Claims
- 1. A cutting element configured for use in an electrical connector device for cutting two or more wires received by the electrical connector device, said cutting element comprising a member having a leading edge, said leading edge shaped for nonsimultaneously cutting multiple wires in a single cutting motion.
- 2. A cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein said cutting element is aligned with a receptacle in said electrical connector device for reception therein.
- 3. A cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein said leading edge is at least one of generally angled and generally non-linear.
- 4. A cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein said leading edge is generally angled.
- 5. A cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein said leading edge is generally non-linear.
- 6. A cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein said leading edge is generally arcuate.
- 7. A cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein said leading edge is beveled.
- 8. A cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein said leading edge has a notch thereon.
- 9. A cutting element as recited in claim 8, said notch on said leading edge being formed by a plurality of angled walls.
- 10. A cutting element as recited in claim 9, said notch on said leading edge being formed by two angled walls defining a V-shape, said walls forming an angle of approximately forty-five degrees with respect to each other.
- 11. A cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein said leading edge has a plurality of bevels thereon.
- 12. A cutting element as recited in claim 11, wherein said leading edge has two unequal bevels thereon.
- 13. A cutting element as recited in claim 11, said cutting element having an inboard side and an outboard side, said inboard side being opposite said outboard side, said inboard side being closer to a point of entry of the wire into the electrical connector device than said outboard side, each of said inboard side and said outboard side having a bevel thereon, the bevel on said outboard side being steeper than the bevel on said inboard side.
- 14. An arrangement of cutting elements configured for use in an electrical connector device for nonsimultaneously cutting a plurality of groups of wires received by the electrical connector device in a single cutting motion, said arrangement of cutting elements comprising a plurality of cutting elements in a side-by-side arrangement, said cutting elements configured to cut a first group of wires generally simultaneously and then subsequently cut a second group of wires generally simultaneously, all in a single cutting motion.
- 15. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 14, wherein said collective cutting surface is generally arcuate.
- 16. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 14, said collective cutting surface providing that less than all of said plurality of wires is cut at any one time.
- 17. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 16, said collective cutting surface providing that said plurality of wires is cut four at a time.
- 18. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 16, said arrangement of cutting elements being received in one or more receptacles in said electrical connector device as said cutting elements engage and cut the plurality of wires.
- 19. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 14, each of said leading edges having a notch thereon for engaging and cutting one of said wires.
- 20. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 19, said notch on said leading edge being formed by a plurality of angled walls.
- 21. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 20, said notch on said leading edge being formed by two angled walls defining a V-shape, said walls forming an angle of about forty-five degrees with respect to each other.
- 22. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 14, wherein each leading edge is beveled.
- 23. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 22, wherein each leading edge has two unequal bevels thereon.
- 24. An arrangement of cutting elements as recited in claim 23, each cutting element having an inboard side and an outboard side, said inboard side being opposite said outboard side, said inboard side being closer to a point of entry of a wire into the electrical connector device than said outboard side, each of said inboard side and said outboard side having a bevel thereon, the bevel on said outboard side being steeper than the bevel on said inboard side.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/039,082, filed Mar. 14, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (7)