relative to the coupling sleeve between an unlocked position and a locked position.

In some examples, a coupling sleeve includes an elongated body having an external gripping surface, a front portion of the coupling sleeve containing internal threads, and a rear section configured to cover a rear end of a conductive shell; the coupling sleeve includes one or more flexible latches for engaging the conductive shell and one or more flexible protective tines adjacent to the one or more flexible latches; the retaining member comprises a ring body disposed over the one or more flexible protective tines; the ring body is configured to slide axially relative to a rear end of the conductive shell between an unlocked position and a locked position; the ring body includes one or more windows corresponding to one or more flexible protective tines of a rear section of a coupling sleeve; the ring body includes an end portion extending beyond the rear section of the coupling sleeve, the end portion including an end face in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coupling sleeve; and/or the ring body includes one or more tabs opposite the end face, the tabs configured to engage corresponding notches on the outer surface of the coupling sleeve.

In other embodiments, the connector further comprises a plurality of ground connections defining a plurality of ground paths; the plurality of ground paths are electrically coupled to form a combined ground path within the connector; a plurality of ground paths electrically coupled to form a combined ground path external to the connector; and/or the connector is an electrical connector.

The present disclosure may further provide a connector including a conductive shell supporting at least one signal contact therein. The housing includes a front end for mating with a mating connector and a rear end opposite the front end for electrical connection to a power or data transmission cable. The front end includes a primary ground connection configured to electrically connect the mating connector with the cable. The coupling sleeve is disposed on the conductive shell. The coupling sleeve includes a front section having internal threads configured to engage a corresponding component associated with a mating connector; and a rear section having one or more flexible snap-in latches configured to engage a rear end of the conductive shell. The front section of the coupling sleeve contains a secondary ground connection configured to electrically connect the mating connector with the cable. A retaining ring is disposed on the rear section of the coupling sleeve, the retaining ring being slidable relative to the coupling sleeve between an unlocked position and a locked position.

In certain examples, the rear section of the coupling sleeve includes one or more flexible protective tines adjacent to the one or more flexible snap-fit latches; each flexible protective tine includes a ramped surface configured to facilitate sliding the retaining ring into the locked position; the retaining ring includes one or more windows corresponding to one or more flexible protective tines; and/or the retaining ring comprises an end portion extending through the rear section of the coupling sleeve and comprising an end face in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coupling sleeve.

In other examples, the corresponding component of the mating connector is an engagement feature of a support panel or wall in which the mating connector is mounted; the primary and secondary ground connections are separate contacts, at least one of which is on the outer surface of the front end of the conductive shell and the other of which is on the inner surface of the front section of the coupling member; the primary and secondary ground connections define a plurality of ground paths; the plurality of ground paths combine to form a combined ground path within the electrical connector; the plurality of ground paths combine to form a combined ground path outside the electrical connector; and/or the connector is an electrical connector.

This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the disclosure.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. It is understood that the drawings illustrate only some examples of the disclosure and that other examples or combinations of various examples not specifically illustrated in the drawings may still be within the scope of the disclosure. Examples will now be described in additional detail using the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of an electrical connector and assembly thereof according to an example of the present disclosure;

fig. 2 a-2 c are various perspective views of one of the electrical connectors of the assembly illustrated in fig. 1, showing an exemplary coupling member of the present disclosure;

fig. 3 a-3 c are various exploded views of an electrical connector assembly thereof according to another example of the present disclosure;

fig. 4a to 4d are various cross-sectional and perspective views of an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly according to yet another example of the present disclosure;

figures 5a to 5c are perspective and cross-sectional views of an electrical connector assembly according to yet another example of the present disclosure;

fig. 6 and 7 are views of alternative engagement features according to examples of the present disclosure;

fig. 8a is a front view of a coupling member and a retaining member showing the retaining member in an unlocked position according to another example of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8b is a cross-sectional view of the coupling member and retaining member illustrated in FIG. 8 a;

FIG. 9a is a front view of the coupling member and retaining member illustrated in FIGS. 8a and 8b, showing the retaining member in a locked position;

FIG. 9a is a cross-sectional view of the coupling member and retaining member illustrated in FIG. 9 a;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of the front of the coupling component illustrated in FIGS. 8 a-9 b;

11a and 11b are front and cross-sectional views showing the electrical connector of the present disclosure in an initial mating position with a mating connector and the coupling member of FIG. 8a in a disengaged position;

fig. 12a and 12b are front and cross-sectional views of the electrical connector assembly illustrated in fig. 11a and 11b with its coupling member in an engaged position with a mating connector and the retention member in an unlocked position;

figures 13a and 13b are front and cross-sectional views similar to figures 12a and 12b of the electrical connector assembly showing the retention member in a locked position;

fig. 13c is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector illustrated in fig. 13b showing the retention member in a locked position;

FIG. 13d is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly illustrated in FIG. 13 b;

fig. 14a is a front view of another coupling member and another retaining member according to an example of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14b is a cross-sectional view of the coupling member and retaining member illustrated in FIG. 14 a;

FIGS. 15a and 15b are partial end perspective views of the coupling member and retaining member illustrated in FIGS. 14a and 14b, showing the retaining member in an unlocked position and a locked position, respectively;

FIG. 16a is a front view of a coupling member and a retaining member according to yet another example of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16b is a partial cross-sectional end view of the coupling member and retaining member illustrated in FIG. 16a, showing the retaining member in a locked position;

fig. 17a and 17b are front and cross-sectional views showing the electrical connector of the present disclosure in an initial mating position with a mating connector and the coupling member of fig. 16a in a disengaged position;

17c and 17d are front and cross-sectional views of the electrical connector assembly illustrated in FIGS. 17a and 17b with its coupling member in an engaged position with a mating connector and the retention member in an unlocked position;

figures 17e and 17f are front and cross-sectional views similar to figures 17c and 17d of the electrical connector assembly showing the retention member in a locked position;

FIG. 18 is a front view of another coupling member and another retaining member according to yet another example of the present disclosure; and

fig. 19a and 19b are graphs showing the improved electrical performance of the electrical connector assembly of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure relates to electrical connectors and assemblies thereof designed to significantly improve RF performance, such as for high frequency applications. The electrical connector of the present disclosure provides reliable and consistent RF performance even at high frequencies, whether used indoors or outdoors. The present disclosure may be, for example, RF connectors and assemblies for CATV broadband applications configured to provide an intuitive user experience suitable for consumer-level use; bandwidth extension to support future systems and protocols, including convergence with 5G; and/or to achieve high RF ingress protection for current and future wireless frequency bands. The connector technology of the present disclosure is designed to provide consistent performance with margins for future network enhancements with higher frequency capabilities (e.g., 6GHz and above) for indoor and outdoor applications for home/enterprise coax. Moreover, the connectors of the present disclosure are designed to provide stability, hermeticity and reliability when used outdoors. Although in the example embodiments described herein, the connectors are electrical connectors, in other embodiments, the connectors may be other types of connectors, such as, but not limited to, fiber optic, power, signal, or hybrid connectors, and the like.

Disclosed examples include connectors that include a conductive shell supporting at least one contact (e.g., a signal contact) therein. The housing includes a front end for mating with a mating connector and a rear end opposite the front end for electrical connection to a power or data transmission cable. The coupling member is configured to engage the conductive shell and engage a corresponding component associated with the mating connector to mechanically couple the electrical connector and the mating connector together. A plurality of ground connections are provided at the front end of the conductive shell and at the front section of the coupling member. The ground connection is configured to electrically connect the mating connector with the electrical connector and the cable.

