Perforation apparatus for cable jackets and related systems and methods

• US 9,979,168 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RSCC Wire & Cable LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Rockbestos Surprenant Cable Corp. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dulac, Dustin, Westwood, Cliff
• Primary Examiner(s): Wellington, Andrea
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayala, Fernando
• Application Number:
  US13/690,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20130139393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 30363
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 17/006 having cutting edges parallel to a pivot axis
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/36 Punching or perforating pliers
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/12 for removing insulation or armouring from cables, e.g. from the end thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/1209 making a transverse cut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/02 Other than completely through work thickness

Abstract

A perforation apparatus for use with cable jackets and related systems and methods thereof is provided. The tool includes a pliers assembly having at least a first jaw member positioned opposing a second jaw member, wherein relative movement of the first and second jaw members is controlled with at least a first handle and a second handle. A first knife edge is on the first jaw member and a second knife edge is on the second jaw member. Each of the first and second knife edges are oriented substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to a length of first and second handles. The first and second knife edges are movable towards one another. A spacing device is connected to the pliers assembly, wherein the spacing device controls a closing distance between the first knife edge and the second knife edge.

Claims

1. A perforation system comprising:

a cable having at least a conductor and a cable jacket positioned radially about the conductor, wherein the cable jacket includes two perforation segments formed therein, the two perforation segments extending along a length of the cable and being offset from one another by 90°

about a perimeter of the cable jacket; and

a perforation apparatus having an elongated handle including a first handle member connected to a first jaw member and a second handle member connected to a second jaw member, wherein the first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member, wherein the first and second jaw members include first and second jaw tips, respectively, wherein the first jaw member is angularly oriented relative to the second jaw member, and wherein at least one of the first jaw tip and the second jaw tip is of a cylinder geometry having end faces of biconvex geometry consisting of two arcs joined to each other at both a first endpoint and a second endpoint; and

a first knife edge formed on the first jaw tip and a second knife edge formed on the second jaw tip, wherein each of the first and second knife edges is oriented substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to a length of the elongated handle;

wherein to remove a portion of the cable jacket between the two perforation segments, the perforation apparatus is configured such that the first jaw tip is positionable within one of the two perforation segments and the second jaw tip is positionable within the other of the two perforation segments.

2. The perforation system of claim 1, further comprising a spacing device connected to the perforation apparatus, wherein the spacing device controls a closing distance between the first knife edge and the second knife edge when the first and second jaw members are moved towards a closed position.

3. The perforation system of claim 2, wherein the closing distance between the first and second knife edges corresponds to a predetermined perforation segment depth within the cable jacket.

4. The perforation system of claim 1, wherein the two perforation segments are formed through at least 50% of a thickness of the cable jacket.

5. The perforation system of claim 1, wherein the two perforation segments are formed through at least 75% of the thickness of the cable jacket.

6. The perforation system of claim 2, wherein the closing distance is a predetermined distance determined by a configuration of the spacing device.

7. The perforation system of claim 2, wherein the spacing device further comprises a threaded tensioner.

8. The perforation system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second jaw tips are positioned at a distal end of the first and second jaw members, respectively.

9. The perforation system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second jaw tips is oriented angularly with respect to the length of the elongated handle.

10. The perforation system of claim 1, wherein the first and second knife edges each have a length dimension that is larger than a width dimension of the first and second jaw members, respectively, wherein the length dimension of the first and second knife edges and the width dimension of the first and second jaw members are measured perpendicular to the length of the elongated handle.

11. The perforation system of claim 1, wherein the first jaw tip conforms to one of the two perforation segments and the second jaw tip conforms to the other of the two perforation segments.

12. The perforation system of claim 1, wherein the perforation apparatus is configured to grip the cable jacket of the cable.

13. The perforation system of claim 1, wherein the cylinder geometry is that of a right cylinder.