DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a cable stripper. In particular, the present invention relates to a cable stripper usable to remove the jacket from cables of different diameter. In more detail, the present invention relates to a cable stripper usable to remove the jacket from cables of different diameters and operable with only one hand.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The electrical components used in electric circuits are actuated by current; they have therefore metal contacts allowing to exchange power with the power supply or with batteries, either directly or through the interposition of further components. Power is exchanged through metal wires coated with insulating material, called jacket, that is usually made of plastic or rubber and has adequate thickness to allow operators to handle the cables without feeling the current passage effects. It is easily understood that the jacket shall be removed from the wires in the area where the electrical connection shall be realized; to this end, members provided with a blade can be used; however, when using for example knives or scissors or the like, often the metal wire under the jacket is accidentally cut especially if the metal part has a particularly reduced diameter; moreover, the section useful for the current passage could be reduced, resulting in the impossibility of using that portion of wire for the electrical connection. Therefore, people not skilled in working with electrical components and people desiring to work more quickly generally use tools that are called "cable strippers" or "stripping tools", that comprise at least one blade usable to cut the jacket peripherally. Once the jacket has been cut, it is possible to remove the jacket portion covering the cable end to be used for the connection, by sliding it longitudinally.

Independently of the cable size, the focus herein will be on the cable strippers that require the operator to adjust the intensity of the cut action to be exerted on the cable. Some of these tools are shaped like a pair of pliers, having two elongated portions connected together by means of a pin or a flexible joint. One of the two elongated portions is provided with a blade, that can be replaced in the tools designed for professional use; the other portion is provided with an abutment for the blade for cutting the cable jacket. If these devices have particularly small dimensions, one of the two elongated portions is delimited by an annular end that can be engaged by the operator' s finger, so as to make the use thereof easier. In some cases, elements are used making the tool suitable for cutting cables whose jackets have different diameters. These elements are usually carried by one of the two elongated portions in specific housings, from which however they can be accidentally removed. For this reason, there is the risk not to have them available at will, i.e. there is the risk of limitations on the use thereof. Moreover, some cable strippers have a very long whole longitudinal extension with respect to the extension of the portion thereof destined to cut the jacket. Therefore, the problem of having available a cable stripper that is usable for electric cables of different diameters and has reduced extension, i.e. Extension proportional to the dimension of the portion thereof destined to cut the jacket, is still unsolved. This problem represents an interesting challenge for the applicant, aiming at providing a product that is easy to be used, usable for cutting cables of different diameters without the need for additional components, reliable, and that can be produced at low costs. In view of the above description it would be desirable to have available a cable stripper that, in addition to allow limiting and possibly overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art, defines a new standard for this kind of products.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cable stripper. In particular, the present invention relates to a cable stripper usable to remove the jacket from cables of different diameter. In more detail, the present invention relates to a cable stripper usable to remove the jacket from cables of different diameters and operable with only one hand.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cable stripper that is easy to be used, usable for cutting cables of different diameters without the need of using additional components, reliable, and that can be produced at low costs. According to the present invention a cable stripper is provided, whose main features will be described in at least one of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the cable stripper according to the invention will be more apparent from the description below, set forth with reference to the attached drawings, that illustrate some examples of embodiment, where identical or corresponding parts of the system are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

- figure 1 is a 3D schematic view of a cable stripper according to the present invention;

- figure 2 is a plan partial view of figure 1, partially cut away;

- figure 3 is a plan view of figure 1;

- figure 4 is a side elevation view of a first detail extracted from figure 1;

- figure 5 is a 3D view of a plurality of second details extracted from figure 1; and

- figure 6 is a 3D schematic view of third details extracted from figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In figure 1, number 1 indicates, as a whole, a cable stripper according to the present invention. The cable stripper 1 has a frame 10 provided with a housing 12 that is delimited by an annular edge portion 14 extending in a given direction D. In particular, although without limiting the protective scope of the invention, the frame 10 has prismatic annular shape with respect to a central axis 11 parallel to the given direction D, and the edge portion has constant cross-section. Moreover, the frame 10 peripherally carries cutting members 22 that are hinged to the edge portion 14 in a plurality of respective pivot axes 221, better shown in figure 3 and arranged in distinct points of the frame 10, so as not to interfere with one another and avoid problems. With particular reference to figures 2, 3 and 4, the edge portion 14 is concentric with the central axis 11 of the frame 10 and to each cutting member 22 a seat 16 corresponds, extending in a tubular-wise manner parallel to the given direction D. As it is easily understood from the attached figures, the aim of each seat 16 is to house a cable to be stripped, adjacent to the respective cutting member 22.

