Radio frequency (rf) connector having integrated weather protection system (wps)

Abstract

An RF connector having an integral weather protection system for protecting the connector from water, ice, salt, debris and other foreign damage. The connector comprises a Weather Protection (WP) assembly circumscribing a connector body, which, in turn, sealably mounts to a coaxial cable. The WP assembly comprises a housing, a compliant sealing ring and a biasing element. The WP housing sealably mounts over an end of the connector body and defines an aperture at an opposite end thereof to receive the coaxial cable and facilitate axial translation of the housing relative to the connector body. The compliant sealing ring has an inwardly facing sealing surface which defines a diameter dimension. And, the biasing element is reconfigurable from an expanded to a collapsed state in response to axial displacement of the housing relative to the connector body. Operationally, the biasing element engages the compliant ring to expand the diameter dimension of the biasing element around a portion an interface port, and closes over a sealing surface of the interface port to seal the compliant ring against the sealing surface.