Cable clamp

• US 20030116342A1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Jun-Wu
• Granted Patent: US 6,686,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/74R
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/0221 Laser welding H01R43/0228 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/0256 for soldering or welding connectors to a printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/28 for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0515 Connection to a rigid planar substrate, e.g. printed circuit board

Abstract

A cable clamp used for automatic processing and assembly of cables includes a base, a pair of clamping arms and a locking piece. The base defines receiving recesses in longitudinal two ends thereof. Each clamping arm includes a pivotable section at one end thereof received in the receiving recess, a pressing section extending from the pivotable section to the center of the base, and a fixed section formed at the other end thereof. The pressing section is adapted to press a cable against an upper surface of the base. The locking piece is disposed on the base and bears against the fixed section of the clamping arm for securely retaining the clamping arm on the base. The cable clamp has a small and simple configuration which can steadily clamp cables, load and unload the cables rapidly and precisely.

Claims

1. A cable clamp, comprising:

a base defining a receiving recess at one longitudinal end thereof, said base comprising upper and lower surfaces parallel to each other, longitudinal first and second side walls opposite to each other and a pair of opposite traverse end walls;

a clamping arm comprising a pivotable section at one end thereof rotatably received in said receiving recess, a pressing section extending from the pivotable section adapted to press a cable against an upper surface of the base, and a fixed section formed at the other end thereof; and

a locking piece rotatably disposed on the base and bearing against the fixed section of said clamping arm for securely retaining said clamping arm on the base.

2. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base comprises a first protrusion formed at one end thereof, a second protrusion distant from said first protrusion, and a first through hole through the second protrusion and the second side wall, the first and second protrusions adjoining the first side wall.

3. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper surface of the base comprises a third protrusion formed thereon proximate to said first protrusion, and said receiving recess is defined in the third protrusion.

4. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 3, wherein the upper surface of the base comprises a fourth protrusion formed thereon proximate to said second protrusion, said fourth protrusion defining a receiving groove in one side for receiving the fixed section of the clamping arm.

5. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 4, wherein the base defines a second through hole through the first protrusion and the third protrusion, the pivotable section of the clamping arm has a cylindrical configuration and defines a pivotal hole aligned with the second through hole for extension of a pintle therethrough, and the pressing section defines a slot in a lower surface thereof facing the upper surface of the base for receiving a cushion.

6. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 5, wherein the base defines a third through hole extending through the fourth protrusion and the lower surface thereof.

7. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 6, wherein said locking piece comprises a touching portion bearing against the fourth protrusion of the base and the fixed section of the clamping arm, a body extending upwardly from the touching portion, and a guiding portion extending from one side of the touching portion.

8. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 7, wherein said body of the locking piece defines a groove, and the touching portion defines an aperture therethrough in communication with the groove.

9. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bottom of the guiding portion of the locking piece has a first inclined guiding surface along the rotary direction of the locking piece, and the touching portion has an indentation defined in a bottom surface thereof opposite to the guiding portion and a second inclined guiding surface provided at the bottom of the indentation along the rotary direction of the locking piece.

10. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a locating pin, the locating pin comprising a large-dimensioned head portion held in said groove and a small-dimensioned pole portion received in said aperture of the locking piece, the pole portion defining a hole in a lower end thereof aligned with said first through hole for extension of a dowel therethrough.

11. The cable clamp as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base defines a plurality of assembly holes therethrough in a traverse direction and an assembly slot in the lower surface thereof, the assembly slot longitudinally penetrating the two end walls.

12. In combination, a base defining an upward surface;

a clamping arm mounted to the base and defining a downward surface opposite to said upward surface when said clamping arm is locked to said base;

a circuit board assembly including;

a printed circuit board located on one side surface of the base, said circuit board defining a plurality of through holes; and

a plurality of coaxial cables each including a core, an inner insulator, a metal braid and an outer insulator successively surrounding one another and commonly extending through the corresponding through hole with one of two opposite distal ends thereof extending beyond the printed circuit board with a distance;

wherein

said clamping arm is locked unto the base with the plurality of coaxial cables having both said inner and outer insulators thereon tightly sandwiched between the downward surface and the upward surface.

13. The combination as claimed in claim 12, wherein the clamping arm is pivotally mounted on the base.

14. The combination as claimed in claim 13, wherein said clamping arm is locked to the base by a locking device which is rotatably mounted on the base opposite to a pivot of said clamping arm.

15. The combination as claimed in claim 12, further including another clamping arm attached to the base, wherein both said two opposite distal ends of each of the cables are respectively pressed downwardly by said two clamping arms toward the base.

16. The combination as claimed in claim 15, wherein said two clamping arms are both pivotally mounted to the base.

17. The combination as claimed in claim 16, wherein said two clamping arms are rotatable in different directions.

18. The combination as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of said cables extends with a U-shaped configuration relative to the base.

19. The combination as claimed in claim 12, wherein a portion of the outer insulator of each cable, which is exposed outside of the printed circuit board, is ready to be removed for exposing the metal braid.

20. A cable clamp assembly comprising:

a base defining an upward surface for clamping, and a side face for confronting a printed circuit board having a plurality of coaxial cables thereon;

a clamping arm moveably mounted to the base, and defining thereon a downward surface facing to said upward surface when said clamping arm is locked to the base, said downward surface incorporating the upward surface for tightly clamping the corresponding coaxial cables when said clamping arm is locked to the base; and

a locking device located on the base and abutting against at least partially the clamping arm;

wherein

said locking device not only locks the clamping arm to the base but also forces the clamping arm to press against the base for having the corresponding coaxial cables tightly sandwiched therebetween.

21. The assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein said clamping arm is pivotally mounted to the base about a pivot, and the locking device abuts against a portion of the clamping arm opposite to said pivot.

22. The assembly as claimed in claim 20, further including another clamping arm to cooperate with said clamping arm for respectively clamping both distal ends of each of the coaxial cables so as to work on both said distal ends simultaneously.

23. The assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the locking device is rotatable relative to the base around a pivot, and defines two guiding surfaces for successively and respectively engaging corresponding inclined surfaces on the clamping arms, wherein said two guiding surfaces are not symmetrically located on two opposite sides of said pivot.