Compression tool with adjustable pushing length

A compression tool for connecting end connectors to coaxial cable ends includes a die for supporting a cable thereon, a slider axially spaced from the die for compressing against an end connector, which is fitted around but not yet crimped onto the cable end, and a handle connected to the slider via an inner link. A push button on the handle can be selectively inserted in a front or a rear locating hole provided on the inner link. When the handle is pivotally turned downward, the push button forces the inner link forward while the inner link is pivotally turned about the push button, so that the slider connected to the inner link is pushed forward toward the die. By inserting the push button in the front or the rear locating hole, the slider can be pushed forward by a shorter or a longer length, respectively.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a compression tool, and more particularly to a compression tool with adjustable pushing length for connecting end connectors of different lengths to cables.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Coaxial cable connectors are well-known among people. An F connector for coaxial cable is typically screwed to a secondary interface connector for the coaxial cable to electrically connect to various electronic devices, such as televisions, citizen band (CB) and frequency modulation (FM) radios, and amateur radio systems.

Conventionally, a coaxial cable includes a central core, a dielectric insulator surrounding the central core, at least one layer of braided metallic shield surrounding the dielectric insulator, and a plastic jacket covering the braided metallic shield. The conventional coaxial cable also includes an end connector main body and a nut. The nut is compressed to couple with an outer sleeve of the end connector main body, so that the outer sleeve is inward compressed and deformed to thereby tightly connect to the coaxial cable. However, this manner of connecting the end connector to the coaxial cable requires extra cost and various tools, and, when working outdoors, the workers have to inconveniently carry the various tools.

Therefore, it is tried by the inventor to develop an improved compression tool for connecting end connectors to coaxial cables.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a compression tool with adjustable pushing length for connecting end connectors of different lengths to cable ends.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a compression tool that utilizes front and rear locating holes and a push button having first and second locating pin portions to control a length by which a slider is pushed forward to compress an end connector against a cable end.

To achieve the above and other objects, the compression tool with adjustable pushing length for connecting end connectors of different lengths to coaxial cable ends according to the present invention includes a die for supporting a coaxial cable thereon, a slider axially spaced from the die for compressing against an end connector, which is fitted around but not yet crimped onto the cable end, a handle connected to the slider via an inner link, and a push button provided on the handle for selectively inserting in a front or a rear locating hole provided near a second end of the inner link, so that the inner link is pivotally turnable about the push button. The inner link is pivotally connected at a first end to the slider. The front and the rear locating hole have different diameters, and the push button includes coaxial first and second locating pin portions for inserting in the front and the rear locating hole, respectively. When the handle is pivotally turned downward, the inner link is pivotally turned about the push button while being axially pushed forward by the push button to thereby axially move the slider forward toward the die. When the first locating pin portion of the push button is inserted in the front locating hole, the slider is pushed forward by a shorter length, and when the second locating pin portion of the push button is inserted in the rear locating hole, the slider is pushed forward by a longer length. Therefore, by inserting the push button in different locating holes, the slider can be pushed forward by different lengths.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIGS. 1 to 4, in which a compression tool with adjustable pushing length according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The compression tool with adjustable push length, which is generally denoted by reference numeral10and is also briefly referred to as “the compression tool” herein, is designed for connecting an end connector to a coaxial cable. The compression tool10includes a tool body11. On the tool body11, there is included a die support12, on which a die13is arranged for receiving a connector of any type therein, such as an F connector, a BNC connector, an RCA connector, etc. In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the die13is used to receive an F connector therein. The die13internally defines a recess14, which is communicable with an opening15provided at an upper front end of the tool body11. More specifically, the die13and the die support12can be integrally formed as one unit, or, alternatively, the die13can be removably assembled to the die support12.

A slider20is slidably mounted in a chamber16, which is provided on and closer to a rear end of the tool body11to be axially spaced from the die support12. The slider20is aligned with an axial line of the recess14and axially spaced from the recess14. A pivotally turnable handle21is connected at a proximal end to an upper rear end of the tool body11with a distal end normally extended forward and upward to contain an acute angle between the handle21and the tool body11. The proximal end of the handle21forms a forked arm22, at where the handle is fixed to the upper rear end of the tool body11. More specifically, the forked arm22is pivotally connected near a rear edge to the chamber16via a pivot shaft23. Particularly, an inner link30is arranged in front of the handle21to turnably connect to the slider20, so as to push and pull the slider20to axially slide forward and backward, as can be seen inFIGS. 2 and 5as well as inFIGS. 8 and 9. The die support12and the chamber16are integral portions on the tool body11. And, a tension spring24is mounted in the chamber16around the slider20to normally push the slider20rearward away from the die13.

The inner link30has a first end31connected to a rear end of the slider20via a pivot pin32, and a second end33extended into between the forked arm22of the handle21. The inner link30is provided near the second end33with a front locating hole34and a rear locating hole35, which have different diameters and are communicable with each other. The front locating hole34is diametrically smaller than the rear locating hole35. The inner link30is turnably connected to the forked arm22of the handle21via a push button40, which is installed on the forked arm22to selectively extend through the front locating hole34or the rear locating hole35, so that the inner link30is pivotally turnable about the push button40. When the push button40is extended through the front locating hole34to connect the inner link30to the forked arm22, the compression tool10can provide a shorter pushing length, as can be seen fromFIG. 5. And, when the push button40is extended through the rear locating hole35to connect the inner link30to the forked arm22, the compression tool10can provide a longer pushing length, as can be seen fromFIG. 9. That is, the provision of the front and the rear locating hole34,35enables the slider20connected to the inner link30to slide forward by different lengths.

