US-12627104-B2 - Coaxial cable seizure assembly with stamped conductor for use in a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network device

Abstract

A coaxial cable seizure assembly includes a stamped conductor with a leaf spring receptacle portion to provide a coaxial cable connection inside an HFC network device, such as an HFC node or amplifier. The stamped conductor portion is stamped from a single piece of metal and is located in an insulator portion. The insulator portion may be located inside a housing of the HFC network device adjacent a coaxial cable port such that the leaf spring receptacle portion is aligned with and receives a coaxial cable center conductor pin of a coaxial cable connected to the port. In one embodiment, a coaxial cable seizure assembly further includes a pin portion formed from the same piece of metal as the leaf spring receptacle. In another embodiment, a PCB-mounted coaxial cable seizure assembly further includes a PCB mounting portion formed from the same piece of metal as the leaf spring receptacle.

Inventors

• William G. Mahoney

Assignees

• APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230719

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A seizure assembly for connecting to a coaxial cable in a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network device, comprising: an insulator portion defining a spring receptacle passageway extending to a center conductor pin receiving opening in a side of the insulator portion; and a stamped conductor fixed in the insulator portion, the stamped conductor including a leaf spring receptacle portion located in the spring receptacle passageway adjacent the center conductor pin receiving opening, wherein the leaf spring receptacle portion is configured to receive a coaxial cable center conductor pin that passes through the center conductor pin receiving opening, wherein the leaf spring receptacle portion is formed by opposing leaf spring members that are spaced to receive and apply a force to the coaxial cable center conductor pin, and wherein the stamped conductor is stamped from a single piece of metal.
2. 2 . The seizure assembly of claim 1 , wherein the insulator portion is configured to mount to a printed circuit board (PCB), and wherein the stamped conductor includes a PCB mounting portion formed from the single piece of metal, wherein the PCB mounting portion is configured to be electrically connected to the PCB.
3. 3 . The seizure assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opposing leaf spring members provide contact with the coaxial cable center conductor pin, and wherein the contact has a box shape.
4. 4 . The seizure assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opposing leaf spring members define a center pin receiving passageway that is open at a back end.
5. 5 . The seizure assembly of claim 1 wherein the insulator portion includes a first end, a second end and a side and defines a pin passageway extending from the spring receptacle passageway to the first end, and wherein the stamped conductor includes a pin portion formed from the single piece of metal, the pin portion is located in the pin passageway and extends beyond the first end of the insulator portion, and wherein the pin portion is configured to engage with a coaxial RF connector in the HFC network device.
6. 6 . The seizure assembly of claim 5 further comprising a lock nut provided at the first end of the insulator portion, wherein the pin portion extends into an aperture defined by the lock nut, and wherein the lock nut is configured to receive the coaxial RF connector.
7. 7 . The seizure assembly of claim 5 , wherein the pin portion is formed as a cylindrical pin portion with a rounded end.
8. 8 . A PCB-mounted coaxial cable seizure assembly for connecting to a coaxial cable in a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network device, comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB); an insulator portion mounted to the PCB, the insulator portion defining a spring receptacle passageway extending to a center conductor pin receiving opening in a side of the insulator portion; and a stamped conductor fixed in the insulator portion, the stamped conductor including a leaf spring receptacle portion and a PCB mounting portion stamped from a single piece of metal, wherein the leaf spring receptacle portion is located in the spring receptacle passageway adjacent the center conductor pin receiving opening, wherein the leaf spring receptacle portion is configured to receive a coaxial cable center conductor pin that passes through the cable center pin receiving passageway, wherein the leaf spring receptacle portion is formed by opposing leaf spring members that are spaced to receive and apply a force to the coaxial cable center conductor pin, and wherein the PCB mounting portion extends from the leaf spring portion and is electrically connected to the PCB.
9. 9 . The PCB-mounted cable seizure assembly of claim 8 , wherein the opposing leaf spring members provide contact with the coaxial cable center conductor pin, and wherein the contact has a box shape.
10. 10 . The PCB-mounted cable seizure assembly of claim 8 , wherein the opposing leaf spring members define a center pin receiving passageway that is open at a back end.
11. 11 . The PCB-mounted cable seizure assembly of claim 8 , further including a pin extending from the PCB and configured to mate with a coaxial RF connector in the HFC network device, wherein the pin and the PCB mounting portion of the stamped conductor are electrically connected via the PCB.
12. 12 . The PCB-mounted cable seizure assembly of claim 11 , wherein the pin is mounted on one side of the PCB, and wherein the insulator portion and the stamped conductor are mounted on an opposite side of the PCB.
13. 13 . The PCB-mounted cable seizure assembly of claim 11 , wherein the pin, the insulator portion and the stamped conductor are mounted on a same side of the PCB.
14. 14 . A hybrid-fiber coaxial (HFC) network device, comprising: a housing including at least one coaxial cable port configured to connect to a coaxial cable external to the housing; and at least one seizure assembly secured in the housing adjacent to the coaxial cable port such that a coaxial cable center conductor pin of the coaxial cable extends through the coaxial cable port and into the seizure assembly, wherein the seizure assembly comprises: an insulator portion defining a spring receptacle passageway extending to a center conductor pin receiving opening in a side of the insulator portion, wherein the spring receptacle passageway aligns with the at least one coaxial cable port in the housing; and a stamped conductor fixed in the insulator portion, the stamped conductor including a leaf spring receptacle portion located in the spring receptacle passageway adjacent the center conductor pin receiving opening, wherein the leaf spring receptacle portion is configured to receive and engage with the coaxial cable center conductor pin extending into the at least one coaxial cable port and passing through the center conductor pin receiving opening, wherein the leaf spring receptacle portion is formed by opposing leaf spring members that are spaced to receive and apply a force to the coaxial cable center conductor pin, and wherein the stamped conductor is stamped from a single piece of metal.
