Apparatus and process for removing an end portion of the shielding foil of a shielded electric cable

1 . Apparatus ( 10 ) for removing an end portion ( 3 a ) of a shielding foil ( 3 ) of a shielded electric cable ( 1 ), wherein a cable end portion ( 1 a ) of said cable ( 1 ) has at least one said shielding foil ( 3 ) which covers at least one conductor ( 2 , 20 ) covered by an electrically insulating covering layer ( 5 , 50 ), wherein at least one said end portion ( 3 a ) of said shielding foil ( 3 ) is exposed, said apparatus ( 10 ) comprising:

positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) for positioning said shielding foil ( 3 ) of said at least one conductor ( 2 , 20 ) in at least one tensioning position,

a locking device adapted to retain the shielded electric cable ( 1 ) in fixed position with said end portion ( 3 a ) exposed,

axially moving means ( 9 a ) adapted to operate a relative tensioning motion in an axial direction with respect to said cable ( 1 ), between said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) and said cable ( 1 ), by moving said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) to cause tensioning of said end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil ( 3 ), and

cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) provided with a cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ) and first radially moving means ( 19 ) configured to move said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) at least along a radial direction with respect to a longitudinal axis (X) of said cable ( 1 ), with respect to said shielding foil placed in said tensioning position to carry out the cutting of the shielding foil ( 3 ),

wherein said axially moving means ( 9 a ) comprise an actuator.

2 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising second radially moving means ( 9 ) configured to move said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) with respect to said cable ( 1 ) at least along a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis (X) of said cable ( 1 ), between a closed position to engage an outer surface of said shielding foil ( 3 ) of said cable ( 1 ) and an open position in which said cable ( 1 ) is released from said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ).

3 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, in said closed position, a contacting surface ( 14 a , 15 a ) with the end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil of the positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) delimits an opening ( 140 ) substantially complementary to the section of the cable end portion ( 1 a ) of the cable ( 1 ) comprising the end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil ( 3 ) which covers the at least one conductor ( 2 , 20 ).

4 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ) of said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) has a profile substantially complementary to the profile of the outer surface of said shielding foil ( 3 ) and/or the profile of an outer surface of the electrically insulating covering layer ( 5 , 50 ) of said at least one conductor ( 2 , 20 ).

5 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said axially moving means ( 9 a ) cause a relative motion, in an axial direction with respect to said cable ( 1 ), between said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) and said cable ( 1 ) to cause the tensioning, or the tensioning and subsequent removal, of said end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil ( 3 ).

6 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) are displaced by said axially moving means ( 9 a ) by a tensioning travel, to cause the tensioning of said end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil ( 3 ).

7 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) are displaced by said axially moving means ( 9 a ) by a further travel, greater than said tensioning travel, to cause the removal of said end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil ( 3 ).

8 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a contacting surface ( 14 a , 15 a ) of the positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) with the end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil is configured to provide anchorage and/or an increase in the coefficient of friction and wherein the contacting surface ( 14 a , 15 a ) with the end portion ( 3 a ) comprises a surface discontinuity and/or a material with a high coefficient of friction.

9 . Apparatus ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ) of said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) comprise at least one curved surface.

10 . Apparatus ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ) of said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) comprises at least one protruding element or tooth ( 83 a , 83 b ).

11 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said cable ( 1 ) comprises at least two said conductors ( 2 , 20 ), each with a covering layer ( 5 , 50 ) and said cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ) of said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) is configured to be substantially complementary to the profile of an outer surface of said shielding foil ( 3 ) which covers said two conductors, and/or the profile of an outer surface of the covering layer ( 5 , 50 ) of said two conductors ( 2 , 20 ).

12 . Apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ) of said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) has a profile substantially formed by the intersection of two circumferences intersecting each other.

13 . Apparatus ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) are moved by means of said first radially moving means ( 19 ), in a radial direction with respect to said cable ( 1 ), between a closed position in which said cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ) engages an outer surface of said shielding foil ( 3 ), and an open position in which said cable ( 1 ) is released from said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ).

14 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising further axially moving means ( 7 ) adapted to operate a relative motion between said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) and said cable ( 1 ).

