Sheath terminal member for automobile door opening cable

Abstract

To provide a sheath terminal member (1) which can easily attach and remove a cable.SOLUTION: Related to a sheath terminal member (1) as a connecting part for connecting two vehicle door opening devices, the connecting part comprises a cable which is partially covered with a sheath. The sheath terminal member (1) comprises: a base (2) attached to an end part of the sheath, and having a fastening interface (20) for making the connecting part attachable and detachable to / from one of the two door opening devices; an attachment part (3) which can apply pressure to the fastening interface (20) so that the connecting part is attached thereto; and a removal part (4) which can apply a traction force to the fastening interface (20) so that the connecting part can be removed therefrom. The attachment part (3) and / or the removal part (4) are protruded from the base (2).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the automotive field, more particularly to the field of vehicle door opening devices, and in particular to sheathed terminal members for vehicle door opening cables as well as cables and connections comprising such end pieces. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a car door opening device comprises a door handle and a latch that are connected and cooperate with each other to open the vehicle door, for example via a flexible connecting means, commonly called a "cable". Usually, one end of the cable is connected to the latch and the other end to the door handle. Thus, when a user activates the door handle, the cable can transmit the force applied to the door handle to activate the latch and open the door. The connecting means may also be inflexible, in which case it is commonly called a "rod". Such connecting means may also be applied to the brake, accelerator and gear of the car.

[0003] The flexible connection means generally includes a cable covered with a sheath and two sheath terminal members, each located at one end of the sheath, which are also called "sheath stops" to facilitate handling of the cable and fastening it to the door opening device.

[0004] However, the sheathed terminal members of the prior art do not allow for easy handling, i.e. handling of the cable, for example, several operations are usually required to secure the sheathed terminal member to the door opening device by clipping.

[0005] Thus, a drawback of the prior art sheathed terminal members is that they are difficult to handle, which makes the operation of attaching the cable to the door opening device difficult. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Similarly, it may be necessary to remove the door opening device from the vehicle door, for example for maintenance work. In this case, it is necessary to be able to easily remove the cable from the door opening device. This becomes even more important when the cable is attached / detached by feel, and in some cases a tool such as a hook may be needed to remove the cable from the door opening device.

[0007] It is therefore necessary to make the sheath terminal members easy to handle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention aims to partially overcome at least one of these drawbacks and concerns by a sheathed terminal member as a connection for connecting two vehicle door opening devices according to a first aspect and having a cable partially covered by a sheath, the sheathed terminal member comprising: - a base attached to the end of the sheath and provided with a fastening interface allowing the connection to be attached / detached to one of the two door opening devices; - a mounting portion capable of applying pressure to the fastening interface so as to mount the connection portion to a vehicle door opening device; a removal portion capable of applying a traction force to the fastening interface to remove the connection portion from the vehicle door opening device; The attachment portion and / or the detachment portion are characterized by protruding from the base.

[0009] Therefore, according to the present invention, the sheath terminal member enables the operation of attaching / detaching the cable to / from the door opening device to be performed easily and accurately.

[0010] The term "vehicle door opening device" means a vehicle door handle or a vehicle door latch.

[0011] The term "end of the sheath" means the edge of the sheath, i.e. the part that provides the free end of the sheath.

[0012] It will be appreciated that attachment of the cable to the vehicle door opening device occurs when pressure is applied to the fastening interface through the attachment portion. The pressure can be applied directly or indirectly by a user.

[0013] It will be appreciated that removal of the cable from the vehicle door opening device occurs when a pulling force is applied to the fastening interface through the removal portion. The pulling force can be applied directly or indirectly by a user.

[0014] The term "protruding" means that the attachment and / or detachment portion is located away from the base.

[0015] The sheath terminal member of the invention comprises one or more of the following characteristics, which may be considered alone or in any possible combination:

[0016] According to one feature, the mounting portion is fixedly attached to the base.

[0017] According to one feature, the detachable part is fixedly attached to the base.

[0018] The term "fixing a main part to a base" means that the main part is fastened to the base. The main part can be attached to the base or made integral with the base. In general, the term "fastening two main parts" means that two main parts are fastened to each other, that two main parts are attached to each other, or that they are made as a single piece, e.g., integral to each other.

[0019] According to one feature, the attachment portion comprises an abutment surface. The term "abutment surface" means a surface against which a user can apply pressure.

[0020] According to one feature, the abutment surface is substantially perpendicular to the mounting direction, which is the direction in which pressure is applied.

