Abstract:
The present invention can include an apparatus having both a wire nut receiver and a wire insulation stripper thus allowing a user to strip insulation from wires and then connect them using a wire nut with the same apparatus. The apparatus can include a wire nut receiver defining a cavity having a proximal end and a distal end and one or more stripper blades disposed adjacent to the distal end of the cavity of the wire nut receiver. The apparatus can also include a driver, such as for example a hex driver, connected to the wire nut receiver and the one or more stripper blades. Alternatively, the apparatus can be configured such that the diameter of the one or more stripper blades relative to a rotational axis is variable, which in turn allows a user to easily account for different thicknesses or gauges of wire to be stripped.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/173,407 filed on Apr. 28, 2009, entitled “Electrical Wire Tool,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of tools, and more specifically to the field of apparatuses and/or tools for use in electrical work and home improvement. 
     2. Summary of the Present Invention 
     In the United States and other countries, many people, including homeowners and professional electricians, engage in sophisticated electrical work that includes the wiring of numerous electrical devices both within and without the home itself. Aside from the electrical work involving making connections, grounding wires, and ensuring safe operation of electrical devices, typical work includes both stripping of the insulation covering the wires as well as protecting exposed wires with one or more wire nuts. While the manual burden of a great deal of tasks has been lessened greatly with the advent of the electric or handheld drill, a great deal of electrical work is still performed manually. 
     While it is relatively easy to drill holes and drive screws, it is still relatively time consuming and hazardous to perform electrical work on wires. In particular, the manual stripping of wire insulation usually involves the use of a specialized hand tool or a knife to strip the insulation, which can invariably lead to injury to the user. While fastening of a wire nut is relatively safer for a user, it still is a time consuming and labor-intensive practice, particularly for larger-scale projects. Therefore there is a need in the art for a tool or apparatus that allows a user to easily and safely strip the insulation layer from one or more wires as well as increase the efficiency of the wire nut fastening process. 
     Accordingly, various preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the present specification. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention can include an apparatus having both a wire nut receiver and a wire insulation stripper thus allowing a user to strip insulation from wires and then connect them using a wire nut with the same apparatus. As described in greater detail below, the apparatus can include a wire nut receiver defining a cavity having a proximal end and a distal end and one or more stripper blades disposed adjacent to the distal end of the cavity of the wire nut receiver. The apparatus can also include a driver connected to the wire nut receiver and the one or more stripper blades. The driver can be any type of suitable driver usable with either a manual or power drill interface such that the driver will rotate the wire nut receiver and one or more stripper blades in response to an external torque. In other exemplary embodiments, the apparatus can be configured such that the diameter of the one or more stripper blades relative to a rotational axis is variable, which in turn allows a user to easily account for different thicknesses or gauges of wire to be stripped. In still other exemplary embodiments, the one or more stripper blades can be aligned at a predetermined angle to maximize their efficiency in removing the insulation from electrical wires. 
     These features as well as other features and benefits of the various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the appended figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus in accordance with one or more variations of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a portion of an apparatus in accordance with another variation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with another variation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to this preferred embodiments, but rather to enable any person skilled in the art of electrical tools to make and use this invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , an apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment can generally include a housing  12  defining a wire nut receiver  24  on a first end  12   a  and a stripper blade receiver  26  on an opposite end  12   b . The wire nut receiver  24  is adapted to engage with a wire nut (not shown) usable by one of skill in the art of electronics for fastening a wire nut to one or more electrical wires. In a variation of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment, the wire nut receiver  24  can be configured to engage any of a standard wire nut, a wing nut, or a grounding wire nut. The wire nut receiver  24  portion of the housing  12  can further define a hollow or channel though which one or more wires can be placed to engage with one or more stripper blades  14 . The stripper blade receiver  26  is adapted to receive one or more stripper blades  14  that function to strip the rubberized coating from one or more wires when the stripper blades  14  are rotated, for example by a drill motor. 
     As shown in the Figures, the apparatus  10  can include three stripper blades  14  arranged uniformly about a circumference of the housing  12 . In alternative embodiments, the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment can include between one stripper blade  14  and any number of stripper blades  14  suitable for integration and/or connection to the housing  12 . The one or more stripper blades  14  can be removably and adjustably fastened to the housing  12  using one or more stripper bolts  16  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Adjustment of the one or more stripper blades  14  allows for adequate clearance between the cutting edge of the stripper blade  14  and the wire sheathing to prevent any damage to the wire, while also permitting the user to adjust said clearance for different gauge wires when desired. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , in one variation of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment, the wire nut receiver  24  generally defines a cavity along a longitudinal axis X about which the entire apparatus  10  is rotatable. The stripper blades  14  can be arranged such that a cutting angle or leading edge is disposed at an acute angle relative to a plane Y normal to the longitudinal axis X. As shown in the Figures, in another variation of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment, the stripper blades  14  can be circumferentially disposed about the longitudinal axis X such that the stripping function is substantially uniform at any predetermined radius measured from the longitudinal axis X. In one variation of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment, the stripper blades  14  have a lead cutting angle that is less than approximately 20 degrees. More particularly, the lead cutting angle can range between 10 and 20 degrees. Alternatively, the lead angle of the stripper blades  14  can be approximately 15 degrees, which permits for self-feeding of the wires similar to the helix angle found on a threaded mechanical fastener. Other fasteners known to those of skill in the art that perform the fastening function, either permanently or removably, can also be used to secure the stripper blades  14  to the housing  12 . 
