JP6986800B2 - Adjuster for control cable - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an adjuster that makes it possible to adjust the protruding length of the end of the inner cable from the end of the outer cable in the control cable, that is, the idle length.

Conventionally, as an adjuster for adjusting the mounting length of the control cable, a rod formed at the end of the control cable whose length is adjusted, a holder in which the rod is housed, and the rod in the holder. It has a lock piece that engages and restricts the axial movement of the rod and the control cable fixed to the rod, and a lock that fixes the lock piece, and one end of the control cable is contained in the holder. The rod fixed to the rod is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction, and the lock piece is pushed into the insertion hole provided in the holder to form an engaged portion formed on the rod and the lock piece. After engaging with the engaged portion to adjust the axial position of the rod and engaging the engaged portion of the rod with the engaging portion of the lock piece, the lock is locked. By sliding it toward the piece, the lock piece is fixed to the holder and the length of the control cable can be adjusted (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-147292

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, since it is necessary to push the lock piece into the insertion hole of the holder during the adjustment work, the adjustment work must be performed with both hands, and the adjustment work in a narrow work space is very troublesome. It has the disadvantage of poor performance, and since it is provided at the end of the inner cable, which is the operating means of the control cable, the idle length can be adjusted, so it must be placed at the passage point of the thin inner cable. There was a problem that had to be solved, such as the fact that it could not be denied due to space limitations.

In view of the problem that the adjustment work can be performed only with both hands based on the above-mentioned prior art and the idle length is adjusted by adjusting the length of the inner cable, the present invention is arranged between the divided first and second outer cables. It is an adjuster in which the inner cable inserted into the first and second outer cables is in a penetrating state, and the floating lengths of both ends protruding from the first and second outer cables in the inner cable can be adjusted. The tip portion penetrates the casing for fixing the first outer cable and the portion of the casing opposite to the fixing portion of the first outer cable, and the shaft for fixing the second outer cable to the base end portion. The casing has a shaft fixture rotatably fitted to a portion of the shaft in the casing, and the casing has a rectangular frame plate in a plan view having a pair of end plates and a pair of side plates, and the frame. It has a partition plate that divides the inside of the plate, the shaft penetrates the end plate of one of the pair of end plates and the partition plate, and the first end plate of the pair of end plates has the shaft. (1) A plurality of outer cables fixed, the shaft is non-rotatable with respect to the casing and can move forward and backward in the axial direction, and is parallel to the outer peripheral surface of an adjustment portion that can be inserted into the casing at equal intervals in the axial direction of the shaft. The shaft fixing tool is arranged between the partition plate and the one end plate in the casing, and the shaft fixing tool is rotated on the inner peripheral surface of the insertion portion of the shaft. By forming a plurality of grooves that can be meshed with the convex portion of the shaft in the state of being engaged, the shaft can be advanced and retreated in the non-engaged state, and the shaft can be fixed in the meshed state. The above-mentioned problem can be solved by making it possible to switch the convex portion and the groove into the meshed / non-engaged state only by the forward / reverse rotation operation with one hand.

In short, the present invention is an adjuster that is arranged between the divided first and second outer cables and has an inner cable inserted in the first and second outer cables in a penetrating state, and is the first outer cable. A casing for fixing the second outer cable, a shaft for fixing the second outer cable to the base end portion, and a shaft for fixing the second outer cable to the base end portion while the tip portion penetrates a portion of the casing opposite to the fixing portion of the first outer cable. The casing has a shaft fixture rotatably fitted to a portion inside the casing, and the casing is divided into a rectangular frame plate in a plan view having a pair of end plates and a pair of side plates, and the inside of the frame plate. It has a partition plate, the shaft penetrates through one end plate of the pair of end plates and the partition plate, and the first outer cable is fixed to the other end plate of the pair of end plates. The shaft is non-rotatable with respect to the casing and can move forward and backward in the axial direction, and a plurality of convex portions parallel to the axial direction of the shaft are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the adjustment portion that can be inserted into the casing. The shaft fixing tool is arranged between the partition plate and the one end plate in the casing, and the shaft fixing tool is rotated on the inner peripheral surface of the insertion portion of the shaft. Since multiple grooves that can be meshed are formed in the convex portion so that the shaft can be moved forward and backward in the unengaged state and the shaft can be fixed in the meshed state, only the forward / reverse rotation operation of the shaft fixture is required. Since the convex part and the groove can be switched to the meshed / disengaged state, it can be operated with one hand, and the casing, shaft, shaft fixture and spacer have a simple shape and accommodate the shaft fixture. It can be assembled simply by inserting the shaft into the casing.

