Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6315118
-
Patent Number
6,315,118
-
Date Filed
Monday, March 27, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, November 13, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 206 223
- 206 338
- 206 340
- 206 341
- 206 470
- 206 464
- 206 465
- 206 408
- 206 411
- 206 413
- 206 701
- 206 716
- 206 723
- 206 725
- 206 231
- 029 747
- 029 748
- 029 729
- 029 745
- 029 809
- 414 288
- 414 287
- 221 25
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
The dispenser box according to the invention is characterized in that it is formed by two shells (14A, 14B), which are brought face-to-face along a joint surface (S), being duly fastened to one another, and jointly delimiting with one another an accommodation volume (V) suitable for housing the cabling accessories (10) to be dispensed in a roll, and in that it includes, externally, a docking element (16), such as a projecting rib or recessed groove, suitable for allowing it to be affixed to any other piece of equipment, for example onto a straight-line loader, that is to say a loader which is normally suitable only for receiving a linear arrangement of cabling accessories (10), with, at a distance from this docking element (16), an aperture (17) suitable for the cabling accessories (10) to pass.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the dispensing of cabling accessories to a tool suitable for putting them into use.
It relates more particularly to the dispensing of the type of cabling accessories which, like those commonly called terminations, are to be crimped onto the previously bared end of the conducting core of electrical conductors with a view to allowing them to be connected, in a simpler and more reliable way, to any connection terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
More particularly still, the present invention relates to the dispensing of such cabling accessories to a crimping tool, or, put another way, to the supplying of the tool with such cabling accessories.
This crimping tool may, for example, be of the type described in the French patent which, filed on Feb. 5, 1988, under No. 88 01355, was published under No 2 626 803.
It takes the form, in practice, of pliers which are supplied with cabling accessories with the aid of a straight-line loader, that is to say with the aid of a loader suitable for receiving a straight-line arrangement of these cabling accessories, whether they are put in place in the form of a strip within which they are successively linked to one another, of whether they are put in place individually one after the other.
This arrangement has given satisfaction, and may continue to do so.
However, taking the form, in practice, of an overall rectangular plate, a straight-line loader inevitably has a relatively restricted capacity in terms of cabling accessories.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject of the present invention, in a general way, is an arrangement making it possible markedly to increase this capacity, if desired.
It is based on the fact, known in itself, that, when they are linked in a strip, the cabling accessories of the type in question can be arranged into a roll instead of being simply lined up, the strip which they form itself exhibiting sufficient flexibility to be able to be wound up into a spiral.
More precisely, the subject of the present invention is, first of all, a dispenser box for cabling accessories, particularly for cable terminations, characterised in that it is formed by two shells, which are brought face-to-face along a common joint surface, being duly fastened to one another, and jointly delimiting with one another an accommodation volume suitable for housing the cabling accessories to be dispensed, and in that it includes, externally, a docking element, such as a projecting rib or recessed groove, suitable for allowing it to be affixed to any other piece of equipment, with, at a distance from this docking element, an aperture suitable for the cabling accessories to pass.
Via its docking element, the dispenser box according to the invention may, for example, be affixed to a straight-line loader, thus advantageously increasing the capacity thereof.
It is sufficient, to do this, for this loader to be equipped with a docking element complementary to its own docking element.
Hence, from this point of view, a further subject of the invention is any loader which, normally able to accommodate a simple straight-line arrangement of wiring accessories, includes, externally, such a complementary docking element.
When, by way of the docking elements thus provided for this purpose, a dispenser box is affixed to such a straight-line loader, it is sufficient to introduce, into the latter, the strip of wiring accessories which it contains, transfer taking place in practice thanks to its aperture and to that of the extremities, previously cleared, of the loader which is opposite that at which the crimping occurs.
Preferably, according to one embodiment which is particularly simple and inexpensive to produce, the two shells of the dispenser box according to the invention are of a single piece with one another, being articulated to one another by a hinge area.
For example, the assembly is produced by thermo-forming.
