Nut seal assembly for coaxial connector
An integrated seal assembly and a connector incorporating the seal assembly for connecting a coaxial cable to an externally threaded port. The seal assembly includes a bellows-type seal having an elastically deformable tubular body and a plurality of sealing surfaces, and an integral joint-section intermediate an anterior end and a posterior end that assists in the axial deformation of the seal in response to axially-directed force. One of the sealing surfaces is made to engage a corresponding surface of an internally threaded nut. The nut and attached seal form an integral seal assembly. A coaxial cable connector includes a connector body. One end of the body attaches a coaxial cable, the seal assembly being rotatably attached to the other end. The connector is engagable with an externally threaded port via the internally threaded nut component of the connector. The anterior end of the seal fits over the port and a sealing surface of the seal is capable of sealing axially against a shoulder of the port while the seal body covers the otherwise exposed externally threaded port. Upon tightening of the nut on the port, the seal deflects in the axial direction to accommodate a variety of distances between the connector and the shoulder of the port. Additionally, the seal is capable of expanding to allow a second sealing surface to contact and seal against a variety of smooth outside diameters of the port. The versatility of the seal allows an operator to use one connector on a wide variety of externally threaded ports without the risk of a faulty seal at the connection or a poor connection due to an improper seal.
1. A coaxial cable connector nut seal assembly comprising:
a nut component having a first end, a second end and an interior surface configured for engagement with a radio frequency port, said interior surface including an internal shoulder for engagement with one of a connector body or a post; and a seal-grasping surface portion and
a seal having an elastically deformable body attached to the nut component, said seal capable of accommodating different length radio frequency ports, said body having a posterior sealing surface that cooperatively engages the seal-grasping surface portion of the nut component and a forward sealing surface that extends axially beyond the first end of the nut component and cooperatively engages the radio frequency port, wherein the seal and nut form an integrated seal assembly.
2. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the seal-grasping portion is one of a smooth surface and a roughened surface suitable to frictionally engage the posterior sealing surface of the seal.
3. The seal assembly of claim 2 , wherein the seal-grasping portion further comprises a ridge on the exterior surface of the nut component.
4. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the seal-grasping portion is a surface suitable to adhesively engage the posterior sealing surface of the seal.
5. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the nut component further includes a nut-turning surface portion along an external perimeter surface of the nut component.
6. The seal assembly of claim 5 , wherein the nut-turning surface portion has at least two flat surface regions.
7. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the body of the seal includes an integral joint-section.
8. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein an integral joint-section is located asymmetrically between an anterior end of the seal and a posterior end of the seal.
9. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the body is made of a compression molded elastic material.
10. The seal assembly of claim 9 , wherein the body is a silicone rubber material.
11. The seal assembly of claim 9 , wherein the body is a propylene material.
12. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seal has an axial length in an uncompressed state that is sufficient to fully cover a length of external threads on the port when the port is in a fully connected relationship with the seal assembly.