Cable processing apparatus and method therefore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10587101-B2
Application number	US-201715472452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2017
Priority date	Mar 29, 2017
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A cable processing apparatus including a frame; a cable guide coupled to the frame; a first cable clamp adjacent the cable guide; a second cable clamp adjacent the cable guide where the first cable clamp is disposed between the cable guide and the second cable clamp; and a controller configured to move the second cable clamp to a clamped position such that a cable extending through the cable guide is clamped by the second cable clamp, move the second cable clamp, relative to the cable guide, in a direction extending along the cable such that a first portion of the insulation is removed from the cable at the first score to expose shielding of the cable, and move the second cable clamp, relative to the first cable clamp, in the direction extending along the cable to cut the shielding to expose one or more conductor of the cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable processing apparatus comprising:
a frame;
a cable guide coupled to the frame;
a first cable clamp coupled to the frame adjacent the cable guide, the first cable clamp comprises a first portion and a second portion that are movable relative to each other to grip and release the cable;
a second cable clamp coupled to the frame adjacent the cable guide such that the first cable clamp is disposed between the cable guide and the second cable clamp; and
a controller coupled to the first cable clamp and the second cable clamp, the controller being configured to
move the second cable clamp to a clamped position such that a cable extending through the cable guide into the frame is clamped by the second cable clamp, where a first score in an insulation of the cable is disposed between the cable guide and the second cable clamp,
move the second cable clamp, relative to the cable guide, in a direction extending along the cable such that a first portion of the insulation clamped by the second cable clamp is removed from the cable at the first score to expose shielding of the cable, and
move the second cable clamp, relative to the first cable clamp, in the direction extending along the cable to cut the shielding to expose one or more conductor of the cable, where the first portion and the second portion of the first cable clamp, in a clamped position, interface with the second cable clamp to form a cutting member configured to cut the shielding.

2. The cable processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to move the first cable clamp to a clamped position such that the cable inserted through the cable guide is clamped by the first cable clamp.

3. The cable processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a second score is disposed on the insulation between the cable guide and the first score to define a second portion of the insulation, the first cable clamp being disposed between the first score and the second score and configured to hold the second portion of the insulation on the cable during removal of the first portion of the insulation.

4. The cable processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to move the first cable clamp to an unclamped position such that the cable is released for removal from the cable processing apparatus through the cable guide.

5. The cable processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first cable clamp is configured to hold the second portion of the insulation as the cable is removed through the cable guide such that the second portion of the insulation is separated at the second score to expose a predetermined length of the shielding of the cable.

6. The cable processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame forms a housing, the first cable clamp and the second cable clamp are disposed within a common chamber within the housing.

7. The cable processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein cable passage apertures of the cable guide, the first cable clamp and the second cable clamp are arranged relative to each other so as to have a common axis along which the cable extends.

8. The cable processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second cable clamp comprises a first portion and a second portion that are movable relative to each other to grip and release the cable.

9. The cable processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second cable clamp comprises:
a unitary member defining a cable passage aperture through which the cable passes; and
at least two gripping members movably coupled to the unitary member so as to extend into and retract from the cable passage aperture to grip and release the cable.

10. A method for processing a cable using the cable processing apparatus of claim 1 , the method comprising:
inserting a cable through the cable guide so that the cable extends into a housing formed by the frame, where the first cable clamp and the second cable clamp are disposed within a common chamber of the frame;
clamping the cable with the second cable clamp such that the first score on the insulation of the cable is disposed between the cable guide and the second cable clamp;
moving the second cable clamp, relative to the cable guide, in the direction extending along the cable to remove the first portion of the insulation clamped by the second cable clamp where the first portion of the insulation is separated from the cable at the first score to expose shielding of the cable; and
moving the second cable clamp towards the first cable clamp in the direction extending along the cable to cut the shielding to expose the one or more conductor of the cable.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising removing the cable through the cable guide with one or more of the first cable clamp and the second cable clamp in an unclamped position.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising removing the cable through the cable guide with one or more of the first cable clamp and the second cable clamp in the clamped position.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
positioning a second score disposed on the insulation between the cable guide and the first score to define a second portion of the insulation such that the first cable clamp is disposed between the first score and the second score; and
holding the second portion of the insulation on the cable with the first cable clamp during removal of the first portion of the insulation.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising gripping the cable with gripping members of the cable guide.

15. The cable processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first cable clamp includes a cable passage aperture and one or more protrusion extending radially inward relative to a center of the cable passage aperture.

16. The cable processing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more protrusions are configured to apply a pressure gradient to the insulation of the cable, where the pressure gradient decreases further away from the first score.

17. A cable processing apparatus comprising:
a frame;
a cable guide coupled to the frame;
a first cable clamp coupled to the frame adjacent the cable guide, the first cable clamp comprises:
a unitary member defining a cable passage aperture through which the cable passes, and at least two gripping members movably coupled to the unitary member so as to extend through a wall of the cable passage into an interior of the cable passage aperture and retract from the interior of the cable passage aperture to grip and release the cable;

a second cable clamp coupled to the frame adjacent the cable guide such that the first cable clamp is disposed between the cable guide and the second cable clamp; and
a controller coupled to the first cable clamp and the second cable clamp, the controller being configured to
move the second cable clamp to a clamped position such that a cable extending through the cable guide into the frame is clamped by the second cable clamp, where a first score in an insulation of the cable is disposed between the cable guide and the second cable clamp,
move the second cable clamp, relative to the cable guide, in a direction extending along the cable such that a first portion of the insulation clamped by the second cable clamp is removed from the cable at the first score to expose shielding of the cable, and
move the second cable clamp, relative to the first cable clamp, in the direction extending along the cable to cut the shielding to expose one or more conductor of the cable.

18. The cable processing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the s

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Martin Damien O
• Evans Nick S
• Mitchell Bradley J
• Helmick Eerik J

Classifications

• H02G1/1256 Primary

  using wire or cable-clamping means · CPC title

• H02G1/1297 Primary

  Removing armouring from cables · CPC title

• H02G1/127

  Features relating to cutting elements · CPC title