Preferably, also, advantage is then taken of the hinge area thus present between these two shells in order to form the docking element making it possible to affix the assembly to another piece of equipment.
Thus, the construction of this docking element advantageously does not, by itself, require any other particular provision.
The characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge further from the description which will follow, by way of example, by reference to the atached diagrammatic drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a view in perspective of a dispenser box according to the invention, and of the outer part, all that is visible, of the roll of cabling accessories which it contains;
FIG. 2
is a view of this dispenser box in elevation, represented empty, on a smaller scale and along the arrow II of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a partial view of it in cross-section, on a larger scale, along the line III—III of
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 4
is a partial view of it, in longitudinal section, to the same scale as
FIG. 3
, along the line IV—IV of
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 5
is a view of it in cross-section, on a smaller scale, along the broken line V—V of
FIG. 2
;
FIGS. 6 and 7
are partial views of it in cross-section, each along, respectively, the lines VI—VI and VII—VII of
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 8
is a plan view of the dispenser box according to the invention, represented opened out flat, seen from the inside;
FIG. 9
is a view in perspective which, derived from that of
FIG. 1
, illustrates the use of this dispenser box on a straight-line loader, the whole being seen from above;
FIG. 10
is another view of this assembly in perspective, seen from below.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
These figures illustrate, by way of example, the application of the invention to the case in which the cabling accessories
10
to be dispensed are cable terminations including, on the one hand, a metal barrel
11
, intended to be engaged, and crimped, onto the previously bared end of the conducting core of any electrical conductor, not represented, and, on the other hand, a collar of insulating material
12
, itself intended to be engaged on the sheath of this electrical conductor.
Such a cabling accessory being well known in itself, and not, in itself, coming under the present invention, it will not be described in further detail here.
It will be sufficient to indicate that, in the embodiment represented, the cabling accessories
10
to be dispensed form a continuous strip
13
, within which they are successively articulated to one another in a detachable way, and which, in itself, is sufficiently flexible to be able to be wound up into a spiral, in the manner of a roll.
According to the invention, a dispenser box
14
is employed for accommodating and taking out cabling accessories
10
thus forming a roll.
According to the invention, also, this dispenser box
14
is formed overall from two shells
14
A,
14
B, which are brought face-to-face with one another along a joint surface S common to both of them, being duly fastened to one another according to arrangements described in further detail later, and jointly delimiting with one another an accommodation volume V suitable for housing cabling accessories
10
to be dispensed, and, according to arrangements also described in further detail later, it includes, externally, a docking element
16
, such as a projecting rib or recessed groove, suitable for allowing it to be affixed onto any other piece of equipment, with, at a distance from this docking element
16
, an aperture
17
suitable for the cabling accessories
10
to pass.
Preferably, and this is the case in the embodiment represented, the two shells
14
A,
14
B are articulated to one another by a hinge area Z, and the latter by itself forms the docking element
16
.
The accommodation volume V formed by the two shells
14
A,
14
B is cylindrical overall.
Let A be its axis, as shown diagrammatically in dashed line in
FIGS. 1 and 5
, and as identified by its mark in FIG.
2
.
In the embodiment represented, this accommodation volume V extends in annular fashion around a central hole
18
suitable for allowing a spindle to pass while it is being filled with cabling accessories
10
.
For example, and as represented, the outer periphery of this accommodation volume V has an overall octagonal contour, and its inner periphery has an overall circular contour.
In the embodiment represented, the central hole
18
is lined in halves by each of the shells
14
A,
14
B.
However, in a variant, it could equally well be lined by only one of these shells
14
A,
14
B, or be bare.
In the embodiment represented, the two shells
14
A,
14
B, each respectively form, around the accommodation volume V, over at least a part of the periphery thereof, two flanges
20
A,
20
B which extend substantially perpendicularly to the axis A of this accommodation volume V, and which, contiguous with one another, define the joint surface S of these two shells
14
A,
14
B, such that this joint surface S is flat.
