Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Means to assemble electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-18
2001-07-03
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Means to assemble electrical device
C029S753000, C029S758000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253449
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of application tooling for connectors, such as optical fiber connectors, and particularly to a combination crimping and assembly tool for compressing a connector component radially onto a cable and for assembling a pair of connector components axially of the cable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many application tools, presses and the like for terminating a wide variety of electrical or optical connectors to terminals, wires, cables or the like. One type of application tooling involves compression tools for crimping metal components about electrical or signal conductors or coaxial cables to form a structural or mechanical connection therebetween.
Many types of connector assemblies commonly have cylindrical components which are crimped onto the exterior of an insulated electrical wire having a central conductor or a fiber optic cable having a central fiber or core. The component typically is fabricated of sheet metal material which retains its crimped configuration onto the insulated wire or optical cable. The crimping forces are applied generally radially of the wire or cable.
Once the component is crimped onto the wire or cable, this subassembly (along with other connector components) may be assembled in an outer housing or other connector component. Due to the ever-increasing miniaturization of electrical and fiber optic connectors, it often is difficult to manually effect these assembly operations, and there are few assembly tools, if any, that are available for manual operation.
For instance, in a typical fiber optic connector, a crimp ring is used to clamp the strength members of a fiber optic cable onto the outside of a ferrule plug assembly, with the fiber of the cable being inserted into the ferrule. A hand tool typically is used to clamp the crimp ring radially onto the plug assembly. This subassembly then must be inserted axially into an outer connector shell. These components are very small and very difficult to manually assemble. Even if an assembly tool was available, an operator would have to carry both a crimping tool and an assembly tool to completely assembly the entire fiber optic connector.
The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing a combination crimping and assembly tool which performs multiple functions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved crimping tool for compressing a connector component radially onto a cable and also for assembling a pair of connector components axially of the cable.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the tool includes a pair of jaws relatively movable toward and away from each other. Each jaw includes a first stage recessed area combining with the first stage recessed area of the other jaw to define a crimping cavity for compressing the connector component radially onto the cable when the jaws are relatively moved toward each other. Each jaw also includes a second stage shoulder area combining with the second stage shoulder area of the other jaw to define opposing arms for assembling the pair of connector components toward each other axially of the cable when the jaws are relatively moved toward each other.
As disclosed herein, the jaws are relatively movable about a pivot axis. The first stage recessed areas are closer to the pivot axis than the second stage shoulder areas. The crimping cavity defines an axis generally parallel to the pivot axis. The opposing jaws project in a direction generally perpendicular to the pivot axis.
At least one of the opposing arms is bifurcated to define a pair of spaced shoulders for straddling a respective one of the pair of connector components. Generally, the second stage shoulder area of at least one of the jaws includes different portions to accommodate differently configured connector components. Specifically, at least one of the opposing arms includes at least two shoulders spaced at different distances from the other opposing arm to accommodate different sizes of connector components.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Miller et al., Hand Assembly Tool For Modular Plugs, Western Electric Technical Digest, No. 53, p. 15, Jan. 1973.
Molex Incorporated
Tirva A. A.
Young Lee
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