1. Field of the Invention
Crimping apparatus for crimping separate parts of a metal sleeve arranged concentrically about the junction between a shielded cable and a plug connector, such that upon a single angular movement of an annular operating member in a given direction about its longitudinal axis, one end of the sleeve is crimped to the plug in one manner, and the other end of the sleeve is crimped to the shielded cable in another manner.
2. Description of Related Art
Various models of crimping devices are well known in the electrical connector art, as shown, for example, by the prior U.S. patents to Schmode No. 6,997,028, Hetland et al No. 7,055,361, Heggemann et al No. 7,325,438, each assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
The present invention was developed to provide a crimping device that can be used especially for the crimping of cables, where the terminal segment of a shielded cable (or conductor) is to be crimped several times with at least one metal sleeve in the exposed area. The invention-based crimping device is designed to create at least two or more axially mutually offset crimping areas in only one work step. In this way, the time needed for crimping is kept at a minimum, and one can also make sure that the two crimping areas always have a constant interval from each other.
Preferably, two or more axially mutually offset crimping dies are provided, which again, in a particularly preferred manner, are coupled together in a non-rotatable fashion. These crimping dies are of simple structure and preferably include crimping dies that are coupled together in a non-rotatable fashion and that in each case act upon radially displaceable crimping bars.
Preferably, the crimping depth of at least one crimping die is made adjustable, and the crimping depth of the other crimping die is firmly preset in order to be able to make or process the various crimping depths and cable diameters.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for crimping separate parts of a protective metal sleeve arranged concentrically about the junction between a shielded cable and a plug connector, including a pair of colinearly arranged annular crimping dies that are operable by an annular operating member arranged concentrically about the crimping dies, such that upon a single movement of the operating member in a given direction, one end of the sleeve is crimped to the plug in one manner, and the other end of the sleeve is crimped to the shielded cable in another manner.
According to another object of the invention, an annular operating member is journaled for angular displacement about a fixed support shaft such that upon a single angular displacement of the operating member from a retracted position to a crimping position, two annular cam members connected with the operating member displace two sets of radially arranged crimping rods axially inwardly to crimp separate parts of the metal sleeve in a desired distinctive manner to a plug and to a shielded cable connected with the plug, respectively.
According to a more specific object of the invention, adjustable stop means limit the extent of angular displacement of the operating member, thereby to control the depth of crimp produced by at least on of the sets of crimping rods.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:
a and 3b are front and side elevation views, respectively, of the apparatus of
c is a sectional view taken along line c-c of
d is an enlarged detailed view of the section indicated by the box outline in
a-4c are side elevation, front perspective, and rear perspective views, respectively, of a metal sleeve member arranged concentrically about the junction between a female plug and a shielded cable prior to the crimping operation, and
FIGS. 5a and 5b are front and rear perspective views of the sleeve when crimped at opposite ends to the junction between the plug and the shielded cable;
a and 12b are front and detailed views, respectively, of the crimping apparatus second die means, with certain parts removed, when in the retracted loading condition, and
a and 13b are corresponding views of the crimping apparatus when in the crimping condition; and
a and 14b are front and detailed views, respectively, of the crimping apparatus first die means, with certain parts removed, when in the retracted loading condition, and
a and 15b are corresponding views of the crimping apparatus when in the crimping condition.
Referring first more particularly to
Referring now to
Referring now to
The first and second die means include first and second annular cam members 15 and 16 arranged concentrically around the faces 26a and 27a of the first and second die members, respectively. These cam members are spaced by annular spacer ring 50 and are non-rotatably fastened to the operating member 11 for angular displacement therewith about the longitudinal axis of the support shaft 22. The cam members include on their inner circumferences cam surfaces 15a and 16a arranged for abutting engagement by the outer ends of the associated crimping rods 19 and 20, respectively. Helical compressions springs 21 (
Operation
Assume that the partially assembled connector arrangement of
According to another feature of the invention, in order to limit the degree of angular displacement of the operating member 11, and consequently the depth of crimp, a stop screw 47 (
While in accordance with the provisions of the Patent Statutes the preferred forms and embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made without deviating from the invention described above.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
20 2007 013 638 U | Sep 2007 | DE | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4041766 | Johnson et al. | Aug 1977 | A |
5038461 | Cerda | Aug 1991 | A |
6997028 | Schmode | Feb 2006 | B2 |
7055361 | Hetlund | Jun 2006 | B2 |
7325438 | Heggemann | Feb 2008 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20090083974 A1 | Apr 2009 | US |