     The apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment can further include a driver  18  such as a hex drive flange that is removably fastenable to the housing  12  via one or more flange bolts  20  or other suitable fastening means. The driver  18  can include a drive  22  that permits a user to removably secure the apparatus  10  into a drill chuck, receptacle or receiver (not shown) of a power drill or other apparatus usable by electricians and home improvement enthusiasts. The drive  22  can be configured as a hex drive that generally defines a hexagonal cross section for easy integration into standard receivers on commonly used power tools known to those of skill in the art. Alternative cross sections are also possible for removably attaching the apparatus  10  to other suitable drivers, including for example square cross sections or any other standardized male/female engaging means. 
     In another variation of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment, the driver  18  can further include a post  28  of a predetermined radius for permitting a user to loop a ground wire into a suitable shape for attachment to the ground connection. As shown in the Figures, the post  28  can be disposed on an anterior side of the driver  18  adjacent to the drive  22 . The post  28  can be of a substantially cylindrical shape, or any other suitable shape and/or cross-section for permitting a user to properly loop a ground wire. In one exemplary configuration, the post  28  can be a substantially cylindrical shape with a diameter corresponding to eight gauge wire, approximately one eighth of one inch in diameter. Other shapes and diameters will be apparent to those of skill in the art. 
     In use, a user attaches the apparatus  10  to a drill or other rotary device (not shown) via the drive  22  (shown as a hex drive) and runs one or more sheathed and/or coated wires through the wire nut receiver  24  on the housing. Upon activating the drill, the apparatus  10  begins to rotate in the selected direction in response to the torque provided by the drill, which in turn causes the stripper blades  14  to remove the sheath from the wires. Upon removal of the sheath, a user can insert an empty wire nut into the wire nut receiver and place the newly stripped wires into the wire nut. Activation of the drill again causes rotation of the apparatus  10 , which in this functionality causes the wire nut to fasten the wires together. The user can then remove the apparatus  10  from the drill and use the post  28  to properly create a loop in the grounding wire, after which the electrical connections can all be satisfactorily completed. As is readily appreciated, the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment allows a user to easily strip and fasten wire nuts to one or more electrical wires without having to touch the wires or handle any sharp, electrified or otherwise dangerous implements in performing these tasks. 
     In another alternative embodiment, the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment could be used as a wire stripper only without the wire nut functionality by either fastening the stripper blades  14  directly to the driver  18  (depicted as a hex drive flange) or by replacing the housing  12  with another suitable housing (not shown) having a channel therein for receiving one or more wires. Thus for example, an alternative housing could include a larger diameter channel for receiving larger gauge wires. In another alternative embodiment, the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment could include a second alternate housing (not shown) that is adapted to engage grounding wire nuts that typically define a hole though the center and wings similar to those found on a wing nut, allowing one wire to protrude though the middle for electrical grounding purposes. Other alternative housings  12  and/or stripper blade  14  configurations should be apparent to those of skill in the art of electronics, along with any number of variations of the components of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment that could be readily adapted for any number of particular applications typically encountered by electricians. 
     In another variation of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment, the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment can be configured in such a fashion so as to allow for adjustment and/or variability of the stripper blades  14  to accommodate a given range of wire sizes. For example, the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment could include a conventional drill chuck attached to the one or more stripper blades  14  that allows, for example, the stripping of variable gauge wires similar to how a drill chuck allows for the use of 1/16″ diameter drill bit all the way to 3/8″ diameter drills. 
     In another variation of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment could include one or more chucks  30  configured as cams that allow for radial adjustment of the one or more stripper blades  14 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the stripper blades  14  can include elongated passages  32  that permit the stripper bolts  16  to selectively engage the stripper blades  14  at predetermined radii from the longitudinal axis X. In response to the position of the cam or chuck  30 , the stripper blades  14  will be positioned at a predetermined distance from the longitudinal axis to allow for stripping of the wire insulation without damaging the wire itself. In another variation of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment, the cam or chuck  30  can include a scale, indicia or other markings or indicators (not shown) to let a user know when the one or more stripper blades are disposed at an appropriate radius for use with any particular gauge of wire. For example, the cam or chuck  30  can include one or more numerical indicators that correlate a predetermined chuck position with the numerical designation of the wire gauge to be stripped. 
     Although the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment has been described with reference to a composite apparatus having multiple parts, it should be appreciated that the apparatus  10  described herein can readily be formed from a single component using CNC machining, molding and/or any other suitable process or manufacture. Alternatively, each component of the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment can be composed of similar and/or different materials suitable for withstanding the torque forces applied by the drill and the wire nut as well as the shearing forces generated by the stripper blades  14 . Suitable materials include metals, alloys, composites, hardened polymers or any combination thereof derived to provide the desired longevity and performance required by the apparatus  10  of the preferred embodiment and variations thereof. 
     As a person skilled in the art of electrical tools will recognize from the previous detailed description and from the figures and claim, modifications and changes can be made to the preferred embodiment of the invention without departing from the scope of this invention defined in the following claims.