Examples also include a connector comprising a conductive shell supporting at least one signal contact therein and including a front end for mating with a mating connector and a rear end opposite the front end for electrical connection to a power or data transmission cable. The coupling sleeve is disposed on the conductive shell. The coupling sleeve includes a front section configured to engage a corresponding component associated with a mating connector; and a rear section configured to engage the conductive shell. The holding part is arranged on the coupling sleeve. The retention member is configured to slide relative to the coupling sleeve between an unlocked position and a locked position.

Referring to fig. 1, an electrical connector assembly 100 having electrical connectors or

components

102 and 104 in accordance with an example of the present disclosure is illustrated. The electrical connector 100 is designed to improve RF performance at high frequencies, whether used in indoor or outdoor applications, by suppressing RF leakage and ingress at the interface of the assembled

connectors

102 and 104. The electrical connector assembly 100 may also incorporate a coupling member 200 configured to provide additional mechanical engagement between the electrical connectors of the assembly to increase the mechanical strength of the assembly 100, particularly the mechanical strength of the interface of the

connectors

102 and 104 with respect to cable loading. One or more sealing members, such as sealing member 300, may also be provided with the assembly 100. The one or more sealing members are configured to form an environmental seal between the components of the assembly 100, which is useful for outdoor applications.

The connectors or

components

102 and 104 may be, for example, plugs and receptacles, respectively, as seen in FIG. 1. The socket 104 may be mounted to a support 10, such as a panel or housing wall. Each of the plug 102 and receptacle 104 has an outer

conductive shell

106 and 108, respectively, and at least one signal contact, such as a pin and

socket

150 and 152, respectively, supported therein that mate with each other. Each

housing

106 and 108 of

connectors

102 and 104 may include a

front end

130 and 132, respectively, configured to interface with other mating components.

In an example, the rear end 133 of the housing 106 of the plug is configured to terminate and electrically connect to a cable C, e.g., a coaxial cable, as seen in fig. 1 and 2 b. The cable C has a dielectric and a central conductor. The center conductor of cable C feeds into the center contact of plug 102. It should be understood that the plug 102 may be configured to accommodate any type of cable, including power or data transmission cables required for a particular application, including indoor or outdoor use of the assembly. And although in the example embodiments described herein the connector is coupled to a coaxial cable, in other embodiments the connector may be coupled to other types of cables, such as, but not limited to, fiber optic cables, power cables, signal cables, differential pair cables, hybrid cables, and the like

The pin contact 150 of the plug 102 has a contact end 151 for connection with a corresponding contact end 153 of the socket 152. The rear ends of the pins 150 opposite to their contact ends may be electrically connected to the cable C. As seen in fig. 1, the pin contacts 150 of the plug 102 may be supported in a retracted position from the front end 130 of the housing 106. That is, the front end 130 of the plug housing 106 extends past the contact ends of the pin contacts 150 such that the pins 150 are retracted from the front face of the housing 106, thereby allowing a scoop proof closed entry fit with the receptacle 104. The rear end 136 of the receptacle 104 is configured to be electrically connected to a printed circuit board or other component (e.g., a filter module or a cable that is directly electrically connected to another location to be routed into the device) in a right-hand, straight or other configuration, such as via pins 137 at the rear end of the housing 108. The rear or end of the socket contact 152 opposite its contact end may also be electrically connected to a printed circuit board or other component, for example, by one or more pins 139 at the rear end of the housing 108. In some examples, the front end 130 of the housing 106 of the plug extends beyond the front section 202 of the coupling member 200.

The receptacle 104 may include an inner conductive shell 140. The housing 140 is received inside the outer conductive shell 108 with the dielectric insert 141 supporting the socket contacts 152 therein, as seen in fig. 1. Similar to the positioning of the pin contacts 150, the socket contacts 152 may be supported in a retracted position relative to the front face of the housing 108 of the receptacle to provide a closed entry fit. That is, the housing 108 of the receptacle may extend past the contact ends of the socket contacts 152 and the ends of the dielectric inserts 141 supporting the socket contacts 152. The front end 142 of the inner housing 140 of the receptacle may mate with the front end 130 of the housing 106 of the plug and the rear end 144 of the inner housing 140 may electrically engage a printed circuit board or other component. The front end of the inner housing 140 may include one or more spring fingers 143. The clamping fingers 143 generally surround the contact ends of the socket contacts 152. The rear ends of the outer and inner housings of the receptacle are both configured to engage a printed circuit board or other component, such as by solder or press-fit pins. The space between the inner surface of the outer housing 108 of the receptacle and the outer surface of the inner housing 140 of the receptacle is a receiving area sized to receive the front end 130 of the housing 106 of the plug.

The receptacle 104 may be mounted in a rack 10, which may form part of a panel, wall, box or other component of the device. The stent 10 may have a body 12 extending therefrom. The holder 10 has an internal bore 14 sized and configured to receive the receptacle 104. At least a portion of the outer surface of the body 12 may have an engagement feature, such as external threads 18, designed to engage a corresponding engagement feature of the coupling component 200. To assemble the connector, the front end 130 of the plug 102 may be inserted into the front end 132 of the receptacle 104 and then pushed onto the inner housing 140 of the receptacle such that the pins 150 and sockets 152 are connected and the conductive shell 106 of the plug and the outer housing 108 of the receptacle contact each other and the conductive shell 106 of the plug and the inner housing 140 of the receptacle contact each other. When the plug and

receptacles

102 and 104 are initially mated, the space 218 between the conductive shell 106 of the plug and the front section 202 of the coupling member 200 receives the front end of the body 12. As illustrated in fig. 1, in some examples, the receptacle 104 is set back from the front end 13 of the body 12 of the holder 10. A benefit of positioning the receptacle 104 in this retracted position is that the center and outer contacts (e.g., the socket 152 and the

contacts

112, 122, respectively) of the receptacle 104 are properly positioned from the front end 13 of the body 12 so that when the plug 102 is mated with the receptacle 104, the plug 102 is fully mated in the correct position with proper contact overlap. Second, the retracted position of the receptacle 104 may allow a forward portion of the internal bore 14 to be aligned with the body 12, integrated with the body 12, or aligned and integrated with the body 12 such that the internal bore 14 is properly sealed with the sealing member 300 to reduce or prevent additional leakage paths. In some examples, the sealing member 300 seals to the internal bore 14. In other examples, the sealing member 300 is sealed to the housing 108. In still other examples, the sealing member 300 may seal to the housing 108 and the internal bore 14.

In an example of the present disclosure, the plug 102 and receptacle 104 may have multiple ground connections, such as

primary ground connections

110 and 112 and

secondary ground connections

120 and 122, respectively, as seen, for example, in fig. 1.

Primary ground connections

110 and 112 define a primary ground path through assembly 100, and

secondary ground connections

120 and 122 define a secondary ground path through assembly 100. The primary and secondary ground paths may be separate or at least partially combined through

connectors

102 and 104. That is, multiple ground paths may be electrically coupled to form a combined ground path within or external to the electrical connector.

The

primary ground connections

110 and 112 may be any grounding technique, such as grounding through conductive surfaces or contacts of the

housings

106, 108 and 140 of the connectors that contact each other, grounding through added grounding contacts that are isolated and connected to the device PCB, or grounding through a conventional single ground, etc. In one embodiment, each of the

primary ground connections

110 and 112 is one or more internal contacts inside the

housings

106 and 108. The

primary ground connections

110 and 112 according to the present disclosure provide a connection to ensure that RF signals pass through the connector assembly, i.e., the header 102 and the receptacle 104, with minimal signal loss.

The internal contacts of the plug's primary ground connection 110 may be located on the inner surface of its housing 106, for example, near or at its front end 130, and positioned to engage the receptacle's primary ground connection 112, which may be a contact on the outer surface of the receptacle's inner conductive shell 140. The internal ground contacts of the receptacle 104 may be located on one or more of the spring fingers 143, for example, at the front end of the inner housing 140. Alternatively, the internal contacts of the

primary ground connections

110 and 112 may be positioned or incorporated into one or more arms, tines, lobes, beams, or the like.