15 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) and said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) is adapted to remove said end portion ( 3 a ) of said shielding foil ( 3 ).

16 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil ( 3 ) is retained by said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) at least during the tensioning movement of said end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil ( 3 ) and during a cutting step of said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ).

17 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one pressurized air source ( 11 ) adapted to deliver pressurized air to said cable end portion ( 1 a ), in such a way that the pressurized air exerts a force on said end portion ( 3 a ) of said at least one shielding foil ( 3 ) to push it towards said cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ) of said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ).

18 . Apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said pressurized air source ( 11 ) delivers air at a pressure between 2 bars and 80 bars.

19 . Apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein during relative motion between said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) and said cable ( 1 ) in an axial direction with respect to said cable ( 1 ), said end portion ( 3 a ) is retained by said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) and is pushed against said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) by the pressurized air.

20 . Apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said end portion ( 3 a ) of said shielding foil ( 3 ) is removed by combined action of said pressurized air source and relative motion operated by further axially moving means ( 7 ) in an axial direction with respect to said cable ( 1 ) between said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) and said cable ( 1 ), and/or by relative motion operated by said axially moving means ( 9 a ) in an axial direction with respect to said cable ( 1 ) between said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) and said cable ( 1 ).

21 . Apparatus ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) in said closed position form a continuous wall extending around said cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ).

22 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said shielding foil ( 3 ) is a multilayer film formed of conductive material.

23 . The apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said shielded electric cable ( 1 ) further comprises a shielding braid ( 4 ) surrounding said shielding foil ( 3 ) and said locking device retains said shielding braid ( 4 ).

24 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said actuator is a pneumatic actuator.

25 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said actuator is an electric actuator.

26 . The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a suction device ( 17 ) adapted to suction the end portion ( 3 a ) removed from the shielding foil ( 3 ).

27 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said locking device is movable between an operational position of locking said shielded electric cable ( 1 ) and a non-operational position, and further comprising an actuator for moving said locking device between said operational position and said non-operational position.

28 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of said cable end portion ( 1 a ) of said cable ( 1 ) has a shielding braid ( 4 ) arranged around said shielding foil ( 3 ), and further comprising overturning means for folding an end portion ( 4 a ) of said shielding braid ( 4 ) back on itself to expose said end portion ( 3 a ) of underlying shielding foil ( 3 ).

29 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a contacting surface ( 14 a , 15 a ) of the positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) comprises a surface discontinuity comprising at least one of a plurality of recesses and a plurality of protrusions having longitudinal extents perpendicular to the axis of the electric cable ( 1 ).

30 . An apparatus ( 10 ) for removing an end portion ( 3 a ) of a shielding foil ( 3 ) of a shielded electric cable ( 1 ), wherein a cable end portion ( 1 a ) of said cable ( 1 ) has at least one said shielding foil ( 3 ) which covers at least one conductor ( 2 , 20 ) covered by a dielectric layer ( 5 , 50 ), wherein at least one said end portion ( 3 a ) of said shielding foil ( 3 ) is exposed, said apparatus ( 10 ) comprising:

positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) for positioning said shielding foil ( 3 ) of said at least one conductor ( 2 , 20 ) in at least one tensioning position,

a locking device adapted to retain the shielded electric cable ( 1 ) in fixed position with said end portion ( 3 a ) exposed,

axially moving means ( 9 a ) adapted to operate a relative tensioning motion in an axial direction with respect to said cable ( 1 ), between said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) And said cable ( 1 ), by moving said positioning means ( 14 , 15 ) to cause tensioning of said end portion ( 3 a ) of the shielding foil ( 3 ), and

cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) provided with a cutting surface ( 81 a , 81 b ) and first radially moving means ( 19 ) configured to move said cutting means ( 8 a , 8 b ) at least along a radial direction with respect to a longitudinal axis (X) of said cable ( 1 ), and with respect to said shielding foil placed in said tensioning position, said cutting means adapted to cut the shielding foil ( 3 ) to thereby expose said dielectric layer ( 5 , 50 ),

wherein said axially moving means ( 9 a ) comprise an actuator.