The docking element
16
extends longitudinally along one of the edges of the flanges
20
A,
20
B of the two shells
14
A,
14
B, going away from the accommodation volume V, and substantially orthogonally with respect to the axis A thereof.
In practice, this docking element
16
extends on either side of the joint surface S of the two shells
14
A,
14
B, being distributed in halves on each of them.
In the embodiment represented, the docking element
16
forms a projecting rib, and, exhibiting a shank
21
and a head
22
, it has, transversely, an overall T-shaped profile.
In practice, the shank
21
of this docking element
16
is no more than a portion of the flanges
20
A,
20
B of the two shells
14
A,
14
B.
Preferably, and this is the case in the embodiment represented, the longitudinal flanks
23
A,
23
B of the head
22
of the docking element
16
are oblique with respect to one another, approaching one another in proportion to their distance from the shank
21
of this docking element
16
.
More precisely, in the embodiment represented, the head
22
of the docking element
16
has, transversely, an overall trapezoidal profile.
Moreover, in this embodiment, it exhibits a groove
24
, longitudinally along the small base of its profile.
In the embodiment represented, the aperture
17
of the dispenser box
14
occurs in the side face of the accommodation volume V, at the outer periphery thereof.
In practice, this aperture
17
extends in the immediate vicinity of the docking element
16
, and, like it, it is distributed in halves over each of the two shells
14
A,
14
B.
In practice, this aperture
17
results from notches
25
A,
25
B each respectively locally affecting the shells
14
A,
14
B, extending symmetrically over both of them.
Preferably, and this is the case in the embodiment represented, the flange
20
A,
20
B of at least one of the two shells
14
A,
14
B exhibits, at the edge of the aperture
17
, a piercing
26
suitable for engaging a cabling accessory
10
by its metal barrel
11
.
For example, and as represented, this is the case only for the flange
20
B of shell
14
B alone, the flange
20
A of the shell
14
A being correspondingly truncated in line with this piercing
26
in order to leave free access thereto.
In practice, the piercing
26
extends at an intermediate level between that of the docking element
16
and that of the aperture
17
.
In the embodiment represented, the two shells
14
A,
14
B are fastened to one another by interlocking areas E which occur from place to place around the accommodation volume V.
For example, and as represented, four interlocking areas E are thus provided, in a rectangle, around the reception volume V.
One of them extends vertically below the docking element
16
.
It occurs, in practice, within a well
28
delimited by a stiffening volume V′, which, formed at this spot by the two shells
14
A,
14
B, for local stiffening of the assembly, locally runs along the reception volume V.
The other interlocking areas E themselves occur, in isolation, on the free surfaces of the flanges
20
A,
20
B.
In the embodiment represented, each of the interlocking areas E is formed by two bosses
29
A,
29
B which each respectively belong to the flanges
20
A,
20
B of the two shells
14
A,
14
B, projecting in the same direction on these flanges
20
A,
20
B, and which, complementary to one another, are interlocked into one another.
In practice, the innermost boss
29
A,
29
B, in this instance the boss
29
B belonging to the shell
14
B, includes, peripherally, from place to place, recessed over its outer surface, along its generatrices, grooves
30
in order to facilitate its interlocking into the outermost boss
29
A,
29
B, in this instance the boss
29
A belonging to the shell
14
A.
For example, and as represented, four grooves
30
are thus provided in recess on the innermost boss
29
B.
Preferably, in order to guarantee the integrity of the dispenser box
14
according to the invention, the two shells
14
A,
14
B are secured to one another in line with at least one of their interlocking areas E, and, in practice, in line with each of them, for example by bonding or welding.
Preferably, also, in order to stiffen the accommodation volume V, the front faces
31
A,
31
B of this accommodation volume V are each locally fitted with ribs
32
which extend in annular fashion around the central hole
18
, concentric with one another and coaxial with the hole.
Finally, preferably, the two shells
14
A,
14
B are of a single piece with one another, forming one and the same piece with their hinge area Z, and thus with the docking element
16
.
