US4060298A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hermaphroditic connector assembly
Assignee: Bunker Ramo Corp
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Filing: 1976-04-12
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Granted: 1977-11-29
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Expires: 1996-04-12
Abstract
Abstract The following specification describes a hermophroditic RF connector assembly used on an airline and employing a spring biased registration ring having axially extending teeth with cam surfaces for engagement between teeth on a mating registration ring of another airline connector assembly in response to relative rotation between the rings to align the mating contact surfaces of two mating airlines. A coupling nut on one connector assembly is threaded over the registration ring of the other connector assembly to secure the assemblies and airlines to each other and the coupling nut of one assembly may also be partially threaded over the registration ring of the respective assembly and then used to retract the respective ring against the spring bias to provide facile means to the contact surfaces. A retaining nut on each assembly frictionally engaged with the respective connector body of the assembly enables the coupling nut to be threaded without requiring a special effort to hold the connector body from becoming loose.
Inventors
- 👤 John M. Gearin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:52
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R24/00; H01R24/38; H01R24/40; H01R13/00; H01R13/02; H01R2103/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S285/00; Y10S285/913
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
299 words
A hermaphroditic connector assembly arrangement for use with a pair of airlines each having an outer conductor including an end face and an inner conductor including a spring biased contact having an end face with each end face adapted to engage a respective other end face along a common radial plane to complete an electrical connection between the outer conductors and another electrical connection between the inner conductors comprising: a tubular body for each airline with each body having a front end forming the end face for the respective outer conductor adjacent the respective spring biased contact end face and means for securing the respective body to the respective outer conductor, a registration ring carried on each body for axial movement on the respective tubular body and having a plurality of spaced teeth projecting axially in one direction, means for biasing said ring in said one direction for positioning the teeth of each ring in overlapping engagement with the tubular body secured to the outer conductor of the other airline to align each end face in said common plane means on each body and ring for enabling rotation of each ring on the respective body to a predetermined position for circumferentially aligning the teeth on each ring with the spaces on the other ring for enabling the positioning of the teeth on each ring in overlapping engagement with the tubular body secured to the outer conductor of the other airline and for axially aligning all of said end faces with each ring thereafter held against rotation relative each body and a coupling nut having means engaging one ring and threadingly engaging the other of said rings in response to rotation in one direction for moving said rings axially towards each other and for securing said airlines to each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
299 words
A hermaphroditic connector assembly arrangement for use with a pair of airlines each having an outer conductor including an end face and an inner conductor including a spring biased contact having an end face with each end face adapted to engage a respective other end face along a common radial plane to complete an electrical connection between the outer conductors and another electrical connection between the inner conductors comprising: a tubular body for each airline with each body having a front end forming the end face for the respective outer conductor adjacent the respective spring biased contact end face and means for securing the respective body to the respective outer conductor, a registration ring carried on each body for axial movement on the respective tubular body and having a plurality of spaced teeth projecting axially in one direction, means for biasing said ring in said one direction for positioning the teeth of each ring in overlapping engagement with the tubular body secured to the outer conductor of the other airline to align each end face in said common plane means on each body and ring for enabling rotation of each ring on the respective body to a predetermined position for circumferentially aligning the teeth on each ring with the spaces on the other ring for enabling the positioning of the teeth on each ring in overlapping engagement with the tubular body secured to the outer conductor of the other airline and for axially aligning all of said end faces with each ring thereafter held against rotation relative each body and a coupling nut having means engaging one ring and threadingly engaging the other of said rings in response to rotation in one direction for moving said rings axially towards each other and for securing said airlines to each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
In the arrangement claimed in claim 1, a cam surface on each tooth for automatically rotating one ring relative the other ring in response to the axial engagement of a cam surface on one tooth with a tooth on the other ring to align the teeth on said one ring angularly with the space between the teeth on the other ring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The arrangement claimed in claim 2 in which said teeth have a circumferential dimension corresponding to said spaces and said means for enabling rotation to a predetermined position comprises a key for each body engaging in a keyway for each ring sized for enabling each ring to rotate through a distance corresponding to one half the circumferential dimension of each tooth.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The assembly claimed in claim 1 in which said coupling nut is operable to retract the teeth one ring from a position overlapping the end faces of the respective body to another position to the rear of the end face of the respective body and against the bias of said biasing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The arrangement claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector assembly arrangement includes means threaded on each body for holding the respective body against movement in a direction toward the respective end face of the respective outer conductor to prevent loosening of such from the respective outer conductor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
The arrangement claimed in claim 5, in which said means threaded on each body for holding the respective body includes a retaining nut having a lip and each ring has means engaging said lip under axial pressure in response to the threading rotation of said coupling nut for securing said bodies to each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
289 words
In a hermaphroditic connector assembly arrangement for use with a pair of airlines each having an outer conductor with an end face and an inner conductor with an end face with the end faces of one outer conductor engaging the end face of the other outer conductor and the end face of one inner conductor engaging the end face of the other inner conductor to complete an electrical connection between the outer conductors and another electrical connection between the inner conductors comprising: a tubular body for each airline with each body having a front end and means for threading each body to the respective outer conductor, a registration ring carried on each body for axial and rotational movement relative the respective said body and having a plurality of threaded teeth projecting axially in one direction past the front end of said body and overlapping the respective end faces whereby engagement of and alignment with the threaded teeth of one ring between the threaded teeth of the ring on the other body and in overlapping engagement with the other tubular body aligns each end face in a common plane and enables a rotational torque to be transmitted between said rings, means keying each ring to each body and for preventing rotation of each ring relative the respective body in response to the engagement of the teeth of one ring between the teeth of the ring on the other body, rotatable means engaging each of said rings to secure said rings and bodies to each other ring and body and rotatable for disengaging said rings, and means secured to each body for holding the respective body against rotation relative the respective outer conductor in a direction for loosening the respective conductor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
289 words
In a hermaphroditic connector assembly arrangement for use with a pair of airlines each having an outer conductor with an end face and an inner conductor with an end face with the end faces of one outer conductor engaging the end face of the other outer conductor and the end face of one inner conductor engaging the end face of the other inner conductor to complete an electrical connection between the outer conductors and another electrical connection between the inner conductors comprising: a tubular body for each airline with each body having a front end and means for threading each body to the respective outer conductor, a registration ring carried on each body for axial and rotational movement relative the respective said body and having a plurality of threaded teeth projecting axially in one direction past the front end of said body and overlapping the respective end faces whereby engagement of and alignment with the threaded teeth of one ring between the threaded teeth of the ring on the other body and in overlapping engagement with the other tubular body aligns each end face in a common plane and enables a rotational torque to be transmitted between said rings, means keying each ring to each body and for preventing rotation of each ring relative the respective body in response to the engagement of the teeth of one ring between the teeth of the ring on the other body, rotatable means engaging each of said rings to secure said rings and bodies to each other ring and body and rotatable for disengaging said rings, and means secured to each body for holding the respective body against rotation relative the respective outer conductor in a direction for loosening the respective conductor.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-11-28 | 1981-05-30 | 1981-11-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-11-28 | 1985-05-30 | 1985-11-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-11-28 | 1989-05-30 | 1989-11-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |