Patent Publication Number: US-11642718-B2

Title: Cable clamping device of a processing machine

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/001,787, filed on Mar. 30, 2020. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a processing machine for a cable and, more particularly, to a cable clamping device of the processing machine. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a processing machine, such as a wire terminator, a cable clamping device holds a cable while the cable is processed. The cable clamping device includes a handle that is pivotable between an open state releasing the cable and a closed state gripping the cable. The pivoting motion of the handle acts through a mechanism to close or open the clamping device around the cable. The mechanism is also capable of being actuated to apply a force to the handle that pivots the handle. 
     When the handle is moved by the mechanism from a position gripping the cable to release the cable, the handle is held by a linkage of the mechanism and does not fully return to the open state. If the mechanism is then actuated to apply a force intending to hold the handle in the open state, to secure the handle for further cycles of the processing machine, the handle could instead unintentionally pivot back to the closed state. The cable clamping device cannot reliably secure the handle in the open state, impairing the efficiency of operating the cable clamping device and the processing machine. 
     SUMMARY 
     A cable clamping device includes a pair of grip jaws, a reset mechanism, and a handle connected to the grip jaws by the reset mechanism. The handle is pivotable about a handle pivot between a first position in which the grip jaws are in an open position and a second position in which the grip jaws are in a closed position around a cable. The reset mechanism pivots the handle from the second position to the first position before moving to a reset position of the reset mechanism that holds the handle in the first position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG.  1    is a top perspective view of a cable clamping device; 
         FIG.  2    is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the cable clamping device; 
         FIG.  3 A  is a sectional side view of the cable clamping device in a first step of clamping a cable; 
         FIG.  3 B  is a sectional side view of the cable clamping device in a second step of clamping the cable; 
         FIG.  3 C  is a sectional side view of the cable clamping device in a third step of clamping the cable; 
         FIG.  3 D  is a sectional side view of the cable clamping device in a fourth step of clamping the cable; 
         FIG.  3 E  is a sectional side view of the cable clamping device in a fifth step of clamping the cable; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a processing machine according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG.  5    is a detail perspective view of a portion of the processing machine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In addition, in the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, it is apparent that one or more embodiments may also be implemented without these specific details. 
     A cable clamping device  100  according to an embodiment is shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . The cable clamping device  100  comprises a housing  110 , a handle  120  pivotally attached to the housing  110 , a handle retaining device  130 , a reset mechanism  140  connected to the handle  120 , and a pair of grip jaws  180  pivotally connected to the housing  110  and moved by the reset mechanism  140 . 
     The housing  110 , as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , extends from a first end  111  to a second end  112  along the longitudinal direction L. The housing  110  has a bottom wall  114  and a pair of side walls  116  extending from the bottom wall  114  in a height direction H perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. The side walls  116  extend parallel to one another along the longitudinal direction L and are spaced apart from one another in a width direction W perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction L and the height direction H. The bottom wall  114  and the side walls  116  define a receiving space  118  between them. 
     The housing  110  is shown transparent in  FIGS.  1  and  2    for ease of understanding in depicting and describing the positioning of other elements within the receiving space  118 . The transparent appearance, however, is not intended to represent or limit any quality of the housing  110 , which is a solid member of the cable clamping device  100  as shown in  FIGS.  4  and  5     
     The handle  120 , as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , extends from a first end  121  to a second end  122  along the longitudinal direction L. The handle  120  has a handle pivot  124  between the first end  121  and the second end  122 . At the first end  121 , as shown in  FIG.  3 A , the handle  120  has an angled slot  126  extending through the handle  120 . The angled slot  126  has a lower end  127  and an upper end  128  opposite the lower end  127 . In the shown embodiment, the angled slot  126  extends linearly and diagonally from the lower end  127  to the upper end  128  in a plane defined by the height direction H and the longitudinal direction L. In other embodiments, the angled slot  126  could extend in a curved manner from the lower end  127  to the upper end  128  in the plane defined by the height direction H and the longitudinal direction L. 
     The handle  120 , as shown in  FIG.  1   , is positioned in the receiving space  118  and connected to the side walls  116  of the housing  110  by the handle pivot  124 . The second end  122  of the handle  120  protrudes from the second end  112  of the housing  110 . The handle  120  is pivotable with respect to the housing  110  about the handle pivot  124   
     The handle retaining device  130 , as shown in  FIG.  2   , is positioned in the receiving space  118  between the handle  120  and the housing  110 . The handle retaining device  130  may be attached to housing  110  or may be attached to the handle  120 . In another embodiments, the handle retaining device  130  may have multiple components and may be attached to both the housing  110  and the handle  120 . In an embodiment, the handle retaining device  130  is a magnet capable of attracting the handle  120  toward the housing  110 . In other embodiments, the handle retaining device  130  may be a ball detent, a frictional element, a spring mechanism, or any other type of device that can provide a force retaining the handle  120  against the housing  110  in the position shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . 
