GB2200706A - Installing Bowden cables - Google Patents

Abstract

To facilitate installation of a Bowden cable, the free end of the sheath 4 and cable 3 have respective snap-action connectors 7, 8 which are held apart by a coupling 9. The spacing of the connectors 7, 8 corresponds to that of the recesses in the parts which are to receive the connectors. After assembly, the coupling 9 is removed. Connector 7 may be moulded into sheath 4. The free end of cable 3 may be connected to connector 8 either by a bent-over portion or by a spring clip. The mechanism is used for operating vehicle ventilation and heating vents. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ADJUSTERS.

The present invention relates to apparatus for operating adjusters, in particular ventilation vents, heating vents or the like, particularly in motor vehicles, comprising an adjustment lever movably mounted in a fixed housing taking the form of a slider, a rotatable device or the like and means for transmitting longitudinal movements in a flexible guide sheath, for example a Bowden cable, wherein the guide sheath is secured to the fixed housing component and the means for transmitting longitudinal movements is secured to the adjustment lever, wherein furthermore the free end of the guide sheath is secured to another fixed housing component, for example to the heater housing, and the free end of the means for transmitting longitudinal movements is secured to the movable, in particular swingable, adjuster.

In such devices it is common for ventilation vents, heating vents or similar adjusters to be operated by means of a Bowden cable, wherein the operating device is located on the dashboard or near the seat and the device may be constructed in the form of a rotary device or in the form of a slider, wherein operation of the device or slider produces longitudinal movement of the means for the transmission of longitudinal movements in its flexible guide sheath, as a result of which longitudinal movement the adjustment lever or the like terminally coupled to the transmission means may be operated. Such means are constructed in such a way that the device together with its associated housing components must first be fitted with the Bowden cable and the device together with the Bowden cable be subsequently incorporated into a motor vehicle.

In this situation the assembler must on the one hand secure the end of the guide sheath to the housing of the heater or ventilator or the like and on the other hand must secure the end of the means of transmission to the corresponding adjustment lever or the like. This work is very difficult to perform because the space available for manipulation at the point of installation within the vehicle is extremely restricted, so that the hitherto normal arrangement using screws or the like is particularly timeconsuming and thus cost-intensive.

As an advance on this stage of the art, it is an object of the invention to provide a generic device which is easy to manufacture and can be installed in a motor vehicle at a low cost.

In order to perform this task, the invention proposes that the securing means for the free end of the guide sheath comprises a snap connection which can be inserted into a corresponding recess in the housing, which can be firmly connected to the sheath, that the securing means for the free end of the means transmitting longitudinal movements to the end of the latter is a further snap connector which can be inserted into a corresponding recess in the adjuster and that the two snap connectors are connected by means of a coupling member which keeps the snap connectors at a distance from each other corresponding to the recesses of the housing and adjuster.

The invention thus permits simple manufacture, since the necessary snap connectors in accordance with the invention and the coupling member are of technologically simple construction and may thus be easily manufactured.

Installation is also considerably simplified since now as a first step as previously the operating device can be secured to the installed component outside the motor vehicle and the snap connectors used for connection to the operating member provided in the motor vehicle may thus already be connected with the coupling member within the works. Then only one hand is required to install the device in the motor vehicle, wherein specifically the coupLing member together with the snap connectors is placed in the appropriate position for installation and the snap connectors are snapped into the corresponding installation openings. During this procedure the snap connectors are as before connected together by means of the coupling member.Following installation in the proper manner the coupling member can then be removed or at least separated to such an extent that the device can perform its function. The coupling member may for example consist of a rope-like member, but in fact handling during installation may be to some extent difficult on account of the flexible connection between the two snap connectors. It is better for the coupling member to be constructed as a stiff component so that the distance between the snap connectors is rigidly defined and thus their proper spatial arrangement may be achieved with the use of a single hand. Preferably it is provided that the means for transmitting longitudinal movements is a steel wire.

It is also preferable that the coupling member should be releasably secured to the snap connectors.

In this way the coupling member may be used several times, where this is desired, in that particularly it may be transported from the place of final installation back to the place of preliminary assembly and be appropriately reused.

Alternatively the coupling member may have a separable coupling.

The coupling is then a disposable component which is separated and removed after it has fulfilled its specific function.

It is also advantageous that the snap connectors should be made of plastics material.

