GB2502370A - Cable conduit fixation - Google Patents

Abstract

A cable conduit fixation, for example for a bowden cable 3, comprises an abutment body 1 which goes on the cable, a retainer 4 and a bracket 9. The abutment body has a groove 6. The bracket has legs 12 which are resilient in the axial direction (ie the longitudinal direction of the cable). The gap between the legs is wider than the diameter of the groove but narrower then the diameter of the body next to the groove. When the abutment body is inserted, chamfers 14 on the legs push them into the groove; after the body is fully inserted they spring out to secure the body. The bracket may have tabs 10 to attach it to the retainer. The body and bracket may be made of plastic and the retainer of metal.

Description

Cable conduit fixation device The invention concerns a cable conduit fixation device comprising a retainer and a bracket which is attachable to the retainer.

A cable mounting construction is known from US 5,347,882. The cable mounting construction comprises a bracket having a slot therein which has an open end, and a closed end and slides, and a retainer assembly adapted to be snapped into position in the slot. The retainer assembly includes a one piece generally tubular body having spaced flanges defining an annular groove. A snap spring includes a generally arcuate cylindrical portion and is snapped into the annular groove engaging the base of the groove. The snap ring includes free ends farmed into tabs that extend generally radially such that when the retainer assembly is positioned in the slot the tab flags and snaps into recess in the opposed sides of the slot. The retainer has an axial opening through which a cable may be extended.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cable conduit fixation device which can be easily assembled and which cannot accidentally slip out of the retainer.

This object is achieved by a cable conduit fixation device with the features of claim 1.

Embodiments of the cable conduit fixation device are disclosed in the sub-claims, which can be combined among one another where technically feasible. The description, particularly in reference to the drawings, additionally characterizes the invention.

Provided is a cable conduit fixation, comprising: -a retainer, comprising a recess, -an abutment body comprising a groove having a groove diameter and fitting into the recess, wherein adjacent to the groove the housing has a body diameter which is larger than the groove diameter, -a bracket, which is attachable to the retainer, wherein the bracket comprises legs which are resilient in an axial direction and are adapted to embrace the abutment body adjacent to the groove at its larger diameter, thus securing the abutment body in a radial direction.

When the cable conduit fixation device is installed, the groove of the abutment body is brought into alignment with the recess in the retainer, after the bracket has been attached to the retainer, and the abutment body is pushed dawn so that walls provided on the groove between the smaller diameter and the larger diameter push the resilient legs of the bracket into the groove, thus allowing the abutment body to be radially pushed down into the recess. As soon as the abutment body has been fully pushed down into the recess the resilient legs snap back from the groove, thus embracing the abutment body at its larger diameter. When in use, the abutment body cannot accidentally slip out of the retainer, because the legs of the bracket embrace it at its larger diameter adjacent to the groove. This cable conduit fixation device can be is disassembled by pushing the legs in an axial direction so that they slip into the groove which has a smaller diameter, so that the abutment body can be radially pulled out of the retainer. When not properly assembled, the legs will automatically push out the abutment body out of the recess, so that a false assembly is not possible.

In one embodiment the retainer comprises overlapping ledges, which in an assembled state abuts the legs at end portions provided on the legs.

In providing these ledges the securing function of the bracket is further improved, because the tips of the legs are additionally secured when brought into contact with the ledges.

In one embodiment the legs comprise a chamfer, which is adapted to come into contact with a side wall provided on the groove of the abutment body during assembly.

In providing such chamfers on the tips of the legs, the legs do not need to be manually pushed in an axial direction to allow the assembly of the abutment body in the retainer, because when pushing down the abutment body the legs are automatically compressed in an axial direction as a result of interaction with the sidewalls of the groove. This makes it very easy to mount the cable conduit fixation device, as the abutment body only needs to be pushed down onto the recess.

In a further embodiment the retainer comprises abutting walls, which enclose the legs radially outwards in an assembled state.

These walls serve as a stopper for the legs in radial directions, so that a radial force S acting on the abutment body in a radial direction, which is transferred onto the legs so as to radially push them outwards, cannot result in them resiliently being bent open and releasing the abutment body accidentally.

In another embodiment, the legs comprise a thickened end which is axially retainable in a matching axially extending cavity in the retainer.

