Patent Application
20120227858
The present invention relates to separating the ends of twisted wire assemblies, and more particularly to an apparatus than when applied to twisted wire assemblies and rotated, will separate the wire ends, making the wire ends more readily available for insulation stripping and connecting to a terminal of an electronic or electrical device.
The rapid increase in the use of electronic and electrical products on a global scale has generated the need for skilled technicians to hard-wire electronic and electrical units into network configurations more rapidly and more extensively then previously. Many of the wires used in completing these hard-wired connections with terminals on the electronic equipment are provided as a plurality of twisted conductor wire pairs, with each conductor wire having a separate insulating cover. The twisted wires may also be provided with more than two wires twisted together for purposes of using the present invention. For convenience the present invention is described as adapted to untwist intertwined wire pairs, however, the apparatus and method of the present invention are applicable to multiple twisted wire structures.
Commonly, a plurality of individually insulated twisted wires are provided in a length of sheath that encloses several lengths of twisted wire pairs, with the sheath providing an extra measure of insulation. A flexible, solid core member may also extend along the length of the sheath. The core member is normally disposed between the plurality of twisted wire pairs to provide support for, and assist in maintaining the integrity of, the conductor wires encompassed by the sheath, and to absorb a portion of shock forces when the sheath is accidently impacted by outside forces. In addition, each conductor wire pair may include a non-conductive strand that is also twisted with each wire pair in the sheath. This strand also provides a degree of support and integrity to each twisted wire pair.
In using wires to complete an electrical connection, the portion of the sheath adjacent the end of the wire length is removed. Then, the twisted wire pairs must be untwisted along a length of about ½ inch to 1¼ inches from the tip of each wire, whereby each wire of a twisted pair is separated from the other wire. This is followed by removing, or striping, the insulation from the tip of each wire. In this configuration the separated and exposed tips of the wire pair are ready to be connected to the terminals of a piece of electrical or electronic equipment.
Presently, the procedure for untwisting each twisted pair prior to stripping the insulation and making a connection with a terminal is performed by the wiring specialist using his or her fingers to untwist the wires. Since the ends of the wires are sharp, this procedure may injure the fingers of the technician. In addition, if the technician's fingers are coated with a slippery substance, the twisted wires will sip through the technician's fingers, and remain twisted. Further, the task of untwisting the plurality of twisted wire pairs in a single sheath may be time consuming, thereby increasing the cost of labor in making the desired electrical connection.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device and method that can be readily used by a technician to quickly and efficiently untwist the connective ends of a twisted wire pair prior to stripping insulation from each of the wires comprising the twisted pair, and connecting the ends of each wire to the terminals of electrical or electronic equipment.
An apparatus and a method are disclosed for readily untwisting the ends of a plurality of twisted wire conductors that are to be stripped and connected to the terminals of an electrical or electronic apparatus. The apparatus comprises a shank having an end, and an elongated-shaped slot located in the end of the shank. The elongated-shaped slot extends into the shank a predetermined distance, and the slot has an opening adapted to receive the twisted wire conductors. The elongated-shaped slot has two spaced-apart substantially parallel walls that engage and grip the twisted wire conductors when the wires are inserted into the elongated-shaped slot. The shank is then rotated in a direction opposite the direction of twist of the wire conductors.
The method of the present invention comprises the steps of inserting the ends of a plurality of twisted wire conductors into an elongated-shaped slot of a shank, the slot having walls that functionally engage the ends of the twisted wire conductors. The shank is then rotated in the direction opposite the direction of twist of the wire conductors. The conductor wires are then removed from the elongated-shaped slot, the wire ends are separated and stripped of insulation, and the wires are then connected to the terminals of an electrical or electronic apparatus.
Referring to
In the illustrated embodiment of
The sheath 12 may also include a non-conductive longitudinal flexible core 18, made of plastic or other semi-rigid material, to provide strength and integrity to the wire conductor pairs 10a, 10b in sheath 12. In addition, each of the wire conductor pairs 10a, 10b also include a fabric or flexible plastic strand 20 twisted between each wire 14, 16 to increase the strength and integrity of each wire conductor pair 10a, 10b. As is known in the art, twisted wire pairs 10a, 10b have to be untwisted and the insulation removed from the ends of the wires before the wire conductors can be attached to the terminals of an electronic or electrical apparatus. In
In operation, referring to
To begin the process of untwisting and separating the ends of each wire conductor pair 10a, and referring to
As shank 22 is rotated clockwise, as viewed in
The exposed and separated ends of each wire 14, 16 are then stripped of about one inch of insulation, as is known in the art. The non-insulated ends of wires 14, 16 are then conductively attached to respective terminals of electronic or electrical units for the transmission of electrical signals and/or power to the units.
The foregoing description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. The description was selected to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application of these principles to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by the specification, but be defined by the claims set forth below.