For example, the dispenser box
14
thus constituted is produced, on the flat, by thermoforming, as represented in FIG.
8
.
On assembly, a strip
13
of cabling accessories
10
is arranged in a roll in the part of the accommodation volume V delimited by one of the shells
14
A,
14
B, in practice by being wound in a spiral around the central hole of the shell, and the other of the shells
14
A,
14
B is then folded over onto the previous one, by pivoting about the hinge area Z, until the assembly is closed.
On completion of this closure, the two shells
14
A,
14
B are in engagement with one another via their interlocking areas E, the corresponding fastening possibly being reinforced by a securing feature, as set out above.
The externally endmost cabling accessory
10
, on the strip
13
, is engaged, via its metal barrel
11
, in the piercing
26
provided for this purpose at the edge of the aperture
17
, as represented in FIG.
1
.
If desired, in order to strengthen the retention of the strip
13
of cabling accessories
10
with respect to the dispenser box
14
, a strip of adhesive tape, not represented, is fastened straddling this dispenser box
14
, in line with its aperture
17
, passing around the outer part of this strip
13
.
The dispenser box
14
according to the invention is then ready for use.
For example, and as represented in
FIGS. 9 and 10
, it is affixed, in order to do so, via its docking element
16
, onto a loader
34
, which is normally suitable only for receiving a linear arrangement of cabling accessories
10
.
This loader
34
, which is thus in a straight line overall, may, for example, be of the type described in the French patent which, filed on Feb. 5, 1998, under No. 88 01356, as a corollary to the French patent number 88 01355 already mentioned above, was published under No. 2 626 804.
In order thus to be equipped with a dispenser box
14
, this loader
34
then, externally, includes a docking element
16
′ complementary to the docking element
16
of this dispenser box
14
.
In the embodiment represented, this docking element
16
′, in practice, forms a hollow groove which, transversely, has an overall T-shaped profile similar to that of the projecting groove formed by the docking element
16
of the dispenser box
14
.
In any event, the docking element
16
′ comes into proximity with one of the ends of the loader
34
, in this instance the end
35
thereof opposite that at which the crimping of the cabling accessories
10
takes place, and this end
35
of the loader
34
is cleared, in order to facilitate insertion of the strip
13
of cabling accessories
10
extracted from the dispenser box
14
.
Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and represented, but encompasses any variant implementation.
In particular, instead of being a projecting rib, the docking element of the dispenser box according to the invention may equally well be a recessed groove, the complementary docking element on the equipment onto which this dispenser box is to be affixed then forming a projecting groove instead of forming a recessed groove.
Moreover, this equipment is not necessarily a straight-line loader.
In fact, it could, for example, equally well take the form of the crimping tool used.
Claims
- 1. Dispenser box for cabling accessories, particularly for cable terminals, comprising two shells in face-to-face relationship along a common joint surface, said shells being fastened to each other, and together delimiting an accommodation volume for housing cabling accessories to be dispensed, an external docking element for affixing the dispensing box to another piece of equipment, and an aperture at a distance from said docking element suitable for passage of cabling accessories to the other piece of equipment, said shells being articulated to each other by a hinge area forming said docking element.
- 2. Dispenser box according to claim 1, wherein each of said shells has a flange extending over at least part of the periphery of the accommodation volume, respective flanges of said shells being contiguous with each other and defining a flat common joint surface therebetween.
- 3. Dispenser box according to claim 1, wherein said docking element comprises a projecting rib and has a T-shaped profile including a shank and a head at an outer end of the shank.
- 4. Dispenser box according to claim 2, wherein said docking element comprises a projecting rib and has a T-shaped profile including a shank and a head at an outer end of the shank, wherein said shank consists of respective portions of said flanges of said shells.
- 5. Dispenser box according to claim 3, wherein said head has oblique longitudinal flanks converging away from said shank.
- 6. Dispenser box according to claim 5, wherein said head has an overall trapezoidal profile in cross section.