[0021] It will be appreciated that the fastening interface, by its orientation, defines an attachment direction that is generally parallel to the direction of pressure applied to the abutment surface. The attachment direction is therefore generally perpendicular to the abutment surface. This configuration allows the force applied to the fastening interface to be directed from the abutment surface, so that the cable can be easily assembled to the door opening device, for example by clipping.

[0022] According to a variant, the abutment surface is flat, so that the attachment has optimal ergonomic properties for manual attachment operations, so that the user can attach the cable to the door-opening device without using tools to apply pressure against the abutment surface.

[0023] According to a variant, the attachment part comprises a docking part with a receptacle for receiving a tool with which pressure can be applied to attach the sheath terminal member to the door opening device. This receptacle is, for example, conical. According to one variant, this receptacle is cylindrical. This attachment part therefore has optimal ergonomic properties for attachment operations carried out with a tool, especially in places with difficult access.

[0024] According to one feature, the release portion comprises a traction surface. The term "traction surface" means a surface on which a user can apply a traction force.

[0025] According to a variant, the traction surface is flat, so that the removal part has optimal ergonomic properties, in particular for manual removal operations.

[0026] According to one feature, the traction surface and the abutment surface are located substantially opposite one another.

[0027] According to one feature, the sheath terminal member has an attachment arm that faces in a first direction from the base and supports the attachment portion, and a detachment arm that faces in a second direction from the attachment arm that is inclined relative to the first direction and supports the detachment portion.

[0028] For example, the first direction is substantially parallel to the mounting direction.

[0029] You will notice that the removal arm is positioned away from the base.

[0030] According to one feature, the base is arranged around the sheath. For example, the attachment arm extends approximately radially relative to the base. In other words, the first direction is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the base. For example, the base is cylindrical. The term "second direction inclined relative to the first direction" means that the detachment arm extends from the attachment arm at an inclination of 80° to 100°, preferably 85° to 95°, and even more preferably equal to 90°.

[0031] According to one feature, the attachment is located at a distal end of the attachment arm opposite a proximal end of the attachment arm fastened to the base. This location of the attachment relative to the base allows for an optimized direction of pressure and therefore optimal guidance of the cable when it is attached to the door opening device.

[0032] According to one feature, the traction surface is arranged facing the base. The arrangement of the traction surface of the detachment part allows optimizing the direction of tension so as to optimally detach the cable from the door opening device.

[0033] According to one feature, the sheath terminal member includes a reinforcing arm having a first end connected to the detachment arm, the reinforcing arm reinforcing the structure of the sheath terminal member.

[0034] According to a variant, the reinforcing arm has a second end opposite the first end and connected to the base. The attachment arm, the detachment arm and the reinforcing arm thus form a passage adapted to receive a tool for the removal operation. This sheath terminal member thus has optimal ergonomic properties for the removal operation with a tool.

[0035] According to a variant, the sheath terminal member is attached to the sheath and comprises a joint to which the second end of the reinforcing arm is fastened. The joint is adapted to be attached to the sheath at a distance from the base. The attachment arm, the detachment arm and the reinforcing arm thus form a passage adapted to receive at least one finger of a user to grasp the detachment part and apply a traction force thereto. The sheath terminal member thus has optimal ergonomic properties for manual detachment operations.

[0036] According to one feature, the base is adapted to be attached to the end of the cable sheath by punching. Punching, also called "clinching" or "assembly stamping", is a mechanical method of connecting a first member to a second member, where the first member is pressed into the second member, i.e. the material of the first member is pressed into the material of the second member. In this way, the sheath terminal member can be attached and fastened to the cable sheath.

[0037] According to one feature, the sheath terminal member includes a reinforcing portion that covers a portion of the sheath and is disposed on the extension of the base, and the reinforcing portion can reinforce the mechanical strength between the sheath terminal member and the sheath of the cable.

[0038] The present invention further comprises: - a partially sheathed cable; at least one sheath terminal member attached to an end of the sheath as described above.

[0039] According to one feature, the cable is movable relative to the sheath, for example the cable is slidable within the sheath. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0040] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a sheath terminal member according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of a sheath terminal member according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a sheath terminal member according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a sheath terminal member according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a sheath terminal member according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a sheath terminal member according to the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a sheath terminal member according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a sheath terminal member according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following non-limiting description and the accompanying drawings, which show, in schematic form, some embodiments of a sheath terminal member according to the invention.

[0042] For simplicity, identical components are labeled with the same reference numerals in all figures.

[0043] 1 shows a sheath terminal member 1 attached to the end of a sheath 100 of a cable 10. The cable 10, the sheath 100 and the sheath terminal member 1 form a connection between two vehicle door opening devices.

