WO2010012291A1

WO2010012291A1 - Anchoring device for a bowden-cable

Info

Publication number: WO2010012291A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/006322
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pascal Joly
Original assignee: Kongsberg Driveline Systems Sas
Priority date: 2008-07-31
Filing date: 2008-07-31
Publication date: 2010-02-04

Abstract

The present invention refers to an anchoring device (1) for anchoring a Bowden-type cable to a bracket (7) having a slot (19) for receiving the anchoring device (1), wherein the anchoring device (1) comprises a casing (3) attachable to a sheath of a Bowden-type cable, a securing element (9) resil- iently mounted on the casing (3), wherein the securing element (9) is movable between a longitudinal mounting position in which the securing element (9) is able to allow the anchoring device (1) to be mounted on the bracket (7) and a longitudinal securing position in which the securing element (9) is able to secure the anchoring device (1) to the bracket (7), wherein the securing element (9) is biased towards the longitudinal securing position by a resilient force. The invention is characterised in that the casing (3) comprises a first locking element (23) adapted and arranged to lock the securing element (9) in the longitudinal securing position.

Description

Anchoring device

The present invention refers to an anchoring device for anchoring a Bowden-type cable to a bracket having a slot for re- ceiving the anchoring device, wherein the anchoring device comprises a casing attachable to a sheath of a Bowden-type cable and a securing element resiliently mounted on the casing, wherein the securing element is movable between a longitudinal mounting position in which the securing element is able to al- low the anchoring device to be mounted on the bracket and a longitudinal securing position in which the securing element is able to secure the anchoring device to the bracket, wherein the securing element is biased towards the longitudinal securing position by a resilient force.

Bowden-type cables are for example used in vehicle gearshift systems, wherein the ends of the sheath of a Bowden cable are attached to brackets fixed to the vehicle and an inner wire can be pulled or pushed relative to the attached sheath in or- der to transfer shift commands. It is known to use an anchoring device for attaching the end of the sheath of a Bowden cable. Such known anchoring devices comprise a casing in form of a sleeve which is attached to the end of the sheath. The casing may comprise a peripheral groove such that the casing can be arranged in a U-shaped slot of a bracket fixed to the vehicle. It is further known to use a securing element in form of a longitudinally movable sleeve mounted on the casing and spring-loaded towards the groove adapted to receive the bracket. During assembly, the securing element can be held back manually by the assembler, and as soon as the assembly of the anchoring device is completed the assembler may let the securing element snap into a securing contact with the bracket . US 5,347,882 describes an anchoring device with a resilient snap ring as securing element which snaps into a specifically shaped slot of a bracket. Such a solution has. the disadvantage that the bracket slot needs a specific shape and the demount- ing procedure is awkward.

EP 0 703 395 Bl describes a spring-loaded securing sleeve which secures an anchoring device in a bracket. It is problematic with the solution described therein that only the spring force keeps the securing sleeve in a securing position such that a tilt of the anchoring device may lead to a compression of the spring and the securing sleeve may leave the securing position. Thus, the anchoring device of EP 0 703 395 Bl is not safe against unintended release of the anchoring device.

An anchoring device according to the preamble of Claim 1 is described in EP 1 026 411 Bl. However, the solution described therein suffers from the same problem as the solution de^¬ scribed in EP 0 703 395 Bl. A tilt of the anchoring device may lead to a compression of the spring and the securing sleeve may leave the securing position such that the anchoring device may release in an unintended way.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an anchoring device that is safe against an unintended release and which is easy to mount and demount.

This object is solved by the inventive anchoring device according to the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject of the dependent claims.

According to the present invention the casing of the anchoring device comprises a first locking element adapted and arranged to lock the securing element in the longitudinal securing po- sition in which the securing element is able to secure the an- choring device to the bracket. Preferably, the securing element has a longitudinal distance to the bracket when it is in the longitudinal mounting position and the securing element has contact with the bracket when it is in the longitudinal securing position. Thereby, the securing element may have a securing contact with a protrusion of the bracket providing an abutting surface when the securing element is in the longitudinal securing position. The first locking element prevents the securing element from moving back against the resilient force which may be provided by a spring. Thereby, the inventive anchoring device is safe against unintended release even if tilting forces are applied to the anchoring device or the Bowden cable it is attached to.

