Long reach cable cutting tool including dual action hydraulic piston assembly and releasable connections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020006907-A1
Application number	US-201916428252-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	Jul 2, 2018
Publication date	Jan 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A long reach cable cutting tool includes a handle, a motor electrically connectable to a battery, a trigger electrically connected to the motor to provide power from the battery to the motor when the trigger is activated, a pump connected to the motor, the pump is activated to displace a first fluid, a hydraulic actuating system connected to the hydraulic pump, the hydraulic actuating system is movable by the displacement of the first fluid to displace a second fluid, a pole having a first end and a second end, the pole connected to the handle at the first end, and a tool head connected to the pole at the second end, the tool head including a tool head hydraulic actuator hydraulically connected to the hydraulic actuating system, the tool head hydraulic actuator is movable by the displacement of the second fluid to cause relative movement of the actuator with respect to the tool head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A long reach cable cutting tool, comprising:
a handle; a motor positioned within the handle and electrically connectable to a battery; a trigger positioned about the handle and electrically connected to the motor to provide power from the battery to the motor when the trigger is activated; a pump positioned within the handle and connected to the motor, the pump being activated to displace a first fluid; a hydraulic actuating system positioned within the handle and connected to the hydraulic pump, the hydraulic actuating system being movable by the displacement of the first fluid to displace a second fluid; a pole having a first end and a second end, the pole connected to the handle at the first end; a tool head connected to the pole at the second end, the tool head including a tool head hydraulic actuator hydraulically connected to the hydraulic actuating system, the tool head hydraulic actuator is movable by the displacement of the second fluid to cause movement of the tool head.

2 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the battery is mechanically connectable to the handle.

3 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic actuating system is a dual action hydraulic piston assembly, comprising:
a closed cylinder having first and second inlet ports on a first end and an outlet port on a second end; a conduit fixed to and extending into the cylinder and connected to the first inlet port; an inner ram having an inner cavity slidably mated with an outer surface of the conduit; an outer ram having an inner surface slidably mated with an outer surface of the inner ram and an outer surface slidably mated with an inner surface of the cylinder, wherein, in a fully retracted state, a proximate end of the inner ram and a proximate end of the outer ram are positioned adjacent to the first end of the cylinder, and the distal end of the inner ram and the distal end of the outer ram are positioned a distance from the second end of the cylinder defining a second fluid space, wherein the inner ram and outer ram are movable by the first fluid being displaced into the inner cavity via the conduit to provide displacement through the outlet port of a second fluid contained in the second fluid space at a first flow rate and a first pressure, wherein the outer ram is movable by the first fluid being displaced via the second inlet port, into a first fluid space between the first end of the closed cylinder and the proximate ends of the inner and outer rams, to provide displacement through the outlet port of a second fluid contained in the second fluid space at a second flow rate less than the first flow rate and a second pressure greater than the first pressure.

4 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 3 , wherein the inner ram and outer ram are movable, by the first fluid being displaced into the inner cavity via the conduit, at a first advance rate of at least 1 in/s, and the outer ram is movable, by the first fluid displaced into the first fluid space via the second inlet port, at a second advance rate of at least 0.2 in/s.

5 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 3 , wherein the outer ram is movable, by the first fluid displaced into the first fluid space via the second inlet port, at a second advance rate that is at least three times that of a first advance rate that the inner ram and outer ram is movable by the first fluid displaced into the inner cavity via the conduit.

6 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 3 , wherein the dual action hydraulic piston assembly further comprises a spring circumscribing the outer surface of the inner ram, the spring acting between the inner ram and the outer ram, the spring having a first end adjacent to a distal end of the outer ram and a second end adjacent to a distal end of the inner ram.

7 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool head is one of a crimper or a cutter.

8 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the handle is connected to the pole via a releasable connector, the releasable connector comprising:
the pole defining a plurality of separated arcuate members extending from a proximate end of the pole, each arcuate member defining a channel extending across an inner surface of a respective arcuate member; a collar having a first end and a second end, the first end attached to the handle, the collar including a ridge positioned circumferentially around the collar and a distance from the second end, wherein said channel mates with said ridge when the pole is engaged onto the collar; a collet slidably positionable about the pole in proximity to the channel; and a retaining nut slidably positionable about the pole and collet, and connectable with the collar.

9 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool head is connected to the pole via a releasable connector, the releasable connector comprising:
the pole defining a plurality of separated arcuate members extending from a proximate end of the pole, each arcuate member defining a channel extending across an inner surface of a respective arcuate member; a collar having a first end and a second end, the first end attached to the tool head, the collar including a ridge positioned circumferentially around the collar and a distance from the second end, wherein said channel mates with said ridge when the pole is engaged onto the collar; a collet slidably positionable about the pole in proximity to the channel; and a retaining nut slidably positionable about the pole and collet, and connectable with the collar.

10 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the pole is made from a non-conductive material and includes a portion filled with a foam material.

11 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 1 , the tool head having a housing, a fixed distal cutting portion, a movable proximal cutting portion, a catch fastened adjacent to the distal cutting portion, and a retainer fastened between the catch and the housing.

12 . The long reach cable cutting tool of claim 1 , further comprising a second handle mounted on the pole between the first end and the second end.

13 . A dual action hydraulic piston assembly, comprising:
a cylinder having first end and a second end opposite the first end and defining an inner diameter, the cylinder including a first inlet port located at the first end, a second fluid inlet port located at the first end, and a fluid outlet port located at the second end, the first and second inlet ports for receiving a first fluid; a conduit having an outer diameter and connected to the first inlet port; an inner ram having an open distal end and a closed proximate end and defining an outer diameter, the inner ram defining a fluid cavity extending inward from the open distal end, the fluid cavity having an inner diameter substantially equal to and greater than the outer diameter of the conduit, the conduit extending into the fluid cavity, the inner ram slidably connected to an outer surface of the conduit, and an outer ram stop extending outward from and around the inner ram about the distal end; an outer ram having an open distal end and an open proximate end and defining an inner diameter, the inner diameter of the outer ram substantially equal to and greater than the outer diameter of the inner ram, the outer ram slidably connected to an outer surface of the inner ram, the outer ram defining an inner ram stop about the distal end and matable with the outer ram stop, a length of the outer ram along a longitudinal axis being less than a length of the inner ram along the

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Torrey Cameron Michael-Daniel
• Poirier Robert Michael
• Guarrera Michael Anthony
• Desmarais Luke John
• Faucher Thomas Romeo

Classifications

• B23D29/002

  for cutting wire or the like · CPC title

• B23D21/06

  Hand-operated tube-cutters · CPC title

• B23D15/14

  actuated by fluid or gas pressure · CPC title

• A01G2003/023

  with means for grasping or collecting the cut objects · CPC title

• A01G3/02

  Secateurs; Flower or fruit shears · CPC title