This axially extending cavity can, in interaction with the thickened end of the legs, provide for the radial walls which enclose the legs of the bracket in an assembled state in a radial direction and the overlapping ledges, which enclose the legs in an assembled state, as described above.

In another embodiment the abutment body comprises tab recesses and wherein the bracket comprises tab portions, which axially project from the bracket and which are engageable in the tab recesses.

The tab portions can be snapped into the tab recesses, thus securing the bracket on the retainer. Other means are fixing the bracket onto the retainer are possible, such as securing by conventional screw connectors, welding, bolting, clipping, etc. The tab portions in connection with the tab recesses allow a fast and easy fixation of the bracket onto the retainer.

By providing an annular groove, the abutment body can be turned inside the retainer so that a bowden cable can be untwisted, allowing better conduit for a bowden cable to pass through with the least amount of friction.

The conduit fixation can be provided to provide a fixation for an end of a bowden cable sleeve in a vehicle. The sleeve may act as a conduit for an axially movable bowden cable, which can be adapted to move an acting element on a gearbox of a vehicle, an acting element of a throttle of an engine or the like.

In the following, several embodiments of the invention are described in view of the drawings. These show: Fig. 1: a retainer comprising a recess, Fig. 2: a bracket comprising legs and a thickened end as well as chamfers on the tips of the legs, Fig. 3: an abutment body with an annular groove which has been brought into alignment with the recess of the retainer, and a bracket with tab portions, which has been brought into alignment with tab recesses in an axial 111 direction1 Fig. 4: in a cut view the retainer with a bracket and an abutment body snapped into the bracket, Fig. 5: a retainer with an assembled bracket and an abutment body in alignment with the recess in the retainer, Fig. 6: the cable conduit fixation device in an assembled state, wherein the abutment body is fitted into the retainer, so that it is secured in an axial direction by the retainer holding it inside the groove, and in a radial direction by means of the legs on the bracket.

Figure 1 shows a retainer 4 with a recess 5, into which an abutment body can be placed as described below The recess 5 is essentially U-shaped, with a cross diameter dr.

Figure 2 shows a bracket 9 with tab portions 10 which can be engaged with tab recesses 11 provided on the retainer 4, thus securing the bracket 9 to the retainer.

Figure 3 shows an abutment body 1 provided at the end of a bowden cable sleeve 2 having a bowden cable S therein. The abutment body 1 encloses the bowden cable sleeve 2 and acts as am end support, so that a force may be applied in an axial direction a, acting between the bowden cable 3 and the abutment body 1. The abutment body 115 attachable to the retainer 4 as described in the following. The retainer 4 can be attached to a fixed point in a vehicle, thus allowing action of the bowden cable 3 to move a part such as an acting element not shown in the drawings.

The abutment body 1 comprises an annular groove 6 having a groove diameter dg (see also figure 1)' matching the width dr of the recess 5. When the annular groove 6 of the abutment body 1 is bought into alignment with the recess 5, it can be pushed down into the recess 5. The annular groove 6 comprises side walls 7 which abut facing walls 8 of the retainer 1, thus securing the abutment body I in the axial direction a. To prevent the abutment body 1 from slipping out of the retainer 4, the bracket 9 is provided. Prior to pushing down the abutment body 1 into the recess 5, the bracket 9 is attached to the retainer 4.

The state in which the bracket 9 is attached to the retainer 4 prior to attachment of the abutment body I is depicted in Figures 5 and 6. The attachment may be achieved by the providing tab portions 10 which lock into tab recesses 11 provided in the retainer 4 as described above with reference to figures 1 and 2. It should be acknowledged that other means of attachment such as screw connections, welding and the use of an adhesive bonding material are also possible. The bracket 9 comprises legs 12 which are resilient in the axial direction and which comprise end portions 13, where chamfers 14 are provided facing axially and radially outwards in respect of the retainer 4 at an angle c between 40° and 50° (see figure 2).

When the abutment body 1 is pushed down into the recess 4, chamfers 14 first come into contact with the side walls 7 of the groove 6. A downward force acting upon the chamfers 14 is redirected into an axial force which results in a bending of the legs 12 in that direction. The legs 12 are thus pushed into the groove 6, allowing the abutment body ito slide into the recess 5. When the abutment body 1 is fully positioned in the recess 5, as shown in figure 6, the legs snap back out of the groove 6 and embrace the abutment body 1 where its diameter dh is larger than the groove diameter dg (diameters dg and dh best shown in figure 2). The abutment body 1 is thus firmly secured in the recess 5.

