Cable connector clocking device and related components, systems, and methods

Abstract

A cable connector clocking assembly for clocking and torqueing a cable connector. In one example, the clocking assembly has a socket adapter sub-assembly configured to be mounted in an adapter holder sub-assembly. The socket adapter sub-assembly includes a socket portion and an adapter portion having a generally cylindrical body portion secured to the socket portion with a fastener. The adapter portion also has at least one indicium configured to indicate a clock angle of a cable connector when the cable connector is connected to the socket portion. The clocking assembly also includes an adapter holder sub-assembly comprising a clamp portion and a face portion having indicia representative of different clock angles. The clamp portion has an unclamped configuration, wherein the socket sub-assembly can be rotated to a desired clock angle, and a clamped configuration, wherein the socket sub-assembly is securely retained in the clamp portion at the desired clock angle.

Claims

1. A clocking assembly for cable connectors comprising: at least one socket adapter sub-assembly comprising: a socket portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to be connected to a cable connector; an adapter portion comprising: a generally cylindrical body portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the socket portion is connected to the first end of the cylindrical body portion; and at least one indicium proximate to the first end of the cylindrical body portion configured to indicate a clock angle of the cable connector when the cable connector is connected to the socket portion; and a fastener fixedly securing the socket portion to the adapter portion, the fastener extending through an opening in the cylindrical body portion of the adapter portion, the fastener comprising a spindle portion having a first non-circular cross-section and the opening in the cylindrical body portion having a second non-circular cross-section configured to prevent rotation of the fastener with respect to the adapter portion; and an adapter holder sub-assembly comprising: at least one clamp portion configured to receive the adapter portion of the socket adapter sub-assembly within the at least one clamp portion; and a face portion having a plurality of indicia indicative of different clock angles, wherein: the at least one clamp portion has an unclamped configuration, in which the at least one socket adapter sub-assembly is rotatable to align the indicium of the adapter portion with an indicium of the plurality of indicia of the face portion; and the at least one clamp portion has a clamped configuration, in which the at least one socket adapter sub-assembly is retained with the indicium of the adapter portion aligned with an indicium of the plurality of indicia of the face portion.

2. The clocking assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical body portion of the socket adapter sub-assembly has a diameter larger than a diameter of the adapter portion.

3. The clocking assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener has a threaded end connected to a complementary threaded member disposed adjacent to the cylindrical body portion.

4. The clocking assembly of claim 3, wherein the complementary threaded member comprises a nut.

5. The clocking assembly of claim 1, wherein the first non-circular cross-section is a first square cross-section and the second non-circular cross-section is a second square cross-section having substantially the same area as the first square cross-section.

6. The clocking assembly of claim 1, wherein the spindle portion extends through a socket opening of the socket portion, the socket opening having a third non-circular cross-section configured to prevent rotation of the fastener and adapter portion with respect to the socket portion.

7. The clocking assembly of claim 6, wherein the first non-circular cross-section is a first square cross-section, the second non-circular cross-section is a second square cross-section having substantially a same area as the first square cross-section, and the third non-circular cross-section is a third square cross-section having substantially the same area as the first square cross-section and second square cross-section.

8. The clocking assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one socket adapter sub-assembly is a plurality of socket adapter sub-assemblies, wherein the socket portion of each socket adapter sub-assembly is configured to be connected to a unique type of cable connector.

9. The clocking assembly of claim 1, wherein the face portion of the adapter holder sub-assembly comprises a face plate connected to the clamp portion.

10. The clocking assembly of claim 9, wherein the spindle portion extends through a socket opening of the socket portion, the socket opening having a third non-circular cross-section configured to prevent rotation of the fastener and adapter portion with respect to the socket portion.

11. The clocking assembly of claim 10, wherein the first non-circular cross-section is a first square cross-section, the second non-circular cross-section is a second square cross-section having substantially a same area as the first square cross-section, and the third non-circular cross-section is a third square cross-section having substantially a same area as the first square cross-section and second square cross-section.

12. The clocking assembly of claim 1, wherein the face portion of the adapter holder sub-assembly is an external surface of the clamp portion of the adapter holder sub-assembly.

13. The clocking assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of indicia of the face portion of the adapter holder sub-assembly are etched into the external surface of the clamp portion of the adapter holder sub-assembly.

14. The clocking assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of indicia of the face portion of the adapter holder sub-assembly are printed on the external surface of the clamp portion of the adapter holder sub-assembly.

