Wire-twisting tool and related method

Abstract

A wire tool for joining, assembling, and more specifically twisting wire together in a relatively rapid, consistent, and precise manner is described herein. The wire tool for twisting a plurality of corresponding wires together preferably includes a wire-manipulating body having an outside gripping surface and an inside wire-engaging portion. The wire-engaging portion preferably includes a plurality of parallel passages each having a first opening located at a first end and a similarly constructed second opening located at a second end of the passage. The passages are positioned in close proximity to each other with each passage sized to receive a corresponding wire of the plurality of corresponding wires therethrough. After placement of each of the plurality of wires through the passages from openings on the same end of the passages, the wire manipulating body is rotated and the wires are simultaneously drawn from the passages to engage the wires in electrical contact and/or otherwise form a uniformly twisted wire bundle.

1 . A hand-held tool for splicing a plurality of corresponding wire tips of a plurality of corresponding wires together, comprising:
 a generally planar wire-manipulating body having an outside gripping surface sized to be hand-held and configured to transmit rotational force applied from the hand to the manipulating body, and an inside wire-engaging portion;   wherein the wire-engaging portion includes a plurality of parallel passages each having a first opening located at a first end and a second opening located at a second end of the passage, the passages positioned in close proximity to each other with each passage sized to receive a corresponding wire tip to be spliced of a plurality of corresponding wires; and   wherein after placement of each of the plurality of wire tips to be spliced through the passages from the openings on the same end of the passages, the plurality of wire tips are spliced together by the rotational force applied to the wire manipulating body about an axis parallel to the wire tips while simultaneous drawing the wire tips from the passages.   
   
   
       2 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein each of the passages are sized to receive a single corresponding wire of the plurality of corresponding wires. 
   
   
       3 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of passages is cylindrical in shape. 
   
   
       4 . The tool of  claim 3 , wherein the first opening and the second opening of each of the plurality of passages is circular in shape. 
   
   
       5 . The tool of  claim 4 , wherein the first opening and second opening of each to the plurality of passages is tapered. 
   
   
       6 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein each of the passages are conical in shape. 
   
   
       7 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the number of passages is equal to or greater than the number of corresponding wires. 
   
   
       8 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the length of each passage is from about 0.0625 inches to about 0.125 inches. 
   
   
       9 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the length of each passage is about 0.125 inches. 
   
   
       10 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the wire-manipulating body is a substantially flat disc. 
   
   
       11 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the outside gripping surface is knurled. 
   
   
       12 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the outside gripping surface is grooved and includes a rubber insert. 
   
   
       13 . A system for twisting a plurality of corresponding wires together, comprising:
 a plurality of corresponding wire tips to be spliced of a plurality of corresponding wires; and   a hand-held tool for splicing the corresponding wire tips, the hand-tool comprising:
 a generally planar wire-manipulating body having an outside gripping surface sized to be hand-held and configured to transmit rotational force applied from the hand to the manipulating body, and an inside wire-engaging portion; 
 wherein the wire-engaging portion includes a plurality of generally parallel passages each having a first opening located at a first end and a second opening located at a second end of the passage, the passages positioned in generally close proximity to each other with each passage sized to receive a corresponding wire of the plurality of corresponding wires; and 
 wherein after placement of each of the plurality of wires through the passages from the openings on the same end of the passages, the plurality of wires are spliced together by rotating the wire manipulating body. 
   
   
   
       14 . A method for twisting a plurality of corresponding wires together, comprising the steps of:
 providing a hand-held tool for splicing a plurality of corresponding wire tips of a plurality of corresponding wires together, comprising:
 a generally planar wire-manipulating body having an outside gripping surface and an inside wire-engaging portion; and 
 wherein the wire-engaging portion includes a plurality of parallel passages each having a first opening located at a first end and a second opening located at a second end of the passage, the passages positioned in close proximity to each other with each passage sized to receive a corresponding wire tip to be spliced of a plurality of corresponding wires; 
   inserting each of the plurality of corresponding wire tips to be spliced of the corresponding wires through the passages from the openings on the same end of the passages;   grasping the wire manipulating body with one hand and the wires of the wire tips to be spliced near the wire-manipulating body with the other hand; and   rotating the wire-manipulating body about an axis parallel to the wires while simultaneously drawing the corresponding wire tips to be spliced from the passages.   
   
   
       15 . A tool for twisting together at least two wires, comprising:
 a generally planar body having a gripping portion generally at the perimeter thereof and a wire-engaging means spaced generally inwardly from the perimeter;   said gripping portion configured to be gripped by a user's hand;   said gripping portion and said wire-engaging portion configured and positioned relative to each other so that actuation of said body generally about an axis parallel to the wires results in twisting of the wires into engagement with each other.   
   
   
       16 . Apparatus for electrically joining wires, including:
 a body portion capable of engaging at least two wires and manipulating them into a twisted relationship with each other;   the body portion including an engagement section for engaging the wires;   the body portion further including a rotation force application area, the rotation force application area positioned generally coplanarly with and radially outward from the engagement section.   
   
   
       17 . Apparatus for conducting electricity, comprising;
 a first wire;   a second wire;   a twisting element, the twisting element having one or more receiving areas for engaging the first and second wires;   a contact portion spaced generally outwardly from the receiving areas and in a substantially coplanar relationship with the receiving areas, the contact area configured to receive the application of rotational force about an axis generally parallel to the wires, said apparatus configured so that application of that force results in twisting engagement of the wires with each other.