Abstract:
A multiple connector compression tool for use with multiple sized connectors and a cable is disclosed. The tool is designed to receive at least two different connector configurations. The tool does not require using adaptors which may be lost or misplaced. The tool has a long life because there are very few wear items while maintaining the ability to produce different connectors.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is related to Ser. No. 11/302,478, entitled Multiple Connector Compression Tool and Method, filed on Dec. 13, 2005 and is hereby incorporated by reference. 
   FIELD OF INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to compression tools for attaching connectors onto wires, cables and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a compression tool for use with multiple sized connectors and related method of affixing a connector to a cable or wire. 
   BACKGROUND 
   The electronics, telecommunications, and cable television industries have used a variety of cables and wires to perform various jobs. Each cable or wire has various size and shaped connectors based upon either an industry standard or in some cases a proprietary manufacturing standard. The industry has used compression tools to attach various size and types of connectors onto wires. The norm has been to use a compression tool having a universal compression head and then attaching an appropriate adapter to attach a connector of a specific length, diameter or other dimension. 
   This type of compression tool with an adjustable adapter to vary connector size is compact because it is designed to fit only one connector at a time. This is great for ease of handling and storage. Initially, in the early stages of a universal compression tool&#39;s life span the tool works as intended, but there are many drawbacks as the tool ages. One drawback is that the adapters can be lost or damaged. Another drawback is that depending on the design the additional moving parts create wear, looseness of the insert and eventual failure of the compression tool. The instant invention addresses the abovementioned drawbacks of the universal connector compression tool. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A compression tool for at least two different sizes of connectors without using adaptors to prevent premature wear and looseness of the mechanism. A first aspect of this multiple connector compression tool for use with multiple sized connectors and a cable, said compression tool comprising a body having a bottom surface, a first side and a second side; an actuator movably affixed to the body; a first compression chamber, positioned proximate a first side and configured for receiving a first cable connector of a first dimension; a second compression chamber, positioned proximate a second side and configured for receiving a second cable connector of a second dimension, said second cable connector being a different dimension than the first cable connector; and a first cable receiving portion, operably associated with the first compression chamber, wherein when a coaxial cable is positioned in the first cable receiving portion, a connector of a first dimension may be compressed thereon by movement of the actuator; and a second cable receiving portion, operably associated with the second compression chamber, wherein when a coaxial cable is positioned in the second cable receiving portion, a connector of a first dimension may be compressed thereon by movement of the actuator. 
   A second aspect of this invention is a universal tool for multiple connector sizes comprising a body having a bottom surface, a first side and a second side, each side having a guidance portion therein; a handle pivotally attached to the body between the first side and the second side; a sliding head having a protruding component, wherein the protruding component of the sliding head is both retained and movable within the guidance portion of the body; a toggle lever operably coupled to the to the handle and the sliding head; an first portion of the sliding head, for receiving a driver tip, for a connector of a first dimension; a second portion of the sliding head, for receiving a driver tip, for a connector of a second dimension different than the first dimension; and a cable cradle having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the cradle is affixed to the body between the first side and the second side and the portions reside in a plane substantially parallel with the bottom surface. 
   A method of affixing a cable connector to a wire comprising the steps of providing a body having a bottom surface, a first side and a second side, a handle attached to the body, a sliding head having a protruding component that is slidably affixed to the body and is configured to be coupled to the handle, a first compression portion for receiving a driver tip for a connector of a first dimension, a second compression portion of the sliding head for receiving a driver tip for a connector of a second dimension larger than the first dimension, and a cable cradle affixed to the body, wherein includes a first portion and a second portion both residing substantially parallel with the bottom surface; providing a cable connector; providing a wire; inserting the cable connector and the wire onto the appropriately sized driver tip in the body; moving the sliding head to drive the cable connector onto the wire forming a connector cable; and, removing the connector cable from the body. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The examples shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the claims and are just one possible manner of assembling the elements of the claimed features. One skilled in the art could prepare many examples that are equivalent in structure and performance to the claimed invention, but that they may differ visually while still performing the same function are still intended to be within the scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  displays a top perspective view of the first end of the tool; 
       FIG. 2  displays a cross-sectional side perspective view of the tool; 
       FIG. 3  displays a cross-sectional side perspective view of the tool with a connector end; 
       FIG. 4  displays a top perspective view of the second end of the tool; 
       FIG. 5  displays a top perspective view of the second end of the tool with the handle raised; and 
       FIG. 6  displays a top perspective view of the first end of the tool with the handle raised. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   A multiple connector size compression tool  10  for at least two or more different sized or types of connectors is shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . The compression tool  10  can be used while handheld or while resting on a surface, such as a table. The compression tool  10  has horizontally offset connectors  20 ,  30  within the body  100  to give the tool  10  a broad base that is ideal for easy mounting onto workstations or tables. Alternatively, the connectors  20 ,  30  may be referred to as adapters, couplers, or fastener members or devices. The configuration for receiving the connectors  20 ,  30  is permanently designed into the compression mechanism of the tool  10  to prevent the previous deficiencies such as looseness or misplacement of the adapters to fit various sizes. This allows for a simple tool with adaptability for multiple connectors without the problems associated with a unit designed for all possible connectors. 
