Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Means to assemble electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2002-02-19
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Means to assemble electrical device
C029S747000, C029S750000, C029S857000, C081S121100, C081S053200, C081S124700, C081S177500, C081S459000, C081S007000, C081S142000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06347450
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates a tool for installing coaxial cable connectors on conventional coaxial cables.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Coaxial cables are used extensively for carrying signals to a variety of common devices such as televisions, VCRs, cable converters, radio systems and the like. Typical coaxial cables include a centrally located inner electrical conductor surrounded by an outer electrical conductor that is inwardly spaced relative to the inner conductor. A dielectric insulator is positioned between the inner and outer conductors. The outer conductor is protectively surrounded by a dielectric jacket. Conventionally, the inner conductor is made of a conductive wire while the outer conductor forms a sleeve made of a sheet of fine braided metallic strands, a metallic foil or multiple layer combinations of either or both.
Coaxial cables are typically provided with coaxial cable connectors mounted at each longitudinal end thereof. The connectors are adapted to be threaded into a complimentary interface port so as to electrically connect the coaxial cables to the various electronic devices. Most conventional coaxial cable connectors have a generally tubular configuration defining a connector front end carrying an appropriate fastener designed to mate with the equipment ports or terminals. The conventional cable connectors typically also define a rear end having either a single inner sleeve or inner and outer radially spaced open-ended concentric sleeves. When two concentric sleeves are used, the inner sleeve is configured so as to be insertable into the specific section of the coaxial cable in electrical contact with the outer conductor and electrically insulated from the inner conductor by means of a dielectric insulator. The outer sleeve is gripped to securely couple the connector to the cable and to achieve an electrical ground connection and weather seal.
Although conventional coaxial cables and conventional coaxial cable connectors adequately perform their respective functions, they collectively suffer from at least one major drawback. Indeed, although well designed for their individual intended purpose, they are rather difficult to assemble.
Mounting a conventional cable connector to a conventional coaxial cable involves a set of steps which require a good amount of force to be manually applied, without compromising the precision of the operation. In order to insert a coaxial cable connector with onto the free end portion of a coaxial cable, an individual must first strip away a predetermined length of outer conductor and dielectric insulators to leave only a predetermined length of inner conductor protruding from the end section of the coaxial cable. The individual must then secure with on hand the end section of the coaxial cable and use the other hand to force the inner sleeve of the connector into the cable end with the sleeve operatively engaging the outer conductor. When an outer sleeve is used, a crimp tool is used to crimp the outer sleeve on the outer surface of the protective jacket. This operation not only requires manual dexterity but is also tedious and time consuming. Furthermore, the relatively small cable connector is difficult and awkward to manipulate thus potentially leading to improper engagement of the connector with the conductive components of the coaxial cable. Furthermore, the relatively sharp edges of the connector and/or pointed tip of the conductors may puncture the skin of the installer thus potentially causing injury.
Grasping of both the connector and the cable reduces the accuracy of the mounting operation, which requires a certain degree of precision for providing optimal contact between the connector and the coaxial cable. Furthermore, small angular deviations of the connector axis relative to the coaxial cable axis may render the connection inoperative. Also, the length of the stripped portion of the inner conductor must be gauged accurately so that a predetermined length of inner conductor protrudes from the connector once the latter is mounted on the cable.
It is important to note that properly mounting a cable connector to the free end portion of a coaxial cable, is not a simple task: it requires a good deal of manual dexterity, to combine proper precision for ensuring a suitable connection between the connector and coaxial cable, with applying a sufficient force required to insert the cable connector stem between the alternating insulating and conductive layers of the coaxial cable free end portion against the friction of the resilient insulating material on the connector stem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,067 issued in 1981 to R. D. Rowe, shows a tool in the form of a pair of pliers, including two arms or handles which are each provided with a coextensive cutting element. The two cutting elements together form a jaw, with cutting edges inwardly oriented in the jaw, for cutting or stripping a cable. The lower end of one of the handles of the Rowe pliers is provided with a threaded free end portion which further includes a central channel. This threaded free end portion is destined to be threadingly engaged by a cable connector, for temporarily fixing the cable connector to the cable.
FIG. 6
of the annexed drawings shows the Rowe pliers
100
in an opened condition, i.e. with the two arms
102
,
104
being spread in their opened limit position. A cable connector is destined to be temporarily fixedly installed on the lower threaded end portion
106
of arm
102
. Arms
102
,
104
are pivoted at
108
to allow jaw
109
to be selectively opened, thus separating the cutting elements
110
,
112
and their respective cutting edges
114
,
116
.
Arrow A
1
in the annexed
FIG. 6
shows the intended direction of the pressure to be applied on a cable connector to operatively install same on the outer free end portion of a coaxial cable. This direction is aligned with the general longitudinal axis of the first arm or handle
102
. By manually grasping either one of the two handles
102
,
104
or both handles
102
,
104
simultaneously, a person can insert the cable connector onto the outer free end portion of the coaxial cable, without directly manually holding the small cable connector. For example if only first handle
102
is grasped as shown by the position of the hand H in
FIG. 6
, one can squeeze the handle with his fingers, and then axially push the cable connector onto the cable free end portion. If both handles
102
,
104
are grasped, handles
102
,
104
are then in a closed position (as shown for example in
FIG. 3
of the Rowe patent), and the hand position is similar to that of hand H in
FIG. 6
of the annexed drawings, although the hand will be more opened to fit around the spaced-apart pair of handles
102
,
104
.
In any event, the pressure applied by the hand must be applied according to the direction of arrow A
2
, i.e. aligned with the intended direction in which the connector is to be pushed. This is likely to result in the hand sliding along the handle
102
if only handle
102
is held, or around handles
102
,
104
if both handles are held. Indeed, only the friction resulting from the hand being forcefully closed onto handle
102
or handles
102
,
104
will prevent the sliding of pliers
100
in the hand. Furthermore, if only handle
102
is grasped, it will become difficult to apply sufficient pressure thereon to frictionally prevent the handle
102
from sliding, considering the small diameter of handle
102
. If both handles
102
,
104
are grasped, then in addition to the above-mentioned problem, it will also become difficult to prevent a slight angular deviation of the cable connector relative to the coaxial cable to occur while it is being installed, due to the fact that the tool will not be symmetrically aligned relative to the connector and cable free end portion, and consequently the tool is likely to pivot about threaded end
106
when downward pressure is applied while both handles
102
,
104
are being held.
To attempt preventing the hand from sliding on pliers
100
Langlois Gilbert
Langlois Pierre
Chang Rick Kiltae
Martineau Francçois
Young Lee
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