Plastics Drive Cable Moulded Coupling Anchor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive cables made of plastics for actuating movable structural elements, such as motor vehicle roof lids, face challenges in achieving stable connection and withstanding high forces due to instability at the connection point.
Innovation Solution
A drive cable design featuring a moulded coupling element integrated with the cable body and armouring, which includes an anchor element to enhance stability and prevent detachment under high forces, utilizing injection moulding for the coupling element and armouring deformation to create a secure anchor, allowing the cable to be fixedly connected to the movable element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a plastics cable body with armouring is used for drive cables, then the cable achieves sufficient flexibility and structural integrity, but the connection stability to movable structural elements deteriorates under high forces
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling element is integrated directly with the cable body through injection moulding, creating a unified structure where the coupling element and cable body form a single component. This merging eliminates potential failure points at interfaces and ensures force transmission integrity from the cable body through the coupling element to the movable structural element.
Solution Approach 2:
The armouring is pre-formed with an anchor element (such as a loop or eye) before the coupling element is injection moulded onto it. This preliminary preparation of the anchor element ensures proper positioning and alignment during the moulding process, and allows the coupling element to encapsulate and secure the anchor element, creating a robust connection that can withstand high forces.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional connection methods are used for attaching drive cables to movable elements, then assembly is simple, but the connection cannot withstand high forces greater than half the breaking load
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling element is injection moulded directly onto the armouring in a single integrated operation, merging the coupling element and cable body into one component. This eliminates the need for separate attachment steps such as bolting, clamping, or tying, while creating a connection that can withstand forces greater than half the breaking load of the drive cable through the encapsulation of the armouring anchor element.
3Strength
If the coupling element is directly injection moulded onto the armouring, then connection strength increases to withstand high forces, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The armouring is pre-formed with an anchor element (loop or eye) before the injection moulding process. This preliminary preparation simplifies the moulding operation by providing a ready-made structure for the coupling element to encapsulate, reducing the complexity of the mould design and the injection process while ensuring strong mechanical interlocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection moulding process automatically creates the mechanical interlocking between the coupling element and the armouring anchor element through the material flow and cooling process. The plastics material itself forms the connection structure, with the coupling element encapsulating the anchor element, eliminating the need for additional fastening mechanisms or complex assembly operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a stable and secure connection capable of withstanding forces greater than half the breaking load of the drive cable, ensuring reliable operation in applications like motor vehicle sliding roof mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing injection moulding for the coupling element
Implementation Method 2
injection moulding for the coupling element
Implementation Method 3
armouring deformation to create a secure anchor
Data Source
AI summary
The invention proposes a drive cable for actuating an element being movable relative to a structure, comprising a cable body which is made of plastics, and which comprises a denticulation extending in the axial direction for engaging a mating denticulation as well as at least one armouring, which continuously reaches through the cable body in the axial direction. A coupling element realised as a moulded section is moulded in a cable connecting region so as to adjoin the cable body. Said coupling element shows a connecting portion for being coupled to the moveable element.