In a preferred embodiment of the inventive anchoring device the casing further comprises a second locking element adapted and arranged to lock the securing element in the longitudinal mounting position in which the securing element is able to allow the anchoring device to be mounted on the ^'bracket. This is especially useful to facilitate the mounting procedure of the anchoring device. The second locking element may keep the securing element in a pre-loaded longitudinal mounting position in which it has a longitudinal distance to a groove of the casing that may be adapted and arranged to receive the bracket. Thereby, the assembler does not need to manually hold back the securing element for mounting the anchoring device. This is especially useful for an assembly in areas with very restricted space.

The second locking element may be provided with a release face which is adapted and arranged to receive a pressure force by the bracket when the anchoring to the bracket is completed. Thereby, the assembler can simply push the anchoring device radially into the slot of the bracket which results in a pres- sure force against the release face of the second locking ele- - A -

ment when the anchoring device is completely pushed into the slot of the bracket. This may cause the second locking element to release the spring-loaded securing element which snaps into the longitudinal securing position for securing the anchoring device.

In order to allow an easy demounting of the anchoring device the first locking element is also provided with a release face, wherein the release face of the first locking element is adapted and arranged to be manually pressed by an assembler for demounting the anchoring device. As long as an assembler presses down the release face of the first locking element the securing element can be pulled back manually against the resilient spring force into the longitudinal mounting position which allows an intended release of the anchoring device by pulling it out of the bracket slot.

It is preferred that the first or the second locking element or both are flexible tongues with an abutting face, wherein the first and/or the second locking element has a release state and a lock state, wherein the first and/or the second locking element is biased towards the lock state by a resilient force. The inner resilience of the first and/or the second flexible tongue may provide the resilient force for bias- ing the first and/or the second locking element towards the lock state.

The abutting face is preferably aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in which the securing element is mov- able. Preferably, the abutting face of the first locking element faces towards the groove for receiving the bracket and the abutting face of the second locking element faces towards the opposite direction. The release state of the first and/or the second locking element may be a pre-loaded state in which it is inflected radially inwards when the securing element is in the longitudinal mounting or longitudinal securing position, respectively. It is advantageous if the first locking element is in a release state when the securing element is in the longitudinal mounting position and/or that the second locking element is in a release state when the securing element is in the longitudinal securing position. This effect can be provided by the inner peripheral surface of the securing element which keeps the first locking element in a preloaded radially inner release state as long as the securing element is not in the longitudinal securing position. Analogously, the inner peripheral surface of the securing element may keep the second locking ele- ment in a preloaded radially inner release state as long as the securing element is not in the longitudinal mounting position .

The securing element may comprise a first abutting face and/or a second abutting face, such as the respective annular end faces, which correspond to the abutting face of the first and/or the second locking element, respectively. The first abutting face of the securing element, e.g. the first annular end face, may be in contact with the abutting face of the first locking element when the securing element is in the longitudinal securing position. Analogously, the second abutting face of the securing element, e.g. the second annular end face, may be in contact with the abutting face of the second locking element when the securing element is in the longitudi- nal mounting position. Preferably, the first locking element being in the lock state is snapped radially outwards when the securing element is in the longitudinal securing position and/or the second locking element being in the lock state is snapped radially outwards when the securing element is in the longitudinal mounting position. It is further preferred that the release face of the first and/or the second locking element is framed by at least one protrusion or flange of the casing. This prevents an unin- tended release of the first and/or the second locking element.

In the following a preferred embodiment of the invention is discussed in further detail with reference to the accompanying figures .

Fig. 1 shows an upper perspective front view of a preferred embodiment of an inventive anchoring device.

Fig. 2 shows a lower perspective rear view of a preferred em- bodiment of an inventive anchoring device.

Fig. 3 shows a lower perspective side view of a preferred embodiment of an inventive anchoring device without securing element .

Fig. 4 shows a detail of the lower perspective side view in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows an exploded upper perspective rear view of a pre- ferred embodiment of an inventive anchoring device and a mounting bracket.

Figs. 6 to 8 show side views of a preferred embodiment of an inventive anchoring device in different positions during as- sembling on a mounting bracket.

The anchoring device 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 extends along a longitudinal axis z and shows roughly a symmetry of rotation about the longitudinal axis z. For the sake of clarity the figures show an arbitrarily defined Cartesian coordinate sys- tem with a longitudinal axis z and a transversal plane spanned by the horizontal axis x and the vertical axis y. The transversal plane extends radially, wherein the azimuthal position in the transverse plane is given by the azimuth angle φ to the horizontal axis x.