The

secondary ground connections

120 and 122 are configured to provide additional or dual grounding at the interface of the connector assembly 100. The function of the

secondary ground connections

120 and 122 according to the present disclosure is to provide a secondary barrier to significantly reduce the power level of RF signals leaking from or RF noise leaking into the transmission line between the connectors. The

secondary ground connections

120 and 122 reduce the leakage or power level of the leakage to a point below the sensitivity of the system in which it is used.

Similar to the primary ground connection, the

secondary ground connections

120 and 122 of the plug 102 and receptacle 104, respectively, may be any grounding technique, such as grounding through a conductive surface of the connector's

housing

106 or 108, grounding through an added ground contact that is isolated and connected to the device PCB, or grounding through a conventional single ground, or the like. For example, the secondary ground connection 120 of the plug may be one or more external contacts located on an outer surface of the housing 106 that connect with one or more internal contacts of the ground connection 122 of the receptacle. In one aspect, the external contacts of the plug 102 may be located in an annular recess of the housing 106. The internal contacts of the receptacle 104 may be located on an inner surface of the housing 108. In an embodiment, the internal contacts of the receptacle 104 may be located on spring tabs extending inwardly from the inner surface of the housing. Alternatively, the external contacts of the plug 102 and the internal contacts of the receptacle 104 may be positioned or incorporated into one or more arms, tines, flaps, beams, or the like.

In examples of the present disclosure, the coupling component 200 may be configured as a sleeve that may be rotatably coupled to the plug 102. In some examples, the coupling member 200 is rotatably coupled to the plug 102 by snapping the coupling member 200 onto the plug 102, particularly, the conductive shell 106 of the plug. For example, with particular reference to fig. 2b, the coupling member 200 may be configured to slide over the plug 102 to convert the plug 102 from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version. In some examples, the plug 102 is converted from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version by adding the sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug. In some examples, a field technician may mount the sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug at the recess 301 on the conductive shell 106 of the plug. The sealing member 300 provides a sealing function between the conductive shell 106 of the plug and the interior bore 14 of the body 12 of the holder 10 when the plug 102 is coupled to the receptacle 104. Additionally, prior to coupling the plug 102 and the receptacle 104, the field technician may also install the coupling component 200 for additional weather proofing and to enhance the engagement between the plug 102 and the receptacle 104. As described in more detail below, a field technician may slide the coupling member 200 in the axial direction a to rotatably, and in some cases detachably, secure the coupling member 200 to the plug 102. Thus, the same plug 102 may be used for indoor applications as well as outdoor applications where the sealing member 300 and/or the coupling member 200 are added. In practice, a field technician may bring these parts (e.g., the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and the coupling member 200) to the job site and decide whether to use the plug 102 alone (as an indoor use version) or whether to use the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and/or the coupling member 200 as needed (as an outdoor use version). This eliminates the need for a field technician to carry both an indoor-only version of the plug and an outdoor-only version of the plug, thereby maximizing flexibility and minimizing connector variations in inventory.

The coupling component 200, sometimes referred to herein as a "sleeve 200," may be plastic, metal, or both, or a combination of both plastic and metal. In other examples, the coupling member 200 may be made of other materials depending on the end use of the plug 102.

The coupling sleeve 200 may have an elongated body with a front section 202, a rear section 204 and an intermediate section 205 therebetween, as seen in fig. 1 and 2a to 2 c. The front section 202 has an engagement feature, such as internal threads 206, configured to engage a corresponding engagement feature of the stent 10, such as external threads 18. The middle section 205 of the sleeve has an outer gripping surface 208 to facilitate the application of torque to the sleeve 200. In some examples, the rear section 204 of the sleeve 200 is elongated and is designed to receive and cover the terminating end of the cable C. In other examples, the rear section 204 does not cover the terminating end of the cable C. One or more flexible latches 212 may be provided at or near the rear section 204 of the sleeve 200 for engaging the plug 102. Each latch 212 may have an inner lip 214 extending inside the sleeve 200. The inner lip 214 may be configured to "snap" over the rear end 133 of the housing 106 of the plug, as best seen in fig. 1, such that the inner lip 214 contacts the rearward surface 135 of the rear end 133 of the plug 102 and such that the inner lip 214 acts as a stop to secure (or at least removably secure) the coupling member 200 to the plug 102. With particular reference to fig. 2b, a field technician may slide the coupling member 200 in the axial direction a to rotatably, and in some cases detachably, secure the coupling member 200 to the plug 102. More specifically, when the field technician moves the coupling member 200 over the plug, the plug 106 passes through the central opening 207 of the rear section 204 of the sleeve 200. The field technician continues to move the coupling member 200 in the axial direction a and the flexible latch 212 flexes as the one or more inner lips 214 pass through the conductive shell 106 of the plug. When the inner lip 214 reaches the rearward surface 135 of the rear end 133 of the plug 102, the flexible latch 212 snaps into the position illustrated in fig. 1, and the inner lip 214 contacts the rearward surface 135 of the rear end 133 of the plug 102 to secure the coupling component 200 to the plug 102. Thus, in some instances, no tools are required to secure the coupling member 200 to the plug 102.

Although in the example illustrated in fig. 1, the inner lip 214 is secured to the rearward surface 135 of the rear end 133 of the plug 102, in other examples, the coupling member 200 may be held to the plug 102 in other ways. For example, the plug 102 may include an outer lip (not shown) on an outer surface of the plug's housing 106, and the inner lip 214 of the coupling member 200 may abut the outer lip of the plug's housing 106 to secure the coupling member 200 to the plug 102. In yet another example, the housing 106 of the plug may contain a groove (not shown), and the inner lip 214 of the coupling member 200 may fit within the groove to secure the coupling member 200 to the plug 102. For clarity, in any of the examples described herein, the coupling component 200 may be removably or non-removably secured to the plug 102. Also, the coupling member 200 may be rotatably secured to the plug 102 or non-rotatably secured to the plug 102. The engagement between the inner lip 214 of the coupling member 200 and the rearward surface 135 of the rear end 133 of the plug 102 may provide some environmental sealing, such as dust and particulate sealing, and also create a hazardous path for any water sprayed at high pressure, such that the high pressure water is blocked from the actual sealing area by the o-ring.

Referring again to fig. 1, the rear section 204 of the sleeve may have a collision protection end portion 220 at its distal end 221 adjacent or near the latch 212. The impact protection end portion 220 may be, for example, an annular shoulder end portion configured to protect the flexible end of the latch 212 from damage that may occur during shipping and handling of the connector, as seen in fig. 1.

The sealing member 300 may be disposed around the outer housing 106 of the plug in the general area of the space 218 between the outer surface of the outer housing 106 and the inner surface of the sleeve 200. The sealing member 300 may be a piston or cylinder seal, such as an O-ring or gasket made of a sealing material such as rubber. An annular channel or groove 301 may be provided in the outer surface of the housing 106 to retain the sealing member 300. The sealing member 300 may be positioned between the inner and outer diameters of the assembly 100, thereby creating compression to create an environmental seal sufficient for use of the assembly 100 in an outdoor environment. For example, the outer diameter may be the outer diameter of the front end 130 of the housing 106 of the plug, and the inner diameter may be the inner diameter of the body 12 of the stent 10. Thus, the sealing member 300 may be positioned between the outer housing 106 of the plug and the body 12 supporting the receptacle 104. This positioning of the sealing member 300 decouples the tightness of fit and the sealing performance of the assembly 100. In other words, the sealing performance of the assembly 100 does not have to be dependent on the tightness of fit of the assembly 100. The sealing member 300 provides a piston-type seal between the overlapping mating diameters of the bore (the receptacle socket 104) and the shaft (the plug 102). Thus, the seal remains independent of mating conditions over a relatively large range of positions defined by the length of overlap of the bore (receptacle 104) and the shaft (plug 102). In contrast, typical O-ring face seals (such as those typically found in F-connectors) require the mating interface and coupling mechanism to be clamped together to achieve gasket compression and thus seal integrity. The seal member 300 increases stability and reliability to reduce connector field failures and associated maintenance costs, down time, and customer dissatisfaction. In some examples, the housing 106 of the plug 102 may include one or more additional sealing members, e.g., located on an outer surface of the housing 106, for sealing with an inner surface of the coupling member 200.

