Hand tool such as a wire stripper or combination pliers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11027399-B2
Application number	US-201615089025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A hand tool and a wire stripper. The hand tool may include a first jaw portion and a second jaw portion having a spring constant more than about 2,225 lbs./in., measured when a force is applied in a direction parallel to the pivot axis to an associated jaw tip with a pivot member being held. The hand tool may include a jaw portion having a gripping surface and an angled wall connected to a side wall and defining a wire stripping portion, the wire stripping portion including a cutting edge and a recess defined in the angled wall, the recess extending from the cutting edge to an end at the one of the side walls, the angled wall being arranged non-parallel to the gripping surface and non-perpendicular to the side wall. The wire stripper may be a forged wire stripper including jaws defining a stripping aperture for Romex® NM wire.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hand tool comprising:
a first jaw assembly including a first handle portion, a first jaw portion, and a first pivot portion, the first jaw portion having a first jaw tip;
a second jaw assembly including a second handle portion, a second jaw portion, and a second pivot portion, the second jaw portion having a second jaw tip; and
a pivot pin coupling the first pivot portion and the second pivot portion for pivoting movement of the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly about a pivot axis between an open position and a closed position, a longitudinal plane extending perpendicular to the pivot axis;
wherein each of the first jaw portion and the second jaw portion has a spring constant more than about 2,225 lbs./in., measured when a force is applied in a direction parallel to the pivot axis to an associated jaw tip with the pivot pin being held;
wherein the first jaw portion has a first gripping surface extending in a gripping plane parallel to the pivot axis, first side walls perpendicular to the gripping plane, and a first outer wall connecting the first side walls, the first jaw portion having a first angled wall connected to one of the first side walls and defining a first wire stripping portion, the first wire stripping portion including a first cutting edge and a first recess defined in the first angled wall, the first recess extending from the first cutting edge to an end at the one of the first side walls, the first angled wall being arranged non-parallel to the gripping surface and non-perpendicular to the one of the first side walls, the first cutting edge being proximate the longitudinal plane and spaced from the other of the first side walls, the first jaw portion including a first wall portion extending from the first cutting edge to the other of the first side walls, the first wire stripping portion being on one side of the longitudinal plane and the first wall portion being on an opposite side of the longitudinal plane;
wherein the second jaw portion has a second gripping surface extending parallel to the gripping plane, second side walls perpendicular to the gripping plane, and a second outer wall connecting the second side walls, the second jaw portion having a second angled wall connected to one of the second side walls and defining a second wire stripping portion, the second wire stripping portion including a second cutting edge and a second recess defined in the second angled wall, the second recess extending from the second cutting edge to an end at the one of the second side walls, the second angled wall being arranged non-parallel to the second gripping surface and non-perpendicular to the one of the second side walls, the second cutting edge being proximate the longitudinal plane and spaced from the other of the second side walls, the second jaw portion including a second wall portion extending from the second cutting edge to the other of the second side walls, the second wire stripping portion being on the opposite side of the longitudinal plane and the second wall portion being on the one side of the longitudinal plane.

2. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein each of the first jaw portion and the second jaw portion has a spring constant of up to about 3,200 lbs./in.

3. The hand tool of claim 2 , wherein each of the first jaw portion and the second jaw portion has a spring constant of between about 2,900 lbs./in. and about 3,000 lbs./in.

4. A hand tool comprising:
a first jaw assembly including a first handle portion, a first jaw portion, and a first pivot portion;
a second jaw assembly including a second handle portion, a second jaw portion, and a second pivot portion; and
a pivot pin coupling the first pivot portion and the second pivot portion for pivoting movement of the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly about a pivot axis between an open position and a closed position, a longitudinal plane extending perpendicular to the pivot axis;
wherein the first jaw portion has a first gripping surface extending in a gripping plane parallel to the pivot axis, first side walls perpendicular to the gripping plane, and a first outer wall connecting the first side walls, the first jaw portion having a first angled wall connected to one of the first side walls and defining a first wire stripping portion, the first wire stripping portion including a first cutting edge and a first recess defined in the first angled wall, the first recess extending from the first cutting edge to an end at the one of the first side walls, the first angled wall being arranged non-parallel to the gripping surface and non-perpendicular to the one of the first side walls, the first cutting edge being proximate the longitudinal plane and spaced from the other of the first side walls, the first jaw portion including a first wall portion extending from the first cutting edge to the other of the first side walls, the first wire stripping portion being on one side of the longitudinal plane and the first wall portion being on an opposite side of the longitudinal plane; and
wherein the second jaw portion has a second gripping surface extending parallel to the gripping plane, second side walls perpendicular to the gripping plane, and a second outer wall connecting the second side walls, the second jaw portion having a second angled wall connected to one of the second side walls and defining a second wire stripping portion, the second wire stripping portion including a second cutting edge and a second recess defined in the second angled wall, the second recess extending from the second cutting edge to an end at the one of the second side walls, the second angled wall being arranged non-parallel to the second gripping surface and non-perpendicular to the one of the second side walls, the second cutting edge being proximate the longitudinal plane and spaced from the other of the second side walls, the second jaw portion including a second wall portion extending from the second cutting edge to the other of the second side walls, the second wire stripping portion being on the opposite side of the longitudinal plane and the second wall portion being on the one side of the longitudinal plane;
wherein the first jaw portion and the second jaw portion define a jaw length, wherein the first wire stripping portion defines a first wire stripping portion length, wherein a ratio of the first wire stripping portion length to the jaw length is in a range of 0.4 to 0.55.

5. The hand tool of claim 4 , wherein the first wire stripping portion further includes another first recess defined in the first angled wall and extending from the first cutting edge to a another end at the one of the first side walls, the other first recess being spaced along the first jaw portion from the first recess.

6. The hand tool of claim 5 , further comprising, on the one of the side walls, a first indicator proximate the end of the first recess and a second indicator proximate the end of the other first recess.

7. The hand tool of claim 4 , wherein the second wall portion defines an open area opposite the first angled wall, and wherein the first wall portion defines an open area opposite the second angled wall.

8. The hand tool of claim 4 , wherein the first jaw portion has a first jaw tip and the second jaw portion has a second jaw tip, and wherein each of the first jaw portion and the second jaw portion has a spring constant more than about 2,225 lbs./in., measured when a force is applied in a direction parallel to the pivot axis to an associated jaw tip with the pivot pin being held.

9. The hand tool of claim 8 , wherein each of the first jaw portion and the second jaw portion has a spring constant of up to about 3,200 lbs./in.

10. The hand tool

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Hoppe Christopher S
• Cors Mark W
• Hyma Steven W
• Squiers Grant T
• Stearns Michael

Classifications

• H02G1/1214

  not using wire or cable clamping means · CPC title

• B25F1/003

  of pliers'-, scissors'- or wrench-type with at least one movable jaw (B25F1/006 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B25B7/02

  Jaws · CPC title

• B25B7/14

  Locking means {(B25B7/123 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B25B7/22 Primary

  Pliers provided with auxiliary tool elements, e.g. cutting edges, nail extractors (for removing insulation or armouring from electric cables H02G1/12) · CPC title