Patent Publication Number: US-2012036708-A1

Title: Crimping tool

Description:
This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application number 099215302, filed on Aug. 10, 2010. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a hand tool for crimping a coaxial cable with a cable-end connector and more particularly, to a crimping tool, which is practical for crimping a coaxial cable with a cable-end connector of any of a variety of different sizes accurately and rapidly with less effort. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     When connecting a cable-end connector to a coaxial cable, a crimping tool must be used to crimp the coaxial cable with the cable-end connector so that the cable-end connector can be firmly secured to the coaxial cable.  FIG. 7  illustrates a conventional scissor type crimping tool. According to this design, the scissor type crimping tool comprises a connection block A having a cable hole A 1 , a first plier member B pivoted to a first side A 2  of the connection block A, a first spring B 1  mounted on the top end of the first plier member B, a second plier member C pivoted to a second side A 3  of the connection block A, a second spring C 1  mounted on the top end of the second pilfer member C, a slide D disposed at the bottom side of the cable hole A 1  and having a top press portion D 1 , a link E having a first end E 2  pivotally connected to the first plier member B and a second end E 1  pivotally coupled to a first side D 2  of a link E, and a second link F having a first end F 2  pivotally connected to the second plier member C and a second end F 1  pivotally connected to a second side D 3  of the slide D. When the first plier member B and the second pilfer member C are moved toward each other, the first link E and the second link F are forced to move the slide D linearly relative to the connection block A, thereby crimping a cable H with a cable-end connector G that are set between the slide D and the connection block A. 
     Because the size of the cable-end connector G varies from different models and different suppliers, the fixed configuration of the top press portion D 1  of the slide D cannot fit all different sizes of cable-end connector G. To solve this problem, different sizes of detachable top press portions D 1  may be selectively used with the slide D so that one single crimping tool can be used for crimping different sizes of cable-end connector G. 
     However, it is complicated to change the detachable top press portion D 1 , wasting much labor and time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a crimping tool, which is practical for crimping a coaxial cable with a cable-end connector of any of a variety of different sizes accurately and rapidly with less effort. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a crimping tool comprises a tool body, a lever pivoted to the tool body, and a linking mechanism having a link axially slidably coupled to the tool body inside the accommodation chamber and movable by the lever, a locating block located on one end of the link opposite to the lever and a working device consisting of a shank, a connection member, an expanded working head, a sliding socket and a spring member and connected to the locating block for crimping a coaxial cable with a cable-end connector of any of a variety of different sizes accurately and rapidly with less effort. If the inner diameter of the collar of the cable-end connector to be crimped is greater than the outer diameter of the sliding socket, the working head with the sliding socket can be directly inserted into the inside of the collar. If the inner diameter of the collar is smaller than the outer diameter of the sliding socket but greater than the working head of the working device, attaching the collar to the working head will push the sliding socket toward the locating block to compress the spring member, and thus, the collar can be attached to the working head smoothly. Thus, the crimping tool of the invention is practical for crimping any of a variety of cable-end connectors with a coaxial cable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional side view of a crimping tool in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view, in an enlarged scale, of the working device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2A  is a top view of the working device of the crimping tool in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic sectional side view of the present invention illustrating a coaxial cable with a cable-end connector set in the tool body of the crimping tool and crimped. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic sectional applied view of the present invention, illustrating a coaxial cable attached with a cable-end connector set before crimping. 
         FIG. 4A  corresponds to  FIG. 4 , illustrating the working head with the sliding socket entered the collar of the cable-end connector. 
         FIG. 5  is another schematic sectional applied view of the present invention, illustrating a coaxial cable with a cable-end connector attached to the working device of the crimping tool and the sliding socket stopped outside the collar of the cable-end connector. 
         FIG. 5A  corresponds to  FIG. 5 , illustrating the coaxial cable and the cable-end connector crimped. 
         FIG. 6  is still another schematic sectional applied view of the present invention, illustrating a coaxial cable with a cable-end connector attached to the working device of the crimping tool and the center conductor of the cable-end connector inserted through the receiving hole of the working head before crimping. 
         FIG. 6A  corresponds to  FIG. 6 , illustrating the coaxial cable and the cable-end connector crimped. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic plain view of a scissor type crimping tool according to the prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  2   a , a crimping tool in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a tool body  1 , a lever  2 , and a linking mechanism  3 . 
