JP2685711B2 - Cable retaining structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cable retaining structure for retaining a cable end of a heater control cable and rotatably connecting it to a lever assembled to an instrument panel of a vehicle. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a cable retaining structure of this type, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-14257 is known. In this case, a metal pin, which is formed separately from the lever, is fitted into a hole formed at a predetermined position of the lever in a required length, and the fitting end is caulked, so that the lever is The pin is attached to. A ring as a cable end is rotatably fitted in the pin, and a small diameter portion is formed in a step shape in the middle of the pin. Then, after the cap provided with the mounting claw piece that elastically engages with the stepped portion in the small-diameter portion of the pin and the retaining claw piece that prevents the movement of the cable end in the pulling direction is fitted into the pin, By inserting the cable end into the pin to a required position where the cable end passes through the retaining claw piece, the cable end is retained against the lever and is rotatably connected.

[0003]

By the way, in the above-mentioned prior art, due to the structure in which the pin is fitted in the hole of the lever and the fitting end of the pin is fixed by caulking,
The number of parts and the number of assembling are large, resulting in high cost. Furthermore, due to the structure in which the mounting claw piece of the cap is elastically engaged with the stepped portion in the small diameter part of the pin to assemble, when the load in the cable end removal direction acts on the cap, the mounting claw piece is elastically deformed. The pin may come off the stepped portion of the pin. In addition, if the elastic force of the mounting claw piece is increased to prevent the cap from coming off the pin, there is a problem that the mountability of the cap is deteriorated.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of constituent parts in the cable retaining structure and the number of assembling steps, and to positively prevent the retaining cap from coming off. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable retaining structure capable of improving the retaining property of the end.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a cable retaining structure for retaining a cable end of a cable with respect to a lever and rotatably connecting the cable end to the lever. A connecting body into which the cable end is rotatably fitted is formed in a cut-up shape in a part of the above, and the connecting body has a retaining piece for preventing movement of the cable end in the pulling direction. A locking piece for fitting the retaining cap, and at the tip of the connecting body, the retaining cap is fitted into the connecting body and then plastically deformed into an expanded shape to lock the retaining cap. Are formed.

[0006]

In the cable retaining structure constructed as described above, the cable end is rotatably fitted into the cut-and-raised connecting body formed in a part of the lever, and then fitted into the connecting body. Since the retaining piece of the retaining cap prevents the movement of the cable end in the detaching direction, the necessity of assembling the connecting pin, which is separate from the lever, with the lever is eliminated. Further, since the locking piece formed at the tip of the connecting body is plastically deformed in an expanded manner to lock the retaining cap, the retaining cap firmly locks the retaining cap by the locking piece. The cap is securely prevented from coming off.

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, which is a perspective view showing a cable retaining structure, a lever 1 that is swingably mounted on an instrument panel of a vehicle is formed of a metal flat plate, and is movable to an outer tube (not shown). A circular ring-shaped cable end 12 is fixed to the end portion of the heater control cable 11 inserted into the. A connecting body 3 having a notch groove 2 is formed in a cut-and-raised shape at a required position of the lever 1.

The connecting body 3 includes a cable fitting portion 4 having a plate width and a height into which the cable end 12 is rotatably fitted, and a plate width narrower than the cable fitting portion 4 and a cable fitting portion. A cap fitting portion 6 extending from the tip of the fitting portion 4 with a step surface 5 and a pair of locking pieces extending from the tip of the cap fitting portion 6 in a bifurcated shape with a notched split groove 7. And 8 are integrated.

Arc-shaped notches 9 are formed at the boundaries between the outer sides of the pair of locking pieces 8 and the cap fitting portion 6, and the pair of locking pieces 8 are expanded in the notches 9. It has a structure that is easily plastically deformed. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, after the cap 21 is fitted into the cap fitting portion 6, the pair of locking pieces 8 are plastically expanded by the bending jig 19 as shown in FIG. By being deformed, the retaining cap 21 is locked to the cap fitting portion 6.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the retaining cap 21 is made of a synthetic resin and is formed in a cylindrical shape with a lid having an open lower end. Cover plate part of this cap 21
An angular hole-shaped detent hole 23 into which the upper portion of the cap fitting portion 6 of the connecting body 3 is detented and fitted is penetratingly provided at 22.
Further, a total of four slit-shaped dividing grooves 24 are formed on the tubular portion of the cap 21 at a required distance from the upper portion to the lower end thereof. A pair of support pieces 25 and a pair of retaining pieces 26
And are formed respectively.

