US 12,191,597 B2
Radio frequency (RF) connector having integrated weather protection system (WPS)
Thomas Sawyer Urtz, Jr., North Syracuse, NY (US); Brandon M. Stevens, Liverpool, NY (US); Jeremy Charles Benn, Baldwinsville, NY (US); Christopher P. Natoli, Baldwinsville, NY (US); and Jeffrey P. Dennis, Liverpool, NY (US)
Assigned to John Mezzalingua Associates, LLC, Liverpool, NY (US)
Appl. No. 17/434,050
Filed by John Mezzalingua Associates, LLC, Liverpool, NY (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 5, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/021126
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 26, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/181054, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/814,031, filed on Mar. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0140521 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. H01R 13/52 (2006.01); H01R 9/05 (2006.01); H01R 13/502 (2006.01); H01R 24/56 (2011.01); H01R 13/631 (2006.01)
CPC H01R 13/5205 (2013.01) [H01R 9/05 (2013.01); H01R 13/502 (2013.01); H01R 13/5219 (2013.01); H01R 24/564 (2013.01); H01R 13/631 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A connector having an integral weather protection system, comprising:
a Weather Protection (WP) assembly circumscribing a connector body, the connector body sealably mounting to a coaxial cable, the WP assembly comprising:
a housing sealably mounted over an end of the connector body and defining an aperture at the opposite end to receive the coaxial cable, the aperture facilitating axial translation of the housing relative to the connector body;
a compliant ring having an inwardly facing sealing surface, the inwardly facing sealing surface defining a diameter dimension; and
a biasing element including a forward end and an opposing aft end and positioned between the housing and the compliant ring, the forward end of the biasing element is configured to face the connector body and the aft end comprises a plurality of spring fingers,
wherein the plurality of spring fingers are reconfigurable from an expanded state to a collapsed state in response to axial displacement of the housing relative to the connector body;
wherein in the expanded state, the biasing element engages with the compliant ring to stretch the compliant ring to expand the diameter dimension of the compliant ring around a portion an interface port; and
wherein in the collapsed state, the biasing element engages with the compliant ring and urges the biasing element radially inward to reduce the diameter dimension of the compliant ring to seal the compliant ring against the sealing surface.