Cable strain relief apparatus and associated cable assembly
View Patent ↗A cable strain relief apparatus for a cable attached to a connector includes at least one multi-section member. The member includes a first section configured to partially surround a portion of the connector and a second section aligned with the first section along a central longitudinal axis and configured to partially surround a portion of the cable. Where the apparatus includes two members, each member may include similar first and second sections, but one member may include a protrusion extending from an exposed face of a wall of the member's second section and the other member may include a protrusion receptacle integrated into an exposed face of a wall of such member's second section, wherein when the two members are joined together, the protrusion mates with the protrusion receptacle. A binder may be optionally included to secure the member to the cable or to retain the mated members together.
1 . An apparatus that provides strain relief for a cable that has a connector attached thereto, the connector including a shoulder portion and a rotatable body, the apparatus comprising:
a rigid terminal section having a first diameter and being sized and shaped to partially surround the shoulder portion of the connector; and
a rigid cable section aligned with the terminal section along a central longitudinal axis, the cable section having a second diameter and being sized and shaped to partially surround a portion of the cable, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a binder sized and shaped to surround and secure at least the cable section to the cable.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the binder is heat shrink tubing.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the terminal section and the cable section are non-conductive.
5 . An apparatus that provides strain relief for a cable that has a connector attached thereto, the connector including a shoulder portion and a rotatable body, the apparatus comprising:
a first elongated member including:
a first rigid terminal section having a first diameter and being sized and shaped to partially surround the shoulder portion of the connector;
a first rigid cable section having a second diameter and being sized and shaped to partially surround a portion of the cable, the first cable section being aligned with the first terminal section along a central longitudinal axis, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter; and
a protrusion extending from an exposed face of a wall of the first cable section; and
a second elongated member including:
a second rigid terminal section sized and shaped to partially surround the shoulder portion of the connector;
a second rigid cable section sized and shaped to partially surround the portion of the cable; and
a protrusion receptacle integrated into at least an exposed face of a wall of the second cable section;
wherein when the first member and the second member are mated together, the first terminal section and the second terminal section define a first compartment sized and shaped to snugly surround the shoulder portion of the connector, the first cable section and the second cable section define a second compartment sized and shaped to snugly surround the portion of the cable, and the protrusion mates with the protrusion receptacle.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second member is curved and further includes a protrusion extending from a second exposed face of the wall of the second cable section.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first member is curved and further includes a protrusion receptacle integrated into a second exposed face of the wall of the first cable section, and wherein when the first member and the second member are mated together, the protrusion of the second member mates with the protrusion receptacle of the first member.
8 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first member and the second member are substantially identical.
9 . The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a binder sized and shaped to surround and retain the first member and the second member in a mated relationship.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the binder includes heat shrink tubing.
11 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the cable is a coaxial cable.
12 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each of the first member and the second member is a single molded component.
13 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the wall of the first cable section is common to the first member entirely and wherein a width of an inside surface of the wall varies between the first terminal section and the first cable section.
14 . A cable assembly comprising:
a cable;
a connector attached to a terminal portion of the cable, the connector including a shoulder portion and a rotatable body; and
a cable apparatus providing strain relief at the terminal portion of the cable, the cable apparatus including:
a first elongated member that includes:
a first rigid terminal section having a first diameter and being sized and shaped to receive and partially surround the shoulder portion of the connector;
a first rigid cable section having a second diameter and being sized and shaped to receive and partially surround a portion of the cable, the second diameter being less than the first diameter; and
a protrusion extending from an exposed face of a wall of the first cable section; and
a second elongated member mated with the first member, the second member including:
a second rigid terminal section sized and shaped to receive and partially surround the shoulder portion of the connector;
a second rigid cable section sized and shaped to receive and partially surround the portion of the cable; and
a protrusion receptacle integrated into an exposed face of a wall of the second cable section;
wherein the protrusion of the first member mates with the protrusion receptacle of the second member, the first terminal section and the second terminal section snugly surround the shoulder portion of the connector, and the first cable section and the second cable section snugly surround the portion of the cable.
15 . The cable assembly of claim 14 , wherein the second member of the cable apparatus is curved and further includes a protrusion extending from a second exposed face of the wall of the second cable section.
16 . The cable assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first member of the cable apparatus is curved and further includes a protrusion receptacle integrated into a second exposed face of the wall of the first cable section, and wherein the protrusion of the second member mates with the protrusion receptacle of the first member.
17 . The cable assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first member and the second member are substantially identical.
18 . The cable assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a binder sized and shaped to surround and retain the first member and the second member of the cable apparatus in a mated relationship.
19 . The cable assembly of claim 18 , wherein the binder includes heat shrunk tubing.
20 . The cable assembly of claim 14 , wherein the protrusion of the first member of the cable apparatus is a partially cylindrical tongue, and wherein the protrusion receptacle of the second member of the cable apparatus is a complementary, partially cylindrical groove.