[0044] The cable 10 is adapted to transmit force between two members of a vehicle door opening device, for example between a door handle and a latch. The cable 10 comprises a force transmission interface 1000 at a first end adapted to be connected to a first vehicle door opening device member, for example a latch, and a second force transmission interface (not shown) arranged at a second end of the cable opposite the first end. The second force transmission interface is adapted to be connected to a second vehicle door opening device, for example a handle. Thus, the force transmission interface 1000 is able to transmit force between the vehicle door opening devices.

[0045] The cable 10 is partially covered by the sheath 100, in other words, part of the length of the cable 10 is covered by the sheath. The cable 10 can move inside the sheath 100, so that the opening of the door can be controlled by transmitting tension from the handle to the latch. The sheath 100 is adapted to guide the cable 10 and also to protect the cable from damage due to the cable being caught when the cable is removed. The sheath comprises a metal frame coated with plastic, for example 0.5 mm thick.

[0046] The sheath terminal member 1 is attached to the end of the sheath 100 of the cable 10 and is adapted to secure the cable 10 to a door opening device. The sheath terminal member 1 comprises a base 2 which is directly attached to the end of the sheath 100. The base 2 is thus adapted to fasten the sheath terminal member 1 to the sheath 100. In this embodiment, the base 2 is cylindrical and extends along a longitudinal axis X around the sheath 100 of the cable 10.

[0047] The sheath terminal member 1 is provided with a first fastening interface 20. The first fastening interface 20 is capable of fastening the sheath terminal member 1 to the door opening device and providing mechanical resistance to a pulling force.

[0048] As shown in Figure 2, the door opening device includes a second fastening interface 25. The first and second fastening interfaces 20, 25 are adapted to cooperate in a mating manner.

[0049] In the embodiment shown, the first fastening interface 20 of the sheath terminal member 1 comprises a groove 21. The groove 21 is formed in the base 2 of the sheath terminal member 1. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 3, 6 and 7, the groove 21 is closed. The term "closed groove" means a groove that extends over a circumferential portion of the base 2. In the embodiment shown, the groove 21 extends over approximately 355° of the circumference. The closed groove 21 can cooperate with a second fastening interface 25 of the door opening device. The second fastening interface 25 can comprise an opening cylinder that forms two jaws that are adapted to engage in the groove 21. The second fastening interface 25 is elastically deformable so that it can engage with the first fastening interface 20 in a mating manner. Thus, in the embodiment shown, the jaws can be deformed so that they can be inserted around the groove 21 of the sheath terminal member 1. For example, the second fastening interface 25 may comprise at least one retaining portion adapted to generate friction between the second fastening interface 25 and the first fastening interface 20, preventing the second fastening interface 25 from disengaging from the groove 21. The retaining portion may thus form a hard point. The retaining portion may comprise two portions protruding from each end of the jaw, preferably from the end closest to the opening of the opening cylinder, towards the inside of the cylinder. The closed groove may prevent the cable from rotating around the longitudinal axis X when it is attached to the door opening device, allowing it to flap at a small angle of 0° to 5°.

[0050] According to the variant shown in FIG. 5, the groove 21 is open and provided over the entire periphery of the base 2.

[0051] In an embodiment not shown, the base 2 may not have a groove and may itself have a fastening interface 25 with two jaws. The door opening device may have a complementary fastening interface, such as a groove, such that the jaws of the base 2 are deformed when fastening the base 2 to the grooves in the door opening device.

[0052] The sheath terminal member 1 further comprises a mounting portion 3 by which the cable can be attached to a vehicle door opening device (not shown) via a fastening interface. The mounting portion 3 protrudes from the base 2 via a mounting arm 300 extending generally radially relative to the base 2.

[0053] In this embodiment, the attachment portion 3 includes an abutment surface 30 against which a user can apply pressure to engage the first and second fastening interfaces. When a user applies pressure to the abutment surface 30, the jaws of the second fastening interface 25 deform and move apart, causing the attachment portion 3 to engage with the groove 21 around its periphery.

[0054] The abutment surface 30 is located at a distal end of the attachment arm 300 opposite the proximal end of the attachment arm 300 fastened to the base 2. Thus, a user can apply pressure to the abutment surface 30, which causes the sheath terminal member 1 to move towards the second fastening interface, causing the two fastening interfaces to cooperate.

[0055] In this embodiment, the abutment surface 30 is flat and optimally oriented relative to the base 2 and groove 21. This orientation allows the user to accurately guide the cable when attaching it to the door opening device.

