Electrical connectors – Metallic conductor terminal having conductor sheath engaging... – Resilient or spring-biased socket or clip type terminal
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2001-11-20
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Metallic conductor terminal having conductor sheath engaging...
Resilient or spring-biased socket or clip type terminal
Reexamination Certificate
active
06319077
ABSTRACT:
The present invention is directed to an electric cable particularly designed for connection to a fitting, a method for the production of the cable, and an apparatus designed therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electric cables, as used for example in automobiles, comprise an electrically conductive metallic core which is covered by insulation. These cables must be attached, usually in groups, to terminal fittings which are complementary thereto.
In order to do so, the insulation is stripped from one end of the cable to uncover the core wire. The standard fitting includes an insulator barrel, which grips an insulated part of the cable, and a wire barrel, which grips the exposed length of the wire. In this manner, the group of cables is fastened to the fitting.
However, certain cables are subjected to greater abrasion than others. As to these cables, they are made abrasion-resistant by increasing the thickness of the insulation. As a result, the cable is of substantially greater diameter than the normal cables.
In such a situation, the abrasion-resistant cable will not fit into the standard insulator barrel portion of the fitting. Heretofore, the solution to this problem has been to either enlarge the fitting or to provide an additional fitting which receives the abrasion resistant cable on one side and a standard sized cable on the other. Both of these solutions require special fittings and special handling for the abrasion resistant cable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, among the objects of the present invention to provide a means whereby abrasion-resistant cables can be used with standard sized fittings, thereby avoiding the special handling which has heretofore been required. The invention is described herein with respect to abrasion-resistant cables, but it is understood that it is applicable to any enlarged diameter cable, regardless of the reason for the enlargement.
In the cable connector combination of the present invention, the abrasion-resistant cable includes the usual electrically conductive wire core surrounded by an extra-thick insulating sheath, along with a terminal fitting which includes a wire barrel and an insulator barrel. The former is adapted to grip the exposed length of bare wire core, while the latter grips a reduced diameter portion of the sheath. The exposed length of the cable is formed by stripping the insulation completely from one end, and the reduced diameter portion of the sheath is formed by stripping part of the insulation from the cable, preferably at a point adjacent the exposed length. The reduced diameter is the same as the outer diameter of a normal sized cable and, therefore, will fit easily and readily into the standard insulator barrel (and hence into a standard cavity in the housing), while the diameter of the sheath is too large to do so. Thus, no special fittings are required, the housing can have a plurality of cavities, all of the same size, and the abrasion-resistant cables can be handled along with the others.
The cable is preferably prepared by simultaneously removing part of the sheath to leave the desired reduced diameter and removing the sheath completely at the end in order to form the exposed length. Thus, in a single step, the abrasion resistant cable can be prepared for insertion into a standard fitting. Of course, the desired portions of the sheath may also be removed in separate operations.
To carry out the method of simultaneously removing the aforementioned portions of the sheath, a particular stripping device has been found especially useful. It includes a pair of clamping arms which are capable of moving between a closed position, wherein the faces of the arms press firmly against the outer surface of the sheath of the cable, and an open position, wherein the faces are out of contact with the sheath. These elements cooperate to hold the cable while stripping takes place. The active portion of the device is at least one pair of cutters which move toward and away from the axis of the cable. When in cutting position, the tips of both cutters penetrate the cable sheath, one extending to the periphery of the wire core, and the other terminating at a distance from the axis of the core which is substantially equal to one half the reduced diameter to be produced. In a preferred form of the device, there are two pairs of cutters, the second pair being substantially diametrically opposite the first pair.
The arms supporting the cutters are capable of rotational movement, bringing the cutters into and out of the cutting position, and sliding motion, moving the cutters parallel to the axis of the cable toward and away from the clamping arms. After cutting has taken place, movement of the cutters axially away from the clamping arms strips off the unwanted portions of the sheath, thereby leaving the cable having both the exposed length and the reduced diameter portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4840578 (1989-06-01), Sato
patent: 4979912 (1990-12-01), Shindo et al.
patent: 5222898 (1993-06-01), Fedder et al.
Bierman, Muserlian and Lucas
Paumen Gary
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
LandOfFree
Cable connector combination, method of making it and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Cable connector combination, method of making it and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cable connector combination, method of making it and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2583665