# US 8,770,007 B2 · Stamp for ground bonding strap > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,007 B2 - Document ID: US8770007B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/887,734 - Filed: 2013-05-06 - Published: 2013-09-12 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-05-19 - Assignees: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC - Applicants: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC - Inventors: Matthew Aaron Munn; Doug Klamm - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770007B2 ## CPC - B21D 22/02: Stamping using rigid devices or tools - B21D 22/022: {by heating the blank or stamping associated with heat treatment (C21D takes precedence)} - B26F 1/14: Punching tools; Punching dies - H01R 4/64: Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail - H01R 13/025: {formed by the conductors of a cable end} - B21D 28/10: Incompletely punching in such a manner that the parts are still coherent with the work - B21D 28/34: Perforating tools; Die holders - H01R 11/12: End pieces terminating in an eye, hook, or fork - Y10T 29/49117: Conductor or circuit manufacturing - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - 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) - B26F: PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING (marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; shoemaking A43D; surgery A61B; punching metal B21D; drilling metal B23B; cutting of metal by applying heat locally, e.g. flame cutting, B23K; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; details common to machines for severing B26D; drilling wood B27C; drilling stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; of glass C03B; of leather C14B; of textile materials D06H; for light guides G02B6/25; of tickets G07B) - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A system and method forming a ground bonding strap. A length of cable is measured to determine a segment of cable to stamp to form a pair of connectors. The segment is heated. The segment is stamped to form the pair of connectors. The pair of connectors defining an indentation and a pair of receptacles disposed through the cable. The pair of receptacles being each adjacent to and separated by an indentation. The indentations being positioned to allow a user to cut between the pair of connectors to form a ground bonding strap of a length selected by the user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stamp for a ground bonding strap, the stamp comprising: a heating element operable to heat a segment of a cable for stamping at intervals of a length of the cable; a die including a pair of teeth operable to stamp a first side of the segment to form a pair of connectors, the die including a first indentation tooth for forming an indentation separating the pair of connectors; a punch defining a pair of sockets operable to stamp a second side of the segment to form the pair of connectors, the sockets being operable to receive the teeth as pushed through the cable to form a pair of through holes within the pair of connectors, the punch including a second indentation tooth for forming the indentation separating the pair of connectors; and a hydraulic press connected to the punch and the die operable to press the punch and the die together at the heated segment of the cable to form the pair of connectors, the stamp forming a mold to shape the pair of connectors and define the indentation and the through holes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stamp according to claim 1, further comprising: a stop around the periphery of the die and the stamp ensuring that the cable is stamped to a predefined depth, and wherein the stop defines the edges of the pair of connectors as stamped. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The stamp according to claim 1, wherein the stamp is formed from a material with a substantially higher melting point than the cable, wherein the cable is a braided cable, and wherein the indentation teeth are triangularly shaped. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The stamp according to claim 1, wherein the heating element heats the segment until the cable becomes malleable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The stamp according to claim 1, further comprising: a stop defining a periphery of the stamp to prevent molten material from exiting the stamp. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The stamp according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is at least one of flame-based, weld-based, or electrode-based. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The stamp according to claim 1, wherein the indentation tooth has a shape comprising one of circular, triangular, square, or rectangular, such that the indentation separating the pair of connectors, when formed by the indentation tooth, has corresponding circular, triangular, square, or rectangular shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The stamp according to claim 1, wherein the pair of teeth each has a shape comprising one of circular, triangular, square, rectangular, or star, such that the pair of through holes, when formed by the pair of teeth, has corresponding circular, triangular, square, rectangular, or star shape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The stamp according to claim 1, wherein the die further includes a first pair of transition edges extending from the pair of teeth to a peripheral side edge of the die to form a first transition between each of the pair of connectors and an unstamped portion of the cable, wherein the punch further includes a second pair of transition edges extending from the pair of sockets to a peripheral side edge of the punch to form a second transition between each of the pair of connectors and the unstamped portion of the cable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The stamp according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of rollers for feeding the cable toward the die and the punch for stamping the first and second sides of the segment; and at least one of a plurality of electrodes, a plurality of spools, and a plurality of pulleys for managing the cable while the cable is being fed by the plurality of rollers. ### Claim 11 A method of using a stamp for a ground bonding strap, the method comprising: providing a ground bonding stamp comprising: a heating element operable to heat a segment of a cable for stamping at intervals of a length of the cable; a die including a pair of teeth operable to stamp a first side of the segment to form a pair of connectors, the die including an indentation tooth for forming an indentation separating the pair of connectors; a punch defining a pair of sockets operable to stamp a second side of the segment to form the pair of connectors, the sockets being operable to receive the teeth as pushed through the cable to form a pair of through holes within the pair of connectors, the punch including the indentation tooth for forming the indentation separating the pair of connectors; and a hydraulic press connected to the punch and the die operable to press the punch and the die together at the heated segment of the cable to form the pair of connectors; heating, using the heating element, the segment of the cable; and stamping, using the hydraulic press connected to the punch and the die, the heated segment of the cable to form the pair of connectors for the segment, to form the indentation separating the pair of connectors, to form the pair of through holes within the pair of connectors, the stamp forming a mold to shape the pair of connectors and define the indentation and the though holes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the ground bonding stamp further comprises: a stop around the periphery of the die and the ground bonding stamp ensuring that the cable is stamped to a predefined depth, and wherein the stop defines the edges of the pair of connectors as stamped. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the ground bonding stamp is formed from a material with a substantially higher melting point than the cable, wherein the cable is a braided cable, and wherein the indentation teeth are triangularly shaped. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the heating element heats the segment until the cable becomes malleable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the ground bonding stamp further comprises: a stop defining a periphery of the ground bonding stamp to prevent molten material from exiting the ground bonding stamp. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the heating element is at least one of flame-based, weld-based, or electrode-based. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the indentation tooth has a shape comprising one of circular, triangular, square, or rectangular, such that the indentation separating the pair of connectors, when formed by the indentation tooth, has corresponding circular, triangular, square, or rectangular shape. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the pair of teeth each has a shape comprising one of circular, triangular, square, rectangular, or star, such that the pair of through holes, when formed by the pair of teeth, has corresponding circular, triangular, square, rectangular, or star shape. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the die further includes a first pair of transition edges extending from the pair of teeth to a peripheral side edge of the die to form a first transition between each of the pair of connectors and an unstamped portion of the cable, wherein the punch further includes a second pair of transition edges extending from the pair of sockets to a peripheral side edge of the punch to form a second transition between each of the pair of connectors and the unstamped portion of the cable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the ground bonding stamp further comprises: a plurality of rollers for feeding the cable toward the die and the punch for stamping the first and second sides of the segment; and at least one of a plurality of electrodes, a plurality of spools, and a plurality of pulleys for managing the cable while the cable is being fed by the plurality of rollers.