Connector Seal Device for Coaxial Cable Environmental Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coaxial cable connectors exposed to weather and environmental elements face interference issues due to corrosion, rust, and galvanic incompatibility, leading to intermittent contact and poor signal quality, and existing seals are costly, complex, and unreliable.
Innovation Solution
A connector seal device with a seal body and seal neck that extend along an axis to engage a coupler and interface port, applying radial force and featuring a unitary structured seal member with irregularities for secure rotation and environmental sealing, providing a mechanical bond and frictional engagement to prevent axial and radial movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing seal designs are used to protect connectors from environmental elements, then environmental sealing is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal combines multiple sealing functions into a single integrated structure. The seal body with sealing surfaces engages with the connector body to prevent environmental ingress, while the seal neck provides additional sealing at the interface port. This merged design eliminates the need for separate sealing components, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable environmental protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is designed to perform multiple sealing functions simultaneously. The seal body provides sealing against the connector body, the seal neck provides sealing against the interface port, and the overall structure also serves as a mechanical interface for the coupler. This multi-functional design reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the device while ensuring comprehensive environmental sealing.
2Reliability
If existing seal designs are used to protect connectors from environmental elements, then environmental sealing is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal integrates multiple sealing functions into a single molded component. The seal body and seal neck are formed as one piece through injection molding, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps for multiple sealing components. This consolidation reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while ensuring consistent environmental sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is designed with specific geometric parameters including sealing surfaces, angles, and tolerances that enable effective sealing. The seal body includes sealing surfaces at specific angles to the longitudinal axis, and the seal neck has defined dimensions for engaging the interface port. These parameter optimizations allow the seal to achieve reliable environmental protection through a single, cost-effective molded component rather than requiring expensive multi-part assemblies.
3Reliability
If the seal body applies radial force to the coupler to establish sealing, then environmental sealing is improved, but friction and resistance to movement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal body includes specific local features such as sealing surfaces with defined angles and friction characteristics. The exterior surface of the seal body includes a portion at an angle to the longitudinal axis, creating localized friction engagement with the coupler. This localized friction engagement provides reliable sealing while minimizing overall resistance to installation and removal, as the friction is concentrated at specific engagement points rather than distributed throughout the entire seal-coupler interface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively maintains electrical connectivity and shields against environmental influences, enhancing signal quality and reliability while being easier to install and more cost-effective than existing solutions.
Implementation Method 1
The seal body is configured to apply a radial force acting on the coupler to establish a first environmental seal between the seal body and the coupler
Implementation Method 2
A retention portion of the seal body has an interior surface having an irregularity configured to mate with an irregularity on the coupler
Implementation Method 3
The seal body includes a retention portion having an interior surface with an irregularity configured to mate with an irregularity on the coupler, providing frictional engagement to prevent axial and radial movement
Data Source
AI summary
A connector seal device includes, in one embodiment, a seal body extendable along an axis and configured to receive an end of a coupler. The coupler is configured to be rotatably coupled to a coaxial cable connector, and the seal body is configured to engage a portion of the coupler to establish a first environmental seal between the seal body and the coupler. The connector seal device also includes a seal neck integral with the seal body configured to extend along the axis beyond the end of the coupler. The seal neck is configured to engage an interface port to establish a second environmental seal between the seal neck and the interface port.