The anchoring device 1 is adapted to be attached to an end portion of a Bowden-type cable (not shown) that extends along the longitudinal axis z. The anchoring device 1 comprises a sleeve-like casing 3 comprising several parts which are better visible in the exploded view of Fig. 5. At its rear end portion the casing 3 shows a peripheral groove 5 for receiving a bracket 7 to which the anchoring device 1 may be anchored to. Furthermore, a securing element 9 is resiliently mounted on the casing 3 in form of an outer sleeve encompassing the casing 3. The securing element 9 is movable relative to the cas^¬ ing 3 along the longitudinal z-axis. The resilient force is provided by a spring 11 mounted between the casing 3 and the securing element 9 abutting with one end .against a first flange face 13 of the casing 3 and urging the securing element 9 with the other end towards the negative z-direction, i.e. towards the peripheral groove 5 for receiving the bracket 7.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the securing element 9 is shown in a longitu- dinal securing position in which the annular rear end face 15 of the securing element 9 is directly located at the peripheral groove 5 for receiving the bracket 7, wherein the bracket 7 is not shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for reasons of visibility. It can be seen in the lower perspective rear view of Fig. 2 that the securing element 9 comprises a notch 17 for receiving a corresponding protrusion 18 of the bracket 7 (see Fig. 6). The notch 17 is located at the lower rear end portion, i.e. at an azimuth angle φ of 270°. In the longitudinal securing position the securing element 9 is pushed towards the bracket 7 such that there is an engagement between the notch 17 and the pro- trusion 18 which secures the anchoring device 1 in the bracket 7 and prevents a radial upward release, i.e. in positive y- direction, out of a U-shaped slot 19 of the bracket 7. Moreover, the securing element 9 comprises a lug 21 at the upper rear end portion, i.e. at an azimuth angle φ of 90°. The lug 21 facilitates to grasp the securing element 9 manually by hand or with a tool like a pliers. This is especially important for demounting the anchoring device 1, because for demounting it is necessary that the assembler manually draws back the secur- ing element 9 in the positive z-direction against the spring force into a longitudinal mounting position in which the anchoring device 1 is unlocked such that an intended radial upward release, i.e. in positive y-direction, out of the U- shaped slot 19 of the bracket 7 is allowed.

The casing 3 further comprises a first locking element 23 adapted and arranged to lock the securing element 9 in the longitudinal securing position as shown in Fig. 1. The first locking element 23 is a flexible, elongate tongue with an es- sentially vertical abutting face 25 and an essentially horizontal release face 27. The flexible elongate tongue 23 is connected to the casing with its rear portion and extends freely forward, i.e. in the positive z-direction. Fig. 1 shows the first locking element 23 in a lock state in which the ver- tical abutting face 25 is in contact with the annular forward end face 29 of the securing element 9. The inner resilience of the first locking element 23 has urged it into this state. Because of the contact between the vertical abutting face 25 and the annular forward end face 29 the securing element 9 cannot shift into the positive z-direction. Therefore, the securing element 9 is locked. An unintended compression of the spring 11 and a subsequent release is thus prevented. The horizontal release face 27 may be pressed down manually by hand or a toll such as a leg of a pliers or a screw driver. Under such a man- ual external force the flexible, elongate tongue 23 may bend down against its inner resilience into a pre-loaded release state (not shown) . The vertical abutting face 25 is thereby moved radially inwards such that there is no contact anymore between the annular forward end face 29 of the securing ele- ment 9. In the release state of the first locking element 23 the securing element 9 may be pushed forward into a longitudinal mounting position which allows an intended release of the anchoring device 1 for demounting. The demounting procedure is significantly facilitated by a second flange face 31 which may act as a working point for a leg of a pliers that is used to push down the first locking element 23. The other leg of a pliers may then engage the lug 21. Compressing of the pliers would result in a longitudinal shift of the securing element 9 forward relative to the casing 3. The frictional contact be- tween the pliers and the anchoring device 1 may then be used to pull the anchoring device 1 vertically upward , i.e. in positive y-direction, out of the U-shaped slot 19 of the bracket in order to dismount the anchoring device 1. As long as the securing element 9 is located in a further forward lon- gitudinal position than the longitudinal securing position, the first locking element 23 is kept in the pre-loaded release state in which it is inflected radially inwards and unable to snap upwards as it is blocked by the inner peripheral surface of the securing element 9.