15. A socket adapter assembly for a clocking assembly comprising: a socket portion having a first end configured to be connected to a cable connector, and a second end; and an adapter portion comprising: a generally cylindrical body portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the socket portion is connected to the first end of the cylindrical body portion; and at least one indicium proximate to the first end of the cylindrical body portion configured to indicate a clock angle of a cable connector when the cable connector is connected to the socket portion; and a fastener fixedly securing the socket portion to the adapter portion, the fastener extending through an opening in the cylindrical body portion of the adapter portion, the fastener comprising a spindle portion having a first non-circular cross-section and the opening in the cylindrical body portion having a second non-circular cross-section configured to prevent rotation of the fastener with respect to the adapter portion.

16. The clocking assembly of claim 15, wherein the fastener has a threaded end connected to a complementary threaded member disposed adjacent to the cylindrical body portion.

17. The clocking assembly of claim 16, wherein the complementary threaded member comprises a nut.

18. The clocking assembly of claim 15, wherein the first non-circular cross-section is a first square cross-section and the second non-circular cross-section is a second square cross-section having substantially a same area as the first square cross-section.

19. A method of assembling a socket adapter assembly for a clocking assembly, the method comprising: disposing a socket portion proximate to an adapter portion, the socket portion comprising a first end configured to be connected to a cable connector, and a second end; the adapter portion comprising a generally cylindrical body portion having a first end and a second end, at least one indicium proximate to the first end of the cylindrical body portion; disposing a fastener through an opening in the socket portion and an opening in the cylindrical body portion of the adapter portion, the fastener comprising a spindle portion having a first non-circular cross-section and the opening in the cylindrical body portion having a second non-circular cross-section configured to prevent rotation of the fastener with respect to the adapter portion; and fastening a threaded nut to a distal threaded end of the fastener to fix the socket portion with respect to the adapter portion, the second end of the socket portion connected to the first end of the cylindrical body portion, and the at least one indicium of the clocking assembly configured to indicate a clock angle of a cable connector when the cable connector is connected to the socket portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

(2) FIGS. 1A-1D are isometric and front views of cable connector assemblies arranged at different clock angles, according to the prior art;

(3) FIGS. 2A-2C are isometric views of a socket and vice assembly for clocking a cable connector assembly according to the prior art;

(4) FIGS. 3A and 3B are isometric views of a cable connector clocking assembly having a socket adapter sub-assembly and an adapter holder sub-assembly according to an embodiment;

(5) FIGS. 4A and 4B are isometric views of a method of clocking a cable connector assembly according to an embodiment;

(6) FIGS. 5A-5E are isometric, exploded, and cross-sectional views of the socket adapter sub-assembly of FIGS. 3A-4B, and detailed isometric and end views of the socket portion of the socket adapter sub-assembly;

(7) FIGS. 6A-6E are isometric, exploded, and cross-sectional views of a socket adapter sub-assembly according to an alternative embodiment, and detailed isometric and end views of the socket portion of the socket adapter sub-assembly;

(8) FIG. 7 is an isometric exploded view of the adapter holder sub-assembly of FIGS. 3A-4B;

(9) FIG. 8 is an isometric view of an adapter holder sub-assembly according to an alternative embodiment; and

(10) FIGS. 9A-9C are are isometric, exploded, and cross-sectional views of a socket adapter sub-assembly according to an alternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.

(12) The use herein of ordinals in conjunction with an element is solely for distinguishing what might otherwise be similar or identical labels, such as first terminal and second terminal, and does not imply a priority, a type, an importance, or other attribute, unless otherwise stated herein. The term about used herein in conjunction with a numeric value means any value that is within a range of ten percent greater than or ten percent less than the numeric value. The term substantially used herein in conjunction with a numeric value means any value that is within a range of five percent greater than or five percent less than the numeric value.

(13) Embodiments include a cable connector clocking assembly for clocking and torqueing a cable connector, and related components, systems, and methods. Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a clocking assembly 100 has a socket adapter sub-assembly 102 configured to be mounted in an adapter holder sub-assembly 104. The socket adapter sub-assembly 102 includes a socket portion 106 having a first end 108 configured to be connected to a cable connector 12, and a second end 110. The socket portion 106 also includes key portions 111 that are complementary to key portions of a cable connector, such as key portions 20 of the cable connector 12 of FIGS. 1A-1D. The socket adapter sub-assembly 102 also includes an adapter portion 112 having a generally cylindrical body portion 114 having a first end 116 and a second end 118. The first end 116 of the cylindrical body portion 114 is connected to the second end 110 of the socket portion 106. The adapter portion 112 also has at least one indicium 120 (e.g., a pointer) configured to indicate a clock angle of the cable connector 12 when the cable connector 12 is connected to the socket portion 106. The indicium 120 is proximate to the first end 116 of the cylindrical body portion 114.

