Crimp die set

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821361-B2
Application number	US-201414579632-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A die set for crimping operations includes first and second die members having raised areas including a plurality of knurls and character areas. The die set combining knurls and character areas on the operative areas of the die members allows a single die set to be used to condition a surface for crimping operations as well as crimping connectors and marking them with relevant indicia without having to change die sets.

First claim

I claim:

1. A die set for crimping operations comprising:
a first die member comprising a die body having an upper operative surface and a lower operative surface;
a plurality of knurl members disposed on said upper operative surface; a character area defined by said lower operative surface, said
character area defining at least one reference character; and,
a second die member.

2. The die set of claim 1 , wherein said character area includes recesses that define said at least one reference character.

3. The die set of claim 1 , wherein said character area includes ridges that
define said at least one reference character.

4. The die set of claim 3 , wherein said knurl members and said character ridges have the same height.

5. The die set of claim 1 , wherein said second die member has at least one operative surface and a plurality of knurl members disposed on said operative surface.

6. The die set of claim 5 , wherein said second die includes a second operative surface including character areas defining a reference character.

7. The die set of claim 6 , wherein said reference character of said first and second die members define the same reference character.

8. The die set of claim 7 , wherein said reference characters of said first and second die members comprise a die index number.

9. The die set of claim 1 , further comprising a second die member; each of said die members having a generally block-shaped body having a rectangular top end and a semicircular bottom end; said body having a mounting pin on a back surface; and,
said body having a raised platform defining said operative surface having said upper operative surface including said knurls and said lower operative surface including said character area.

10. The die set of claim 1 , wherein said die set is configured for deployment in a crimp tool and operative to condition a surface for crimping and for crimping a connector to said conditioned surface while also embossing or debossing a die index number on said connector.

11. The die set of claim 1 , wherein said knurls are generally pyramid shaped.

12. A method of crimping workpieces together comprising:
loading a crimp tool with die set members including opposing operative surfaces having a plurality of knurls in a first operative area and at least one character area in a second operative area;
positioning a portion of said substrate in the jaws of the crimp tool between the operative areas of the die set members;
actuating the crimp tool to close the jaws and engage the operative areas of said die set members to condition said substrate surface; loosening the jaws and inserting a connector body and wire member into engagement with said substrate;
actuating the crimp tool a second time to crimp the connector body and wire member to said substrate, whereby said crimping leaves the mirror-image of said character areas on said connector body.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Therrien Peter N

Classifications

• B25B27/10 Primary

  inserting fittings into hoses · CPC title

• Y10T29/49181

  by deforming · CPC title

• Y10T29/53235

  Means to fasten by deformation · CPC title

• B21D37/10 Primary

  Die sets; Pillar guides · CPC title

• H01R43/042

  Hand tools for crimping · CPC title