It is also preferable that the snap connectors fixed to the sheath should consist of a square body which surrounds the sheath, the unobstructed front face of which in the extension of the axial direction of the sheath being engaged by the means for transmitting longitudinal movements, that the snap connectors secured to the latter has a body with a U-shaped profile, the shanks of which run parallel to the longitudinal extension of the means of transmission and between which the end of the means of transmission is held at the base of the body, that the two snap connectors have pairs of spring projections, which project transversely to the longitudinal direction of the sheath and the means of transfer and that the coupling member is of stiff construction and releasably connected to the snap connectors, it being located beyond the inserted length of the pair of spring projections.

With this arrangement the body surrounding the sheath may be injection moulded directly onto the sheath while the snap connectors on the means for transmitting longitudinal movements can be secured to the latter subsequently.

By means of the arrangement described functioning of the device is ensured and the assembly aid in accordance with the invention is constructed very simply and advantageously.

It is also preferable that pairs of arms should be arranged at right angles to the axial extension of the snap connectors constructed as axial limiting stops, at least at the level of the snap connectors, which have slots to engage the sheath or the means transmitting longitudinal movements.

In order to be able to respect tolerances eopertaining to installed dimensions, it is advantageous that the pair of arms for a snap connector should be separated by a distance shorter than the length corresponding to the associated snap connector body.

A further improvement in the supporting plate and the pair of spring catches is provided by effecting a hole in the supporting plate between the associated pairs of spring catches with the opposing tip of the spring catches lying within the projection of the hole.

A very simple and functionally effective improvement lies in the fact that the snap connectors are provided with formed projecting securing arms which are engaged by the tip catches of the spring catches on the flat surfaces thereof facing the spring catches.

It is also preferable that the pair of spring projections of the snap couplings are shaped at the front or rear ends of thesnap-on.body, with reference to the projection of the axis, and have tip catches on the outside surfaces.

So that the snap-on connectors can be readily removed again from the mounting in the event of a fault it is proposed that the pair of sprung projections should have an extension extending beyond the tip catches in its longitudinal direction.

The extensions are accessible with a tool or even manually on the internal side of the housing so that the snap connector is released by pressing together the extensions of the pair of spring catches and the corresponding defective part can be replaced.

It is particularly advantageous herein for the ends of te extensions of the pair of sprung projections of a snap-on connector to be designed so that the free ends are divergent.

A further improvement which is advantageous for installation and function lies in the fact that the snap connectors for securing the means for transmitting longitudinal movements have between their arms a mounting for the means which is formed in particular of round wire and have divergent guide surfaces at the free ends of the arms, with a result that the terminally rectangularly bent up round wire in the proper clamping position engages a through hole in the base of the mounting, the hole and the end of the wire also passing through the base of the snap connector itself.

From the manufacturing point of view it is advantageous if the snap connectors and the supporting plate are formed from one piece of plastics material.

It is advantageous for the axial distance between the pair of spring catches on the supporting plate to correspond to the proper distance of separation between the two snap connectors when inserted.

In certain applications it has proved disadvantageous for the end of the means for transmitting longitudinal movements located at the snap connector to be rigidly attached to the snap connector. In order to adjust the position of the adjusting lever or the rotating device it is advantageous for the mounting of the means of transmitting longitudinal movements on the snap connector not to be rigid but, rather,sliding.

The invention therefore proposes that a clamping spring-wnich has at least two spring arms between which the means consisting in particular of round wire may be clamped is mounted on the snap connector in order to secure the means for transmitting longitudinal movements, the clamping force being greater than the tensile or compressive force occurring when the adjuster which can be operated by the means is operated.

As a result of the fact that the:means for transmitting longi-tudinalmovements, in particular the round wire, is no longer rigidly attached to the snap connector but merely held by means of an additional clamping spring, it is possible for the device to operate normally without the relative length of the round wire changing relative to the snap connector.

If the rotation device or the adjustment lever are not in the starting position particularly when first assembled, the adjustable portion of the component connected by means of the snap connector is placed in its terminal position so that the device can be moved to the zero position by the increased application of force, the wound wire then being drawn through the clamping spring with the application of force until the zero position is reached. Thereafter the device can be adjusted normally.

The fact that the clamping spring is bent into a Ushape from spring steel with the lateral longitudinal edges bent together in order to form the clamping spring arm is beneficial for the adjustment option described above.

It is further beneficial for each of the spring arms of a spring pair to have a recess in its corresponding surface into which the round wire can be partly laid.

It is also advantageous for the clamping spring to be arranged on the side of the snap connector facing the spring arms thereof.

In some circumstances it may be advantageous for the spring arms of a spring pair to be aligned with each other.

It is preferred that the spring arms of a spring pair should be arranged to be displaced towards each other by at least their wall thickness.