     The tool body  1  comprises a receiving chamber  10 , a pivot hole  11  cut through each of the two opposite lateral sides thereof and disposed in communication with the receiving chamber  10  near its one end, first and second longitudinal sliding slots  12  cut through each of the two opposite lateral sides thereof and horizontally aligned in line and disposed in communication with the receiving chamber  10 , and a positioning block  13  mounted in one end of the receiving chamber  10  remote from the first and second longitudinal sliding slots  12  and the pivot hole  11 . 
     The lever  2  comprises a front connection portion  22 , a rear operating portion  21  backwardly extended from a rear end of the front connection portion  22  at an obtuse angle, a first pivot  221  located on a front end of the front connection portion  22  remote from the rear operating portion  21  and pivotally connected between the two pivot holes  11  of the tool body  1 , and a second pivot  222  located on the front connection portion  22  near its one side and spaced between the rear operating portion  21  and the first pivot  221 . 
     The linking mechanism  3  is mounted in the receiving chamber  10  of the tool body  1 , comprising two swivel pushrods  31 , a link  32 , spring members  33 , a locating block  34  and a working device  35 . The swivel pushrods  31  each have one end respectively pivotally connected with the two distal ends of the second pivot  222  of the lever  2  and its opposite end pivotally connected to one end of the link  32 . The link  32  comprises a first transverse coupling rod  321  located on its one end and pivotally coupled to the opposite end of each of the two swivel pushrods  31  and slidably coupled between the two first ones of the first and second longitudinal sliding slots  12  of the tool body  1 , and a second transverse coupling rod  322  slidably coupled between the two second ones of the first and second longitudinal sliding slots  12  of the tool body  1 . The spring members  33  are connected between the first pivot  221  of the lever  2  and the first transverse coupling rod  321  of the link  32 . The locating block  34  is located on the opposite end of the link  32  remove from the first transverse coupling rod  321  and the second transverse coupling rod  322 . The working device  35  comprises a shank  352 , a connection member  351  axially extended from one end of the shank  352  and fastened to the locating block  34 , an expanded working head  353  located on the opposite end of the shank  352  remote from the connection member  351 , a sliding socket  354  axially slidably coupled to the shank  352  and adapted for capping onto the working head  353 , and a spring member  355  mounted around the shank  352  and stopped between the locating block  34  and the sliding socket  354  to force the sliding socket  354  onto the working head  353 . The working head  353  has a receiving hole  3531  axially extending to the front end thereof and facing the positioning block  13  for receiving the center conductor  40  of the cable-end connector  41  to be crimped, and a notch  3532  cut through the periphery and facing the rear operating portion  21  of the lever  2  for the passing of the center conductor  40  if the cable-end connector  41  is too thick or too long. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  4 A and  FIG. 1  again, when pressing down the rear operating portion  21  of the lever  2  toward the tool body  1 , the two swivel pushrods  31  of the linking mechanism  3  will be forced by the front connection portion  22  to bias in direction toward the positioning block  13  and to push the first transverse coupling rod  321  and second transverse coupling rod  322  of the link  32  along the first and second longitudinal sliding slots  12  of the tool body  1  toward the positioning block  13 , causing the spring members  33  to be stretched. At this time, the locating block  34  and the working device  35  are forced forwards by the link  32  toward the positioning block  13 . When the biasing force is released from the rear operating portion  21  of the lever  2 , the spring members  33  immediately return the swivel pushrods  31 , the link  32 , the locating block  34  and the working device  35 , causing the lever  2  to be moved back to its former position by the swivel pushrods  31 . 
