# US 2020/0287342 A1 · Metal Foil Flaring Apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0287342 A1 - Document ID: US20200287342A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/808,937 - Filed: 2020-03-04 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-04 - Assignees: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.; TE Connectivity Services GmbH - Applicants: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.; TE Connectivity Services GmbH - Inventors: An Yang; Lvhai Hu; Yun Liu; Sun Kyu Pak - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200287342A1 ## CPC - H01R 43/28: for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26 - H02G 1/1248: {Machines} - B21D 41/02: Enlarging - B21D 41/028: {expandable mandrels} - H01B 13/0162: {of the central conductor} - H01B 13/227: {Pretreatment} - H02G 1/12: for removing insulation or armouring from cables, e.g. from the end thereof - H01R 9/0509: {Tapping connections} - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) ## Abstract A metal foil flaring apparatus includes a frame, a flaring mechanism mounted on the frame and having a flaring mouth adapted to open and close, and a first driver mounted on the frame and adapted to drive the flaring mouth to open and close. The flaring mouth has a cone shape gradually contracted toward a front end of the flaring mouth. The front end of the flaring mouth is adapted to be forwardly inserted in a first direction between an inner insulation layer of a cable and a metal foil wrapped around the inner insulation layer when the flaring mouth is closed, flaring the metal foil outwardly into the cone shape. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A metal foil flaring apparatus, comprising: a frame; a flaring mechanism mounted on the frame and having a flaring mouth adapted to open and close; and a first driver mounted on the frame and adapted to drive the flaring mouth to open and close, the flaring mouth has a cone shape gradually contracted toward a front end of the flaring mouth, the front end of the flaring mouth is adapted to be forwardly inserted in a first direction between an inner insulation layer of a cable and a metal foil wrapped around the inner insulation layer when the flaring mouth is closed, flaring the metal foil outwardly into the cone shape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a slide rail extending linearly in the first direction, the frame is slidably mounted on the slide rail, and a second driver adapted to drive the frame and the flaring mechanism mounted on the frame to move linearly in the first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 2, wherein the slide rail is mounted on a fixed base, the second driver has a motor and a transmission mounted on the fixed base. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flaring mechanism is driven by the second driver to move linearly forward to insert the front end of the flaring mouth between the inner insulation layer and the metal foil when the flaring mouth is closed and the front end of the flaring mouth is clamped on the inner insulation layer of the cable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flaring mouth is rotatable about an axis parallel to the first direction after the flaring mouth is closed, the first driver is adapted to drive the flaring mouth to rotate about the axis after the flaring mouth is closed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flaring mouth defines a center retaining hole extending linearly in the first direction when the flaring mouth is closed, the inner insulation layer of the cable is retained in the center retaining hole, the cable is straightened by rotating the flaring mouth when the inner insulation layer of the cable is retained in the center retaining hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 5, wherein the flaring mechanism includes: a rotary spindle rotatably mounted on the frame to be rotatable about the axis; a fixed plate fixed on the frame and having a plurality of guide grooves; a plurality of transmission mechanisms each having a main body with a first end pivotally connected onto the rotary spindle and a second end having a first sliding bar; and a rotation plate rotatably mounted on the fixed plate to be rotatable about the axis and having a plurality of radial sliding grooves perpendicular to the axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 7, wherein the flaring mouth has a plurality of flaring mouth members, each of the flaring mouth members has a connection plate perpendicular to the axis, a pair of second sliding bars, and an insertion hole located between the second sliding bars. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first sliding bar on each of the transmission mechanisms is inserted into one of the guide grooves, one of the radial sliding grooves, and one of the insertion holes, the second sliding bars on each of the flaring mouth members are inserted into one of the radial sliding grooves. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the guide grooves has an arc-shaped guide groove centered on the axis and a radial guide groove communicated with the arc-shaped guide groove and perpendicular to the axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first driver is adapted to drive the rotary spindle to rotate about the axis, the rotary spindle is adapted to drive the first sliding bars to slide in the guide grooves and the radial slide grooves. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first driver has a motor mounted on the frame, a pulley connected with the rotary spindle, and a drive belt connected between an output shaft of the motor and the pulley, the pulley is driven by the motor through the drive belt to rotate the rotary spindle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flaring mouth members are driven to open or close when the first sliding bars on the transmission mechanisms slide in the radial guide grooves of the guide grooves. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flaring mouth members and the rotation plate are driven to rotate about the axis when the first sliding bars of the transmission mechanisms slide in the arc-shaped guide grooves of the guide grooves. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the flaring mouth members has an arc-shaped retaining groove extending linearly in the first direction, the arc-shaped retaining grooves in the flaring mouth members define a center retaining hole when the flaring mouth members are closed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 7, wherein the main body of each of the transmission mechanisms has a pin at the first end, the rotary spindle has a flange with a connection hole matched with the pin, the pin is inserted into the connection hole and freely rotatable in the connection hole. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 8, wherein the flaring mechanism has a housing mounted onto the fixed plate, the rotation plate and the connection plate of the flaring mouth members are accommodated in the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the housing has a circular opening through which the flaring mouth members of the flaring mouth protrude from the housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flaring mouth has a plurality of notches at the front end to facilitate an insertion of the front end of the flaring mouth between the inner insulation layer and the metal foil. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The metal foil flaring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front end of the flaring mouth is formed as a wedged-shape to be easily inserted between the inner insulation layer and the metal foil.