The pair of support pieces 25 are fitted to the cap fitting portion 6 of the connecting body 3 by locking the retaining cap 21 in the locking hole 23 as shown in FIG. 2 or 4. The lower end surface of each of the support pieces 25 contacts the step surface 5 of the connecting body 3 to limit the amount of fitting of the retaining cap 21 into the connecting body 3.

Further, the pair of retaining pieces 26 has a shape that gradually expands toward the lower end as shown in FIG. 3, and when the cable end 12 is fitted, the pair of retaining pieces 26 are inserted into the cylinder of the retaining cap 21. When the cable end 12 is subsequently fitted to the cable fitting portion 4 of the coupling body 3, the pair of retaining pieces 26 are in the original state. By being elastically returned to, the cable end 12 is prevented from coming off.

This embodiment is configured as described above.
Therefore, when connecting the cable end 12 to the lever 1, first, as shown in FIG. 4, the retaining cap 21 passes through the pair of locking pieces 8 at the upper end of the cap fitting portion 6 of the connecting body 3 and the cap fitting portion 8. It fits in 6. At this time, the pair of locking pieces 8 are substantially parallel to each other without being plastically deformed in an expanded shape. The locking hole 23 of the retaining cap 21 is fitted to the upper part of the cap fitting portion 6 by being rotated, and the lower end of the supporting piece 25 of the retaining cap 21 is the step surface 5 of the connecting body 3.
Abut.

In the above state, as shown in FIG.
The pair of locking pieces 8 of the connecting body 3 is plastically deformed in an expanded shape by the bending jig 19, so that the retaining cap 21 is locked. Next, the cable end 12 of the cable 11 is fitted to the cable fitting portion 4 of the connector 3 through the locking piece 8 and the retaining cap 21.

When the cable end 12 passes through the retaining cap 21, the pair of retaining pieces 26 of the retaining cap 21 are once elastically deformed inward so that the cable end 12 passes through the pair of retaining pieces 26. Then, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the pair of retaining pieces 26 are elastically returned to the original expanded state. The cable 11 is connected to the lever 1 with the cable end 12 retained by the retaining pieces 26.

As described above, the cable for the lever 1
In the state where 11 are connected, the cable 11 is pulled out and pushed in based on the turning operation of the lever 1,
Various air conditioning dampers are activated. When the lever 1 is rotated and the like, the load in the direction of pulling out from the cable fitting portion 4 of the coupling body 3 acts on the cable end 12, and the cable end 12 moves in the pulling direction, the cable end 12
By contacting the pair of retaining pieces 26 of the retaining cap 21, the movement of the cable end 12 in the detaching direction is prevented.

When the pulling load (projection raising load) when the cable end 12 abuts the retaining piece 26 acts on the retaining cap 21, the upper end of the retaining cap 21 is plastically deformed into an expanded shape. Since it is locked by the locking piece 8 that is fixed,
21 is reliably prevented from coming off. As a result, the cable end 12
The problem of the slip-out of the connector 3 coming off the connector 3 is eliminated.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By forming a connecting body into which the cable end and the retaining cap are fitted in a part of the lever in a cut-and-raised shape, the number of component parts and the number of assembly steps are different from the case where the connecting body is formed as a separate part from the lever Can be reduced, and the cost range can be improved. Furthermore, since the retaining cap can be firmly locked by plastically deforming the locking piece at the tip of the connector to expand it, it is possible to reliably prevent the retaining cap from coming off and disconnecting the cable end. The stopping property can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cable retaining structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a retaining cap is fitted in the connector as well.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the locking piece of the connecting body is also plastically deformed into an expanded shape.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Lever 2 Cut groove 3 Connection body 4 Cable fitting part 5 Step surface 6 Cap fitting part 8 Locking piece 11 Cable 12 Cable end 21 Locking cap 23 Locking hole 26 Locking piece

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cable retaining structure for rotatably connecting a cable end of a cable to a lever, wherein the cable end is rotatably fitted to a part of the lever. The connecting body is formed in a cut-and-raised shape, and a retaining cap having a retaining piece for preventing movement of the cable end in the detaching direction is fitted into the connecting body, and the distal end portion of the connecting body is attached to the retaining cap. Is a retaining structure for a cable, characterized in that after the retaining cap is fitted into the connection body, a locking piece is formed which is plastically deformed in an expanded shape to retain the retaining cap.