     During a crimping operation, the coaxial cable  4  to be crimped is positioned in the positioning block  13  of the tool body  1 , and the cable-end connector  41  that is attached to the coaxial cable  4  before crimping is inserted into the receiving chamber  10  of the tool body  1 , enabling the collar  411  of the cable-end connector  41  to be attached to the working head  353  of the working device  35 . when pressing down the rear operating portion  21  of the lever  2  toward the tool body  1  at this time, the working head  353  of the working device  35  will be moved forwards to push a stop flange  4121  of a core tube  412  of the cable-end connector  41  in direction toward a retaining portion  413  of the cable-end connector  41 , finishing the crimping operation. As the crimping stroke between the collar  411  and the retaining portion  413  of any of a variety of different cable-end connectors  41  is the same, when the biasing force is released from the lever  2 , the spring members  33  immediately return the component parts of the crimping tool to their former positions. Thus, the coaxial cable  4  and the cable-end connector  41  are well crimped. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A and  3  again, if the center conductor  40  of the cable-end connector  41  is too thick or too long and cannot be directly inserted into the inside of the receiving hole  3531  of the working head  353  during insertion of the cable-end connector  41  with the coaxial cable  4  into the receiving chamber  10  of the tool body  1 , the center conductor  40  can be directly inserted through the notch  3532  and then set in the receiving hole  3531  of the working head  353 , facilitating positioning of the coaxial cable  4  with the cable-end connector  41  in the tool body  1  of the crimping tool. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 ,  5 A,  6  and  6 A and  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  4 A again, the inner diameter of the collar  411  of the cable-end connector  41  varies from different models or different suppliers. If the inner diameter of the collar  411  is greater than the outer diameter of the sliding socket  354 , the working head  353  with the sliding socket  354  can be directly inserted into the inside of the collar  411 . If the inner diameter of the collar  411  is smaller than the outer diameter of the sliding socket  354  but greater than the working head  353  of the working device  35 , attaching the collar  411  to the working head  353  will push the sliding socket  354  toward the locating block  34  to compress the spring member  355 , and thus, the collar  411  can be attached to the working head  353  smoothly. When the lever  2  is biased at this time, the working head  353  of the working device  35  is continuously moved into the inside of the collar  411 , and the sliding socket  354  is continuously moved by the collar  411  toward the locating block  34 . When the biasing force is released from the lever  2  or the coaxial cable  4  is removed with the cable-end connector  41  out of the crimping tool, the spring member  355  immediately pushes back the sliding socket  354  toward the positioning block  13  to its former position. 
     When a coaxial cable  4  is attached with a different size of cable-end connector  41 , it is not necessary to change the model of the crimping tool, i.e., the crimping tool of the invention is practical for crimping any of a variety of cable-end connectors  41  with a coaxial cable  4 . When a coaxial cable  4  is attached with a cable-end connector  41  and inserted into the crimping tool for crimping, the working head  353  is accurately positioned in the axial center of the collar  411  of the loaded cable-end connector  41  and positively stopped against the stop flange  4121  of the core tube  412  of the loaded cable-end connector  41 , facilitating accurate and rapid crimping with less effort. 
     In conclusion, the invention provides a crimping tool for crimping a coaxial cable  4  with a cable-end connector  41  of any size. The crimping tool comprises a tool body  1  having a receiving chamber  10  defined therein, two pivot holes  11  aligned at two opposite lateral sides near one end of the receiving chamber  10  and a positioning block  13  disposed in the opposite end of the receiving chamber  10 , a lever  2  pivotally coupled to the two pivot holes  11  of the tool body  1 , and a linking mechanism  3  comprising a link  32 , two swivel pushrods  31  coupled between one end of the lever  2  and one end of the link  32 , spring members  33  connected between the pivot between the level and the pivot holes  11  of the tool body  1  and the pivot between the swivel pushrods  31  and the link  32 , a locating block  34  located on the other end of the link  32  remote from the swivel pushrods  31  and a working device  35  connected to the locating block  34 . The working device  35  comprises a shank  352 , a connection member  351  axially extended from one end of the shank  352  and fastened to the locating block  34 , an expanded working head  353  located on the opposite end of the shank  352  remote from the connection member  351 , a sliding socket  354  axially slidably coupled to the shank  352  and adapted for capping onto the working head  353 , and a spring member  355  mounted around the shank  352  and stopped between the locating block  34  and the sliding socket  354  to force the sliding socket  354  onto the working head  353 . If the inner diameter of the collar  411  of the cable-end connector  41  to be crimped is greater than the outer diameter of the sliding socket  354 , the working head  353  with the sliding socket  354  can be directly inserted into the inside of the collar  411 . If the inner diameter of the collar  411  is smaller than the outer diameter of the sliding socket  354  but greater than the working head  353  of the working device  35 , attaching the collar  411  to the working head  353  will push the sliding socket  354  toward the locating block  34  to compress the spring member  355 , and thus, the collar  411  can be attached to the working head  353  smoothly. Thus, the crimping tool of the invention is practical for crimping any of a variety of cable-end connectors  41  with a coaxial cable  4 . When a coaxial cable  4  is attached with a cable-end connector  41  and inserted into the crimping tool for crimping, the working head  353  is accurately positioned in the axial center of the collar  411  of the loaded cable-end connector  41  and positively stopped against the stop flange  4121  of the core tube  412  of the loaded cable-end connector  41 , facilitating accurate and rapid crimping with less effort. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.