     The reset mechanism  140 , as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , includes an actuating device  142 , a slide  150  connected to the actuating device  142 , a plurality of springs  160  disposed between the actuating device  142  and the slide  150 , and a link  170  connecting the slide  150  to the handle  120 . 
     The actuating device  142 , as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , is attached to the first end  111  of the housing  110  and has a clevis  144  extending in the longitudinal direction L into the receiving space  118 . The clevis  144  has a clevis pin  146  disposed at an end of the clevis  144  in the longitudinal direction L. The actuating device  142  in the shown embodiment is an air cylinder capable of moving the clevis  144  along the longitudinal direction L. In other embodiments, the actuating device  142  may be any motive power device capable of moving the clevis  144  along the longitudinal direction L. 
     The slide  150 , as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , is positioned in the receiving space  118  and extends along the longitudinal direction L from a first end  152  to a second end  154 . The first end  152  is connected to the clevis pin  146 . 
     The plurality of springs  160 , as shown in  FIG.  2   , are positioned in the receiving space  118  between the actuating device  142  and the first end  152  of the slide  150  in the longitudinal direction L. Two springs  160  are positioned between the actuating device  142  and the slide  150  in the shown embodiment. In other embodiments, only one spring  160  or more than two springs  160  may be positioned between the actuating device  142  and the slide  150 . In the shown embodiment, each of the springs  160  is a coil spring. In other embodiments, each of the springs  160  may be any other type of spring providing an outward elastic spring force when compressed. 
     The link  170 , as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , is positioned in the receiving space  118  and extends from a first end  172  to a second end  174 . The first end  172  has a link pivot  176  connected to the second end  154  of the slide  150 . The link  170  is pivotable with respect to the slide  150  about the link pivot  176 . The second end  174  has a drive pin  178  extending through the angled slot  126  of the handle  120 , as shown in  FIG.  3 A . The link  170  is pivotable with respect to the handle  120  about the drive pin  178 . 
     The grip jaws  180 , as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , include a first grip jaw  182  and a second grip jaw  186  disposed in and extending out from the receiving space  118 . The first grip jaw  182  has a first jaw pivot  184  connected to the housing  110 . The first grip jaw  182  is pivotable with respect to the housing  110  about the first jaw pivot  184 . The second grip jaw  186  has a second jaw pivot  188  connected to the housing  110  between the actuating device  140  and the first jaw pivot  184  along the longitudinal direction L. The second grip jaw  186  is pivotable with respect to the housing  110  about the second jaw pivot  188 . 
     The clamping of a cable  800  with the cable clamping device  100  will now be described in greater detail primarily with reference to  FIGS.  3 A- 3 E . In  FIGS.  3 A- 3 E , reference numbers for some elements of the cable clamping device  100  shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2    may be omitted for clarity of the drawings, but the elements shown in  FIGS.  3 A- 3 E  are the same as those shown and described above with respect to  FIGS.  1  and  2   . 
     In  FIG.  3 A , the handle  120  is shown in a first position P 1  in which the handle  120  extends along the longitudinal direction L and abuts the housing  110 . The handle retaining device  130  applies a retaining force RT in the first position P 1  acting to retain the handle  120  in the first position P 1 . In the first position P 1  of the handle  120 , the grip jaws  180  are in an open position O in which the grip jaws  180  are spaced apart from the cable  800 . 
     The reset mechanism  140  is shown in a reset position PS in  FIG.  3 A . In the reset position PS, the springs  160  are compressed between the actuating device  142  and the slide  150  and apply a spring force SF urging the slide  150  toward the handle  120  in the longitudinal direction L. The actuating device  142  does not apply a force to the slide  150  in the reset position PS. With the handle  120  in the first position P 1 , the urging of the slide  150  toward the handle  120  moves the drive pin  178  of the link  170  along the angled slot  126  and into abutment with the upper end  128 , pivoting the link  170  about the link pivot  176  with respect to the slide  150 . The spring force SF is transferred through the slide  150  and the link  170  to the drive pin  178  abutting the upper end  128  of the angled slot  126 , applying a toggle force FT to the handle  120  at the angled slot  126 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3 A , a toggle axis T extends through a center of the link pivot  176  and a center of the handle pivot  124 . When the drive pin  178  is positioned in the angled slot  126  above the toggle axis T in the height direction H, as shown in  FIG.  3 A , the toggle force FT applied to the handle  120  urges the handle  120  to pivot about the handle pivot  124  toward the first position P 1 . With the reset mechanism  140  in the reset position PS and the handle  120  in the first position P 1  as shown in  FIG.  3 A , the toggle force FT acts to hold the handle  120  in the first position P 1 . 