When the plug 102 and receptacle 104 are initially mated as described above, the sleeve 200 may be pushed forward and rotated from its disengaged position to an engaged position, wherein the internal threads 206 of the sleeve engage the external threads 18 of the body 12 supporting the receptacle 104. This threaded engagement provides an additional mechanical connection for the mating of the plug and

receptacle

102 and 104, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the assembly 100. For example, the threaded engagement between the internal threads 206 of the sleeve and the external threads 18 of the body 12 reduces the likelihood of the plug 102 becoming inadvertently disengaged from the receptacle 104. For example, when the internal threads 206 of the sleeve are coupled to the external threads 18 of the body, the pulling force on the cable C is primarily transmitted through the sleeve 200 and the body 12, rather than the plug 102 and the receptacle 104 themselves. Although a threaded engagement between the coupling member 200 and the body 12 of the bracket is shown, any known mechanical engagement may be used, such as a snap, bayonet, or interference fit engagement, among others.

Fig. 3a to 3c illustrate another example of the present disclosure, wherein a bayonet engagement is provided between the coupling part 200' and the body 12 of the stand 10. In this embodiment, the coupling member 200' is a sleeve. The sleeve 200' may have a shorter body length than the sleeve 200 of the above embodiment. Thus, for example, the coupling component 200 'may not completely cover the rear end 133' of the plug 102. The front portion 202 'of the coupling member 200' includes a bayonet engagement feature 206 'that mates with a corresponding bayonet engagement feature 18' of the body 12 of the holder 10. Bayonet engagement feature 206 'may be a curved ramp, for example, designed to receive bayonet engagement feature 18', such as one or more spaced apart protrusions, or vice versa. The body of the coupling member 200' may include a grooved outer surface 205' to facilitate gripping of the coupling member 200 '. An internal secondary sealing member 302 (fig. 3 a), such as an O-ring rubber gasket, may be provided at the back 204' of the coupling member 200' to provide an additional seal between the housing 106 of the plug and the interior of the body of the coupling member 200 '.

Fig. 4a to 4d illustrate yet another example of the present disclosure, wherein a coupling member 400 is provided that is configured to slide on and over the body 12 of the bracket 10 (retaining socket 104) for engagement therewith. The coupling member 400 may be rotatably coupled to the housing 106 of the plug. The coupling component 400 may include an inner sleeve 402. The coupling sleeve 402 is designed to cooperate with an external holding component 404, which may be an external sleeve. The outer retaining sleeve 404 is configured to slide axially over the inner coupling sleeve 402 between an unlocked position (fig. 4a and 4 b) and a locked position (fig. 4c and 4 d). A portion 405 of the outer surface of the outer retaining sleeve 404 may be knurled or grooved to aid in gripping. The inner coupling sleeve 402 may include an engagement feature, such as a flexible spring arm 406, at a forward end thereof. The arms 406 engage corresponding engagement features, such as the annular groove 18", on the outer surface of the body 12 of the holder. The distal end of each arm 406 may contain an inner lip 408 that may fit or snap into the groove 18".

As seen in fig. 4a to 4d, the coupling sleeve 402 may be configured to slide over the plug 102 to convert the plug 102 from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version. In some examples, the plug 102 is converted from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version by adding the sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug. In some examples, a field technician may mount the sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug at the groove 301 on the conductive shell 106 of the plug. The sealing member 300 provides a sealing function between the conductive shell 106 of the plug and the interior bore 14 of the body 12 of the holder 10 when the plug 102 is coupled to the receptacle 104. Additionally, prior to coupling the plug 102 and the receptacle 104, the field technician may also install the coupling sleeve 402 for additional weather proofing and to enhance engagement between the plug 102 and the receptacle 104. A field technician may slide the coupling sleeve 402 in the axial direction a to rotatably, and in some cases removably, secure the coupling sleeve 402 to the plug 102. Thus, the same plug 102 may be used for indoor applications as well as outdoor applications where the sealing member 300 and/or coupling sleeve 402 are added. In practice, a field technician may bring these parts (e.g., the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and the coupling sleeve 402) to the work site and decide whether to use the plug 102 alone (as an indoor use version) or whether to use the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and/or the coupling member 400 as desired (as an outdoor use version). This eliminates the need for a field technician to carry both an indoor-only version of the plug and an outdoor-only version of the plug, thereby maximizing flexibility and minimizing connector variations in inventory.

When the

connectors

102 and 104 are mated, the coupling sleeve 402 engages the front end of the body 12 of the stent such that the latches 406 of the sleeve 402 expand outwardly with the inner lips 408 of the latches resting on the annular groove 18 "of the stent, as seen in fig. 4a, while the outer retention sleeve 404 remains back in its unlocked position. Once the

connectors

102 and 104 are mated, the coupling sleeve 402 may be configured to be pushed over the front end of the body 12 of the cradle to engage with the body of the cradle. The outer retaining sleeve 404 may then be slid axially relative to the inner coupling sleeve 402 to its locked position, wherein the outer retaining sleeve covers the arms 406 of the inner coupling sleeve 402, thereby retaining the coupling sleeve 402 in engagement with the main body 12 of the holder. That is, once the inner coupling sleeve 402 has been properly positioned over the body 12 of the stent 10, the outer retention sleeve 404 may then be moved axially to slide relative to the coupling sleeve 402 toward the stent 10. When the outer retaining sleeve 404 reaches the forward end of the coupling sleeve 402, the inner surface of the outer retaining sleeve 404 covers and contacts the latches 406 of the coupling sleeve to force the latches 406 inward so that their inner lips 408 engage the annular groove 18 "of the body 12 of the holder 10, as seen in fig. 4c, thereby retaining the lips 408 in the groove 18" to securely mate the

assemblies

102 and 104.

Fig. 5a to 5c illustrate yet another example of the present disclosure, wherein the plug 102 is fixedly mated with the receptacle 104 and the main body 12 of the cradle by a coupling member 500. The coupling component 500 may be separate from the plug 102 and the receptacle 104. In this example, the coupling member 500 may be a spring clip configured to engage the front end 130 of the housing 106 of the plug and the body 12 of the cradle 10. The retaining clip 500 may have a generally E-shaped or C-shaped body 502. The body 502 is generally flat to fit within a corresponding outer annular groove 510 of the plug 102 and a corresponding annular slot 512 of the holder 10. The body 502 of the retaining clip has an open end defining two legs 504. The distal end 506 of each leg 504 of the retention clip 500 may have a generally hook shape, as best seen in fig. 5a, to facilitate engagement with the body 12 of the stand. The recess 510 of the plug 102 may be arranged near the front end 130 of the housing 106 of the plug, e.g. in front of the sealing member 300, as seen in fig. 5 b. Similarly, the slot 512 of the body 12 of the stand 10 may be located near the front of the body 12, as seen in fig. 5 a.