The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 its a schematic view of the major components of the apparatus according to the invention; Figs. 2a, 2b and 2c are schematic views of the snap connection used to mount the guide sheath; Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c are schematic views of the snap connection for holding the means for transmitting longitudinal movements; Figs. 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d are schematic views of the coupling member for coupling the snap connections according to Figs. 2a - 2c and Figs. 3a - 3c; Fig. 5 is a variation of the view according to Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a plan view of part of the device of Fig.5; Fig. 7 is a front view of the part of Fig. 6; and Fig.B is the same as Fig. 7 in side view in a position rotated by 180 about a vertical axis relative to the illustration in Fig. 5.

The apparatus according to the invention is illustated by way of example wherein the operating means serves to operate the heating vents of motor vehicles.

As may be seen in Fig. 1, the apparatus for operating heating vents and the like adjusters in motor vehicles comprises a housing member 1 which can be inserted for example into a dashboard and has at least one slidably mounted adjusting lever 2 in the form of a slider. Furthermore the apparatus comprises means 3 for transmitting longitudinal movements in a flexible guide sheath 4, in particular a Bowden cable. In the illustrated arrangement, means 3 is constructed of round wire. This wire is formed at its end into a hook 5 which can be secured to the adjusting lever 2. The guide sheath 4 is secured to the housing 1 by means of a suitable device and is adjustably mounted by means of an adjusting screw 6. Further únits which will be described later are placed at the free end of the guide sheath and wire. The apparatus is delivered to the motor manufacturer by the maufacturer in the completed form illustrated in Fig. 1, the connecting member located at the free end of the Bowden cable, then being connected to the corresponding adjustable member, for example the heater.

Snap connector 7, which is firmly attached to the sheath 4 and can be inserted into a corresponding mounting recess which is not shown, is provided as a means of attachment for the free end of the guide sheath 4. The connection may for example be made in such a way that part 7 is injection moulded onto part 4.

A further snap connector e which can likewise be inserted into a corresponding recess in the adjuster (not shown) on this free end is provided as a means of attachment for the free end of the means 3 which transmits longitudinal movements. The manner in which this snap connector B is secured to part 3 will be described later.

Both snap connectors 7, B are rigidly connected together by means of a coupling member 9 which holds snap connectors 7, B in one of the recesses in the housing and at a distance from each other corresponding to the adjuster. In accordance with the illustrated arrangement, coupling member 9 isureleasably secured to snap connectors 7, 8. The snap connectors like the coupling member consist of plastics material.

As illustrated in Figs. 2a - 2c, the snap connector 7, which is secured to the sheath 4, comprises a square shaped body 10 surrounding the sheath 4, the front unobstructed face of which 11 in the axial projection of the sheath 4 is engaged by means 3 in order to transmit longitudinal movements. As illustrated in Figs. 3a - 3c, the snap connector B, which is secured to the means 3, has a U-shaped profiled body 12, the arms of-which run parallel to the longitudinal extension of transmitting means 3 and between which the ends of the transmitting means are mounted in the base of body 12 as will be described below. Both snap connectors 7, B have pairs of spring arms 13 and 14 which are transverse to the longitudinal extension of the sheath 4 and transmission means 3.Coupling member 9 is rigidly constructed and releasably mounted on snap connectors 7 and B, being located outside the inserted length of spring arm pair 13, 14.

As illustrated in Figs. 4a - 4d, the coupling member 9 comprises a supporting plate 15 having a pair of spring catches 16 and 17 projecting at right angles from the plate 15 in the same direction. Each pair of spring catches 16 and 17 serves as a housing for one of the two snap connectors 7 and B. The pair of spring catches 16 and 17, on supporting plate 15, are constructed facing each other parallel to the axial extension of the snap connection body or sheath 4 and means 3, the distance between the spring catches of a pair of springs 16 and 17 being determined by the transverse dimensions of the corresponding snap connectors 7 and 8.A pair of arms 16 and 19, constructed transversely to the axial projection of snap connectors 7, B, are placed at least at the level of the snap connectors as axial limiting stops which have slots for engaging the sheath 4 and the means 3 for transmitting longitudinal movements. The pair of arms for a snap connector 7 or B are each placed at a slightly less great distance apart than that corresponding to the length of the associated snap connection so that this can be slid at least slightly longitudinally between arm 19 and arm 1B.

This play provides a tolerance and thus assists assembly.

Supporting plate 15 is provided with holes 20 and 21 between the corresponding pairs of spring catches 17 and 16.