A knob is projected on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft fixture to form a finger hook on one of the pair of side plates between the end plate and the partition plate, so that the knob is particularly tilted. The shaft fixture can be rotated more easily by pinching the knob and the finger rest with two fingers, for example, the thumb and the index finger, when the convex portion and the groove are in the meshed state.

An elastic stopper is provided on the outside of the shaft fixture, and the base end portion of the stopper is integrated with either side plate of the casing, and either the lower surface of the tip of the stopper or the outer peripheral surface of the shaft fixture is provided. One engaging means is formed in one, and two engaged means are formed in the other, one engaged means has the convex portion and the groove in a disengaged state, and the other engaged means has the convex portion. Since the groove is formed so as to be engageable with the engaging means in the meshed state, the meshed / disengaged state of the convex portion and the groove can be reliably maintained, so that the rotation of the shaft fixture after the work can be performed. In addition to being able to prevent the shaft from moving in and out, it is possible to reliably maintain the disengaged state between the convex portion and the groove when the shaft is moved forward and backward, so that the shaft can be moved forward and backward without delay.

Since the release piece is projected from the tip of the stopper, the tip of the stopper can be easily lifted, so that the work of disengaging the engaging means from the engaged means can be facilitated, so that the work site is narrow and visually visible. Even if you can't do it, you can easily do it by groping, and the practical effect is enormous.

It is a perspective view of the control cable which attached Example 1 of the adjuster for a control cable which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which compares the state before adjustment and the state after adjustment of the control cable of FIG. It is a horizontal sectional view of the control cable of FIG. It is a top view which shows the locked state of the control cable of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the II cross section of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the II-II cross section of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which the shaft can advance and retreat with the control cable of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the shaft fixture is being operated with the control cable of FIG. 1. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which the shaft fixture was locked by the stopper by the control cable of FIG. It is a top view of the casing. 8 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 8A. FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 8A. FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 8A. It is a side view of a shaft. 9 is a plan view of FIG. 9A. 9 is a front view of FIG. 9A. 9 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 9A. It is a side view of a shaft fixture. FIG. 10 (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII. FIG. 10 (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII. It is a top view of the control cable which attached Example 2 of the adjuster for a control cable which concerns on this invention. It is an enlarged view of the IX-IX cross section of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of a control cable to which Example 3 of the control cable adjuster according to the present invention is attached. It is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of other examples of a shaft. It is sectional drawing of the adjustment part in the shaft of FIG. 14A.

In the adjuster 1 for the control cable in which the inner cable is inserted into the tubular outer cable according to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the divided first and second outer cables 2, 2a The inner cable 4 arranged between the first and second outer cables 2 and 2a and inserted into the first and second outer cables 2 and 2a is in a penetrating state, and the cap 3 at the tip of the first and second outer cables 2 and 2a in the pre-installation state. Set the variable protrusion length of the end of the inner cable 4 from 3a, that is, the idle lengths X1'and X2' before installation. ) And the working side (not shown), and just perform the same work as the conventional process of fitting the caps 3 and 3a at the tips of the first and second outer cables 2 and 2a into the brackets B and Ba that do not move. Therefore, the total length of the outer cable Lo'before installation can be automatically adjusted to the total length of the outer cable Lo.

The adjuster 1 for this control cable basically penetrates the casing 5 for fixing one of the divided first outer cables 2 and the portion of the casing 5 opposite to the fixing portion of the first outer cable 1. The tip portion is arranged in the casing 5, and the shaft 6 for fixing the other second outer cable 2a to the base end portion and the shaft fixing rotatably fitted to the portion in the casing 5 in the shaft 6 are fixed. The shaft 6 is non-rotatable with respect to the casing 5 and can move forward and backward in the axial direction, and is parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the adjustment portion 18 that can be inserted into the casing 5 at equal intervals in the axial direction of the shaft 6. A plurality of convex portions 22, 22a ... Are formed, the shaft fixture 7 is arranged at a predetermined position in the casing 5, and the shaft fixture 7 is rotated on the inner peripheral surface of the insertion portion 26 of the shaft 6. A plurality of grooves 29, 29a ... That can be meshed with the convex portions 22, 22a ... Of 6 are formed so that the shaft 6 can be moved forward and backward in a non-engaged state, and the shaft 6 can be fixed in a meshed state.

