Connectors for Composite Fiber Optic/Coaxial Cables and Related Connectorized Cables and Methods

1 . A connector for a composite communications cable that includes both a coaxial component and a fiber optic component, the connector comprising:

a connector body;

a contact post mounted within the connector body that is configured to receive both a center conductor of the coaxial component and an optical fiber of the fiber optic component;

a compression sleeve that is received within a rear end of the connector body; and

an optical fiber passage at a front end of the connector body.

2 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein a front end of the connector body includes external threads, the connector further comprising a jam nut that is received on the external threads to mount the connector on a mounting structure.

3 . The connector of claim 2 , wherein a pair of D-flats are provided in the external threads.

4 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber passage includes at least one external protrusion, and wherein a furcation tube extends from a front end of the optical fiber passage.

5 . The connector of claim 4 , wherein heat shrinkable material is installed over the external protrusion of the optical fiber passage and over at least a portion of the furcation tube.

6 . The connector of claim 1 , in combination with the composite communications cable.

7 . The connector and composite communications cable combination of claim 6 , wherein the center conductor of the coaxial component extends into the contact post and includes an insulative cap.

8 . The connector and composite communications cable combination of claim 6 , wherein the composite communications cable further comprises:

a dielectric spacer that substantially surrounds the center conductor;

an outer conductor that substantially surrounds the dielectric spacer; and

a jacket that surrounds the outer conductor,

wherein the optical fiber is a non-buffered optical fiber positioned between the center conductor and the dielectric spacer, and

wherein an outer surface of the non-buffered optical fiber is within 50 microns of the outer surface of the center conductor.

9 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber passage includes a first channel that is configured to receive the optical fiber and a second channel that is configured to receive the center conductor.

10 . The connector of claim 8 , wherein a furcation tube extends from a front end of the optical fiber passage, and wherein the center conductor extends through both the optical fiber passage and the furcation tube.

11 . A ground plate, comprising:

a base plate;

a mounting plate extending upward from the base plate, the mounting plate including a plurality of slots aligned in a row;

wherein the base plate includes a plurality of fingers, each of which includes a threaded aperture.

12 . A method of upgrading a coaxial cable cabling connection to a fiber optic cabling connection, the method comprising:

removing a coaxial connector from a first end of a composite communications cable;

removing portions of a jacket, an outer conductor and a dielectric spacer of the composite communications cable from the first end of the composite communications cable so that a first end portion of an optical fiber of the composite communications cable extends beyond first end portions of the jacket, outer conductor and dielectric spacer;

folding the first end portion of the outer conductor back onto the first end portion of the jacket;

inserting the first end of the composite communications cable into a compression connector so that the first end portion of the optical fiber extends through an optical fiber passage of the compression connector; and

compressing a compression sleeve of the compression connector to lock the composite communications cable in place inside the compression connector.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the compression connector includes:

a connector body;

a contact post mounted within the connector body that is configured to receive both a first end portion of a center conductor of the composite communications cable and the first end portion of the optical fiber,

wherein the optical fiber passage extends from a front end of the connector body and the compression sleeve is received within a rear end of the connector body.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a front end of the connector body includes external threads, the method further comprising threading a jam nut onto the external threads to mount the compression connector on a mounting structure

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the optical fiber passage includes at least one external protrusion, the method further comprising mounting a furcation tube onto a front end of the optical fiber passage.

16 . The method of claim 15 , the method further comprising installing a heat shrinkable material over the external protrusion of the optical fiber passage and over at least a portion of the furcation tube.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the outer conductor provides strain relief once the composite communications cable is locked in place inside the compression connector.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the optical fiber passage includes first and second channels, the method further comprising passing the first end of the optical fiber through the first channel and passing a center conductor of the composite communications cable through the second channel.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a furcation tube extends from a front end of the optical fiber passage, and wherein a center conductor of the composite communications cable extends through both the optical fiber passage and the furcation tube.