Once the plug 102 and receptacle 104 are initially mated such that the pins 150 are received in the sockets 152, as described above, the retaining clip 500 may be assembled to the mating assembly to secure engagement therebetween. When the plug 102 and receptacle 104 are initially mated, the recess 510 of the plug 102 and the slot 512 of the body 12 of the holder 10 are substantially aligned. When the fixation clip 500 is assembled to the mating assembly, the legs 504 of the fixation clip 500 may be inserted over and into the slots 512 of the body 12 of the stent until the distal ends 506 of the legs 504 of the fixation clip hook under the body 12 of the stent 10, as seen in fig. 5 c. The legs 504 of the clip 500 also engage the outer groove 510 of the housing 106 of the plug when the clip 500 is inserted into the slot 512 of the body 12 of the cradle.

Other engagement features may be provided on the body 12 of the holder 10 to engage the coupling component of the present disclosure. For example, the outer surface of the body of the stent may contain a combination of external threads 18 and an annular groove 18", as seen in fig. 6. Alternatively, the joining mechanism may be made as a separate insert 18"' screwed into the holder 10, as seen in fig. 7.

Fig. 8a to 13b illustrate yet another example of a coupling component 600 of the present disclosure. The coupling component 600 may include a coupling sleeve 602. The sleeve 602 is seated on the plug 102 and is slidable forwardly relative thereto from a disengaged position (fig. 11a and 11 b) to an engaged position (fig. 12a and 12 b) in which a front section 603 of the sleeve 602 engages the body 12 of the bracket 10 in which the receptacle 104 is mounted.

When in use (fig. 12a to 13 b), the coupling sleeve 602 is disposed around at least a portion of the conductive shell 106 of the plug. The coupling sleeve 602 may have an elongated body 601 having a front section 603 and a rear section 604. The front section 603 is configured to correspond to a mating connector or receptacle 104, such as the body 12 of the cradle 10, to enhance the mechanical coupling of the plug 102 and receptacle 104 together, with the receptacle 104 mounted in the cradle 10. The front section 603 has an engagement feature, such as a flexible snap arm 606. The arms 606 are configured to engage corresponding components or engagement features of the body 12 of the stent 10, such as the annular groove 18 "(fig. 6). The arms 606 engage corresponding annular grooves 18 "on the outer surface of the body 12 of the holder. The distal end of each arm 606 may contain an inner lip that may fit or snap into the groove 18". The front section 603 may have a protective ring 605 (fig. 10) at its distal front end to protect the flexible arms 606 from damage.

Referring to fig. 8a and 8b, the rear section 604 of the sleeve 602 has an outer gripping surface 608 to facilitate movement of the sleeve 602 relative to the plug 102. The rear section 604 of the sleeve 602 is designed to receive and cover the terminating end of the cable C (see e.g., fig. 12 b). One or more flexible snap-in latches 612 may be provided in the coupling sleeve 602. Flexible snap-in latches 612 extend inwardly to engage the rear end of plug 102. The rear section 604 of the sleeve 602 in the position shown in 12b is pushed over the plug 102, thereby opening the arms 612 until the spring arms 612 engage behind the plug 102. Each latch 612 may have an inner lip 614 extending inside the sleeve 602. The inner lip 614 may be configured to snap over the rear end 133 of the housing 106 of the plug such that the inner lip 614 contacts the rearward surface 135 of the rear end 133 of the plug 102 and such that the inner lip 614 acts as a stop to secure (or at least removably secure) the coupling member 602 to the plug 102. A collision protection end portion 620 may be provided at the distal rear end of the rear section 604 of the sleeve adjacent or near the flexible latch 612, as best seen in fig. 9b, to protect the ends of the latch 612 from damage, such as possible damage due to shipping and handling of the connector.

As seen in fig. 12a to 13c, the coupling sleeve 602 may be configured to slide over the plug 102 to convert the plug 102 from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version. In some examples, the plug 102 is converted from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version by adding the sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug. In some examples, a field technician may mount the sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug at the groove 301 on the conductive shell 106 of the plug. The sealing member 300 provides a sealing function between the conductive shell 106 of the plug and the interior bore 14 of the body 12 of the holder 10 when the plug 102 is coupled to the receptacle 104. Additionally, prior to coupling the plug 102 and the receptacle 104, the field technician may also install a coupling sleeve 602 for additional weather proofing and to enhance engagement between the plug 102 and the receptacle 104. A field technician may slide the coupling sleeve 602 in an axial direction over the plug 104 from the front of the plug to the back of the plug and may rest on the cable C until ready for use. To use the coupling sleeve 602, the coupling sleeve 602 is slid axially in direction a relative to the plug 102 to initially rotatably, and in some cases detachably, secure the coupling sleeve 602 to the plug 102. Once the coupling sleeve 602 is positioned over the cable C (see, e.g., fig. 11 a), the plug 102 may be secured to the receptacle 104 (see, e.g., fig. 11 a) and the coupling sleeve 602 may be secured to the body 12 of the holder 10. Thus, the same plug 102 may be used for indoor applications as well as outdoor applications where the sealing member 300 and/or coupling sleeve 602 are added. In practice, a field technician may bring these parts (e.g., the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and the coupling sleeve 602) to the work site and decide whether to use the plug 102 alone (as an indoor use version) or whether to use the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and/or the coupling member 600 as needed (as an outdoor use version). This eliminates the need for a field technician to carry both an indoor-only version of the plug and an outdoor-only version of the plug, thereby maximizing flexibility and minimizing connector variations in inventory.

Referring to fig. 8a to 9b, in an example, the coupling sleeve 602 is designed to cooperate with a holding member 630. The retention member 630 may be disposed on at least a portion of the coupling sleeve 602 and configured to slide relative to the coupling sleeve 602 between an unlocked position (fig. 8a and 8 b) and a locked position (fig. 9a and 9 b). In one aspect, the retention component 630 comprises an outer retention sleeve disposed about an outer surface of the coupling sleeve 602. The external holding sleeve 630 may be assembled on the coupling sleeve 602 from the front section 603 of the coupling sleeve 602. The outer retaining sleeve 630 may have a forward portion 632 generally corresponding to the forward section 603 of the coupling sleeve 602 and a rearward portion 634 generally corresponding to the rearward section 604 of the coupling sleeve. A portion 633 (fig. 8 b) of the outer surface of outer retaining sleeve 630 may be knurled or grooved to facilitate gripping and sliding outer retaining sleeve 630 relative to coupling sleeve 602.

One or more windows 636 may be provided in the outer retaining sleeve 630. The windows 636 each correspond to one of the inwardly extending flexible latches 612 of the coupling sleeve 602, thereby allowing the latches 612 to expand when the coupling sleeve 602 is assembled to the plug 102. Indicator markings 640, such as text, graphics, icons, etc., may be provided on the outer surface of the coupling sleeve 602, as seen in fig. 8 a. The indicia 640 may indicate whether the outer retaining sleeve 630 is locked or unlocked. For example, when the outer retention sleeve 630 is in its unlocked position relative to the coupling sleeve 602, an indicator mark 640, e.g., a graphic depicting the unlocked lock, is visible through one of the windows 636 of the retention sleeve 630, as seen in fig. 8 a.

The outer retention sleeve 630 may have one or more flexible fingers 638 (fig. 8 b) extending inwardly therefrom in a rear portion 634 of the retention sleeve. The flexible clamp fingers 638 are designed to engage the coupling sleeve 602 when the outer retaining sleeve 630 is slid into a locked position. In an example, each clip finger 638 can be lowered or snapped into a corresponding notch 616 on the outer surface of the coupling sleeve 602, as best seen in fig. 9a and 9 b. The clamp fingers 638 may be positioned between the windows 636 such that one clamp finger 638 is between two of the windows 636.