The exploded view of Fig. 5 shows the main components of a preferred embodiment of an inventive anchoring device 1 and the bracket 7 is shown as an L-profile with a horizontal plane 33 and a vertical plane 35 extending transversally to the z- axis. The horizontal plane 33 comprises bores 34 for fixing the horizontal plane 33 to a vehicle chassis by screws or rivets. The vertical plane 35 shows a vertically extending U- shaped slot 19 adapted to receive the anchoring device 1. The peripheral groove 5 of the casing 3 of the anchoring device 1 corresponds to the shape of the U-shaped slot 19 such that the anchoring device 1 can be pushed from an upper position vertically above the bracket 7 radially inwards, i.e. in the negative y-direction, into the slot 19 such that the groove 5 receives the bracket 7. In order to avoid a tilted position out of the exact longitudinal orientation perpendicular to the vertical plane 35 the groove 5 is framed by annular flange surfaces 37, 39. The longitudinal distance between the annular flange surfaces 37, 39 corresponds to the longitudinal extension of the groove 5 and the vertical plane 35 of the bracket 7, i.e. its thickness. Thereby, during assembly of the anchoring device 1 the annular flange surfaces 37, 39 contact the vertical plane's 35 forward surface and the backward surface, respectively. The groove 5 framed by the annular flange surfaces 37, 39 therefore guides the anchoring device 1 into an exact longitudinal orientation perpendicular to the vertical plane 35 and make sure that the assembled anchoring device 1 is fixed in this longitudinal orientation.

The exploded view of Fig. 5 further illustrates that the cas- ing 3 comprises 5 parts, i.e. three inner parts 41, 43, 45 and two outer shell parts 47, 49. The central inner part 41 is a tube 41 with a peripheral central flange 51 for centring the inner tube 41 on the longitudinal axis z. The outer surface of the tube 41 may be threaded at both ends. The forward inner attachment sleeve 43 and the rear inner attachment sleeve 45 are identically shaped and may comprise an inner thread to be the screwed on the forward and the rear end of the inner tube 41, respectively. The inner attachment sleeves 43, 45 have a peripherally profiled flange 53 located at the end directed towards the inner tube 41. The profiled flange 53 may act as a gripping wheel such that the distance between the inner attachment sleeves 43, 45 and the central flange 51 of the inner tube 41 may be adjusted manually by rotation causing the inner attachment sleeves 43, 45 to screw in or out, i.e. to move longitudinally relative to the inner tube 41. The inner at- tachment sleeves 43, 45 further have a profiled peripheral surface 55 and a tapering end portion 57. Once the desired longitudinal position of the attachment sleeve 43, 45 is adjusted, the tapering end portion 57 may be pushed into an end portion of a sheath of a Bowden-type cable such that the profiled peripheral surface 55 gets into a frictional contact with the inner peripheral surface of the sheath. The inner wire of the Bowden-type cable may then extend along the z-axis through the inner tube 41 and the complete anchoring device 1.

This means that the anchoring device 1 may also act as a connector device between two sheaths of a Bowden-type cable. An end of a first sheath may be attached to the forward attachment sleeve 43 and an end of a second sheath may be attached to the rear attachment sleeve 45. The Bowden-type cable with an inner wire and two or more pieces of sheaths may therefore be anchored at the transitions between the sheath pieces. However, it is appreciated that one of the attachment sleeves 43, 45 may also remain unused, e.g. if the anchoring of the end of the Bowden-type cable is desired.

The casing 3 further comprises an upper outer shell halve 47 and a lower outer shell halve 49. The inner surface is de^¬ signed in such a way that the inner tube 41 and the attachment sleeves 43, 45 are securely embedded inside the shell halves 47, 49 preventing a radial or longitudinal displacement of the inner tube 41 and the attachment sleeves 43,^' 45 relative to the shell halves 47, 49. The lower outer shell halve 49 comprises the main portion of the peripheral groove 5 and the framing annular flange surfaces 37, 39. The upper outer shell halve 47 may be connected to the lower outer shell halve 49 by hooks 59 adapted to engage corresponding notches 61 in the lower outer shell halve 49. The lower outer shell halve 49 also comprises hooks 63 adapted to engage corresponding notches 65 in the upper outer shell halve 47. The connected shell halves 47, 49 form an outer peripheral slide surface 67 onto which the spring 11 and the securing element 9 are mounted. The forward end of the sliding surface is formed by a first flange face 13 against which one end of the spring 11 abuts. The other end of the spring 11 abuts against an inner annular face 69 of the securing element 9 such that the securing element 9 is urged away from the first flange face 13 towards the groove 5 in the rear portion of the casing 3, i.e. in the negative z-direction. In order to maintain the azi- muthal orientation of the securing element 9 relative to the casing 3 there are longitudinal inner tongues 71 provided at the upper portion of the inner peripheral surface of the securing element 9. These longitudinal inner tongues 71 are adapted to engage corresponding longitudinal outer grooves 72 in the upper outer shell halve 47 of the casing 3 in order to guide the securing element 9 along the longitudinal z-axis and to prevent a rotation about the z-axis relative to the casing 3.

