GB1567613A

GB1567613A - Seath for the reception of electrical cables cable operating gear or other such parts

Info

Publication number: GB1567613A
Application number: GB5254276A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Current assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Priority date: 1975-12-16
Filing date: 1976-12-16
Publication date: 1980-05-21
Also published as: DE2556506C3; DE2556506A1; FR2335972B3; DE2556506B2; FR2335972A1; IT1065204B

Description

(54) A SHEATH FOR THE RECEPTION OF ELECTRICAL CABLES, CABLE OPERATING GEAR OR OTHER SUCH PARTS (71) We, BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, a German Body Corporate, of BMW-Haus, Petuelring 130, 8 Mtinchen 40, German Federal Republic, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to a sheath for the reception of electric cables, cable operating gear or other such parts.

According to the present invention there is provided a sheath for the reception of electrical cables, cable operating gear or other such parts which extend between two apertured spaced-apart supporting members, the sheath comprising a flexible elongate tube of elastic material formed at one end region with a retaining means and at its other end region with a sealing lip, the sheath being adapted to be fitted between the two spaced-apart supporting members by passing the said one end region of the sheath formed with the retaining means through the aperture in a first of the supporting members towards the aperture in the second supporting member, and then locking the said one end region of the sheath in position in the aperture in the second supporting member by means of the retaining means, whereby a wall surface of the first supporting member remote from the second - supporting member is engaged by the sealing lip which surrounds and seals the aperture in the first supporting member.

The retaining means can be formed by an annular groove bounded on one side by a radially-projecting flange and on the other side by a tapered or frusto-conical head containing at least one axial channel for the sealing-tight passage therethrough of a cable or the like.

Preferably the sheath is formed with a cupshaped socket portion which extends axially from the sealing lip and contains an internal locating shoulder. This enables the sheath to be used, for example, in a vehicle, to house a light fitting in the cupshaped portion. In this case a reflector of the lamp fitting can be formed with a neck which is tightly embraced by the cupshaped socket portion, an end face of the neck bearing against the locating shoulder.

It will be understood that, when the sheath is fitted between two apertured supporting members, the length of the tube will be so chosen in relation to the distance between the two apertures of the supporting members that the elastic tube is in tension and the sealing lip is pulled tightly against the said wall surface of the first supporting member.

An advantage of the-invention is that the sheath can be easily installed in position, the tube of the sheath being flexible so that it can bend in a curve should the apertured supports be at an angle to one another instead of directly facing one another.

An example of a sheath in accordance with the invention is illustratively shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of a passenger motor vehicle containing a lamp fitting built into the corner part of the body; Figure 2 is a section taken on the line Il-Il in Figure l; Figure 3 is a section taken on the line III-III in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a detailed view of the sheath in longitudinal section.

Figure 1 shows the front of the body I of a passenger motor vehicle which is fitted with a decorative grille 2 extending from corner to corner across the front of the body 1. A lamp fitting 3 for a flashing lamp is fitted into the corner in the drawing.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the holder 4 of the lamp in a lamp fitting 3.

The latter comprises a reflector 5 and a transparent face 6, the reflector 5 being rearwardly extended to form a neck 7 for the reception therein of the holder 4. Two electric cables 12 lead to the holder from a wall opening 8 in a supporting member 9 which is a fixed part of the vehicle body and through a wall opening 10 in a spacedapart supporting member 11 which, in this instance, is the front panel of the passenger motor vehicle.

In order to prevent water and dust from entering the lamp fitting 3 through the opening 10, a sheath 13 of elastic material is fitted between the two supporting members 9 and 11. This sheath comprises a longitudinal tube portion 16 which, at one end region, has a retaining means 17 where it is fitted into the supporting member 9, and a generally radially-projecting annular sealing lip 15 at the other end region where it is fitted to the supporting member 11. The length of the tube portion 16 and the form of the lip 15 are so designed that, after the sheath 13 has been fitted to the two supporting members 9 and 11, the face 15' of the sealing lip 15 of the sheath 13 will be pulled tightly against the wall surface of the second supporting member 11 to surround and seal the opening 10.