[0056] In fact, the fastening interface is oriented in a mounting direction D, which is approximately parallel to the direction of pressure applied to the abutment surface 30. The abutment surface 30 is perpendicular to the mounting direction D.

[0057] Therefore, the force applied to the contact surface 30 is along the mounting direction D, and since the direction of the force and the mounting direction coincide with each other, the cable can be easily assembled to the door opening device.

[0058] In this embodiment, the base 2, the mounting portion 3 and the mounting arm 300 are integrally molded, i.e., they are molded as one piece.

[0059] 3 shows a modification of the mounting part 3, in which the mounting part 3 comprises a docking part 32. The docking part 32 comprises a portion for receiving a tool capable of applying pressure so as to be able to mount the sheath terminal member 1 to the door opening device. The docking part 32 can receive and guide the mounting tool 100 when a user performs an operation for mounting the cable using the mounting tool 100. In this embodiment, the receiving part is conical in shape.

[0060] The docking portion 32 is not limited to a conical shape, but may be of any shape, such as a concave or protruding shape, that is suitable for guiding and holding the mounting tool 100 within the mounting portion 3. Figure 4 shows a variation in which the portion that receives the docking portion is cylindrical.

[0061] The sheath terminal member 1 further comprises a detachment portion 4 adjacent to the mounting portion 3. The detachment portion 4 is for detaching the cable 10 from the door opening device. The detachment portion 4 is arranged on a detachment arm 400 extending from the distal end of the mounting arm 300 in a direction perpendicular to the arm 300. In other words, the detachment arm 400 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis X of the base 2.

[0062] The detachment arm 400 is fastened to the base 2 via the attachment arm 300 and together with the base 2 and the attachment arm 300 forms a passage adapted to receive at least one finger of a user so as to grasp the detachment portion 4.

[0063] In this embodiment, the removal arm 400 and the removal section 4 are integrated with the attachment arm 300 .

[0064] 5, the release portion 4 includes a traction surface 40 against which a user can exert a traction force, for example with his or her finger. The traction surface 40 is flat and is positioned facing the base 2 and the first fastening interface 20 to optimize the direction of tension when removing the cable from the latch or handle.

[0065] The traction surface 40 of the detachment part 4 and the abutment surface 30 of the attachment part 3 are positioned substantially opposite each other.

[0066] As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5, the sheath terminal member 1 is provided with a reinforcing portion 5. The reinforcing portion 5 is connected to the base 2 at one of its ends and extends to an extension of the base 2 around the sheath 100 of the cable 10 so as to cover the end of the sheath 100 of the cable 10 to which the sheath terminal member 1 is attached. The reinforcing portion 5 can reinforce the mechanical strength between the sheath terminal member 1 and the sheath 100 of the cable 10. In this embodiment, the reinforcing portion 5 has a curvature that can orient the sheath 100 with respect to the first fastening interface 20. In this embodiment, the reinforcing portion 5 is integrated with the base 2. In this embodiment, the reinforcing portion 5 and the base 2 are overmolded to the sheath 100 of the cable 10.

[0067] FIG. 6 shows a modified example in which the sheath terminal member 1 is not provided with a reinforcing portion 5. In the modified example shown in FIG.

[0068] The sheath terminal member 1 comprises a reinforcing arm 6. The reinforcing arm 6 is designed to reinforce the sheath terminal member 1. One end of the reinforcing arm 6 is connected to the detachment arm 400 and its opposite end is connected to the reinforcing part 5 in the exemplary embodiment in which the sheath terminal member 1 comprises a reinforcing part 5. The reinforcing arm 6 is connected to the end of the reinforcing part 5 opposite to the end fastened to the base 2.

[0069] In this embodiment, the reinforcing arm 6 is integrated with the removal arm 400 and the reinforcing part 5 .

[0070] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the sheath terminal member 1 does not comprise a reinforcing portion 5, and the reinforcing arm 6 of the sheath terminal member 1 comprises a joint 60. The joint 60 is arranged at the end of the reinforcing arm 6 opposite the end connected to the detachment arm 400. The joint 60 is attached to the sheath 100 of the cable 10 remote from the base 2, so that the user can insert at least one finger into the traction surface 40 of the detachment part 4.

[0071] In the above-described exemplary embodiment, the main parts of the sheath terminal member 1 are integrated.