In a second preferred embodiment of the inventive anchoring device 1 the casing 3 further comprises a second locking ele^¬ ment 73 adapted and arranged to lock the securing element 9 in the longitudinal mounting position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. For a better visibility, the securing element 9 is not shown. In analogy to the first locking element 23, the second locking element 73 may be a flexible, elongate tongue with an essentially vertical abutting face 75 and an essentially horizontal release face 77. However, the orientation and the position of the second locking element 73 differs from the first locking element 23. The second flexible elongate tongue 73 is connected with its front portion to the backward bottom part of the lower outer shell halve 49 of the casing 3 and extends freely backward, i.e. in the negative z-direction. Figs. 3 and 4 show the second locking element 73 in a lock state in which the vertical abutting face 75 is arranged to be in contact with the annular rear end face 15 of the securing element 9 (not shown in Figs. 3 and 4). The inner resilience of the second locking element 73 has urged it into this state. Because of the contact between the vertical abutting face 75 and the annular rear end face 15 the securing element 9 cannot shift into the negative z-direction. Therefore, the securing element 9 is in a held in a pre-loaded longitudinal mounting position in which the annular rear end face 15 of the securing element 9 has a longitudinal distance to the peripheral groove 5 for receiving the bracket 7. Therefore, the anchoring device 1 is ready to be anchored by the assembler. In this state it is very easy to anchor the anchoring device 1 to the bracket 7 because it is not necessary to hold back the securing element 9 against the spring force in a longitudinal mounting position when the anchoring device 1 is pushed down into the U-shaped slot 19 of the bracket 7. Preferably, the anchoring device 1 is delivered in this state such that no preparations are necessary before assembly. As the release face 27 of the first locking element 23, the release face 77 of the second locking element 73 faces radially outwards but at an azimuthal position of 270°, i.e. facing downwards. It is also preferred that it protrudes into the bottom portion of the peripheral groove 5 which is intended to receive the bracket 7'. As soon as the anchoring device 1 is almost completely pushed down into the U-shaped slot 19 of the bracket 7 the bracket 7 may then contact the release face 77 and exerts an external upward force on the downward facing release face 77. The flexible, elongate tongue 73 then bends upwards under this force until the anchoring device 1 is completely pushed down i-nto the U-shaped slot 19 of the bracket 7. The second locking element 73 is then inflected against its inner resilience into a pre-loaded release state. The vertical abutting face 75 is thereby shifted upwards such that there is no contact anymore between the annular rear end face 15 of the securing element 9. The pre-loaded spring 11 will then expand to urge the securing element 9 backwards against the bracket 7 until the annular rear end face 15 of the securing element ^■ 9 contacts the bracket 7. The securing element 9 has then reached a longitudinal securing position such that the first locking element 23 may snap upwards to lock it in this position in order to secure the anchored anchoring device 1 to the bracket 7.

As the release face 77 of the second locking- element 73 protrudes into the peripheral groove 5 it is framed by the annu- lar flange face 37, 39 which therefore also prevent an unintended premature release of the second locking element 73. For the same reason, the release face 27 of the first locking element 73 is framed by two lateral protrusions 79 of the casing such that an unintended release of the first locking element 73 is prevented.

Figs. 6 to 8 show side views of the anchoring device 1 in different positions during assembling on the bracket 7. In Fig. 6 the anchoring device 1 the assembling has just started and the peripheral groove 5 has just received the upper portion of the bracket 7. The securing element 9 is in a pre-loaded longitudinal mounting position, because the second locking element 73 is in the lock state blocking the securing element 9 and preventing it from snapping backward towards the bracket 7. In Fig. 7 the anchoring device 1 is almost completely pushed down into the U-shaped slot 19 of the bracket 7. The bracket 7 has already contact with the downward facing release face 77 of the second locking element 73 which protrudes into the bottom portion of the peripheral groove 5. In Fig. 8 the anchoring device 1 is completely pushed down into the U-shaped slot 19 of the bracket 7 such that the second locking element 73 is inflected upwards into a release state releasing the securing element 9 to snap backward into the longitudinal securing position in which the anchoring device 1 is secured against an unintended release off the bracket 7. Once the securing ele- ment 9 has reached the longitudinal securing position, the first locking element 23 snaps radially outward into a lock state in which the vertical abutting face 25 is in contact with the annular forward end face 29 of the securing element 9. The inner resilience of the first locking element 23 has urged it into this state. Because of the contact between the vertical abutting face 25 and the annular forward end face 29 the securing element 9 cannot shift into the positive z- direction. Therefore, the securing element 9 is locked. An un- intended compression of the spring 11 and a subsequent release is thus prevented.