The first embodiment of the adjuster 1 for a control cable according to the present invention has a casing 5, a shaft 6, and a shaft fixture 7, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 (c).

The casing 5 is made of plastic and has a rectangular frame plate 8 in a plan view and a partition plate 9 provided in the frame plate 8 as shown in FIGS. 8 (a) to 8 (d). The frame plate 8 has a pair of side plates 10, 10a and a pair of end plates 11, 11a, and the inside of the frame plate 8 is divided into two spaces 12, 12a by a partition plate 9, and the pair of side plates 10, 10a, The tip portion of the shaft 6 (adjustment portion 18 described later) penetrates the one space 12 formed by the partition plate 9 and the one end plate 11, so that the shaft 6 is inserted into the one end plate 11 and the partition plate 9. Holes 13 and 14 are formed, and the tip end portion of the shaft 6 penetrates the partition plate 9 and protrudes into the other space 12a.

A protrusion 15 is formed on the outer surface of the other end plate 11a of the frame plate 8, the insertion hole 16 of the inner cable 4 is formed through the end plate 11a and the protrusion 15, and the first outer is formed on the tip surface of the protrusion 15. A recess 17 is formed to insert and fix the base end portion of the cable 2.

The shaft 6 is made of plastic, and as shown in FIGS. 9 (a) to 9 (d), the adjustment portion 18 which can be inserted into the casing 5 having a circular shape with a cross section and the shaft 6 cannot be inserted into the casing 5. It has a base end portion 18a having a circular cross section and a flange portion 19 peripherally provided around the base end portion, and the adjustment portion 18 has a pair of parallel flat surface regions 20 and 20a and a pair of circumferential surface regions 21 and 21a. Each of the pair of circumferential surface regions 21, 21a has a plurality of convex portions 22, 22a ... Which are parallel to each other at equal intervals in the axial direction of the shaft 6, and the convex portions 22, 22a ... , It has a ridge shape formed along the spiral direction with respect to the axis of the shaft 6.
In the drawing, the adjustment portion 18 is formed by cutting a pair of flat surfaces parallel to the thread portion of the bolt, that is, the convex portions 22, 22a ... Are formed along the spiral direction with respect to the axis of the shaft 6. However, although not shown, it may be formed along a direction orthogonal to the axis of the shaft 6, and may be a mere protrusion, but a ridge is preferable.
The shaft 6 has a through hole 23 for the inner cable 4 in the center, and a recess 24 for inserting and fixing the base end portion of the second outer cable 2a in the center of the base end surface.
For the shaft 6, the shaft fixture 7 is fitted externally to the portion of the adjustment portion 18 in one space 12, and the insertion holes 13 and 14 of the partition plate 9 and the one end plate 11 are formed into a double-missing circular shape to adjust the shaft 6. By making the portion 18 penetrate, the shaft fixture 7 can rotate forward and reverse with respect to the shaft 6, but the shaft 6 itself does not rotate and can move forward and backward in the axial direction.

The shaft fixture 7 is arranged in one space 12, and the movement of the shaft 6 in the axial direction is restricted by the partition plate 9 and the one end plate 11, as shown in FIGS. 10 (a) to 10 (c). As shown, it is preferable that the shaft insertion portion 26 is penetrated and the knob 25 is integrally projected on the outer peripheral surface.
The shaft fixture 7 has a cylindrical shape having a diameter slightly smaller than the width between the pair of side plates 10 and 10a, the shaft insertion portion 26 has a circular shape with a cross section, and the shaft insertion portion 26 has a pair of parallel flat surface regions 27. A plurality of grooves 29, which have 27a and a pair of circumferential surface regions 28, 28a, and in which the convex portions 22, 22a, etc. of the shaft 6 can be meshed with each of the pair of parallel flat surface regions 27, 27a, 29a… is formed.

A stopper 30 for the shaft fixture 7 is provided on the casing 5, and the stopper 30 has an arcuate shape and is arranged outside the shaft fixture 7. The base end portion is integrated with the other side plate 10a, and a locking protrusion is formed on the lower surface of the tip. 31 is formed, and an opening 32 through which the knob 25 of the shaft fixture 7 is passed is formed.

