Captivated grounding spring

Claim 2

A grounding spring for use on a connector shell having a front end of annular shape and retention means on one surface of said shell, comprising; an annularly shaped portion of resilient conductive material having an axially extending passageway therein for enabling engagement of said annularly shaped portion with said one surface of said connector shell; a plurality of circumferentially spaced cantilever spring fingers formed at one axial end of said annularly shaped portion with said fingers arranged in folded back relationship to said portion and in radially spaced relationship to said portion for receiving the front end of said shell between said portion and said fingers; and securing means on said annularly shaped portion for engagement with said retention means in response to the engagement of said annularly shaped portion with said one surface of said shell and the receipt of said front end between said portion and said fingers to hold said portion and fingers against axial movement relative said shell.

Claim 3

The grounding spring claimed in claim 1 in which said annularly shaped portion engages the internal surface of said shell and said securing means includes a radially outwardly extending annularly shaped lip formed at the other axial end of said portion with said lip having an axially extending passageway therein for engaging said retention means to hold said portion against rotational movement.

Claim 4

The grounding spring claimed in claim 2 in which said annularly shaped portion has an unrestrained circumferential dimension larger than circumferential dimension of said shell front end for tightly engaging said annular portion against the internal surface of said shell.

Claim 5

The grounding spring claimed in claim 3 in which each finger has a free end extending radially outwardly of said portion to form a guidway for receiving the front end of said shell between said fingers and said portion.

Claim 6

A combination with the grounding spring claimed in claim 2 in which said retention means comprises an axially extending key engaging one passageway.

Claim 7

A combination with the grounding spring claimed in claim 2 in which said retention means comprises a radially outwardly extending shoulder on the internal surface of said shell.

Claim 8

The grounding spring claimed in claim 1 in which said fingers each have a free end and a radially outwardly projecting concave section formed therein intermediate the free end of each finger and said one axial end of said portion.

Claim 9

The grounding spring claimed in claim 7 in which each finger free end extends radially outwardly of said portion to form a guideway for receiving the front end of said shell between said fingers and said portion.

Claim 10

A grounding spring for use in a connector shell assembly including a first connector shell having a front end of annular shape adapted to telescopingly engage in the front end of a second connector shell having an annular shape with said first shell having a radially outwardly extending shoulder formed in the internal surface of said first shell spaced axially rearwardly of the front end of said first shell and a key on the internal surface of said first shell extending axially rearwardly from said shoulder to locate a dielectric insert assembly carrying a plurality of contacts in said first shell, the improvement comprising: an annularly shaped portion of resilient conductive material corresponding in shape to the annular shape of the front end of said first shell and having an axially extending passageway therein for enabling reduction in the circumferential dimension of said annularly shaped portion for receipt in the front end of said first connector shell; a plurality of circumferentially spaced cantilever spring fingerrs formed at the front axial end of said annularly shaped portion with said fingers arranged in folded back relationship to said portion and in overlapping radially outwardly spaced relationship to said portion for receiving the front end of said first shell between said portion and said fingers and with said fingers adapted to engage the internal periphery of the front end of the second shell in response to the telescoping engagement of the front end of said first shell in the front end of said second shell; radially outwardly extending lip means formed at the other axial end of said annularly shaped portion and engaging the radially outwardly extending shoulder on the internal surface of said first shell between said shoulder and said dielectric insert assembly for preventing axial movement of said portion toward the front end of said first shell; and passageway means in said lip means for receiving said key to prevent rotational movement of said portion and fingers relative said first shell.

Claim 11

A grounding spring for use in a connector shell assembly including a first connector shell having a front end of annular shape adapted to telescopingly engage in the front end of a second connector shell having an annular shape with said first shell having a radially outwardly extending shoulder formed in the internal surface of said first shell spaced axially rearwardly of the front end of said first shell and a key on the internal surface of said first shell extending axially rearwardly from said shoulder to locate a dielectric insert assembly carrying a plurality of contacts in said first shell, the improvement comprising: an annularly shaped portion of resilient conductive material corresponding in shape to the annular shape of the front end of said first shell and having an axially extending passageway therein for enabling reduction in the circumferential dimension of said annularly shaped portion for receipt in the front end of said first connector shell; a plurality of circumferentially spaced cantilever spring fingerrs formed at the front axial end of said annularly shaped portion with said fingers arranged in folded back relationship to said portion and in overlapping radially outwardly spaced relationship to said portion for receiving the front end of said first shell between said portion and said fingers and with said fingers adapted to engage the internal periphery of the front end of the second shell in response to the telescoping engagement of the front end of said first shell in the front end of said second shell; radially outwardly extending lip means formed at the other axial end of said annularly shaped portion and engaging the radially outwardly extending shoulder on the internal surface of said first shell between said shoulder and said dielectric insert assembly for preventing axial movement of said portion toward the front end of said first shell; and passageway means in said lip means for receiving said key to prevent rotational movement of said portion and fingers relative said first shell.

Claim 12

The grounding spring claimed in claim 9 in which said fingers each have a radially outwardly extending concave section formed intermediate opposite ends of each finger for engaging the internal periphery of the second shell.

Claim 13

A grounding spring and connector shell assembly comprising; a connector shell having an annularly shaped front end with a radially outwardly extending shoulder formed in the internal surface of said shell spaced rearwardly of said front end and a key extending axially rearwardly of said shoulder; an annularly shaped portion of resilient conductive material having an axial passageway therein extending between opposite axial ends of said portion for enabling reduction in the circumferential dimension of said portion for receipt in said front end; a pluralitY of cantilever spring fingers formed at one axial end of said portion and folded back in overlapping radially outwardly spaced relationship to said portion for receiving front end of said shell between said fingers and said portion; an annularly shaped radially outwardly extending lip formed at the other axial end of said portion and engaging said shoulder on the internal surface of said shell for preventing axial movement of said portion toward said front end; and passageway means in said lip for receiving said key to hold said portion against rotational movement relative said shell.

Claim 14

A grounding spring and connector shell assembly comprising; a connector shell having an annularly shaped front end with a radially outwardly extending shoulder formed in the internal surface of said shell spaced rearwardly of said front end and a key extending axially rearwardly of said shoulder; an annularly shaped portion of resilient conductive material having an axial passageway therein extending between opposite axial ends of said portion for enabling reduction in the circumferential dimension of said portion for receipt in said front end; a pluralitY of cantilever spring fingers formed at one axial end of said portion and folded back in overlapping radially outwardly spaced relationship to said portion for receiving front end of said shell between said fingers and said portion; an annularly shaped radially outwardly extending lip formed at the other axial end of said portion and engaging said shoulder on the internal surface of said shell for preventing axial movement of said portion toward said front end; and passageway means in said lip for receiving said key to hold said portion against rotational movement relative said shell.

Claim 15

The assembly claimed in claim 11, a dielectric insert for carrying a plurality of contacts with said dielectric insert having a radially outwardly extending shoulder for abutting engagement with said lip and an axially extending keyway for receiving said key.

Claim 16

The assembly claimed in claim 12 in which said dielectric assembly has a peripheral surface portion engaging the internal periphery of said annularly shaped portion.