A coupling sleeve 602 having an outer retaining sleeve 630 thereon may be assembled onto the plug 102. The coupling sleeve 602 may be configured to be pushed over the front end of the main body 12 of the cradle in which the receptacle 104 (fig. 6) is mounted to engage the main body when the

connectors

102 and 104 are initially mated, as seen in fig. 11a and 11 b. The coupling sleeve 602 may then be slid in the axial direction a relative to the plug housing 106 and moved forward toward the front end 130 of the plug 102. This moves the coupling sleeve 602 from its disengaged position, i.e. from the holder 10 for a mating connector or socket, towards its engaged position in which the front section 603 of the coupling sleeve engages the body 12 of the holder in which the socket is mounted, as seen in fig. 12a and 12 b. In its engaged position, the flexible snap arms 606 at the forward end of the coupling sleeve 602 engage a corresponding component associated with the socket, such as the annular groove 18 "of the body 12 of the holder 10. The flexible snap arms 606 are designed to flex and open outwardly to engage the body 12 of the holder, and can provide audible and tactile feedback of the engagement position of the sleeve when snapped into place in the annular groove 18".

Once the coupling sleeve 602 engages the body 12 of the holder 10, the outer retaining sleeve 630 is configured to slide axially in the direction a relative to the coupling sleeve 602 between an unlocked position (fig. 12a and 12 b) and a locked position (fig. 13a and 13 b). When the coupling sleeve 602 is slid into its engaged position with the main body 12 of the stand, the outer retaining sleeve 630 is retained in its unlocked position relative to the coupling sleeve 602, as seen in fig. 12a and 12 b. The outer retention sleeve 630 may then be moved forward relative to the coupling sleeve 602 to its locked position, wherein the retention sleeve 630 covers both the inwardly extending latches 612 and the snap arms 606 of the coupling sleeve 602 to secure the latches 612 and the arms 606 in place, as seen in fig. 13a and 13 b. This maintains or holds the coupling sleeve 602 in engagement with the body 12 of the holder to secure the mechanical coupling of the plug and receptacle. That is, once the front section 603 of the coupling sleeve 602 has been properly positioned over and engaged with the main body 12 of the bracket 10, the outer retaining sleeve 630 may then be moved axially to slide relative to the coupling sleeve 602 toward the bracket 10. When the outer retention sleeve 630 reaches the forward end of the coupling sleeve 602, the inner surface of the outer retention sleeve 630 covers and contacts the arms 606 of the coupling sleeve to prevent the arms 606 from opening, whereby the retention arms 606 engage the annular groove 18 "of the body 12 of the stent 10 to fixedly mate the

assemblies

102 and 104.

Fig. 14 a-15 b illustrate another coupling member 700 and another retaining member 730 according to an example of the present disclosure. Similar to the coupling member 600 of the example above, the coupling member 700 may include a sleeve 702 configured to engage both the body 12 of the holder 10 (which holds the receptacle 104) and the 102. And similar to the retaining means 630 of the above example, the retaining means 730 is designed to slide between an unlocked position (fig. 15 a) and a locked position (fig. 15 b) with respect to the coupling sleeve 702.

The coupling sleeve 702 may be disposed around at least a portion of the conductive shell 106 of the plug. The coupling sleeve 702 may have an elongated body with a front section 702 and a rear section 704. Similar to the coupling sleeves described above, the coupling sleeve 702 is configured to slide and move between a disengaged position and an engaged position relative to the plug 102. The forward section 703 of the sleeve 702 is configured to engage a corresponding component associated with the mating connector or receptacle 104, such as the body 12 of the holder 10. The forward section 703 has an engagement feature, such as internal threads 706, configured to engage a corresponding component or engagement feature of the body 12 of the stent 10, such as external threads 18 (fig. 1), to mechanically couple the coupling sleeve 702 to the body 12 of the stent 10.

The coupling sleeve 702 may have an external gripping surface 708 proximate to its forward section 703 to help apply torque and rotate the sleeve 702 when engaging the forward section 702 of the sleeve 702 with the external threads 18 of the body 12 of the bracket. The rear section 704 of the sleeve 702 is designed to receive and cover the terminating end of the cable C (fig. 1). One or more inwardly extending flexible snap-in latches 712 may be provided in the coupling sleeve 702 proximate its rear section 704. The latch 712 engages the rear end of the plug 102. Each latch 712 may have an inner lip 714 that extends inside the sleeve 702. Each inner lip 714 can be configured to snap over the rear end 133 of the housing 106 of the plug such that each inner lip 714 contacts the rearward surface 135 of the rear end 133 of the plug 102 and such that the inner lips 714 act as a stop to secure (or at least removably secure) the coupling member 700 to the plug 102. The impact protection end portion 720 may be provided at the rear section 704 of the sleeve 702. The protective end portion 720 is adjacent or proximate to the flexible latch 712, as best seen in fig. 14a and 14b, to protect the end 714 of the latch 712 from damage, such as possible damage due to shipping and handling of the connector. The impact protection end portion 720 can include, for example, one or more flexible tines 722. Each flexible tine 722 can have a ramp 724 adjacent to the end 714 of the latch 712.

The coupling sleeve 702 may be configured to slide over the plug 102 to convert the plug 102 from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version. In some examples, the plug 102 is converted from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version by adding a sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug (see, e.g., fig. 13 d). In some examples, a field technician may mount the sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug at the groove 301 on the conductive shell 106 of the plug. The sealing member 300 provides a sealing function between the conductive shell 106 of the plug and the interior bore 14 of the body 12 of the holder 10 when the plug 102 is coupled to the receptacle 104. Additionally, prior to coupling the plug 102 and the receptacle 104, the field technician may also install a coupling sleeve 702 for additional weather proofing and to enhance engagement between the plug 102 and the receptacle 104. The field technician initially slides the coupling sleeve 702 over the plug 102 onto the cable C until ready for use. To use the coupling sleeve 702, the coupling sleeve 702 is slid axially relative to the plug 102 in the direction a to rotatably, and in some cases detachably, secure the coupling sleeve 702 to the plug 102. Thus, the same plug 102 may be used for indoor applications as well as outdoor applications where the sealing member 300 and/or coupling sleeve 702 are added. In practice, a field technician may bring these parts (e.g., the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and the coupling sleeve 702) to the work site and decide whether to use the plug 102 alone (as an indoor use version) or whether to use the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and/or the coupling member 700 as desired (as an outdoor use version). This eliminates the need for a field technician to carry both an indoor-only version of the plug and an outdoor-only version of the plug, thereby maximizing flexibility and minimizing connector variation in inventory.

In this aspect of the disclosure, the retention member 730 includes an outer ring body 732 disposed about an outer surface of the coupling sleeve 702 at the rear section 704 thereof. The outer ring body 732 can be assembled onto the back of the coupling sleeve 702 around the protecting tines 722 in its unlocked position, as seen in fig. 15 a. The outer surface of the outer ring body 732 can be knurled or grooved to facilitate gripping and sliding of the outer ring body 732 relative to the coupling sleeve 702.

The outer ring body 732 can be moved forward relative to the coupling sleeve 702 from its unlocked position to a locked position, as seen in fig. 14b and 15 b. In the unlocked position, the outer ring body 732 rests on the protective tines 722 of the sleeve 702 adjacent the ramps 724 of the tines 722. In the locked position, the outer ring body 732 covers the inwardly extending latches 712 of the coupling sleeve 702 to prevent the latches from opening and disengaging from the back of the plug 102. When locked, the outer ring body 732 can slide forward over the inclined surfaces 726 of the ramps 724 of the tines 722 and descend behind the ramps 724, as seen in fig. 14 b. One or more external ribs 728 may be disposed on an outer surface of the coupling sleeve 702 that prevent the outer ring body 732 from moving forward. This maintains or holds the coupling sleeve 702 in engagement with the plug 102. That is, when the outer ring body 732 is slid axially forward in the axial direction a, the outer ring body 732 covers the ends 714 of the latches 712 of the sleeve, as seen in fig. 14b, thereby holding the latches 712 in engagement with the housing 106 of the plug (fig. 11 b). And the ramp 724 prevents the outer ring 732 from moving or sliding backwards in the opposite direction and exposing the latch 712. Only with sufficient force can the outer ring body 732 move rearward on the ramps 724 when locked. The outer ring body 732 of the retention member 730 may optionally contain one or more internal keys 729. The keys 729 cooperate with the slots 723 between the tines 722 for alignment purposes.