   As displayed in  FIGS. 1-4  the tool  10  may comprise a body  100  having a bottom surface, base, footing, support, or underside  110 , a first side, lateral portion or first side wall  120  and a second side, lateral portion or second side wall  130 . Attached to the body  100  may be an actuator, lever or handle  140  having any means of moving or axially sliding the sliding head  160  forward or toward the cable cradle  190  with devices such as hydraulics, electronics or a mechanical advantage device such as a gear, screw, lever or handle. A handle  140  operable coupled to a toggle lever  240  at toggle handle protrusion  212  is depicted as one embodiment to the sliding head  160  at toggle slider protrusion  205  that affixes both the sliding head  160  and the toggle lever  240  into the guidance portion  210 . The lever or handle  140  may have a material used for a grip or other ergonomic design (not shown) for ease of handling and comfort of the user. The lever or handle  140  may be movably attached to the sides or walls  120 ,  130  of the body  100  by any of a number of devices such as a bar, catch, coupling, dowel, fastener, key, lag, latch, peg, pin, rivet, rod, screw, skewer, sliding bar, spike, staple, or stud. The body  100  could be any rigid material such as metal, composites, polymers or plastic that will not torsionally flex during the compression process. The body  100 , may be stamped, cut, shaped, finished, machined, forged, cold worked, heat treated or assembled with conventional fasteners, such as stamps, welds, adhesive, rivets, pins, screws, nails and the like. If made of a plastic, polymer or composite the body may be molded and either adhered or glued, welded or mechanically or chemically fastened together. The tool is not limited to any specific material as long as it is sufficiently stiff to prevent flexing or breaking of the body  100  for a period of time to permit a useful life of the tool. A first cable connector  30  and a second cable connector  20  are shown within the compression tool  10 . 
     FIGS. 2 and 3  display a sliding head  160 , wherein the head may be movably affixed to the body  100  and attached to either the first side wall  120  and/or the second side wall  130  or the bottom  110  of the body  100  and configured to couple with the handle  140  or alternatively it can be moved by an actuating member  240  that provides the benefit of retraction the sliding head  160 . The sliding head  160  interacts with the body  100  of the tool to compress the connector body onto the wire or cable. In the depicted embodiment, the wire or cable is inserted when the handle  140  is raised sufficiently to allow the sliding head  160  to move into an uncompressed position of a volume large enough to encompass the uncompressed connector. 
   The body  100  in conjunction with the sliding head  160  may form a first compression chamber  170  adjacent to the first side wall  120  configured for receiving a connector or a first cable connector of a first dimension  30 . Moreover, the body  100  in conjunction with the sliding head  160  may form a second compression chamber  180  adjacent to the second side wall  130  of the body  100  for receiving a connector or a second cable connector  20  of a second dimension different than the first dimension. Adjacent to the compression chambers  170 ,  180  may be a cable cradle or receiving member  190  having a first cable receiving portion  192  adjacent to the first wall  120  and a second cable receiving portion  194  adjacent to the second wall  130 , wherein the cable cradle  190  may be affixed to the body  100  and the receiving portions reside in a plane substantially parallel with the bottom surface  110 . It should be understood that although a cradle is depicted other shapes and devices may be within the purview of the present invention such as a fastener, catch, clasp, grip, lock, snap, vice, clamp, hole, guide, opening, aperture, cavity, chamber, cleft, cut, dent, depression, dimple, dip, gap, keyhole, lacuna, notch, orifice, outlet, or passage. The importance of the cradle  190  is for the purpose of holding or guiding the cable or wire during assembly of the connector. This side-by-side or parallel arrangement of the cable cradle  190  to the handle is designed for reduced height for maximum stability when it is rested upon or attached to a relatively flat horizontal surface such as a table during the compression process, but it may also be compressed while being held by the user. The cable cradle  190  has cable receiving portions of that are designed to line up with the compression chambers. 
