MOUNTING TOOL FOR A CONNECTOR

Abstract: The invention pertains to a tool for installing and removing a connector, comprising an elongated handle part (1) at one end of which there is a first and a second elastic shaft part (2, 3), said parts being at a distance from each other and said first shaft part (2) having a first gripping element and said second shaft part (3) having a second gripping element, said gripping elements being directed against each other and designed so as to fit into holes in the connector and to be removable from the holes by means of a turning movement of the tool.

Description: Mounting; tool for a connector The invention relates to a tool with which a connector can be installed to and removed from a counterpart, typically an adapter. The tool according to the invention finds particular utility in installing and removing so-called MU connectors. The construction of an MU connector is shown in Fig. 5 wherein the MU connector is denoted by reference designator 20. Two opposing sides of the MU connector have holes 23 in them. The MU connector is attached to and removed from a counterpart using a push-pull lock mechanism. Said MU connectors have been on the market for a short time and their installation and removal is carried out manually. From the prior art it is known an installation device manufactured by the manufacturer of the connectors the use of which is restricted by its big size (length about 300 mm), great weight (about 200 g) and complex mechanical construction, which makes its use slow, and a very high price. An object of the invention is to provide a tool for installing and removing MU connectors, which tool is small in size and thus applicable in small places, can be operated with short and simple movements thus speeding up the handling of MU connectors and saving time, and the structure of which is simple and the price of which is advantageous. These objects are achieved by the tool according to the invention, the main characteristics of which are given in the claims attached hereto. So, the invention relates to a tool for installing and removing a connector which has two opposing sides both of which have a substantially square hole in them, said tool being characterized in that it comprises an elongated handle part at one end of which there is a first and a second elastic shaft part which are located at a distance from each other, the first shaft part having a first gripping element and the second shaft part having a second gripping element, said gripping elements being directed against each other and designed so as to fit into said holes in the connector and to be removable from the holes by means of a turning movement of the tool. In accordance with a preferred embodiment said first gripping element comprises a foremost surface part which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle part, and at least one beveled side surface part, and said second gripping element correspondingly comprises a foremost surface part which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle part, and at least one beveled side surface part. In the operating position of the tool said foremost surface parts serve as countering surfaces supported against the rear wall of the holes in the connector, facilitating the removal of the connector from the counterpart. The rearmost surface parts of said first and second gripping elements may also be beveled. Said handle part is advantageously substantially straight in the longitudinal direction and curved in the crosswise direction so that its shape resembles a split cylinder. Advantageously said first shaft part has an inner surface part and at least one beveled side surface part, and the second shaft part has an inner surface part and at least one beveled side surface part, said inner surface parts being directed against each other. The distance between said inner surface parts is greater than the longest chord of the inner arc of the handle part. Said distance substantially corresponds to the thickness of the cable side portion of the connector. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 shows a perspective of a tool according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a detail of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale, Fig. 3 shows the same construction as Fig. 1, viewed from the side, Fig. 4 shows section A-A of a detail of Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 5 shows a perspective of a known MU connector. In Figs. 1 and 3 the handle part of the tool according to the invention is denoted by reference designator 1. This handle part 1 is substantially straight in the longitudinal direction and has a curved cross section. The handle part 1 has an upper beam-like part 17 and a lower beam-like part 18. The beam-like part 17 continues as an upper shaft part 2, and the beam-like part 18 continues as a lower shaft part 3. These shaft parts 2 and 3 are made of an elastic material. Both shaft parts 2 and 3 have gripping elements 4 and 5 (snaps) which in the operating position of the tool fit in the holes 23 of the connector 20 (see Fig. 5). The shaft parts 2 and 3 as well as the gripping elements 4 and 5 are designed such that the gripping elements 4 and 5 can be removed from the holes 23 by means of a turning movement of the tool. This is achieved by forming bevelings on the shaft parts 2 and 3 and gripping parts 4 and 5. Thus the upper shaft part 2 has an inner surface part 11 and a beveled side surface part 9 (see Fig. 4), and the lower shaft part 3 has an inner surface part 15 and a beveled side surface part 16. The upper gripping element 4 has a foremost surface part 6 (see Fig. 3) which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle part 1, and at least one beveled side surface part 7 (see Fig. 4). Correspondingly, the lower gripping element 5 has a foremost surface part 12, which is substantially per- pendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle part 1, and at least one beveled side surface part 13. The rearmost surface parts 10 and 14 of the upper and lower gripping elements 4 and 5 are beveled, too. In the example described here the upper shaft part 2 with its upper gripping element and the lower shaft part with its lower gripping element 5 are identical with each other. The tool according to the invention can be manufactured simply in one injection- molded plastic part. The tool according to the invention is small in size and can therefore be used in tight places. Typical length varies between 8 and 10 cm and the weight can be about 1 to 2 g. The tool according to the invention operates as follows: A connector 20 is removed from a counterpart by pushing the tool toward the connector in the direction of the optical fibers 22, supporting it on a rubber jacket 21 in the connector 20 until the gripping elements 4 and 5 in the tool snap into the square holes 23 in the connector. Then the tool is pulled out with the connector. A connector 20 is attached to a counterpart by attaching the connector to the tool manually, whereafter the connector is pushed into the counterpart using the tool. The tool is removed from the connector 20 by turning anticlockwise until the bevelings and flexion of the shafts 2 and 3 make the gripping elements 4 and 5 come off. The tool is then pulled out.

Claims: Claims 1. A tool for installing and removing a connector (20) having two opposing sides both of which have a substantially square hole (23) in them, characterized in that the tool comprises an elongated handle part (1) at one end of which there is a first and a second elastic shaft part (2, 3), said parts being at a distance from each other and said first shaft part (2) having a first gripping element (4) and said second shaft part (3) having a second gripping element (5), said gripping elements (4, 5) being directed against each other and designed so as to fit into said holes (23) in the connector and to be removable from the holes by means of a turning movement of the tool. 2. The tool of claim 1, characterized in that the first gripping element (4) comprises a foremost surface part (6) which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle part (1), and at least one beveled side surface part (7). 3. The tool of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second gripping element (5) comprises a foremost surface part (12), which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle part (1), and at least one beveled side surface part (13). 4. The tool of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rearmost surface parts (10, 14) of the first and second gripping elements (4, 5) are beveled. 5. The tool of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle part (1) is substantially straight in the longitudinal direction and curved in the crosswise direction. 6. The tool of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first shaft part (2) has an inner surface part (11) and at least one beveled side surface part (9) and that the second shaft part (3) has an inner surface part (15) and at least one beveled side surface part (16), said inner surface parts (11, 15) being directed against each other. 7. The tool of claim 6, characterized in that the distance between said inner surface parts (11, 15) is greater than the longest chord of the inner arc of the handle ρart (l).

Inventors: MUSTONEN HEIKKI, MUSTONEN MARKKU, MUSTONEN, HEIKKI, MUSTONEN, MARKKU
Applicants: MUSTONEN HEIKKI, MUSTONEN MARKKU, NOKIA TELECOMMUNICATIONS OY, MUSTONEN, HEIKKI, MUSTONEN, MARKKU
Application year: 1998
Main classification: H01R43
IPC codes: G02B6, H01R43