Angled wire crimping tool

A crimping tool having an angled crimping portion and a method to use the crimping tool are provided. The angled crimping portion can be angled relative to the crimping tool handle or pivoting portion. The angled crimping portion can also be replaceable with various angled crimping portion having various angles. The angled crimping portion is also adjustable at different angles as needed by the user.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a wire crimping tool. More particularly, the present invention relates to an angled wire crimping tool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, planes, boats and trains have wiring harnesses in them. The wiring harness provides various functions including communications, power, control and electrical connections. Wire crimping tools having a straight crimping portion are used to service the wiring harness when a wire needs to be replaced or new connections made. In essence, the crimping tool can be used to remove insulations and to connect two or more wires together. The wiring harness, however, may be located in certain parts of the vehicle that are difficult to access. In cases where the wiring harness is difficult to reach, a crimping tool having a straight crimping portion may not work or is difficult to use to service the wiring harness. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide have a crimping tool having an angled crimping portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in some embodiments an angled crimping tool having an angled crimping portion is provided. The crimping tool may have replaceable or adjustable angled crimping portions.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a crimping tool is provided, which can comprise a first and second handle located at a first end of the crimping tool, a pivoting portion coupling the first and second handles together, and an angled crimping portion at a second end of the crimping tool, the angled crimping portion having an angle relative to an axis of the pivoting portion.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a crimping tool is provided, which can include a first and second handle means located at a first end of the crimping tool, a pivoting means configured to couple the first and second handle means together, and an angled crimping means located at a second end of the crimping tool, the angled crimping means configured to have an angle relative to an axis of the pivoting means.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of crimping a connector, which can include selecting a crimping tool having an angled crimping portion, placing the angled crimping portion with the connector, and crimping the connector with the angled crimping portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a wire crimping tool having an angled crimping portion and a method to service wire connections using the angled crimping portion. The wire crimping tool can be used to crimp different gauges of wire including 10 to 22 gauges. In other embodiments, the wire crimping tool can be used to crimp wire terminals.

FIG. 1illustrates a wire crimping tool10having an angled crimping portion25. The wire crimping tool10includes a first body11, a second body15, a handle portion12, a pivoting portion14, a pivot point16, and the angled crimping portion25. The wire crimping tool10may be made of any materials including steel, aluminum, and tin. The material chosen should be of a material of sufficient strength for the intended purpose of the wire crimping tool10.

The handle portion12is at one end of each of the bodies11,15of the wire crimping tool10and is configured to interact with a user's hand. The handle portion's width may be larger than the rest of the wire crimping tool. The handle portion12may include an elastomeric covering to provide a better grip to the user's hand during use. The length of the elastomeric may be as long as the handle portion12or as short as desired by the user. The elastomeric covering can be any color and can be used to color code different crimping tools having, for example, different angles of the angled crimping portion25. Red can be used to let the user know that the crimping angle is 45 degrees, while blue can be used to signify the crimping angle being 60 degrees and so on. The second body15includes a stop13so that the first body11does not slide past the second body15during use. Alternatively, the stop13can also be placed on first body11for the same purpose.

The pivoting portion14includes the pivot point16, which is where the two bodies11,15of the crimping tool are coupled together. This allows portions of the two bodies11,15to pivot away from each other or to engage each other during use of the tool. The pivot point16includes a pivot pin17where the bodies rotate or pivot in relation to each other.

The angled crimping portion is constructed and designed to crimp and/or strip insulated and non-insulated terminals. The angled crimping portion25may include a first angled portion18and a second angled portion20. The first and second angled portions18,20are angled in relation to the first and second bodies11,15or the pivoting portion14. The first angled portion18can be angled at any degree in relation to the first and second bodies11,15or pivoting portion including from about 1 to 120 degrees. The second angled portion20can be angled in relation to the first and second bodies11,15, or the pivoting portion or the first angled portion18handle including from about 1 to 120 degrees. In various embodiments, the first and second angled portions18,20can be in the same or different angles from each other. By having the first and second angled portions18,20at various angles allow for more flexibility to use the wire crimping tool in various hard to reach places. Alternatively, the angled crimping portion25is one piece. That is the angled crimping portion is one continuous portion. Further, the angled crimping portion can be formed as one piece with the respective first and second bodies11,15. That is the first end of the bodies11,15is relative flat and the second end is bent at angle relative to the first end.

In one embodiment, the first angled portion18is at the same angle as the first and second bodies11,15, or pivoting position and the second angled portion20may be between about 1 to 120 degrees. By being angled at these degrees, wires that are unreachable or hard to reach with a straight crimping portion are easier to reach and easier to work with.

The second angle portion20includes a working portion22. The working portion22includes a teeth24and a receiving portion26. The connector or wire can be inserted between the teeth24and receiving portion26in order to be serviced. The teeth24and receiving portion26are constructed and designed to mate with each other. The working portion22can be used to remove insulation from the wire or to connect two or more wires together. There can be different teeth24and different receiving portion26as needed and the teeth and receiving portion may be of different sizes, shapes and features. The amount of teeth24and receiving portion26in the working portion can be as much as or as little as desired.

FIG. 2illustrates a wire crimping tool30according to another embodiment of the invention. The wire crimping tool30includes a first body31, a second body35, a handle portion32, a pivoting portion34, a pivot point (not shown), the angled crimping portion35.

