COAXIAL CABLE END PREPARATION TOOL AND RELATED METHODS
A cable end preparation tool for a coaxial cable may include a body having first and second opposing ends with a first recess in the first end, and a first blade carried by the body within the first recess for stripping an outer jacket of the cable to expose a portion of an outer conductor when the body is rotated relative to the cable. A second blade may be carried by the body within the first recess for stripping the outer conductor and a dielectric layer to expose a portion of an inner conductor when the body is rotated relative to the cable. The tool may further include a coring bit carried by the second end of the body for removing a portion of the dielectric layer between the inner conductor and the exposed portion of the outer conductor when the body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable.
1 . A cable end preparation tool for a coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric layer surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric layer, and an outer jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the cable end preparation tool comprising:
a body having first and second opposing ends with a first recess in the first end thereof;
a first blade carried by said body and extending within the first recess for stripping the outer jacket to expose a portion of the outer conductor when said body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable;
a second blade carried by said body and also extending within the first recess for stripping the outer conductor and dielectric layer to expose a portion of the inner conductor when said body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable; and
a coring bit carried by the second end of said body for removing a portion of the dielectric layer between the inner conductor and the exposed portion of the outer conductor when said body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable.
2 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said coring bit has a predetermined shape for flaring the exposed portion of the outer conductor when said body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable.
3 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said coring bit comprises a cutting head with a central opening therein for receiving the exposed inner conductor.
4 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said body further has a coring bit recess therein for receiving said coring bit.
5 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 4 wherein said coring bit and the coring bit recess are rectangular.
6 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 4 wherein said body has a second recess in the second end thereof; and wherein said coring bit recess is within the second recess.
7 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said coring bit has marking indicia thereon; and wherein said body has an indicia reading opening therein aligned with the marking indicia.
8 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said first and second blades are removably mounted to said body.
9 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said body has a plurality of surface gripping features on an external surface thereof.
10 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said body has a cylindrical shape.
11 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said body comprises plastic.
12 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said body has a longitudinal center axis, and at least one hole therethrough perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis.
13 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 1 wherein said body has a visual indicator on an exterior surface thereof corresponding to a longitudinal spacing between said first and second blades.
14 . A cable end preparation tool for a coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric layer surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric layer, and an outer jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the cable end preparation tool comprising:
a body having first and second opposing ends with a first recess in the first end thereof;
a first blade carried by said body and extending within the first recess for stripping the outer jacket to expose a portion of the outer conductor when said body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable;
a second blade carried by said body and also extending within the first recess for stripping the outer conductor and dielectric layer to expose a portion of the inner conductor when said body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable; and
a coring bit carried by the second end of said body for removing a portion of the dielectric layer between the inner conductor and the exposed portion of the outer conductor when said body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable;
said coring bit comprising a cutting head with a central opening therein for receiving the exposed inner conductor, and said cutting head having a predetermined shape for flaring the exposed portion of the outer conductor when said body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable.
15 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 14 wherein said body further has a coring bit recess therein for receiving said coring bit.
16 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 15 wherein said coring bit and the coring bit recess are rectangular.
17 . The cable end preparation tool of claim 14 wherein said coring bit has marking indicia thereon; and wherein said body has an indicia reading opening therein aligned with the marking indicia.
18 . A cable end preparation method for a coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric layer surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric layer, and an outer jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the method comprising:
providing a cable end preparation tool comprising a body having first and second opposing ends with a first recess in the first end thereof, first and second blades carried by the body and extending within the first recess, and a coring bit carried by the second end of the body;
positioning the coaxial cable in the first recess and rotating the body relative to the coaxial cable to strip the outer jacket to expose a portion of the outer conductor using the first blade, and to strip the outer conductor and dielectric layer to expose a portion of the inner conductor using the second blade; and
positioning the coring bit on the coaxial cable and rotating the body relative to the coaxial cable so that the coring bit removes a portion of the dielectric layer between the inner conductor and the exposed portion of the outer conductor.
19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the coring bit has a predetermined shape for flaring the exposed portion of the outer conductor when the body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable.
20 . The method of claim 18 wherein the coring bit comprises a cutting head with a central opening therein; and wherein positioning the coring bit comprises positioning the central opening to receive the exposed inner conductor.
21 . The method of claim 18 wherein the body further has a coring bit recess therein for receiving the coring bit.
22 . The method of claim 18 wherein the coring bit has marking indicia thereon; and wherein the body has an indicia reading opening therein aligned with the marking indicia.