   The sliding head  160  interacts with the body  100  of the tool to compress the connector body onto the wire or cable inserted. The cable can be inserted into the chamber through the cable cradle  190  when the handle  140  is raised allowing the sliding head  160  to move into an uncompressed position. To move the sliding head  160  a protruding component  200 ,  205  extends either from or into the sliding head  160  and may be configured to contact with the toggle lever  240  and/or the handle  140 . Contact may also alternatively be with the angled portion  150  of the handle  140  or the toggle lever or actuating member  240  may force the sliding head  160  to move towards the cable cradle  190  and cause the connector to compress onto the wire thus forming a connector cable. To guide and align the sliding head  160  a receiving portion  220  may be present within at least one side wall  120 ,  130  of the body  100  that may accept the protruding component  200  extending from the sliding head  160 . The angled portion  150  of the handle  140  may interact with a hinge  220  that pivotally affixes the handle  140  to the body  100 . This combination of angle and pivot may drive the sliding head  160  forward in a relatively linear manner when the handle  140  is closed against the body  100 . 
   To accomplish the task of providing a tool for at least two or more connectors without the drawbacks of adaptors the sliding head  160  in combination may define a first compressed length  235  that corresponds to the first compression channel portion  170  of the body  100 . Also formed is at least a second compressed length  248  that may correspond to the second compression channel portion  180  of the body  100 . Therefore the dimension of the sliding head  160  relative to the position in the body  100  may determine the size of the connector that may be compressed onto a wire and not an adaptor that can loosen over time. The cable cradle  190  may also be shaped to effect the volume of the compression chambers by varying the distance between the cable cradle  190  and the sliding head  160 . 
   Another optional feature that can assist in the control of the size of the connector may be the guidance portion  210  to prevent over compression of the connectors when it hits the protrusion  200 ,  205  on the sliding head  160  that may block further travel in the extreme of either direction. 
   To ensure proper alignment during compression and to protect the center conductor from crushing in a connector or a wire, a driver tip may optionally be incorporated into the tool. Each connector may have a driver tip to fit the specific type of connector so that there may be a first driver tip  260  for the first compression channel portion  170  of the sliding head for receiving the connector of the first dimension and a second driver tip  270  for the second compression channel portion  180  of the sliding head for receiving the connector of the second dimension. 
   Another embodiment for the universal tool for multiple connector sizes may comprise a body  100  having a bottom surface  110 , a first side  120  and a second side  130  each side having a guidance portion  210  therein to promote stability of the tool during compression of the connector. The tool may have a handle  140  pivotally attached to the body  100  between the first side  120  and the second side  130 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  a sliding head  160  having a protruding component  200 , wherein the protruding component  200  of the sliding head  160  may be both retained and movable within the guidance portion  210  of the body  160 . This guidance portion  210  can be a groove, a slot, a linear depression, a raised lip, sliding bar, screw or any other surface that would mechanically retain the protruding component  200  while allowing both movability of the sliding head  160  in conjunction with relatively linear guidance to prevent damage to connector during compression due to misalignment. Conversely one skilled in the art may place the guidance portion  210  into the sliding head  160  and place the protruding component  200  onto the body  100 . 
   To move the sliding head  160  optionally a toggle lever  240  may be affixed to the handle  140  that is coupled in turn with the sliding head  160 . The toggle lever  240  may hit the end of the guidance portion  210  to limit the travel of the sliding head  160 . The stop could be the sliding head  160  itself or it could be an addition feature added like an adjustable threaded screw to adjust the specific point of contact. Another option is to incorporate the toggle lever  240  directly into the handle  140  and have either the sliding head  160  or the body  100 . 
   Other features shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  may include a first portion of the sliding head  160  for receiving a driver tip  260  for a connector  300  of a first dimension and a second portion of the sliding head  160  for receiving a driver tip  260  for a connector  310  of a second dimension different than the first dimension. The driver tip can be either an integral part of the sliding head  160  or it can be a replaceable part if wear or damage occurs. The driver tip  260 ,  270  is dimensioned to fit within the end of the specific connector  300  being compressed onto a wire  310 . The drivers tip  260 ,  270  has an interior portion that would accept the electrode or center part of a cable so it is either a hollow rigid tube or a solid rod like shaft with a central hole of sufficient diameter to receive the conductor. The drivers tip could also cover additional portions of the connector to protect the conductor and transfer force to the connector. 