An operator can switch the push button40between the front locating hole34and the rear locating hole35, so that the slider20is moved forward by different lengths. As can be clearly seen inFIGS. 3 and 4, the push button40includes a first locating pin portion41and a second locating pin portion42that are coaxial. The first locating pin portion41is extended from the second locating pin portion42, and has an outer diameter different from that of the second locating pin portion42. An operator can selectively extend the first or the second locating pin portion41,42of the push button40through the front locating hole34or the rear locating hole35according to actual need. For example, the first locating pin portion41can have an outer diameter one half as large as the outer diameter of the second locating pin portion42. Therefore, the first locating pin portion41having a smaller outer diameter can be extended through and located in the front locating hole34, while the second locating pin portion42having a larger outer diameter can only be extended through and located in the rear locating hole35.

The push button40further includes two end members43,44, which are located at an outer end of the first locating pin portion41and the second locating pin portion42, respectively, to restrict a depth to which the push button40can be pushed, so that the first and the second locating pin portion41,42can always be held at a predetermined position in the front and the rear locating hole34,35, respectively. By inserting the first or the second locating pin portion41,42in the front or the rear locating hole34,35, two different pushing lengths are available for the slider20. Therefore, the inner link30with front and rear locating holes34,35and the push button40with two diametrically different locating pin portions41,42together enable two standard pushing lengths for the slider20to adequately compress and thereby connect end connectors of two different lengths to cable ends.

A stop mechanism50is provided to one side of the forked arm22of the handle21. Please refer toFIGS. 4 and 6. The stop mechanism50includes an externally threaded sleeve51for screwing into an internally threaded hole (not shown) provided on the handle21, a ball52disposed in the sleeve51, a spring53disposed in the sleeve51for normally pushing the ball52toward a bottom opening54of the sleeve51, so that the ball52can elastically protrude from or retract into the bottom opening54. As shown inFIG. 7, when the end member44of the push button40has been pushed inward, the ball52is elastically pressed against the end member44, so that the second locating pin portion42is held in the rear locating hole35.

FIGS. 2 and 5show the relative position and the relation of the first locating pin portion41to the front locating hole34when the handle21is pivotally turned away from and toward the tool body11, respectively. To use the compression tool10to compress and thereby connect a relatively longer end connector F1to an end of a cable C1, first fit the end connector F1around the end of the cable C1. Then, the end connector F1located behind the recess14of the die13is rearward extended until the end connector F1is pressed against a center pin17at a front end of the slider20. For example, when the end connector F1is31mm in length, which is relatively longer, the operator has to select the first locating pin portion41and extends the same through the front locating hole34for pushing the slider20forward by a predetermined shorter length. At this position, the push button40is in a non-pushed state. When the handle21is downward pivotally turned about the pivot shaft23from an extended position as shown inFIG. 2to a closed position as shown inFIG. 5, the push button40is forward moved relative to the pivot shaft23and the first locating pin portion41forces the inner link30forward while the inner link30is pivotally turned at the front locating hole34about the first locating pin portion41. Accordingly, the slider20connected to the first end of the inner link30is pushed forward toward the die13until the end connector F1is radially compressed and deformed to tightly crimp onto the end of the cable C1. At this point, the tension spring24is in a compressed state. Then, the handle21is pivotally turned upward by a large angle, and a restoring force of the tension spring24automatically pushes the slider20rearward, so that the slider20retracts to a home position as that shown inFIG. 2.

FIGS. 7 to 9show the relative position and the relation of the second locating pin portion42to the rear locating hole35when the handle21is pivotally turned away from and toward the tool body11, respectively. To use the compression tool10to compress and thereby connect a relatively shorter end connector F2to an end of a cable C2, first fit the end connector F2around the end of the cable C2. Then, the end connector F2located behind the recess14of the die13is rearward extended until the end connector F2is pressed against the center pin17at the front end of the slider20. For example, when the connector F2is 27 mm in length, which is relatively shorter, the operator has to select the second locating pin portion42and extends the same through the rear locating hole35for pushing the slider20forward by a predetermined longer length. To do this, the operator has to pivotally turn the handle21upward by a predetermined angle and pushes the push button40. At this point, the end member44of the push button40is stopped by the ball52of the stop mechanism50, forcing the second locating pin portion42to stay in the rear locating hole35, as shown inFIG. 7. When the handle21is downward pivotally turned about the pivot shaft23from the extended position as shown inFIG. 8to the closed position as shown inFIG. 9, the second locating pin portion42on the forked arm22of the downward turned handle21forces the inner link30forward while the inner link30is pivotally turned at the rear locating hole35about the second locating pin portion42, so that the slider20connected to the first end of the inner link30is pushed forward toward the die13until the end connector F2is radially compressed and deformed to tightly crimp onto the end of the cable C2. At this point, the tension spring24is in a compressed state. Then, the handle21is pivotally turned upward by a large angle, and a restoring force of the tension spring24automatically pushes the slider20rearward, so that the slider20retracts to a home position as that shown inFIG. 8.

In brief, in the present invention, the push button40includes two coaxial locating pin portions, namely, the first and the second locating pin portion41,42, which are different in the outer diameter; meanwhile, the inner link30is provided near a second end33thereof with the front locating hole34that allows only the first locating pin portion41to extend therethrough and the rear locating hole35that allows the second locating pin portion42to extend therethrough. By switching the push button40between the front and the rear locating hole34,35, the slider20can be easily pushed forward by a shorter or a longer length and is therefore adapted to compress end connectors F1, F2of different lengths.