Fig. 16a and 16b illustrate a coupling member 700 'and a holding member 730' as modifications of the coupling member 700 and the holding member 730 described above. The coupling member 700 'may include a sleeve 702'. The sleeve 702' has a forward section 703' and a rearward section 704'. The front section 703' is configured to engage a corresponding component associated with the mating connector or receptacle 104, such as the body 12 of the bracket 10. The front section 702' has an engagement feature, such as internal threads 706', that is configured to engage a corresponding component or engagement feature of the body 12 of the stent 10, such as external threads 18, to mechanically couple the coupling member 702' to the body 12 of the stent 10. The coupling sleeve 702 'also includes an inwardly extending flexible latch 712' that engages the back of the plug 102. Each latch 712' may have an inner lip 714' extending inside the sleeve 702'. Each inner lip 714 'may be configured to snap over the rear end 133 of the housing 106 of the plug such that each inner lip 714' contacts the rearward surface 135 of the rear end 133 of the plug 102 and such that the inner lips 714 'act as a stop to secure (or at least removably secure) the coupling member 700' to the plug 102.

Fig. 17a and 17b illustrate the plug 102 in an initial mated position with the receptacle 104 and the coupling member 700' of fig. 16a in a disengaged position. Fig. 17c and 17d illustrate the electrical connector assembly of fig. 17a and 17b with the coupling member 700 'in an engaged position with the receptacle 104 and the retention member 730' in an unlocked position. Fig. 17e and 17f illustrate the electrical connector assembly of fig. 17c and 17d showing the retention member 730' in a locked position.

Referring to fig. 17a to 17f, the coupling sleeve 702' may be configured to slide over the plug 102 to convert the plug 102 from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version. In some examples, the plug 102 is converted from an indoor use version to an outdoor use version by adding the sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug. In some examples, a field technician may mount the sealing member 300 to the conductive shell 106 of the plug at the recess 301 on the conductive shell 106 of the plug. The sealing member 300 provides a sealing function between the conductive shell 106 of the plug and the interior bore 14 of the body 12 of the holder 10 when the plug 102 is coupled to the receptacle 104. Additionally, prior to coupling the plug 102 and the receptacle 104, the field technician may also install a coupling sleeve 702' for additional weather proofing and to enhance engagement between the plug 102 and the receptacle 104. The field technician can slide the coupling sleeve 702' over the plug 102 onto the cable C as shown in fig. 17 d. The coupling sleeve 702 'may then be slid in the axial direction a to rotatably, and in some cases removably, secure the coupling sleeve 702' to the plug 102. For example, the coupling sleeve 702' may then be secured to the annular groove 18, as shown in fig. 17 f. Thus, the same plug 102 may be used for indoor applications as well as outdoor applications where the sealing member 300 and/or coupling sleeve 702' are added. In practice, a field technician may bring these portions (e.g., the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and the coupling sleeve 702 ') to the work site and decide whether to use the plug 102 alone (as an indoor use version) or whether to use the plug 102, the sealing member 300, and/or the coupling member 700' (as an outdoor use version) as desired. This eliminates the need for a field technician to carry both an indoor-only version of the plug and an outdoor-only version of the plug, thereby maximizing flexibility and minimizing connector variations in inventory.

The retention member 730 'includes a ring body 732', where the ring body 732 'has an extension 734', as seen in fig. 16a and 16 b. The end portion 738' of the ring body 732' may include a protective shoulder that extends beyond the back of the coupling sleeve 702', as seen in fig. 16b, and has an end face 739' facing outward and in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coupling sleeve 702'. The extension 734 'of the ring body 732' may include one or more windows 736 'sized to receive and display the flexible tines 722' at the back of the coupling sleeve 702 'when the retention member 730 is in the locked position relative to the coupling sleeve 702', as seen in fig. 17c and 17 e. The end portion 738 'abuts or nearly abuts the end of the tines 722'. Similar to the tines 722 of the above example, each tine 722' of this example includes a ramp 724' that allows the ring body '732 to slide forward behind the ramp 724' and descend as described above such that the retaining member 730' is in a locked position, as seen in fig. 16a and 16 b. The "lock" notification can be placed on one or more of the tines 722'.

In an example, the ring body 732 'of the retention member 730' can include one or more tabs 740 'that project toward the front section of the coupling sleeve 702', as seen in fig. 18. Each tab 740' is designed to cooperate with a corresponding notch 742' on the outer surface of the coupling sleeve 702'. With the tabs 740' engaged in their respective notches 742', the user or installer can use the retention feature 730' to rotate the entire assembly. Alternatively, the retention member 730' may rotate freely on the coupling sleeve 702' without the tabs 740 '. The outer gripping surface 708 'may include longitudinal grooves or ridges to facilitate gripping of the sleeve 702'.

Fig. 19a and 19b show graphs of the electrical performance of the assembly 100 of an embodiment of the present disclosure. The data described in connection with fig. 19a and 19b may be applicable to indoor or outdoor connector assemblies of the present disclosure with or without components such as coupling members.

The graph of fig. 19a shows the return loss, which is the reflected RF loss through the connector interface of the assembly 100 of the present disclosure. Return loss is the most effective parameter when evaluating losses in an RF connector. The goal of any RF interconnect is to introduce minimal loss to the system. The total loss of a transmission line in a system is the insertion loss, which consists of many loss parameters added up over the length of the line. Return loss is an integral part and is combined with conductivity loss, dielectric loss and leakage loss. For relatively short length signal transmissions, such as connector interfaces similar to the present disclosure, the parameter that is most controllable to minimize is return loss. The graph of fig. 19a shows return loss performance for industry specifications (which is a table provided next to the graph of fig. 19a defining minimum performance within a particular frequency range) to meet current and future system requirements. Fig. 19a illustrates the return loss performance of a connector relative to an example specification, which illustrates the level that the telecommunications industry may need to transmit high data rates of at least 12 Gbps. The specification is a step-wise range specification (i.e. the specification is different for each frequency and increases in steps, rather than a constant fixed specification or linearity over the full range, but increases at a given slope), which is common because return loss is inherently higher at higher frequencies. The 18GHz frequency limit of the present disclosure enables high data rates currently used in the relevant market (e.g., broadcast). For example, this market requires the transmission of 4K uncompressed video feeds requiring 12Gbps data speed, which is implemented at 18 GHz.

Fig. 19b is a graph illustrating RF leakage, i.e., the amount of RF leakage from the mating interface of the assembly 100 of the present disclosure when transmitting a signal. As seen in the graph of fig. 19b, the configuration of assembly 100 minimizes any RF leakage to prevent RF noise from interfering with other systems (e.g., other shared commercial frequency bands such as mobile wireless networks, wiFi, bluetooth, and GPS). As opposed to RF leakage, RF ingress. For the CATV market, RF ingress is more critical than leakage, as operators need to prevent RF noise from radio waves from interfering with their systems. RF leakage is easier to measure than RF ingress and the test results are equivalent when considering the ultimate goal of ingress protection. Also, the specification, i.e., the table provided immediately adjacent to the graph of fig. 19b, is set to meet current and future system requirements, and the present specification defines the lowest performance within a particular frequency range. Since RF leakage is inherently higher at higher frequencies, the specification is stepped. The product is designated 6GHz to cover the most potentially conflicting RF radio bands from 3, 4 and 5G mobile wireless networks and other common commercial technologies such as WiFi, bluetooth and GPS.