The retaining means 17 is formed with an annular groove 18 bounded on one side by a radially-projecting flange 19 and on the other side by a tapered or frusto-conical head 20. The head 20 is provided with two axial holes 21 containing sealing lips 22 for the passage therethrough of the cables 12.

From the sealing lip 15, a cup-shaped socket portion 14 extends in the axial direction. This socket portion has a peripheral outside bead 23 and an internal locating shoulder 25 on its inside wall 24.

The sheath 13 is fitted as follows (reference being made to Figure 2): - The two cables 12 are first pulled through the wall openings 8 and 10 in the supporting members 9 and 11, and the sheath 13 is then pulled over the two cables 12. The cable ends are connected to the lamp holder 4 which is then fitted into the neck 7 of the reflector. The reflector neck 7 is inserted into the socket portion 14 until it makes contact with the locating shoulder 25 at the base of the socket. The internal diameter of the socket 14 is so chosen that it tightly embraces the reflector neck 7.

The end of the sheath 13 formed with the retaining means 17 is then passed through the wall opening 10, and the tapered head 20 of the retaining means 17 is forced through the wall. opening 8 in the supporting member 9 until, after slight elastic deformation of the head 20, the edge of the opening 8 enters the annular groove 18.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the end of the decorative grille 2 at the corner forms a frame 28 having a flange 29 embracing the lamp fitting 3. The grille thus provides an opening 30 resembling a window. The reflector 5 is inserted into this opening for the purpose of connecting the grille 2 to the lamp fitting 3, until a shoulder 5' on its bellmouth rim bears against the flange 29. Finally, two rearwardly-projecting extensions 31 (Figure 3) are secured by screws 32 to a fixed part 9' of the motor vehicle body. The end face 7' of the reflector neck 7 is thereby pulled tightly against the shoulder 25 of the sheath 13, the thrust assisting the pull on the sheath generated by press-fitting the the retaining means 17 into the wall opening 8 in the supporting member 9, thus tightening the lip 15 against a face of the supporting element 11.

The transparent face 6 of the lamp fitting is connected to the reflector 5 by screws 34 with the interposition of a seal 33.

Figure 4 is a separate view of the sheath 13 which is a one-piece member made of a castable or mouldable elastic material.

The retaining means 17 could, if desired, be in the form of snap-action hook elements, retaining teeth or the like, projecting from the external surface at the end of the sheath.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A sheath for the reception of electrical cables, cable operating gear or other such parts which extend between two apertured spaced-apart supporting members, the sheath comprising a flexible elongate tube of elastic material formed at one end region with a retaining means and at its other end region with a sealing lip, the sheath being adapted to be fitted between the two spaced-apart supporting members by passing the said one end region of the sheath formed with the retaining means through the aperture in a first of the supporting members towards the aperture in the second supporting member, and then locking the said one end region of the sheath in position in the aperture in the second supporting member by means of the retaining means, whereby a wall surface of the first supporting member remote from the second supporting member is engaged by the sealing lip which surrounds and seals the aperture in the first supporting member.

2. A sheath according to claim 1, in which the retaining means is formed by an annular groove bounded on one side by a radially-projecting flange and on the other