[0072] Therefore, the sheath terminal member 1 can be produced by injection molding and then attached and fastened to the end of the sheath 100 by a mechanical connection operation, for example by punching. Anchor points are provided around the periphery of the sheath 100, and the sheath terminal member 1 is fixed to the sheath 100 at these anchor points. The anchor points are evenly spaced so that the load is distributed. The number of anchor points depends on the desired mechanical strength between the sheath 100 and the sheath terminal member 1. The more the number of anchor points, the greater the mechanical strength between the sheath 100 and the sheath terminal member 1.

[0073] 7 shows the sheath terminal member 1 with a second end of the reinforcing arm 6, opposite the end connected to the detachment arm 400, connected to the base 2. In this configuration, the attachment arm 300, the detachment arm 400 and the reinforcing arm 6 together with the base 2 form a passage adapted to receive a tool (not shown) for a tooled cable detachment operation. The sheath terminal member 1 therefore has optimal ergonomic properties for a tooled detachment operation.

[0074] According to the variant shown in Fig. 8, the attachment arm, the detachment arm and the reinforcing arm form a ring into which the attachment tool 100 can be inserted to attach / detach the cable 10. In this variant, the abutment surface 30 is arranged on the base 20 and the towing surface 40 protrudes from the base 20. The abutment surface 30 and the towing surface 40 are located on diametrically opposite sides.

[0075] Needless to say, the invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and many variations can be applied to these embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the different features, forms, modifications and embodiments of the invention can be combined and associated with each other in various combinations, unless they are mutually compatible or exclusive. In particular, all the modifications and embodiments described above can be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1 Sheath terminal member 2. Bass 3 Mounting part 4 Removal part 5 Reinforcement 6 Reinforcement Arm 10 Cable 20 First fastening interface 21 Groove 25 Second fastening interface 30 Contact surface 32 Docking section 40 Traction surface 60 Joint 100 Sheath 300 Mounting Arm 400 Removal Arm 1000 Force Transmission Interface D Installation direction X Longitudinal Axis

Claims

1. A sheathed terminal member (1) as a connection part for connecting two vehicle door opening devices and having a cable partially covered with a sheath, a base (2) attached to the end of said sheath and equipped with a fastening interface (20) allowing said connection to be attached / detached to one of said two vehicle door opening devices; - a mounting part (3) capable of applying pressure to said fastening interface (20) to be able to mount said connection part to said vehicle door opening device; a removal part (4) capable of applying a traction force to said fastening interface (20) so as to remove said connection part from said vehicle door opening device, The mounting portion (3) and / or the removal portion (4) protrude from the base (2); A sheath terminal member (1), comprising: an attachment arm (300) extending from the base (2) in a first direction and supporting the attachment portion (3); and a detachment arm (400) extending from the attachment arm (300) in a second direction inclined with respect to the first direction and supporting the detachment portion (4).

2. 2. A sheath terminal member (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the detachment portion (4) is provided with a traction surface (40).

3. 3. The sheath terminal member (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the mounting portion (3) is provided with an abutment surface (30).

4. 4. The sheath terminal member (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the abutment surface (30) is substantially perpendicular to an attachment direction corresponding to a direction of applying pressure.

5. 4. The sheath terminal member (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the traction surface (40) and the abutment surface (30) are located substantially opposite each other.

6. The sheath terminal member (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the sheath terminal member (1) comprises an attachment arm (300) extending from the base (2) in a first direction and supporting the attachment portion (3), and a detachment arm (400) extending from the attachment arm (300) in a second direction inclined with respect to the first direction and supporting the detachment portion (4).

7. The sheath terminal member (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the mounting portion (3) is arranged at a distal end of the mounting arm (300) opposite a proximal end of the mounting arm (300) fastened to the base (2).

8. 8. A sheath terminal member (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the traction surface (40) is arranged facing the base (2).

9. A sheath terminal member (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a reinforcing arm (6) having a first end connected to the detachment arm (400).

10. 10. The sheath terminal member (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the reinforcing arm (6) has a second end connected to the base (2) opposite the first end.

11. 10. A sheath terminal member (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a joint (60) attached to the sheath (100) and to which the second end of the reinforcing arm (6) is fastened.

12. 12. A sheath terminal member (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the base (2) is adapted to be attached to the end of the sheath of the cable by punching.

13. A sheath terminal member (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a reinforcing portion (5) covering a portion of the sheath (100) and arranged in an extension of the base (2).

14. a cable (10) partially covered by a sheath (100); - a connection for a vehicle door opening device, characterized in that it comprises at least one sheath terminal member (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and attached to an end of the sheath (100).

15. Connection for a vehicle door opening device according to claim 14, characterized in that said cable (10) is movable relative to said sheath (100).

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