The tip of spring catches 17 and 18 which face each other lie within the projection of holes 20 and 21 as may be seen in particular from Fig. 4d. Access for a tool via the holes to distort the tip of the catches is thus provided.

Snap connections 12 and 11 have shaped projecting securing'lugs 22 which can be engaged by the tip catches of the spring catches on their flat surfaces facing spring catches 17 and 16.

The pair of spring arms 13 and 14 of snap connectors B and 7 are likewise shaped, on their undersides near the front or rear ends of snap connections 11 and 12, as viewed in ,axial extension and have tip catches on their outer surfaces as can be seen particularly clearly from Fig. 2c and Fig. 3c.

Furthermore, the pair of spring arms 13 and 14 have extensions 23 which preferably extend beyond the tip catches, wherein the ends of extensions 23 of the pair of spring arms of a snap connector are constructed to be divergent at the free ends, as also may be seen in particular from Figs. 2c and 3c. The purpose of this measure is to assist engagement by means of a tool or a finger so that such a snap connector can subsequently be removed from its corresponding mounting hole for the purpose of replacement.

In order to secure means 3 for transmitting longitudinal movement,ssap connector B has a recess 24 between its arms,as may be seen clearly in Fig. 3b. This recess 24, which in the illustrated arrangement is constructed so as to take a round wire (means 3),is shaped in something of a U-shape and has a longitudinal recess 25 of effectively circular profile with an open mouth as a result of which divergent guide surfaces 26 are shaped at the free ends of the arms. The round wire (means 3) which is to be secured in this recess 24 is bent into a terminal right angle as may be seen particularly clearly from Fig. 2c. For fixing the latter in the desired clamping position, the base of recess 24 has a through hole 27 which also passes through the base of snap connection 12.

Means 3 can thus be clipped within recess 24 and locked in the longitudinal direction by means of the bent end set in hole 27. The means are manufactured and used in such a way that first snap connector 7 is injection mouldedon$c the free end of the sheath 4 and later snap connector 8 is clipped and locked by means of the bent end of means 3 for the transmission of longitudinal movements.

Snap connector e is therefore manufactured as an independent injection moulded component. After snap connectors 7 and e have been properly secured to parts 3 and 4 coupling member 9 is clipped onto snap connectors 7 and B so that parts 7, B and 9 form a functional unit. tis functional unit can now be introduced by the assembler very easily and utilising one hand into the restricted space in which the corresponding openings for snap connectors 7, B are located.Snap connector 7 is thus inserted into a hole in a part which is fixed to the frame while snap connector B is inserted into a hole in a swinging lever or the like so that the swinging lever is slid into its functional position by the operating device 2 When correctly mounted, that is when snap connectors 7 and Blare clipped into their corresponding locations, the assembler can pull coupling member 9 from snap connectors 7, 8 with the same movement and the same hand and remove it so that proper functioning of the Bowden cable is ensured.

Coupling member 9 can then be reused or passed to a preparation process.

An advantageous variation is illustrated in Figs.

5 to B of the drawings. The main difference in comparison with the other embodiments is that in this embodiment a clamping spring 28 is mounted on snap connector B in order to secure the means 3 for transferring longitudinal movements.

This clamping spring has two pairs of spring arms 29- 30 between which the means 3 in the form of round wire can be clipped. The clamping force of clamping arms 29, 30 is adjusted so that the clamping force is greater than the tensile or compressive force normally occurring when the means 3 is operated in order to operate the adjuster. Only when adjusting the operating lever for the means 3 for the zero point is it possible for there to be relative slip between the means 3 and the clamping spring 2E, in that the means 3 is drawn by clamping spring 28 with greater force than the clamping force of spring arms 29, 30.

Clamping spring 28 is of U-shaped construction and consists of spring steel. It is constructed substantially in a U-shape and its longitudinal edges are bent together to form the clamping spring arms 29, 30. This can be seen particularly clearly in Fig. B.

In addition to this, one of the spring arms of a pair 29 or 30 has a slight recess in its corresponding surface in which round wire 3 can be partly laid.

It should not in fact be completely inserted because then it would no longer be possible to apply adequate clamping force.

In this embodiment, the outer free surfaces of snap connector.. B after installation are used as a location for clamping spring 28. As may be seen in particular from the illustration in Fig. 8, the spring arms of a pair of spring arms 29 and 30 are displaced towards each other by at least their wall thickness so that there is sufficient prestressing of the spring arm without the spring arm of a pair interfering with the other or forming the end limiting stop.

This improvement offers a very simple and advantageous means of adjusting the device without the need for special work, in particular installation work.