(14) The adapter holder sub-assembly 104 of the clocking assembly 100 comprises a clamp portion 122 adapted to receive the adapter portion 112 of the socket adapter sub-assembly 102, and a face portion 126. The face portion 126 of the adapter holder sub-assembly 104 has a plurality of indicia 128 (e.g., clock angle indicators) representative of different clock angles. In this embodiment, the clock angles indicated by the plurality of indicia 128 are reversed, i.e., arranged counter-clockwise, because the clock angle is determined based on an end view of the cable connector 12 (not shown). As will be shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B below, because the end of the cable connector 12 (not shown) is facing away from a user when using the clocking assembly 100 to clock the cable connector 12 (not shown), the clock angles of the indicia 128 are arranged in a counter-clockwise fashion in order to align with the corresponding clock angles of the cable connector 12 (not shown).

(15) When the clamp portion 122 is in an unclamped configuration, the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 can be rotated to align the indicium 120 (i.e., the pointer) of the adapter portion 112 with one of the indicia 128 (i.e., a specific clock angle) of the face portion 126. In this manner, the entire socket adapter sub-assembly 102, which includes the socket portion 106, can be accurately rotated to a desired clock angle. When the clamp portion 122 is in a clamped configuration, the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 is securely retained in the clamp portion 122 at the desired clock angle.

(16) One advantage of this arrangement is that the socket portion 106 can be accurately and securely positioned at any number of specific clock angles. By aligning and securing the indicium 120 of the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 to one of the indicia 128 of the adapter holder sub-assembly 104 corresponding to a desired clock angle of the connector assembly 10, it is possible to secure the cable connector 12 to the cable 14, e.g., by torqueing, at a desired clock angle with increased precision and with fewer errors and defects. In addition, it is also possible to inspect the clock angle of the finished connector assembly 10 before the connector assembly 10 is removed from the socket portion 106 of the clocking assembly 100. By inspecting the alignment of the indicium 120, 128 of the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 and the adapter holder sub-assembly 104, a user can quickly and accurately determine if connecting the cable connector 12 to the cable 14, e.g., during torqueing, caused any slippage in the clock angle or other defects without the need for a separate inspection device or process.

(17) Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, it can be seen that, when the cable connector 12 of the connector assembly 10 is mated with the socket portion 106 of the socket adapter sub-assembly 102, the indicium 120 (e.g., a pointer in this embodiment) of the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 is pointed to a precise clock angle indicated by the indicium 128 (e.g., a clock angle indicator in this embodiment) on the adapter holder sub-assembly 104. For example, in FIG. 4A, the pointer 120 is precisely aligned with a 12:00 clock angle, as indicated by the clock angle indicator 128 of the adapter holder sub-assembly 104. As shown by FIG. 4B as well, it can be seen that the pointer 120 can be accurately rotated to any desired clock angle with high precision.

(18) In the embodiment shown by FIGS. 4A and 4B, when backshell 24 of the connector assembly 10 is tightened, or torqued, the larger circumference of the adapter portion 112 of the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 is less likely to slip within the clamp portion 122 of the adapter holder sub-assembly 104, because a clamp interior 124 (not shown) is able to engage with the relatively large surface area of the cylindrical body portion 114. In addition, in the event that the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 does rotate within the adapter holder sub-assembly 104 when torqueing backshell 24, this defect can be easily detected and corrected while the connector assembly 10 is still mounted to the clocking assembly 100, because the pointer 120 will be misaligned with the predetermined clock angle indicated by the clock angle indicator 128 of the adapter holder sub-assembly 104.

(19) In contrast with the conventional arrangement of FIGS. 2A-2C, it can be seen that the connector clocking assembly 100 addresses many of the drawbacks associated with conventional methods of assembling a connector assembly 10. For example, it is difficult to align the clocking bubble 32 of the conventional socket 26 of FIGS. 2A-2C to a precise clock angle within the jaws 40 of vice clamp 36. However, as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 of clocking assembly 100 has a clear and the distinct indicium 120 that is configured to precisely align with one of a number of the indicia 128 of the adapter holder sub-assembly 104.