Locking grooves 33 and 33a into which the locking projection 31 of the stopper 30 is fitted are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft fixture 7, and one of the locking grooves 33 is the shaft with the knob 25 of the shaft fixture 7 standing upright. The locking projections 31 of the stopper 30 are fitted in the flat surface regions 20 and 20a of the stopper 30 in a state where the flat surface regions 20 and 20a of the shaft fixture 7 and the flat surface regions 27 and 27a of the shaft fixture 7 face each other and the shaft 6 can move forward and backward, and the other locking groove. 33a is a locking projection 31 of the stopper 30 in a state where the protrusions 22, 22a ... Of the shaft 6 are completely meshed with the grooves 29, 29a ... Of the shaft fixture 7 with the knob 25 of the shaft fixture 7 tilted down. Is formed so that it fits.

A finger hook portion 34 is integrally projected from the other side plate 10a of the casing 5, and the finger hook portion 34 projects obliquely outward and upward from the upper portion of the other side plate 10a.

Guide ridges 35, 35a are integrally formed on both sides of the shaft 6 on the inner surface of the other space 12a in the side plates 10 and 10a of the casing 5, and the gap between the guide ridges 35 and 35a and the shaft 6 is narrowed. As a result, lateral movement of the shaft 6 when advancing and retreating is suppressed to enable smooth advancing and retreating.

A retaining 36 is formed on the tip surface of the shaft 6, and the retaining 36 is an elastically deformable pair of left and right rising portions 37, 37a and a locking projection integrally formed on the outside of the upper end of the rising portions 37, 37a. It has 38 and 38a, and when the retaining 36 passes through the insertion holes 13 and 14 when the shaft 6 is inserted, the locking projections 38 and 38a hit the rims of the insertion holes 13 and 14 and the rising portions 37 and 37a. Gradually collapses inward and the locking projections 38 and 38a gradually pass through the insertion holes 13 and 14, and when they completely pass, the rising portions 37 and 37a return to the initial state and retract the shaft 6. However, the locking projections 38 and 38a hit the rims of the insertion holes 13 and 14 in the partition plate 9 and one of the end plates 11 so that the shaft 6 does not come off.

A compression spring 39 is attached to a portion of the shaft 6 protruding from the casing 5, both ends of the compression spring 39 are fixed to the casing 5 and the flange portion 19 of the shaft 6, and the shaft 6 is pushed into the casing 5. It is designed to be compressed by sliding, and by urging the shaft 6 in the direction of pulling it out from the casing 5, the meshing state of the convex portions 22, 22a ... and the grooves 29, 29a ... is further strengthened. It is possible to do.

The second embodiment of the adjuster 1 for the control cable basically has the same configuration as the first embodiment, but as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the stopper 30 of the casing 5 does not have an opening 32 and is fixed to the shaft. An opening 40 is formed at the base end of the knob 25 of the tool 7, and the stopper 30 penetrates the opening 40.

The third embodiment of the adjuster 1 for the control cable has basically the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, but as shown in FIG. 13, the release piece 41 is integrally projected from the tip of the stopper 30 to release the adjuster 1. When a finger is hung on the piece 41 and lifted upward, the stopper 30 bends and the locking projection 31 can be easily removed from the other locking groove 33a of the shaft fixture 7.
Therefore, for example, during maintenance work due to deterioration over the years, the work can be facilitated if there is a release piece 41.

In another embodiment of the shaft 6, as shown in FIGS. 14 (a) and 14 (b), chamfered shapes are formed at both ends of the convex portions 22, 22a ... The inclined surfaces 42, 42a may be formed so that the convex portions 22, 22a ... Of the shaft 6 can easily enter the grooves 29, 29a ... Of the shaft fixture 7 during the fixing operation.