     In order to clamp the cable  800 , a user rotates the second end  122  of the handle  120  about the handle pivot  124  away from the bottom wall  114  and out of the first position P 1 , as shown in  FIG.  3 B . The user needs to apply a force to pivot the handle  120  that is sufficient to overcome the retaining force RT and the toggle force FT acting to maintain the handle  120  in the first position P 1 . 
     As the handle  120  pivots out of the first position P 1 , the link  170  is pivoted with respect to the first end  121  of the handle  120  while the drive pin  178  remains in abutment with the upper end  128  of the angled slot  126 . As shown in  FIG.  3 B , while still applying the toggle force FT through the spring force SF transferred through the slide  150  and the link  170 , the drive pin  178  moves below the toggle axis T in the height direction H. The toggle force FT applied below the toggle axis T urges the handle  120  further away from the first position P 1  shown in  FIG.  3 A  and toward a second position P 2  of the handle  120  shown in  FIG.  3 C . With the toggle axis T between the first position P 1  and the second position P 2 , the toggle force FT urges the handle  120  toward the first position P 1  above the toggle axis T and urges the handle  120  toward the second position P 2  below the toggle axis T. 
     With the drive pin  178  below the toggle axis T, the spring force SF moves the slider  150  away from the actuating device  142  along the longitudinal direction L to an extended position PE of the slider  150  shown in  FIG.  3 C . The clevis  144  attaching the actuating device  142  to the slider  150  moves with the slider  150  along the longitudinal direction L. The toggle force FT continues to pivot the link  170  with respect to the first end  121  until the handle  120  reaches the second position P 2 . As the handle  120  moves into the second position P 2 , the drive pin  178  slides along the angled slot  126  from the upper end  128  into abutment with the lower end  127 . 
     As the slider  150  moves to the extended position PE, the slider  150  contacts the grip jaws  180  and the movement of the slider  150  pivots the grip jaws  180  about the jaw pivots  184 ,  188  from the open position O shown in  FIG.  3 A  to the closed position C shown in  FIG.  3 C . In the closed position C, the grip jaws  180  abut the cable  800 , with the first grip jaw  182  disposed on a first side of the cable  800  and the second grip jaw  186  disposed on an opposite second side of the cable  800 . The spring force SF moving the slider  150  into the extended position PE moves the grip jaws  180  into a first state of the closed position C in which the grip jaws  180  grip the cable  800  with a gripping force FG provided by the spring force SF. The grip jaws  180  are in the closed position C when the handle  120  is in the second position P 2 . 
     From the first state of the closed position C of the grip jaws  180 , the actuating device  142  can, in an embodiment, apply an actuating force FA through the clevis  144  urging the slide  150  in the extended position PE further away from the actuating device  142  along the longitudinal direction L. The actuating force FA on the slider  150  urges the grip jaws  180  about the jaw pivots  184 ,  188  into further engagement with the cable  800 , transferring the grip jaws  180  into a second state of the closed position C in which the grip jaws  180  grip the cable  800  with a greater gripping force FG provided by both the spring force SF and the actuating force FA of the actuating device  142 . The grip jaws  180  apply a tighter gripping force FG on the cable  800  in the second state than in the first state. 
     When the cable  800  no longer needs to be clamped by the clamping device  100  through the gripping of the grip jaws  180 , the actuating device  142  applies the actuating force FA through the clevis  144  in an opposite direction to that shown in  FIG.  3 C  to move the slide  150  toward the actuating device  142  along the longitudinal direction L, as shown in  FIG.  3 D . The actuating device  142  moves the slide  150  from the extended position PE distal from the actuating device  142  to a retracted position PR proximal to the actuating device  142 , compressing the springs  160 . The actuating force FA moving the slide  150  to the retracted position PR acts against the spring force SF and is greater than the spring force SF. The toggle force FT is not applied in the state shown in  FIG.  3 D  because the actuating force FA overcomes the spring force SF. 
     The movement of the slide  150  to the retracted position PR pivots the grip jaws  180  about the jaw pivots  184 ,  188  out of the closed position C and to the open position O as shown in  FIG.  3 D , releasing the cable  800  from the gripping force FG. The movement of the slide  150  also pivots the link  170  with respect to the handle  120 . The drive pin  178  remains in abutment with the lower end  127  of the angled slot  126 , pivoting the handle  120  about the handle pivot  124  back toward the first position P 1 . The drive pin  178  is still below the toggle axis T in the state shown in  FIG.  3 D ; if the actuating force FA were removed and the spring force SF were the only force applied to the slide  150  in this state, the handle  120  would pivot back to the second position P 2  under the toggle force FT. 