Abutment body 1 can be removed by pushing the legs 12 in the axial direction a so that they extend parallel to the groove 6, allowing free passage of the abutment body 1 in an upward releasing direction R. When in use, the abutment body I cannot accidentally snap out of the retainer 4. When assembling the conduit fixation, the legs 12 will not embrace the abutment body 1 unless the abutment body 1 is in its correct position.

Moreover, when the abutment body 1 has not reached its secured bottom position in the retainer 4 yet and when it is released, the legs 12 will push it back out so that the abutment body 1 cannot accidentally be falsely assembled. Preferably, the retainer 4 is made of metal. The bracket 9 as well as the abutment body 1 are preferably made mainly of plastic.

To further secure the bracket, ledges 15 are provided on the retainer 4, which are adapted to abut end portions 13 of the bracket 9 when a force is applied in a radial releasing direction R (see also figure 1). In outwards directions r, abutting walls 16 hinder the legs 12 from being bent outwards, thus additionally securing the legs 12. Ledges 15 and abutting walls 16 are provided in an axially extending cavity 17 which matches the shape of the legs 12 at least in projection in the axial projection 4. The legs 12 comprise thickened ends 18 so that overlapping contact areas between the legs 12 and the axially extending cavity 17 are increased, thus increasing the force which may act between the legs 12 and the axially extending cavity 17. When assembling and disassembling the conduit fixation as described above, the legs 12 are pushed into the axially extending cavities 17. Therefore1 the cavity 17 needs to be deep enough to provide space for the is thickened ends 18 of the legs 12 in their bent position.

When assembled in the manner described above, the position of the abutment body 1 is fixed in respect of a vehicle not shown. The bowden cable 3, which is axially movable inside the abutment body 1, may thus apply a force onto an acting member such as the lever of a gear box in a vehicle. To prevent the bowden cable sleeve 2 from getting twisted, the groove 9 has a constant diameter dg and the abutment body 1 has a constant diameter dh, so that abutment body 1 can be turned in respect of the retainer 4, allowing the bowden cable sleeve 2 to be untwisted. The bowden cable 3 can move more easily if the bowden cable sleeve 2 in which it is guided and supported, if the bowden cable sleeve 2 is not under any stress.

While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing summary and detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist.

It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment1 it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. For example, the ledges and the radial walls can also project outwardly out of the retainer, enclosing the legs of the bracket. They do not have to be provided in an axially extending cavity in the retainer.

Claims (6)

1. Claims 1. Cable conduit fixation, comprising: -a retainer (4), comprising a recess (5), S -an abutment body (1)comprising a groove (6) having a groove diameter(dg) and fitting into the recess (5), wherein adjacent to the groove (6) the housing has a body diameter (dh) which is larger than the groove diameter(dg), -a bracket (9), which is attachable to the retainer (4), wherein the bracket (9) comprises legs (12) which are resilient in an axial direction (a) and are adapted to embrace the abutment body (1) adjacent to the groove (6) at its larger diameter (dh), thus securing the abutment body (1) in a radial direction (r).
2. 2. Cable conduit fixation according to claim 1, wherein the legs (12) comprise a is chamfer (14), which are adapted to come into contact with a side wall (7) provided on the groove (6) of the abutment body (1) during assembly.
3. 3. Cable conduit fixation according to claim 1, wherein the retainer (4) comprises overlapping ledges (15) which in an assembled state abuts the legs (12) at end portions (13) provided on the legs (12).
4. 4. Cable conduit fixation according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the retainer (4) comprises abutting walls (16), which enclose the legs (12) radially outwards in an assembled state.
5. 5. Cable conduit fixation according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the legs (12) comprise a thickened end (18) which is axially retainable in a matching axially extending cavity (17) in the retainer (4).
6. 6. Conduit fixation device according to claim 1, wherein the abutment body comprises tab recesses (11) and wherein the bracket (9) comprises tab portions (10) which axially project from the bracket (9) and which are engageable in the tab recesses (11).T Use of a conduit fixation according to one of the preceding claims for fixing an end of a bowden cable sleeve (3) in a vehicle.