15. 15 . The HFC network device of claim 14 wherein the insulator portion includes a first end, a second end and a side and defines a pin passageway extending from the spring receptacle passageway to the first end, and wherein the stamped conductor includes a pin portion formed from the single piece of metal, the pin portion is located in the pin passageway and extends beyond the first end of the insulator portion, and wherein the pin portion is configured to engage with a coaxial RF connector in the HFC network device.
16. 16 . The HFC network device of claim 14 further including a printed circuit board (PCB) located in the housing adjacent to the coaxial cable port, wherein the insulator portion is mounted to the PCB, and wherein the stamped conductor includes a PCB mounting portion formed from the single piece of metal, wherein the PCB mounting portion is electrically connected to the PCB.
17. 17 . The HFC network device of claim 14 , wherein the opposing leaf spring members provide contact with the coaxial cable center conductor pin, and wherein the contact has a box shape.
18. 18 . The HFC network device of claim 14 , wherein the opposing leaf spring members define a center pin receiving passageway that is open at a back end.
19. 19 . The HFC network device of claim 14 wherein the housing includes a recessed region inside of the housing and adjacent to the coaxial cable port, and wherein the seizure assembly is located in the recessed region such that the leaf spring receptacle aligns with the coaxial cable port.
20. 20 . The HFC network device of claim 19 further comprising a lock nut securing the insulator portion of the seizure assembly in the recessed region of the housing, wherein the pin portion extends into an aperture defined by the lock nut, and wherein the lock nut is configured to receive the coaxial RF connector.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to coaxial cable connector seizure assemblies, and more particularly, to a coaxial cable seizure assembly with a stamped conductor for use in a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network device. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) networks are used to provide high bandwidth communication between a headend/hub and end users such as homes and businesses. Such HFC networks are often used, for example, to provide cable television (CATV) and internet services to the end users. An HFC network architecture generally includes optical fiber for carrying optical signals (e.g., from the headend/hub), coaxial cables for carrying RF signals (e.g., to the end users), and HFC network devices, such as HFC nodes, amplifiers, and taps, that connect to the optical fiber and/or coaxial cables. The Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) has been adopted to standardize continued improvements of existing HFC networks in order to provide additional bandwidth for enhanced TV and Internet services, and there may be a need to upgrade the HFC network infrastructure to meet increasing bandwidth demands, for example, when moving from DOCSIS 3.1 to DOCSIS 4.0. Connections between HFC network devices and coaxial cables should allow a cable to be relatively easily connected while providing the desired RF performance at the RF frequencies of the HFC network. An HFC network device, such as an HFC node or amplifier, may include a coaxial cable port where the coaxial cable is connected with a cable center conductor pin (also referred to as the “stinger”) electrically connected inside the HFC network device using a coaxial cable seizure assembly. The length and contact of that cable center conductor pin may affect the RF connection and performance. As such, the connections between the HFC network devices and the coaxial cables may need to be upgraded as the network moves to a different DOCSIS standard with higher bandwidths and RF frequencies. SUMMARY Consistent with one aspect of the present disclosure, a seizure assembly may be used to connect to a coaxial cable in a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network device. The seizure assembly includes an insulator portion defining a spring receptacle passageway extending to a center conductor pin receiving opening in a side of the insulator portion and a stamped conductor fixed in the insulator portion. The stamped conductor includes a leaf spring receptacle portion located in the spring receptacle passageway adjacent the center conductor pin receiving opening. The leaf spring receptacle portion is configured to receive a coaxial cable center conductor pin that passes through the center conductor pin receiving opening. The stamped conductor is stamped from a single piece of metal. Consistent with another aspect of the present disclosure, a PCB-mounted coaxial cable seizure assembly may be used to connect to a coaxial cable in a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network device. The PCB-mounted coaxial cable seizure assembly includes a printed circuit board (PCB), an insulator portion mounted to the PCB, and a stamped conductor fixed in the insulator portion. The insulator portion defines a spring receptacle passageway extending to a center conductor pin receiving opening in a side of the insulator portion. The stamped conductor includes a leaf spring receptacle portion and a PCB mounting portion formed from a single piece of metal. The leaf spring receptacle portion is located in the spring receptacle passageway adjacent to the center conductor pin receiving opening. The leaf spring receptacle portion is configured to receive a coaxial cable center conductor pin that passes through the center conductor pin receiving opening. The PCB mounting portion extends from the leaf spring portion and is electrically connected to the PCB. Consistent with a further aspect of the present disclosure, a hybrid-fiber coaxial (HFC) network device includes a housing including at least one coaxial cable port configured to connect to a coaxial cable external to the housing and at least one seizure assembly secured in the housing adjacent to the coaxial cable port such that a coaxial cable center conductor pin of the coaxial cable extends through the coaxial cable port and into the seizure assembly. The seizure assembly includes an insulator portion defining a spring receptacle passageway extending to a center conductor pin receiving opening in a side of the insulator portion. The spring receptacle passageway aligns with the at least one coaxial cable port in the housing. The seizure assembly also includes a stamped conductor fixed in the insulator portion. The stamped conductor includes a leaf spring receptacle portion located in the spring receptacle passageway adjacent the center conductor pin receiving opening. The leaf spring receptacle portion is configured to receive and engage with the coaxial cable center conductor pin extending into the at least one coaxi