DEVICE FOR STRIPPING ELECTRIC CABLES USING VIOLET OR BLUE LASER DIODES

• US 20150162729A1
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laselec Co.
• Original Assignee: Laselec Co.
• Inventors: Reversat, Fabien, Rougier, Stphane, Bouvet, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 9,876,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/128 using radiant energy, e.g. a laser beam

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for stripping electric cables, comprising at least one stripping beam (10, 11; 110, 111; 209) emitted by a LASER source (1; 101; 201) and focused by an optical assembly (2-4; 102, 103; 203-208) into a focusing point (12, 13), called cutting point, and at least one track (6; 106) for receiving a portion of cable to be stripped, characterised in that each LASER source comprises a LASER diode (1; 101; 201) emitting a stripping beam of which the wavelength is between 400 nm and 460 nm, and preferably of the order of 445 nm.

Claims

1. An electric cable stripping device, including at least one stripping beam emitted by a LASER source and focused by an optical assembly to a cutting point, and further including at least one receiving track for receiving a portion of cable to strip, each LASER source including a LASER diode emitting a stripping beam of wavelength between 400 nm and 460 nm.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein each LASER source is a LASER diode emitting a stripping beam of wavelength between 400 nm and 410 nm or between 440 nm and 460 nm.

3. A device according to claim 1, comprising mechanical directing structure adapted to move at least one cutting point around a cable receiving track in a transverse plane.

4. A device according to claim 1, comprising mechanical directing structure adapted to move at least one cutting point along a rectilinear cable receiving track.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein each cable receiving track passes entirely across the device and is provided with a retractable stop which, in retracted position, allows the passage of the cable, the latter then passing across the device and which, in extended position, crosses the cable receiving track and thus closes the passage to the cable in order to enable stripping of one end of the cable wedged against the extended stop

6. A device according to claim 1, comprising several rectilinear receiving tracks for cables to strip, these tracks extending in the same plane parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction (X), and in that the device includes mechanical directing structure adapted to move at least one cutting point or at least one receiving track in a transverse direction (Y) at a right angle to the longitudinal direction X and parallel to the plane of the cable receiving tracks.

7. A device according to claim 1, comprising at least two stripping beams, the cutting points of said beams being situated on respective opposite sides of a cable receiving track, in the same transverse stripping plane.

8. A device according to claim 1, comprising four stripping beams distributed around a cable receiving track each of the stripping beams being formed by a transverse primary beam emitted by a blue or violet laser diode in the stripping plane, and reflected by a motor-driven pivoting mirror, the motor-driven pivoting mirrors being controlled out of synchronization such that the stripping beams do not cross each other.

9. A device according to claim 1 comprising three or four stripping beams distributed around a cable receiving track, each of the stripping beams being formed by a primary beam emitted by a blue or violet laser diode in a direction parallel to the cable receiving track, and reflected by a motor-driven pivoting mirror.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the device has a front face by which a cable to strip may be inserted into a cable entry aperture, and in that each motor-driven pivoting mirror is associated with a motor arranged behind the corresponding laser diode.

11. A device according to claim 1, comprising, for each cable receiving track , a holding assembly for holding a cable to strip in the cable receiving track, and in that the holding assembly includes a gland provided with a sleeve of light-tight elastic material.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein each holding assembly includes a slide able to slide in a direction at a right angle to the cable receiving track and including at least two through passages of different inside diameters, each through passage being provided with a gland with a sleeve of a light-tight elastic material.

13. A device according to claim 1, comprising adapted to measure a diameter of a cable to strip accommodated in a cable receiving track and to adjust the position of at least one cutting point relative to said receiving track, according to the diameter measured.

14. A device according to claim 1, comprising, for at least one stripping beam, a monitoring system including at least one photodiode for the capture and the analysis of an optical verification signal emitted by a cable aimed at by said stripping beam, and a control adapted to adapt scanning parameters according to the results of analysis of the optical verification signal.

15. A device according to claim 1, comprising an autofocus system for the feedback control of a cutting point, adapted to determine the position of said cutting point relative to a surface of a cable to strip accommodated in the corresponding receiving track, this autofocus system including two verification beams which are coplanar with the stripping beam and surround the latter, as well as means for capture and analysis of a verification image formed by radiation reflected by a cable accommodated in the receiving track, said receiving track extending in a longitudinal direction qualified as inclined, which, in a plane containing the axial direction of the stripping beam and the longitudinal direction of the receiving track, forms a non-zero angle with a normal direction of stripping at a right angle to the axial direction of the stripping beam.

16. A device according to claim 1, comprising an autonomous battery.