- 7. Dispenser box according to claim 6, wherein a longitudinal groove extends along a small base of the trapezoidal profile of the head of said docking element.
- 8. Dispenser box according to claim 2, wherein said docking element extends longitudinally along adjoining edges of the flanges of said shells and away from said aperture.
- 9. Dispenser box according to claim 1, wherein said docking element includes portions of said shells on respective sides of the common joint surface.
- 10. Dispenser box according to claim 1, wherein the accommodation volume is of overall cylindrical configuration.
- 11. Dispenser box according to claim 10, wherein the accommodation volume extends annularly a central hole.
- 12. Dispenser box according to claim 10, wherein said aperture is defined in a side face of the accommodation volume of overall cylindrical configuration.
- 13. Dispenser box according to claim 1, wherein said aperture is located proximate to an end of said docking element, respective halves of said docking element being part of the respective shells.
- 14. Dispenser box according to claim 2, wherein the flange of at least one of said shells has a piercing at a border of said aperture.
- 15. Dispenser box according to claim 1, further comprising interlocking areas spaced around the accommodation volume for fastening said shells together.
- 16. Dispenser box according to claim 2, further comprising interlocking areas spaced around the accommodation volume for fastening said shells together, each of said interlocking areas comprising two complementary bosses belonging to respective flanges of said shells and interlockable into each other.
- 17. Dispenser box according to claim 16, wherein one of said pair of bosses is an inner boss and includes along generatrices of a sidewall of said inner boss for facilitating interlocking with the other, outer boss.
- 18. Dispenser box according to claim 15, wherein said shells are permanently secured to each other at said at least one of said interlocking areas.
- 19. Dispenser box according to claim 1, wherein said two shells are in one piece construction with each other and said docking element.
- 20. Dispenser box according to claim 19, wherein said one piece construction is thermoformed.
- 21. A dispenser box according to claim 1 wherein said docking element is complementary to an external docking element on a loader, the loader having an upstream end in alignment with said aperture for feeding the linear arrangement of cabling accessories from said dispenser box into the loader.
- 22. A dispenser box for cable accessories particularly for cable terminals, comprising two shells in face-to-face relationship along a common joint surface, said shells being fastened to each other, said shells together delimiting an accommodation volume for housing cabling accessories to be dispensed, an external docking element for affixing the dispensing box to another piece of equipment, and an aperture at a distance from said docking element suitable for passage of cabling accessories to the other piece of equipment, said docking element extending along adjoining edges of said shells and in a direction away from said aperture.
- 23. Dispenser box according to claim 22, wherein each of said shells has a flange extending over at least part of the periphery of the accommodation volume, respective flanges of said shells being contiguous with each other and defining a flat common joint surface therebetween, said docking element extending along adjoining edges of the flanges of said shells.
- 24. A dispenser box and loader assembly comprising a dispenser box, particularly for cable terminals, comprising two shells in face-to-face relationship along a common joint surface, said shells being fastened to each other, said shells together delimiting an accommodation volume for housing cabling accessories to be dispensed, an external docking element for affixing the dispensing box to another piece of equipment, and an aperture at a distance from said docking element suitable for passage of cabling accessories to the other piece of equipment, said docking element extending along adjoining edges of said shells and in a direction away from said aperture, and a loader having a docking element complementary to the docking element of said dispenser box for mounting said loader on said dispenser box, said loader having an upstream end in alignment with and spaced from said aperture for feeding a linear arrangement of cabling accessories from said dispenser box into said loader.
- 25. An assembly according to claim 24, wherein the docking element on the loader is located downstream of said upstream end of said loader.
- 26. An assembly according to claim 24, wherein each of said shells has a flange extending over at least part of the periphery of the accommodation volume, respective flanges of said shells being contiguous with each other and defining a flat common joint surface therebetween, said docking element on the dispenser box extending along adjoining edges of the flanges of said shells.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
99 04010 |
Mar 1999 |
FR |
|
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 202 103 |
Nov 1986 |
EP |
0 380 388 |
Aug 1990 |
EP |