Method of cutting shielding conductor of a high voltage cable and apparatus to be used therefore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12438347-B2
Application number	US-202217883831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2022
Priority date	Nov 29, 2021
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus for cutting a previously flared shield conductor of a shielded electrical cable includes a two-piece clamping die having an aperture in which the shielded electrical cable is secured and a cutting surface. The clamping die is opened and closed around the shielded electrical cable. The apparatus further includes a cutting tube configured to be pressed against the cutting surface while the flared shield conductor is between the cutting tube and the cutting surface, thereby cutting a portion of a free end of the flared shield conductor. Alternatively, the apparatus may include a die comprising a cutting surface and an aperture in which the end of the shielded electrical cable is received. The cutting tube has two parts that are closed about the shielded electrical cable and pressed against the cutting surface while the flared shield conductor is disposed between the cutting tube and the cutting surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus configured to cut a shield conductor of a shielded electrical cable that is flared outwardly from the shielded electrical cable, the apparatus comprising:
a two-piece clamping die comprising an aperture extending therethrough in which the shielded electrical cable is secured, a side surface of the clamping die serving as a cutting surface, the two pieces of the clamping die being configured to be opened and closed around the shielded electrical cable;
a cutting tube configured to receive an end of the shielded electrical cable and to press against the cutting surface of the clamping die while the flared shield conductor is disposed between an edge of the cutting tube and the cutting surface of the clamping die, thereby cutting a portion of a free end of the flared shield conductor; and
a cutting tube rotation mechanism connected to a lever configured to rotate the cutting tube around a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a die clamping mechanism configured to move at least one of the two pieces of the clamping die relative to the other of the two pieces of the clamping die in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a die translation mechanism configured to move the clamping die in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable relative to the cutting tube.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a cable stop configured to contact the end of the shielded electrical cable, thereby positioning the flared shield conductor relative to the cutting tube and cutting surface of the clamping die.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the side surface of the clamping die defines an annular shape.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cutting tube further comprises a frustoconical guiding tool configured to position the flared shield conductor between the cutting surface of the clamping die and the cutting tube.

7. A method of cutting a shield conductor of a high voltage shielded electrical cable, comprising:
flaring a free end of the shield conductor outwardly from the high voltage shielded electrical cable;
placing the shielded electrical cable in an aperture of a two-piece clamping die, a side surface of the clamping die serving as a cutting surface;
moving at least one of the two pieces of the clamping die toward the other of the two pieces of the clamping die in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable, thereby clamping the shielded electrical cable within the aperture of the clamping die;
disposing an end of the shielded electrical cable within a cutting tube;
moving the clamping die in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable towards the cutting tube;
pressing the cutting tube against a cutting surface of the clamping die with the flared shield conductor disposed between the cutting tube and the cutting surface;
rotating the cutting tube relative to the cutting surface of the clamping die; and
cutting through the flared shield conductor with an edge of the cutting tube as it is pressed against the cutting surface of the clamping die.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the step of flaring the free end of the shield conductor outwardly from the high voltage shielded electrical cable is performed prior to all of the other steps of the method.

9. The method in accordance with claim 7 , further comprising:
retracting the clamping die from being in contact with the cutting tube;
moving the at least one of the two pieces of the clamping die away from the other of the two pieces of the clamping die in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable, thereby releasing the shielded electrical cable from the aperture of the clamping die; and
removing the high voltage shielded electrical cable from the clamping die.

10. The method in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the steps of moving at least one of the two pieces of the clamping die toward the other of the two pieces of the clamping die in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable and moving the at least one of the two pieces of the clamping die away from the other of the two pieces of the clamping die in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable are performed using a linear actuator having a lever configured to rotate about a pivot and a connecting rod attached between the lever and the at least one of the two pieces of the clamping die.

11. The method in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the steps of moving the clamping die in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable towards the cutting tube and moving the at least one of the two pieces of the clamping die away from the other of the two pieces of the clamping die in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable are performed using a linear actuator having a lever configured to rotate about a pivot and a connecting rod attached between the lever and the at least one of the two pieces of the clamping die.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the linear actuator further comprises a guide rail.

13. The method in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the step of rotating the cutting tube relative to the cutting surface of the clamping die is performed using a lever attached to the cutting tube.

14. The method in accordance with claim 7 , further comprising:
removing a portion of an outer insulating jacket of the high voltage shielded electrical cable to expose the shield conductor.

15. An apparatus configured to cut a shield conductor of a shielded electrical cable that is flared outwardly from the shielded electrical cable, said apparatus comprising:
a die comprising a cutting surface on a side of the die and an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture being configured to receive an end of the shielded electrical cable;
a cutting tube having two parts that are configured to be closed around the shielded electrical cable and pressed against the cutting surface while the flared shield conductor is disposed between the cutting tube and the cutting surface on the side of the die, thereby cutting a portion of a free end of the flared shield conductor; and
a cutting tube rotation mechanism connected to a lever configured to rotate the cutting tube around a longitudinal axis of the shielded electrical cable.

16. The apparatus in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising a cable stop configured to contact the end of the shielded electrical cable, thereby positioning the flared shield conductor relative to the cutting tube and cutting surface on the side of the die, wherein the side surface of the clamping die defines an annular shape.

17. The apparatus in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a frustoconical guiding tool surrounding the aperture configured to guide the flared shield conductor into contact with the cutting surface on the side of the die.

18. The apparatus in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the two parts of the cutting tube each have a semi-cylindrical shape and are joined along a longitudinal edge by a hinge feature, thereby forming a cylindrical cutting tube when closed about the shielded electrical cable.

Assignees

• Aptiv Technologies AG

Inventors

• Kightlinger John
• Chernushin Shawn Alan

Classifications

• H02G1/1297

  Removing armouring from cables · CPC title

• H02G1/005

  for cutting cables or wires, or splicing · CPC title

• H02G1/1256 Primary

  using wire or cable-clamping means · CPC title

• H02G1/1265 Primary

  the cutting element rotating about the wire or cable (making longitudinal and transverse or helical cut H02G1/1268) · CPC title

• B21F11/00 Primary

  Cutting wire · CPC title