Claims

1. An anchoring device (1) for anchoring a Bowden-type cable to a bracket (7) having a slot (19) for receiving the an- choring device (1), wherein the anchoring device (1) comprises a casing (3) attachable to a sheath of a Bowden-type cable and a securing element (9) resiliently mounted on the casing (3), wherein the securing element (9) is movable between a lon- gitudinal mounting position in which the securing element (9) is able to allow the anchoring device (1) to be mounted on the bracket (7) and a longitudinal securing position in which the securing element (9) is able to secure the anchoring device (1) to the bracket (7), wherein the securing element (9) is biased towards the longitudinal securing position by a resilient force, characterised in that the casing (3) comprises a first locking element (23) adapted and arranged to lock the securing element (9) in the longitudinal securing position.

2. An anchoring device according to claim 1, wherein the casing (3) further comprises a second locking element (73) adapted and arranged to lock the securing element (9) in the longitudinal mounting position.

3. An anchoring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the casing (3) has a peripheral groove (5) for receiving the bracket (7) .

4. An anchoring device according to claim 3, wherein the securing element (9) has a longitudinal distance to the peripheral groove (5) for receiving the bracket (7) when it is in the longitudinal mounting position and the securing element (9) has contact with the bracket (7) when it is in the longitudinal securing position.

5. An anchoring device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) is a flexible tongue with an abutting face

(25, 75), wherein the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) has a release state and a lock state, wherein the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) is biased towards the lock state by a resilient force.

6. An anchoring device according claim 5, wherein the inner resilience of the first and/or the second flexible tongue (23, 73) provides the resilient force for biasing the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) towards the lock state.

7. An anchoring device according claim 5 or 6, wherein the securing element (9) has a first face (29) and/or a second face (15) corresponding to the abutting face (25, 75) of the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) , respectively, such that the first face (29)' of the securing element (9) is in contact with the abutting face (25) of the first locking element (23) when the securing element (9) is in the longitudinal securing position and/or the second face (15) of the securing element (9) is in contact with the abutting face (75) of the second locking element (73) when the securing element (9) is in the longitudinal mounting position.

8. An anchoring device according to claim 5 or 7, wherein the first locking element (23) is in a release state when the securing element (9) is in the longitudinal mounting position and/or the second locking element (75) is in a re- lease state when the securing element (9) is in the longitudinal securing position.

9. An anchoring device according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the first locking element (23) being in the release state is inflected radially inwards when the securing element (9) is in the longitudinal mounting position and/or the second locking element (73) being in the release state is inflected radially inwards when the secur- ing element (9) is in the longitudinal securing position.

10. An anchoring device according to any of claims 5 to 9, wherein the first locking element (23) being in the lock state is snapped radially outwards when the securing ele- ment (9) is in the longitudinal securing position and/or the second locking element (73) being in the lock state is snapped radially outwards when the securing element (9) is in the longitudinal mounting position.

11. An anchoring device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) is a flexible tongue with a release face (27, 77), wherein the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) has a release state and a lock state, wherein the release face (27, 77) is adapted and arranged to receive an external force biasing the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) towards the release state against a resilient force.

12. An anchoring device according to claim 11, wherein the release face (27) of the first locking element (23) is adapted and arranged to be manually pressed by an assembler for demounting the anchoring device (1).

13. An anchoring device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the release face (77) of the second locking element (73) is adapted and arranged to receive a pressure force by the bracket (7) when the mounting of the anchoring device (1) to the bracket (7) is substantially completed.

14. An anchoring device according to any of the claims 11 to 13, wherein the release face (27, 77) of the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) is framed by at least one protrusion (79) or flange (37, 39) of the casing (3) in order to prevent an unintended release of the first and/or the second locking element (23, 73) .