Coaxial connector with inhibited ingress and improved grounding

1. A coaxial connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial connector comprising:

a hollow body comprising a front end, a front end facing surface, a rear end, and an internal surface extending between the front end and the rear end, the internal surface defining a longitudinal opening;

a tubular post disposed at least partially within the longitudinal opening of the hollow body, the tubular post comprising a front end, a rear end, and a front end flange;

a coupling nut having a front end, a rear end, a radially inward directed collar, and a rearward extending annular portion to the rear of the radially inward directed collar, wherein the radially inward directed collar of the coupling nut comprises a rear end facing surface that opposes the front end facing surface of the hollow body, and the radially inward directed collar rotationally engages a rear end facing surface of the front end flange of the tubular post; and

a sealing member disposed in an annular space defined by internal features of the coupling nut and the hollow body, between the rear end facing surface of the radially inward directed collar and a front end facing surface of the hollow body,

wherein the sealing member is axially compressed by the rear end facing surface of the radially inward directed collar and the front end facing surface of the hollow body to axially pre-load the sealing member,

an outer diameter of the sealing member does not contact an inner surface of the rearward extending annular portion of the coupling nut, and

an annular gap extends between the outer diameter of the sealing member and the inner surface of the rearward extending annular portion of the coupling nut to allow the sealing member to flex radially outwardly as it is being compressed axially;

wherein the flange of the tubular post comprises a plurality of contact points on an outer surface and at least a portion of an outer surface of the contact points contacts an inner surface of the coupling nut.

2. The coaxial connector of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member comprises an O-ring.

3. The coaxial connector of claim 1 , wherein the front end facing surface of the hollow body has a larger outer diameter than an outer diameter of the sealing member.

4. The coaxial connector of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the flange of the post.

5. The coaxial connector of claim 1 , wherein a circular aperture in the rearward extending annular portion of the coupling nut and a portion of the hollow body that is circumferentially surrounded by the rearward extending annular portion of the coupling nut each have an outer diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the flange of the post.

6. The coaxial connector of claim 1 , wherein the flange of the tubular post comprises a plurality of contact points on an outer surface and at least a portion of an outer surface of the contact points contacts an inner surface of the coupling nut.

7. The coaxial connector of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the sealing member contacts the hollow body.

8. The coaxial connector of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the sealing member contacts the tubular post.

9. The coaxial connector of claim 1 , wherein the front end of the coupling nut is biased radially inwardly and the coupling nut comprises a plurality of slots extending from the front end of the coupling nut between an inner and an outer surface of the front end of the coupling nut.