(20) In addition, the circumference and diameter of the grip surface 30 of socket 26 of FIGS. 2A-2C is relatively small, making it relatively easy for the socket 26 to rotationally slip within jaws 40 when the backshell 24 is torqued during assembly of the connector assembly 10. In contrast, as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the cylindrical body portion 114 of the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 has a relatively large cylindrical surface 119 that is configured to engage with the complementary clamp interior 124 of the clamp portion 122 of the adapter holder sub-assembly. This increase in diameter and circumference of the cylindrical body portion 114 means that it is more difficult for the cylindrical body portion 114 to slip within the clamp portion 122 when the clamp portion 122 is in the clamped configuration.

(21) It should be understood that the socket adapter sub-assembly 102 may include additional indicia, such as an identifier for the socket and/or connector type for the socket adapter sub-assembly 102. Conventional sockets 26 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B) may include a model number marked on a back end of the socket 26. Thus, when a conventional socket 26 is adapted for use as a socket portion 106 of a socket adapter sub-assembly 102, the model number is not visible. Thus, it may be desirable to provide additional indicia 128 elsewhere on the socket adapter sub-assembly 102, in order to permit easy identification of the socket portion 106 used with the socket adapter sub-assembly 102.

(22) The clocking assembly 100 may be assembled in a number of different ways. In this regard, FIGS. 5A through 5E illustrate detailed views of a socket adapter sub-assembly 102(1) and its components, according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, a cylindrical body portion 114(1) has a threaded central bore 130(1) extending into the cylindrical body portion 114(1). The cylindrical body portion 114(1) also includes a pair of guide pin openings 132(1), each containing a guide pin 134(1), such as a dowel pin, that extends out from a first end 116(1) of an adapter portion 112(1) of the socket adapter sub-assembly 102(1). It should be understood that other types of guide pins or other guide features may be used as well. In this example, a threaded bolt 136(1) or other threaded fastener is guided through a socket interior 137(1) and extends through a central opening 138(1) of a socket portion 106(1) to engage with the threaded central bore 130(1) of the adapter portion 112(1) (see FIG. 5C). As also shown by FIG. 5C, the bolt 136(1) abuts an internal stop 140(1), thereby securely retaining the socket portion 106(1) against the adapter portion 112(1). To maintain alignment between the key portions 144(1) and a clocking bubble 146(1) of the socket portion 106(1) and a pointer 120(1) of the adapter portion 112(1), the socket portion 106(1) has a pair of recesses 142(1) each configured to receive one of the guide pins 134(1) extending from the adapter portion 112(1). In this manner, when the bolt 136(1) is tightened to secure the socket portion 106(1) against the adapter portion 112(1), the guide pins 134(1) engage the recesses 142(1) to prevent any rotational movement of the socket portion 106(1) with respect to the adapter portion 112(1). As shown by FIGS. 5D and 5E, the recesses 142(1) in this example are machined grooves, but it should be understood that other types of recesses, such as holes, may be used. In this example, the socket portion 106(1) may be a modified version of conventional socket 26 of FIGS. 2A and 2B, with the only necessary modifications being the addition of the recesses 142(1). In this manner, conventional sockets 26 can be modified to be used as the socket portions 106 for a clocking assembly, such as clocking assembly 100, with minimal time and expense.

(23) Some conventional sockets 26 having smaller diameters may not be suitable for use in the arrangement of FIGS. 5A through 5E, because the socket interior 137(2) may be too small to accommodate an appropriately sized bolt 136(2). In this regard, FIGS. 6A through 6E illustrate a socket adapter sub-assembly 102(2) according to another embodiment. In this example, an adapter portion 112(2) has a central bore 148(2) with an internal stop 150(2), such that the bolt 136(2) can be inserted through the adapter portion 112(2) from a second end 118(2) of the adapter portion 112(2). In this example, a socket portion 106(2) may be modified to include a threaded opening 152(2), as well as the recesses 142(2). Thus, in this embodiment, the threaded bolt 136(2) instead engages with the threaded opening 152(2) of the socket portion 106(2), thereby retaining the adapter portion 112(2) against the socket portion 106(2).