     The actuating device  142  continues to apply the actuating force FA until the handle  120  reaches the first position P 1  in abutment with the bottom wall  114 , as shown in  FIG.  3 E . The handle retaining device  130  applies a retaining force RT in the first position P 1  acting to retain the handle  120  in the first position P 1 . The drive pin  178  remains in abutment with the lower end  127  of the angled slot  126  when the handle  120  reaches the first position P 1  and the slide  150  remains held in the retracted position PR against the spring force SF. 
     The actuating force FA is released from the position shown in  FIG.  3 E  when the actuating device  142  is deactivated. The spring force SF then moves the slide  150  away from the actuating device  142 ; the spring force SF moves the slide  150  out of the retracted position PR and toward the extended position PE. The spring force SF acts on the link  170  through movement of the slide  150 , moving the drive pin  178  from the lower end  127  of the angled slot  126  below the toggle axis T to the upper end  128  of the angled slot  126  above the toggle axis T as shown in the reset position PS in  FIG.  3 A . The spring force SF applies the toggle force FT as shown in  FIG.  3 A , holding the handle  120  in the first position P 1 . 
     The user can use the cable clamping device  100  to clamp and release the cable  800 , resetting the handle  120  to the first position P 1  as shown in  FIGS.  3 A- 3 E . The reset mechanism  140 , as shown in  FIGS.  3 C- 3 E , pivots the handle  120  from the second position P 2  to the first position P 1  before moving to the reset position PS shown in  FIG.  3 A  that holds the handle  120  in the first position P 1 . As the handle  120  moves from the second position P 2  back to the first position P 1 , the toggle force FT acting on the handle  120  is not applied until the handle  120  has fully reached the first position P 1 . The cable clamping device  100  according to the present invention thus ensures the action of the toggle force FT on the handle  120  when it is initially applied, avoiding an unexpected rotation of the handle  120  back to the second position P 2  under the toggle force FT. 
     A processing machine  10  according to an embodiment, as shown in  FIGS.  4  and  5   , comprises a frame  200 , a drive  300  movable with respect to the frame  200  along the height direction H, an upper tooling  400  attached to the drive  300 , a base plate  500  attached to the frame  200 , and a lower tooling  600  attached to the base plate  500 . The drive  300  moves the upper tooling  400  toward and away from the lower tooling  600  along the height direction H. The drive  300 , in an embodiment, includes a motor, a gearbox, and a connection to translate motion. In other embodiments, the drive  300  may be any type of drive capable of moving the upper tooling  400  with respect to the lower tooling  600 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  4  and  5   , the processing machine  10  includes the cable clamping device  100  attached to the base plate  500 . The cable clamping device  100  clamps and releases the cable  800  as described with respect to  FIGS.  3 A- 3 E  above, and an end of the cable  800  is disposed in a terminal  900  that is held in the lower tooling  600 . 
     The cable  800  is positioned in the terminal  900  with the grip jaws  180  in the open position O, the handle  120  in the first position P 1 , and the reset mechanism  140  in the reset position PS, as shown in  FIG.  3 A . The user then closes the grip jaws  180  around the cable  800  to apply the gripping force FG to the cable  800  as shown and described above with respect to  FIGS.  3 A- 3 C . 
     The cable clamping device  100  clamps the cable  800 , as shown and described with respect to  FIG.  3 C , to position the cable  800  while the drive  300  moves the upper tooling  400  with respect to the lower tooling  600 . The upper tooling  400  moves toward and abuts the lower tooling  600  to crimp the terminal  900  onto the cable  800  with the grip jaws  180  in the first state of the closed position C. The lighter gripping force FG applied by the grip jaws  180  in the first state of the closed position C allows the cable  800  to slide or expand in the grip jaws  180  along the width direction W while the terminal  900  and cable  800  undergo extrusion during crimping. 
     The drive  300  moves the upper tooling  300  away from the lower tooling  600  when crimping is completed, as shown in  FIGS.  4  and  5   . If the crimp was properly formed, the user releases the cable  800  crimped to the terminal  900  from the cable clamping device  100  as shown in  FIGS.  3 C- 3 E  and described above. 
     In an embodiment, if a defective crimp is detected, the actuating device  142  applies the actuating force FA to urge the grip jaws  180  into the second state of the closed position C, applying a tighter gripping force FG on the cable  800  that prevents the user from removing the cable  800  from the processing machine  10 . In this embodiment, the cable  800  can only be removed from the processing machine  10  and the cable clamping device  100  as shown in FIGS.  3 C- 3 E and described above after an additional action, such as a entering a code at the processing machine  10  or swiping a badge at the processing machine  10 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS.  4  and  5   , the processing machine  10  is a wire terminator for crimping the terminal  900  onto the cable  800 . In other embodiments, the processing machine  10  may be any type of machine that processes a cable  800  and requires the cable clamping device  700  to hold the cable  800  during processing.