Abstract:
A die storing and organizing system comprises a holder for storing and organizing crimp dies, the holder having a first side and a second, opposite side. The system further comprises a plurality of apertures in the holder, each aperture extending from the first side to the second, opposite side; wherein each aperture is adapted to receive a die pin.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 USC §119(e) of provisional patent application No. 60/453,783 filed Mar. 11, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a system for storing and organizing dies for crimping together electrical conductors.  
           [0004]    2. Brief Description of Prior Developments  
           [0005]    Crimping dies are employed in the process of crimping together electrical conductors. FCI USA, Inc. sells crimping dies, including those known as “W” type dies. The “W” type dies form a general circumferential crimp around a barrel section of an electrical connector. The “W” type dies are installed primarily in what is known as an industry “D3” die retaining groove. The “D3” groove is common in mechanical hand held crimping tools, such as the MD6 HYTOOL™. Other crimping dies, such as “X” type dies sold by FCI USA, Inc. may also be employed with some standard mechanical hand held crimping tools, including the MD7-34R POSI-PRESS HYTOOL™. U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,030, assigned to FCI, USA, Inc., describes further crimping dies, and the contents of this patent are hereby incorporated by reference. Accordingly, various dies may be used with hand held crimping tools to produce crimps across a wide range of conductor diameters. Advantageously, conductor size can be varied by varying crimp die size. Thus, operators of hand held crimping tools will often have a number of differently sized dies with them at a work site. Further, as some dies may wear out after extended usage, and it is not uncommon for one die of a pair of matching dies to be lost, the operators may also have a number of same sized dies with them at a work site.  
           [0006]    In view of the large number of various dies an operator may have available at any one time, there is a desire for an efficient system for storing and organizing these dies. It would further be advantageous if such a device employed standard crimping parts to store and organize the dies, which would minimize the cost of the device.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a die storing and organizing system is disclosed. The system comprises a holder for storing and organizing crimp dies, the holder having a first side and a second, opposite side. The system further comprises a plurality of apertures in the holder, each aperture extending from the first side to the second, opposite side; wherein each aperture is adapted to receive a die pin.  
           [0008]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a die storing and organizing system is disclosed. The system comprises a holder for storing and organizing crimp dies, the holder having a first side and a second, opposite side; and a plurality of apertures in the holder, each aperture extending from the first side to the second, opposite side; wherein each aperture is adapted to receive a die pin. The system further comprises at least one die pin received in at least one aperture, protruding outward from the first side and the second side; and at least one crimp die positioned on at least one die pin.  
           [0009]    In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a die storing and organizing system comprises a holder for storing and organizing crimp dies, the holder having a first side and a second, opposite side; and at least one die pin formed as an integral part of the holder, protruding outward from the first side and the second side. At least one die pin is adapted to receive a crimp die.  
           [0010]    In accordance with one method of the present invention, a method for storing and organizing dies is disclosed. The method comprises providing a holder for storing and organizing crimp dies. The holder has a first side and a second, opposite side, and a plurality of apertures are located in the holder. Each aperture extends from the first side to the second, opposite side, and each aperture is adapted to receive a die pin. The method further comprises inserting a die pin through an aperture so that the die pin protrudes outward from the first side and the second side; and positioning a crimp die on the die pin. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The foregoing aspects and other features of the present invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a prior art crimping tool;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a “W” type die for use with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a die storing and organizing system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of die storing and organizing system of FIG. 3;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the die storing and organizing system of FIGS. 3-4;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is sectional view of a die storing and organizing system, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a die pin repair assembly for use with the system of FIGS. 3-5. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a schematic illustration of a hand held mechanical crimping tool  10 . The tool  10  is a manual hand operated crimping tool useful for crimping connectors onto electrical conductors. However, in alternate embodiments, features of the present invention could be used with other types of tools. Thus, although the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, which are meant to be merely illustrative and therefore not limiting, it should be understood that the present invention can be embodied in many alternate forms of embodiments. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used.  
         [0020]    The tool  10  shown in FIG. 1 generally comprises a pair of movable jaw members  20 , which cooperate together in a crimping action upon actuation of a handle mechanism  30 .  