The handle portion32is at one end of each of the bodies31,35of the wire crimping tool30and is configured to interact with a user's hand. The handle portion32may include an elastomeric covering to provide a better grip to the user's hand during use. The length of the elastomeric may be as long as the handle portion32or as short as desired by the user. The elastomeric covering can be any color and can be used to color code different crimping tools having, for example, different angles of the angled crimping portion as discussed herein. The bodies31,35may include a stripping portion42that includes holes formed when the bodies are pressed towards each other. The holes are sized for different gauges of wire. Markings of the gauge sizes may be marked next to the respective holes.

The pivoting portion34includes the pivot point (not shown), which is where the two bodies31,35of the crimping tool30are coupled together. This allows portions of the two bodies31,55to pivot away from each other or to engage each other during use of the tool. The pivot point includes a pivot pin37where the bodies rotate or pivot in relation to each other.

The angled crimping portion35may include a first angled portion38and a second angled portion40. The first and second angled portions38,40are angled in relation to the first and second bodies31,35, or the pivoting position34. The first angled portion38can be angled at any degree in relation to the first and second bodies11,15including from about 1 to 120 degrees. The second angled portion40can be angled in relation to the first and second bodies31,35, or the pivoting position34, or the first angled portion18handle including from about 1 to 120 degrees. In various embodiments, the first and second angled portions38,40can be in the same or different degrees from each other. By having the first and second angled portions38,40at various angles allows for more flexibility to use the wire crimping tool in various hard to reach places

In one embodiment, the first angled portion38is at the same angle as the first and second bodies31,35, or the pivoting position34, and the second angled portion40may be between about 60 to 90 degrees. By being angled at these degrees wires that are unreachable or hard to reach with a straight crimping portion are easier to reach and easier to work with.

The second angle portion40includes a working portion32. The working portion32includes teeth34and receiving portions36. The wire or the connector can be inserted between the teeth34and receiving portions36in order to be serviced. The teeth34and receiving portion36are constructed and designed to mate with each other. The working portion32can be used to remove insulation from the wire or to connect two or more wires together. There can be different teeth34and different receiving portion36as needed and the teeth and receiving portion may be of different sizes, shapes and features. The amount of teeth34and receiving portion36can be as much as or as little as desired.

FIG. 3illustrates the wire crimping tool10having replaceable angled crimping portion25according to an embodiment invention. In this embodiment, the wire crimping tool10can be constructed and arranged to have replaceable angled crimping portion25. The angled crimping portion25may include the first angled portion18and the second angled portion20as previously described. The tool10can include various angled crimping portions25(A-D) each having different angles.

The first angled portion18may in this embodiment may be flat or angled and may be split into two pieces, a first piece58integral with the angled crimping portion and a second piece66integral to the bodies11,15. The first piece58and second piece66includes a fastener receiving portion60that receives a threaded portion of a bolt52. The bolt52secures the angled crimping portion25to the tool10when coupled with nut56. Optionally, there may be a washer positioned between the nut and the bolt for better coupling. Although a bolt and nut are discussed herein, the angled crimped portion may be friction fit with the crimping tool10or other fastening means can be used such as a screw, magnets, adhesive, and rivets.

In one embodiment, the first and second pieces58and66are coupled together by being next to each other. In another embodiment, the first piece58can be received within the second piece66or vice versa.

FIG. 4illustrates the wire crimping tool10having movable angled crimping portion25. In this embodiment, the wire crimping tool10can be constructed and arranged to have adjustable angled crimping portion25including the ones shown as A-D inFIG. 3. The angled crimping portion25includes a first attachment portion70at an end. A first fastener receiving portion72is located in the middle of the first attachment portion70. A complementary second attachment portion74is located at an end of the bodies11,15. The second attachment portion74includes a second fastener receiving portion76. Once the first and second attachment portions70,74are coupled and the first and second fastener receiving portions72,74are aligned with each other, then bolt52can be inserted into the first and second fastener receiving portions and secured with the nut56. In some embodiments, the nut can be a wing nut for easy adjustment of the angled crimping portion25. As an example, the wing nut can be rotated in a first direction to loosen its connection with the bolt, thereby, allowing the angle of the angled crimping portion to be adjusted by the user. Once the angled crimping portion is angled at the desired angle, then the wing nut can be rotated in a second direction to tighten its connection with the bolt, thereby, holding the angled crimping portion at the adjusted angle for use.

In this embodiment, the angled crimping portion25can be further angled at other angles. In other words, the angled crimping portion25can be manufactured at one angle, for example, 15 degrees and can further adjusted to further angles such as 30-90 degrees or any angle desired by the user. This way, the user can have any angle (of the angled crimping portion) desired to reach hard to reach places and have one crimping tool instead of many that fixed at various angles. This reduces costs to repair facilities.

In operation, the user can use the crimping tool to crimp electrical connectors at various angles. The crimping tool can be used to crimp wire terminals. The crimping tool can be manufactured with the angled crimping portion having fixed angles. The crimping tool can be manufactured with replaceable angled crimping portion having different angles. Alternatively, the crimping tool can be manufactured with adjustable angled crimping portion. With the crimping tools described herein, a user should be able to crimp connectors even at various angles that previously could not be reached with a straight crimping portion.