Claims (27)

1. Apparatus for operating adjusters, in particular ventilation vents, heating vents or the like, particularly in motor vehicles, comprising an adjustment lever movably mounted in fixed housing component and being in the form of a slider, a rotatable device or the like and means for transmitting longitudinal movements in a flexible guide sheath, wherein the guide sheath is secured to the fixed housing component and the means for transmitting longitudinal movements is secured to the adjustment lever, wherein furthermore the free end of the guide sheath is secured to another fixed housing component, and the free end of the means for transmitting longitudinal movements is mounted on the movable adjuster, in which the means for securing the free end of the guide sheath is a snap connector which can be inserted into a corresponding recess in the housing and can be firmly attached to the sheath, in which the means for securing the free end of the means for transmitting longitudinal movements to the end of the latter comprises a further snap connector which can be inserted into a corresponding recess in the adjuster, and in which the two snap connectors are connected by means of a coupling member which holds the snap connectors at a distance from each other corresponding to the recesses in the housing and adjuster.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the means.for transmitting longitudinal movements is a steel wire.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the coupling member is releasably secured to the snap connectors.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the coupling member has a separable coupling.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the snap connectors consist of plastics material.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the snap connector attached to the sheath comprises a square body which encloses the sheath,the unobstructed front face of which in the axial projection of the sheath is engaged by the means for transmitting longitudinal movements, in which the snap connector secured to the latter has a body having a U-shaped profile, the arms of which run parallel to the longitudinal extension of the means of transmission and between which the end of tre means of transmission is held at the base of body, in which the two snap connectors have pairs of spring arms which extend at right angles to the longitudinal extension of the sheath and the means of transmission, and in which the coupling member is of rigid construction and is releasably attached to the snap connectors and being located beyond the inserted length of the pair of spring arms.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the coupling member is connected with the snap connectors by means of deliberate disconnection points.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the coupling member consists of at least one rod-shaped component.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to B, in which the coupling member consists of a supporting plate with spring catches extending at right angles thereto, wherein at least one pair of spring catches serves to receive either of the two snap connectors.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in which the pairs of spring catches are formed opposite to each other on the supporting plate parallel to the axial extension of the snap connectors, wherein the separation between the spring catches of one pair is determined by the transverse dimension of the corresponding snap connector.

11, Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which a pair of arms is arranged at right angles to the axial extension of the snap connectors constructed as axial limiting stops at least at the level of the snap connectors and which have slots for gripping the sheath or the means for transmitting longitudinal movements.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, in which the pairs of arms for one snap connector are set slightly less further apart than the length of the corresponding snap connector.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, in which the supporting plate between the corresponding pairs of spring catches is provided with a hole, the opposing tip catches of the spring catches being located within the projection of the hole.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13, in which the snap connectors have projecting holding lugs formed on the flat surfaces facing the spring catches which can be engaged by the tip catches of the spring catches.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 14, in which the pair of spring arms of snap connectors are formed in the vicinity of the front or rear ends of the clamping bodies in relation to the axial extension and have tip catches on the external surfaces.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 15, in which the pair of spring arms have an extension which extends beyond the tip catches in their longitudinal extension.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, in which the ends of the extensions to the pairs of spring arms of a snap connector are constructed with diverging free ends.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, in which the snap connector for securing the means for transmitting longitudinal movements has a mounting between its arms for the means which is constructed in particular of round wire, and has diverging guide surfaces at the free ends of the arms, wherein the round wire which is bent into a right angle at the end engages a through hole in the base of the mounting in the desired clamping position, this hole and the end of the wire also engaging the base of the snap connector itself.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 18, in which the snap conriectors and the supporting plate are formed in one piece from plastics material.

20. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 19, in which the axial separation of the pair of spring catches on the supporting plate corresponds to the design separation of the two snap connectors when installed.

21. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, in which a clamping spring is mounted on snap connector to secure the means for transmitting longitudinal movements and has at least two spring arms between which the means which is constructed can be clamped, wherein the clamping force is greater than the tensile or compression force occurring on operation of the adjuster which can be operated by means of means.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21,in which the clamping spring is bent into a U-shape from spring steel; wherein the longitudinal sides are bent together to form tne clamping spring arm.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 or 21, in which one of the spring arms of a pair of springs has a recess in its corresponding surface in which the means may be partly laid.

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20, 21 or 22, in which the clamping spring is located on the side thereof facing the spring arm of a snap connector.

25. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 24, in which the spring arms of a pair of springs are released together.

26. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 24, in which the spring arms of a pair of springs are displaced towards each other by at least their wall thickness.

27. Apparatus for operating adjusters, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.