Self-adjusting crimping tool
AssigneeWeidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsChristoph Dierks, Guenther Hanning, Detlev Hetland, David Keller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-adjusting pliers-type crimping tool includes a crimping arrangement having movable and fixed levers that are pivotally displaced from an open condition toward a fully closed condition, thereby to generate a first crimping force for crimping an electrical contact upon a bare conductor. When the levers are at an intermediate position, a predetermined compensating energy from a caged spring assembly is released and is applied to the crimping arrangement to complete the crimping process. The spring assembly may comprise a stack of spring washers, a helical spring arrangement, or a stack of resilient elastomeric blocks.
Claims15
A self-adjusting crimping tool for crimping a female electrical contact to the bare end of an insulated conductor, comprising:
- (a) a pliers-type tool including a tool head portion, a fixed lever integral with said head portion, and a pivotal lever pivotally connected with said head portion for displacement between open and closed positions relative to said fixed lever;
- (b) a crimping die mounted on said tool head portion for crimping the electrical contact to the bare conductor end, said crimping die being manually-operable to apply a first crimping force to the electrical contact upon initial displacement of said pivotal lever from said open position toward said closed position;
- (c) a spring assembly including a compression spring mounted in one of said pivotal and fixed levers and a tie rod extending through a longitudinal through bore contained in said spring assembly, said tie rod having remote end portions connected with said tool such that said spring assembly is compressed when said pivotal lever is pivoted from said closed position to said open position, said spring assembly being operable from a force-caged condition to a force-released condition to subsequently operate said crimping die to apply a second crimping force to the contact;
- and
- (d) a return spring biasing said pivotal lever toward said open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.