         [0021]    Dies  40  may be retained in tool  10  by die pins  50 . Dies  40  may comprise any suitable dies known in the art. Examples of suitable known dies include “W” type and “X” type dies sold by FCI, USA, Inc. A die  40  of the “X” type is shown in FIG. 2, which is meant to be merely illustrative of one type of die  40 . The “X” type die shown in FIG. 2 generally includes a crimping portion  60  and a mounting portion  70 . The mounting portion  70  includes two spaced-apart legs  80 , each having a pin receiving portion  90  bound by inward snap projections  100  for retaining die pins  50  within pin receiving portions  90  during conventional tool usage.  
         [0022]    Die  40  and die pin  50  may be made from any suitable rigid material, and in any suitable shape and size. For example, die  40  and die pin  50  may be made from a rigid thermoplastic material. Thus, during tool usage, die pins  50  may snap past snap projections  100  into pin receiving portions  90 , whereby die  40  may be affixed to die pins  50  of tool  10 .  
         [0023]    Die  40  may be positioned in die storing and organizing system  110 , as shown in FIGS. 3-4. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show top and bottom perspective views of system  110 , respectively, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in these figures, system  110  generally includes a substantially flat, rectangular shaped holder  120  in the form of a plate having a first side  130  and a second side  140 . The holder  120  includes a plurality of die holding pins  150 , extending through the body of the holder  120  and located substantially parallel to one another. Die holding pins  150  protrude outward from the first side  130  and second side  140  of holder  120 .  
         [0024]    As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, die  40  may be positioned on die holding pin  150 . In particular, one of the legs  80  of mounting portion  70  of die  40  may be positioned on the first side  130  of holder  120 , and the other of the legs  80  may be positioned on the second side  140  of the holder  120 . Accordingly, the thickness of holder  120  may be less than the distance by which legs  80  are spaced apart, as shown in FIGS. 3-4.  
         [0025]    Holder  120  and die holding pins  150  may be made from any suitable rigid material, such as a rigid thermoplastic or metallic material, and in any suitable shape and size. Die holding pins  150  may also be the same as or different than die pins  50 . Advantageously, holder  120  may be suitable sized to fit within its own carrying case for ease of transport.  
         [0026]    In alternate embodiments, the system  110  may comprise any suitable shape, such as square, circular, etc. Similarly, die holding pins  150  may be arranged in any suitable spaced-apart configuration on the holder  120 .  
         [0027]    Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a sectional view of die storing and organizing system  110  of FIGS. 3-4. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, die holding pins  150  may comprise standard die pin repair assembly  170  useful with hand held crimping tools, such as that of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 7, die pin repair assembly  170  may comprise die repair pin  180 , compression spring  190  and end cap  200 . The die pin repair assembly  170  may be positioned on holder  120 , as shown in FIG. 5, wherein the head  210  of the die repair pin  180  protrudes from one side of the holder  120  and the end  220  of the die repair pin  180  protrudes from the opposite side of the holder  120 .  
         [0028]    As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, die repair pin  180  may comprise a collar portion  240  around which the receiving portion  90  of one leg  80  of the mounting portion  70  of the die  40  can surround. The pin receiving portion  90  of the other leg  80  of the mounting portion  70  of the die  40  may surround the end cap  200 . Thereby, die  40  and the die pin repair assembly  170  may be affixed to the holder  120 .  
         [0029]    Advantageously, standard spring loaded die repair assemblies  170  may be used to replace worn die pins  50  from crimping tools, such as tool  10  of FIG. 1.  
         [0030]    Components of the die repair assembly  170  may be made from any suitable material in any suitable shape and size. One suitable die repair assembly is sold by FCI USA, Inc. as a die button repair kit (PT4931-1).  
         [0031]    In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, die holding pins  150  may be formed or molded as an integral, unitary part of holder  120 .  
         [0032]    An advantage of embodiments of the present invention is a die storing and organizing system, which may employ standard crimping parts to store and organize the dies. This results in efficient storage of tooling parts and also reduces the cost of the die storing and organizing system.  
         [0033]    It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.