(24) In the embodiments of FIGS. 5A-6E, the adapter portions 112(1) and 112(2) have a common diameter. This permits different socket adapter sub-assemblies 102 with different types of socket portions 106 to be quickly and efficiently replaced within a common adapter holder sub-assembly 104. In one embodiment, a plurality of different socket adapter sub-assemblies 102, all having adapter portions 112 with a common diameter, may be provided as part of a set or kit, to be used with a single adapter holder sub-assembly 104. One advantage of this arrangement is that the adapter holder sub-assembly 104 could be fixed in place within the vice clamp 36, such that only the clamp portion 122 is required to be tightened or loosened in order to secure or replace one of the socket adapter sub-assemblies 102. In addition, in some embodiments, the force required to secure the clamp portion 122 is significantly less than the force required to secure the vice clamp 36, thereby subjecting a user's hands and wrists to less stress and discomfort when changing out different socket adapter sub-assemblies 102.

(25) It should be understood that the adapter holder sub-assembly 104 may also have different configurations and modifications. In this regard, FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded isometric view of an adapter holder sub-assembly 104(1), which is similar to the adapter holder sub-assembly 104 of FIGS. 3A through 4B. In this embodiment, a clamp portion 122(1) includes a clamp interior 124(1) with a slit 154(1) extending along the top end of the clamp portion 122(1). In this example, a pair of threaded clamp bolts 156(1) extends into the clamp portion 122(1) and spans the slit 154(1) and pulls the sides of the clamp interior 124(1) together, thereby causing the clamp interior 124(1) to function as an integral clamp mechanism around the socket adapter sub-assembly 102(1). In this example, a separate face portion 126(1) has a number of openings 158(1) corresponding to complementary openings 160(1) on the clamp portion 122(1). A number of bolts 162(1) or other fasteners are configured to secure the face portion 126(1) to the clamp portion 122(1) in this embodiment. In this embodiment, bolts 162(1) are threaded bolts and openings 160(1) are threaded openings, but it should be understood that other types of fastening methods may be used. One advantage of this arrangement is that the face portion 126(1) may be formed of a different material than the clamp portion 122(1), for example to reduce expenses or to more easily print or etch the clock angle indicators 128(1) onto the face portion 126(1).

(26) Referring now to FIG. 8, it is also possible to form an adapter holder sub-assembly 104(2) as an integral component. In this embodiment, the clock angle indicators 128(2) may be printed or etched directly onto a face 164(2) of a unitary clamp portion 122(2). One advantage of this arrangement is a reduction in the number of parts required for the adapter holder sub-assembly 104(2).

(27) Referring now to FIGS. 9A-9C, an alternative adapter holder sub-assembly 104(3) may be configured to use an unmodified, off-the-shelf socket portion 106(3) with the adapter portion 112(3) having a central bore 130(3) with a square cross-section. In this embodiment, the threaded bolt 136(3) includes a spindle portion 166(3) disposed between a bolt head 168(3) and a threaded portion 170(3). In this embodiment, the spindle portion 166(3) has a square cross-section with substantially the same area as the cross-section of the central bore 130(3), which is also substantially the same area as cross-section of the square central opening 138(3) of the off-the-shelf socket portion 106(3), illustrated in FIG. 9C, and which is similar to the square central opening 138(1) of the socket portion 106(1) of FIGS. 5A-5E, discussed in detail above.

(28) In this embodiment, the bolt 136(3) extends through the central opening 138(3) of the socket portion 106(3) and the central bore 130(3) of the adapter portion 112(3). In this embodiment, a washer 172(3) is disposed around the distal end of the threaded portion 170(3) of the bolt 136(3) extending out from the central bore 130(3) of the adapter portion 112 (3), and a threaded nut 174(3) or another type of complementary threaded member is secured at the distal end of the threaded portion 170(3) of the bolt 136(3) extending out from the central bore 130(3). As shown in FIG. 9C, the socket portion 106(3) and adapter portion 112(3) are securely held in place by the bolt head 168(3) at one end and the threaded nut 174(3) and the washer 172(3) at the other end. In this embodiment, the square cross-section of the spindle portion 166(3) fixes the socket portion 106(3) with respect to the adapter portion 112(3) with respect to each other, and prevents the socket portion 106(3) and the adapter portion 112(3) from rotating with respect to each other without modifying the off-the-shelf socket portion 106(3). It should be understood that the spindle portion 166(3), central opening 138(3) and/or central bore 130(3) may have cross-sections with different shapes, such as another regular polygon, such as a hexagon for example, an irregular polygon, a semicircle, or other non-circular shape, configured to interlock and inhibit rotation or other movement of the socket portion 106(3) with respect to the adapter portion 112(3).

(29) Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the preferred embodiments of the disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.