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. body 1. A lamp fitting 3 for a flashing lamp is fitted into the corner in the drawing. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the holder 4 of the lamp in a lamp fitting 3. The latter comprises a reflector 5 and a transparent face 6, the reflector 5 being rearwardly extended to form a neck 7 for the reception therein of the holder 4. Two electric cables 12 lead to the holder from a wall opening 8 in a supporting member 9 which is a fixed part of the vehicle body and through a wall opening 10 in a spacedapart supporting member 11 which, in this instance, is the front panel of the passenger motor vehicle. In order to prevent water and dust from entering the lamp fitting 3 through the opening 10, a sheath 13 of elastic material is fitted between the two supporting members 9 and 11. This sheath comprises a longitudinal tube portion 16 which, at one end region, has a retaining means 17 where it is fitted into the supporting member 9, and a generally radially-projecting annular sealing lip 15 at the other end region where it is fitted to the supporting member 11. The length of the tube portion 16 and the form of the lip 15 are so designed that, after the sheath 13 has been fitted to the two supporting members 9 and 11, the face 15' of the sealing lip 15 of the sheath 13 will be pulled tightly against the wall surface of the second supporting member 11 to surround and seal the opening 10. The retaining means 17 is formed with an annular groove 18 bounded on one side by a radially-projecting flange 19 and on the other side by a tapered or frusto-conical head 20. The head 20 is provided with two axial holes 21 containing sealing lips 22 for the passage therethrough of the cables 12. From the sealing lip 15, a cup-shaped socket portion 14 extends in the axial direction. This socket portion has a peripheral outside bead 23 and an internal locating shoulder 25 on its inside wall 24. The sheath 13 is fitted as follows (reference being made to Figure 2): - The two cables 12 are first pulled through the wall openings 8 and 10 in the supporting members 9 and 11, and the sheath 13 is then pulled over the two cables 12. The cable ends are connected to the lamp holder 4 which is then fitted into the neck 7 of the reflector. The reflector neck 7 is inserted into the socket portion 14 until it makes contact with the locating shoulder 25 at the base of the socket. The internal diameter of the socket 14 is so chosen that it tightly embraces the reflector neck 7. The end of the sheath 13 formed with the retaining means 17 is then passed through the wall opening 10, and the tapered head 20 of the retaining means 17 is forced through the wall. opening 8 in the supporting member 9 until, after slight elastic deformation of the head 20, the edge of the opening 8 enters the annular groove 18. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the end of the decorative grille 2 at the corner forms a frame 28 having a flange 29 embracing the lamp fitting 3. The grille thus provides an opening 30 resembling a window. The reflector 5 is inserted into this opening for the purpose of connecting the grille 2 to the lamp fitting 3, until a shoulder 5' on its bellmouth rim bears against the flange 29. Finally, two rearwardly-projecting extensions 31 (Figure 3) are secured by screws 32 to a fixed part 9' of the motor vehicle body. The end face 7' of the reflector neck 7 is thereby pulled tightly against the shoulder 25 of the sheath 13, the thrust assisting the pull on the sheath generated by press-fitting the the retaining means 17 into the wall opening 8 in the supporting member 9, thus tightening the lip 15 against a face of the supporting element 11. The transparent face 6 of the lamp fitting is connected to the reflector 5 by screws 34 with the interposition of a seal 33. Figure 4 is a separate view of the sheath 13 which is a one-piece member made of a castable or mouldable elastic material. The retaining means 17 could, if desired, be in the form of snap-action hook elements, retaining teeth or the like, projecting from the external surface at the end of the sheath. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -

1. A sheath for the reception of electrical cables, cable operating gear or other such parts which extend between two apertured spaced-apart supporting members, the sheath comprising a flexible elongate tube of elastic material formed at one end region with a retaining means and at its other end region with a sealing lip, the sheath being adapted to be fitted between the two spaced-apart supporting members by passing the said one end region of the sheath formed with the retaining means through the aperture in a first of the supporting members towards the aperture in the second supporting member, and then locking the said one end region of the sheath in position in the aperture in the second supporting member by means of the retaining means, whereby a wall surface of the first supporting member remote from the second supporting member is engaged by the sealing lip which surrounds and seals the aperture in the first supporting member.

side by a tapered or frusto-conical head containing at least one axial channel for the sealing-tight passage therethrough of a cable or the like.

3. A sheath according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which a cup-shaped socket portion extends axially from the sealing lip and contains an internal locating shoulder.

4. A sheath according to claim 3 when incorporated in a vehicle lamp fitting, a reflector of the lamp fitting being formed with a neck which is tightly embraced by the cupshaped socket portion, an end face of the neck bearing against the locating shoulder.

5. A sheath according to any preceding claim when fitted between the said two apertured supporting members, the length of tube between the sealing lip and the retaining means being so chosen in relation to the distance between the two apertures of the supporting members that the elasctic tube is in tension and the sealing lip is pulled tightly against the said wall surface of the first supporting member.

6. A sheath according to claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A vehicle lamp fitting incorporating a tubular element according to any preceding claim substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.