In embodiments of the present disclosure, the connector may be a circular/tubular connector and the grounding feature may be a non-circular shape, such as square, and still take advantage of the dual ground shield benefits. The secondary ground connection may be a directly integrated metallic conductive element or a separate shielding element positioned to be isolated from the primary ground by a dielectric material such as air or plastic.

The electrical connector and assembly thereof of the present disclosure may (1) incorporate a push-in interface that simplifies mating to eliminate or reduce connection problems during self-installation applications; (2) Providing higher density packaging possibilities by eliminating the need for wrench gaps between connectors; (3) The incorporation of a pin type interface, i.e. having a dedicated central contact or signal pin in the interface on the connector plug side, eliminates the need to feed a cable central conductor into the interface to become the central contact of the plug, thereby achieving consistent RF impedance and hence a higher frequency (up to 18 GHz) performance margin, and achieving high reliability contact integrity and reliably extended field life; and/or (4) provide a robust, scoop proof interface configured such that when the mating connector portions are partially mated and then tilted in any non-coaxial position, it is not possible to "scoop" the mating interface and contact or damage any of its internal components, such as external contacts, insulators, or center contacts. For example, a scoop proof configuration may be achieved by recessing the contact member into the outer ground/shroud.

The electrical connectors and assemblies thereof of the present disclosure may also have configurations that allow for a full sheet metal construction to achieve long term cost effectiveness, for example, by eliminating the need to make threads; providing a standard compression crimp termination and existing tooling; and/or utilize field-proven interface technologies from the latest generation CMTS routers, such as blind-mate connections between printed circuit boards, to achieve robust mechanical and electrical performance of the connector system.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings that modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Also, the various examples described may be used alone or in combination with other examples. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various combinations of examples not specifically described or illustrated herein that are still within the scope of the present disclosure. In this regard, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the particular examples set forth and that the examples of the disclosure are intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive.

As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Similarly, the adjective "another" when used to introduce an element, means one or more elements. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and the like, are intended to be inclusive such that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

Additionally, where the above-described method or the following method claims do not explicitly require the order to be followed by their steps or require no order based on the description or claim language, it is not intended that any particular order be inferred. Also, where the following method claims do not explicitly recite a step in the above description, it should not be assumed that the step is claimed.

It should be noted that the description and claims may use geometric or relational terms, such as front-to-back, elongated, and the like. These terms are not intended to limit the present disclosure, and are often used for convenience to facilitate description based on the examples shown in the figures. In addition, geometric or relational terms may be inaccurate. For example, the walls may not be perfectly perpendicular or parallel to each other, but may still be considered perpendicular or parallel, due to, for example, the roughness of the surfaces, tolerances allowed in manufacturing, etc.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

an electrically conductive shell supporting at least one signal contact therein and including a front end for mating with a mating connector and a rear end opposite the front end for connection to a power or data transmission cable;

a coupling member configured to engage the conductive shell and to engage a corresponding component associated with the mating connector to mechanically couple the connector to the mating connector; and

a plurality of ground connections disposed at the front end of the conductive shell and a front section of the coupling member, the ground connections configured to connect the mating connector with the connector and the cable.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the coupling member is disposed on the conductive shell.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the coupling member is rotatably coupled to the conductive shell.

4. The connector of claim 2, wherein the coupling member is a sleeve including a front section configured to engage the corresponding component associated with the mating connector; and a rear section configured to engage the rear end of the conductive shell.

5. The connector of claim 4, further comprising a retention member disposed on the coupling sleeve, the retention member being slidable relative to the coupling member between an unlocked position and a locked position.

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein the retention member comprises a ring body disposed on the coupling sleeve.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the ring body includes an end portion that extends beyond the rear section of the coupling member.

8. The connector of claim 1, wherein the front section of the coupling member includes internal threads.

9. The connector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ground connections define a plurality of ground paths through the connector to electrically engage the mating connector with the connector and the cable.

10. The connector of claim 1, wherein the coupling member is a spring clip that engages an external annular groove of the conductive shell.

11. The connector of claim 1, wherein the conductive shell includes a dielectric insert supporting the at least one signal contact.

12. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is an electrical connector.

13. A connector, comprising:

a conductive shell supporting at least one signal contact therein and including a front end for mating with a mating connector, a rear end opposite the front end for connection to a power or data transmission cable;

a coupling sleeve disposed on the conductive shell, the coupling sleeve including a front section configured to engage a corresponding component associated with the mating connector; and a rear section configured to engage the conductive shell; and

a retention member disposed on at least a portion of the coupling sleeve, the retention member being slidable relative to the coupling sleeve between an unlocked position and a locked position.

14. The connector of claim 13, wherein the coupling sleeve comprises an elongated body having an outer gripping surface, the front section of the coupling sleeve contains internal threads, and the rear section is configured to cover the rear end of the conductive shell.

15. The connector of claim 14, wherein the coupling sleeve includes one or more flexible latches for engaging the conductive shell, and one or more flexible protective tines adjacent to the one or more flexible latches.

16. The connector of claim 15, wherein the retention feature comprises a ring body disposed over the one or more flexible protective tines.

17. The connector of claim 16, wherein the ring body is configured to slide axially relative to the rear end of the conductive shell between the unlocked and locked positions.

18. The connector of claim 16, wherein the ring body includes one or more windows corresponding to the one or more flexible protective tines of the rear section of the coupling sleeve.

19. The connector of claim 16, wherein the ring body includes an end portion that extends beyond the rear section of the coupling sleeve, the end portion including an end face in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the coupling sleeve.

20. The connector of claim 19, wherein the ring body includes one or more tabs opposite the end face, the tabs configured to engage corresponding notches on an outer surface of the coupling sleeve.

21. The connector of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of ground connections defining a plurality of ground paths.

22. A connector, comprising:

an electrically conductive shell supporting at least one signal contact therein and comprising a front end for mating with a mating connector, a rear end opposite the front end for electrical connection to a power or data transmission cable, and the front end containing a primary ground connection configured to electrically connect the mating connector with the cable;

a coupling sleeve disposed on the conductive shell, the coupling sleeve including a front section with internal threads configured to engage a corresponding component associated with the mating connector; and a rear section having one or more flexible snap-in latches, the rear section configured to engage the rear end of the conductive shell, and the front section of the coupling sleeve containing a secondary ground connection configured to electrically connect the mating connector with the electrical cable; and

a retaining ring disposed on the rear section of the coupling sleeve, the retaining ring being slidable relative to the coupling sleeve between an unlocked position and a locked position.

23. The connector of claim 22, wherein the rear section of the coupling sleeve includes one or more flexible protective tines adjacent to the one or more flexible snap-in latches.

24. The connector of claim 23, wherein each flexible protective tine includes a ramped surface configured to facilitate sliding the retaining ring into the locked position.

25. The connector of claim 23, wherein the retaining ring includes one or more windows corresponding to the one or more flexible protective tines.

26. The connector of claim 22, wherein the corresponding component of the mating connector is an engagement feature of a support panel or wall in which the mating connector is mounted.

27. The connector of claim 22, wherein the primary and secondary ground connections are separate contacts, at least one of the contacts being on an outer surface of the front end of the conductive shell and another of the contacts being on an inner surface of the front section of the coupling member.

28. The connector of claim 22, wherein the primary and secondary ground connections define a plurality of ground paths, and the plurality of ground paths combine to form a combined ground path within the electrical connector.

29. The connector of claim 22, wherein the primary and secondary ground connections define a plurality of ground paths, and the plurality of ground paths combine to form a combined ground path external to the electrical connector.

30. The connector of claim 22, wherein the connector is an electrical connector.