Each cutting member 22 is prismatic in shape and has a respective substantially cylindrical coupling portion 223 to couple tangentially to the outside of the respective seat 16 in a second pivot axis 221, from which a substantially cylindrical segment 20 extends. Moreover, each segment 20 has a slot 222 (figure 3) transverse to the pivot axis 221 and engaged by a blade 220; each blade 220 has a grip portion 224, whose cross-section is T-shaped, so as to be removable from the respective cutting member 22 (figure 6) . With particular reference to figure 4, each seat 16 has a transverse notch 226 so shaped as to be engaged by the blade 220 associated with the respective cutting member 22.

It should be specified that, with reference to the attached figures, although without limiting the protective scope of the invention, the edge portion 14 of the frame 10 is round in shape and the seats 16 are arranged circumferent ially on the outer part of the edge portion 14. It can be therefore stated that the frame 10 supports cutting members 22 arranged circumferentially around the central axis 11.

The use of the cable stripper 1 is clearly apparent from the description above and does not require further explanations. However, it should be specified that, every time the cable stripper 1 shall be used to free the end portion of a cable coated with a plastic jacket or the like, the cutting member 22 to be used shall be chosen based on the size matching between the respective seat 16 and the outer diameter of the cable jacket in question. At this point, the operator inserts the cable stripper 1 on any his/her finger using the housing 12 provided in the frame 10; then, the operator shall verify that the seat 16 is free of the respective blade 220, and that the respective segment 20 is adequately lifted. Once the seat 16 has been engaged by the cable end, the operator can use another finger (usually the thumb, but this is not strictly necessary) for tilting the segment 20 up to bring it inside the notch 226 into contact with the outer surface of the cable jacket; then the operator shall press until to make a peripheral cut on the cable jacket. The cut depth can be defined by the operator at will according to his/her sensitivity; alternatively, an abutment of adjustable height may be provided for stopping the rotation of the segment 20 relative to the seat 16 at a given angle.

By keeping the cable stripper 1 and the segment 20 actuated in this position, and driving the cable into rotation, it is possible to extend the peripheral cut by 360° around the longitudinal axis of the cable, easily separating the portion of jacket where the cut has been done. At this point, the cable can be removed from the seat 16 to complete the preparation of the end portion thereof by longitudinally removing the portion of jacket cut from the cable.

Obviously, in case the blade 220 is not enough sharpened, it is necessary to remove it from the respective slot 222 using the corresponding grip portion 224, and to replace it. Otherwise, the shear strength shall be evaluated to asses whether it allows the operator to cut also the cable in a given point, so as to avoid the use of scissors without jeopardizing the functionality of the blade 220.

Lastly, it is clearly apparent that variants and modifications can be done to the cable stripper 1 described and illustrated herein without however departing from the protective scope of the invention.

In view of the above description, it should be specified that the teachings necessary and enough to construct the cable stripper 1 have been provided with reference to an embodiment with three cutting members 22. However, it should be specified that the cable strippers according to the present invention may have one or more cutting members 22, and therefore one or more seats 16; the only limitation is to arrange the cutting members (and the respective seats 16) at angular distances sufficient to prevent interferences in use between the respective cylindrical segments 20 carrying the blades 220.

In view of the above description it is clearly apparent that the cable stripper 1 can be used with only one hand and, as the transverse dimension thereof is similar to the average transverse dimension of a hand finger, it is pocket-sized, while the known and/or marketed cable strippers not.

Moreover, the fact that the cable stripper 1 and the respective components thereof can be moulded using a very reduced amount of material (metal or plastic, according to the needs) allows to produce the cable stripper 1 at very reduced costs, so that one could also consider to produce it so that the connection between the blades 220 and the respective segments 20 is permanent, of the disposable type, for example provided with the tools for installing electrical components.

It is clearly apparent that the cable stripper according to the invention completely and satisfactory solves the problem mentioned above.