Next, an adjustment method using the adjuster 1 for the control cable will be described.
(1) The shaft 6 can move forward and backward with the knob 25 of the shaft fixture 7 in an upright state and the locking projection 31 of the stopper 30 fitted in one of the locking grooves 33 of the shaft fixture 7. (See "(a) Before adjustment" in FIG. 2).
(2) One end of the inner cable 4 is fixed to the operation side (not shown), and the cap 3 of the first outer cable 2 is fitted and fixed to one bracket B so that the protruding length of one end of the inner cable 4 is increased. The set idle length X1 is set.
(3) The other end of the inner cable 4 is fixed to the operating side (not shown), the cap 3a of the second outer cable 2a is fitted and fixed to the other bracket Ba, and the protruding length of the other end of the inner cable 4 is fixed. Is the set idle length X2, and in this process, the shaft 6 automatically advances to compress and deform the compression spring 39, and by fitting and fixing the caps 3 and 3a to the brackets B and Ba, the set outer cable total length Lo is automatically set. (See "(b) After adjustment" in FIG. 2).
(4) The knob 25 of the shaft fixture 7 and the finger hook portion 34 of the casing 5 are picked up with one hand, and the knob 25 of the shaft fixture 7 is placed in the other locking groove 33a of the shaft fixture 7 with the locking projection 31 of the stopper 30. When the shaft 6 is tilted until it is fitted, the convex portions 22, 22a ... Of the shaft 6 completely mesh with the grooves 29, 29a ... Of the shaft fixture 7, and the shaft 6 is fixed to the casing 5.

In the above embodiment, the insertion holes 13 and 14 of the partition plate 9 and one end plate 11, the adjustment portion 18 of the shaft 6 and the shaft insertion portion 26 of the shaft fixture 7 are both missing having two parallel flat surfaces. Although it has a circular shape, it may be a missing circle shape having at least one flat surface.

Further, the stopper 30 and the finger hook 34 are formed on the other side plate 10a of the casing 5, but the stopper 30 may be formed on either the side plates 10 or 10a, and the finger hook 34 may be formed on the side plates 10 or 10a. It may be formed on one side of the shaft fixture 7 on the side where the knob 25 is tilted.

Further, in Examples 1 and 2, a locking projection 31 is formed on the stopper 30, and locking grooves 33 and 33a are formed on the shaft fixture 7, but although not shown, one locking groove is formed on the stopper 30. , Two locking projections 31 may be formed on the shaft fixture 7.
In short, one engaging means (engagement protrusion or engagement groove) on either the lower surface of the tip of the stopper or the outer peripheral surface of the shaft fixture, and two engaged means (engagement groove or engagement groove) on the other side. ) Is formed, one of the engaged means is in a state where the convex portion of the shaft and the groove of the shaft fixture are not meshed, and the other engaged means is in a state where the convex portion of the shaft and the groove of the shaft fixture are in a meshed state. It may be formed so as to be engageable with the engaging means.

1 Adjuster 2, 2a 1st, 2nd Outer cable 4 Inner cable 5 Casing 6 Shaft 7 Shaft fixture 8 Frame plate 9 Partition plate
10, 10a side plate
11, 11a end plate
18 Adjustment site
22, 22a ... Convex part
25 knob
26 Shaft insertion site
29, 29a ... Groove
34 Finger hook

Claims (2)

Both ends of the inner cable protruding from the first and second outer cables, which are arranged between the divided first and second outer cables and have the inner cable inserted in the first and second outer cables in a penetrating state. It is an adjuster that can adjust the floating length of the part.
A casing for fixing the first outer cable and a shaft for fixing the second outer cable to the base end while the tip portion penetrates a portion of the casing opposite to the fixing portion of the first outer cable. The casing has a shaft fixture rotatably fitted to a portion of the shaft in the casing, and the casing has a plan-view rectangular frame plate having a pair of end plates and a pair of side plates, and the frame plate. It has a partition plate that divides the inside, the shaft penetrates through one end plate of the pair of end plates and the partition plate, and the first end plate of the pair of end plates. the outer cable is fixed, the shaft is freely moved in the non-rotatable axially relative to the casing, the outer peripheral surface of the insertable adjustment parts in the casing, a plurality of parallel at equal intervals in the axial direction of the shaft A convex portion was formed, the shaft fixing tool was arranged between the partition plate and the one end plate in the casing, and the shaft fixing tool was rotated on the inner peripheral surface of the insertion portion of the shaft. A control cable characterized in that a plurality of grooves that can be meshed are formed in the convex portion of the shaft in the state, the shaft can be advanced and retreated in the non-engaged state, and the shaft can be fixed in the meshed state. For adjuster. A claim characterized in that a knob is projected on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft fixture, and a finger hook portion is formed at a portion of either one of the pair of side plates between the one end plate and the partition plate. The adjuster for the control cable according to Item 1.

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