     FIG. 1  shows a cable cradle  190  having a first portion  192  and a second portion  194 , wherein the cradle  190  may be affixed to the body  100  between the first side  120  and the second side  130  and the portions reside in a plane substantially parallel with the bottom surface  110 . The cable cradle  190  may serve various purposes for the tool including inter alia alignment of the wire or cable  310  and restraint of the connector  300  during the compression process. The portions  192 ,  194  of the cable cradle  190  may be configured to have a diameter that allows the wire or cable  310  to pass to the connector  300 , but may also be configured to have a diameter that is less than that of the compression sleeve of the connector  300  that drives the connector onto the retaining ring through movement of the sliding head  160 . Optionally a bearing  215  can be disposed over the protruding component  200  of the sliding head  160  within the guidance portion  210  that is a groove, guide, slot, a ridge, opening, aperture, channel, cut, groove, hole, recess, slit, socket, space, channel or other relatively straight surface to catch, retain and guide the protruding component  200  for the entirety of the range of motion of the sliding head  160 . 
   The size of the connector relates to the size of the chambers in the tool in that a first compressed length  235  may correspond to a first compression channel portion  170  of the body  100  in conjunction with the head  160  and a second compressed length  265  may correspond to the second compression channel portion  180  of the head. The compressed length  235 ,  248  is the size of the chamber when the handle  140  has reached its limit of travel also stopping any further movement of the sliding head  160 . Each type and size of connector has a specific chamber volume and compressed length  235 ,  248  to properly compress the fitting onto the wire or cable without crushing or bending the connector. Therefore the compressed length  235 ,  248  is the space between the sliding head  160  and the body  100 , which may be the cable cradle  190 . 
   The uncompressed connector  300  is placed onto a wire or cable end  301 , which then in turn is placed uncompressed into the tool in the corresponding compression chamber  170 ,  180  dimensioned for compressing that specific size and type of connecter. The sliding head  160 , that may include a driver tip  260 ,  270  slides forward under pressure from the handle  140  driving the connector  300  onto the wire or cable  301  until the predetermined compressed length  235 ,  248  for that specific connector  300  is reached. The handle  140  is then raised allowing the sliding head  160  to be retracted if necessary and the completed compressed connector to be removed from the tool. If desired the operation can be performed on two different uncompressed connectors simultaneously speeding up the production process. It should also be noted that the same concept may be used on three, four, five or move connectors. 
   A method of affixing, adjoining, or attaching a cable connector to a wire may comprise the steps of: providing a body having a bottom surface, a first side and a second side, a handle attached to the body, a sliding head having a protruding component that may be slidably affixed to the body and is configured to be coupled with the handle, a first compression portion for receiving a driver tip for a connector of a first dimension, a second compression portion of the sliding head for receiving a driver tip for a connector of a second dimension larger than the first dimension, and a cable cradle affixed to the body, wherein includes a first portion and a second portion both residing substantially parallel with the bottom surface. The aforementioned tool described may allow for the quick attachment of different connectors onto wires without use of an adapter. 
   Where the tool has a properly sized receiving portion another step may be providing a cable connector and providing a wire to put on the connector. Moreover an additional step may be inserting, receiving, attaching, snapping, guiding, operably associating, or resting the cable connector and the wire onto the appropriately sized driver tip in the appropriate compression chamber of the body. Furthermore, another step may be compressing or condensing the connector onto the cable or wire by moving the sliding head to drive the cable connector onto the wire forming a connector cable. Still further, another step may be removing the connector cable from the body. 
   If desired two or a plurality of connectors could be compressed simultaneously or consecutively by providing a second wire and inserting the second cable connector and second the wire onto the appropriately sized driver tip in the body prior to compressing the handle. To aid in the process and for easier alignment then inserting the wire into the first portion of the cable cradle prior to compressing the handle is suggested. Another step may be the securing or adjoining of the tool onto a relatively flat work station to allow either one or two person operation. The operation of compressing cables may be faster with one person feeding, guiding, attaching or snapping uncompressed cables and wires into the compression chamber while the other operator actuates the handle. The operation additionally could be faster yet still by having a plurality of identical compression chambers to produce a plurality of connectors simultaneously on the same tool. 
   While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. The claims provide the scope of the coverage of the invention and should not be limited to the specific examples provided herein.