Abstract:
A fastening device for a cable is operatively connected to a motor vehicle. The fastening device includes a holder fixedly secured to the motor vehicle. The holder defines a receiving opening with a stop extending out along a side of the receiving opening. A cable feedthrough grommet surrounds a portion of the cable in a cable longitudinal direction. The cable feedthrough grommet includes a radial thickening and defines a groove extending through the radial thickening. The groove is received by the receiving opening of the holder to hold the cable feedthrough grommet in place. The cable feedthrough grommet includes a protuberance that extends radially out from the radial thickening to engage the stop of the holder to prevent the cable feedthrough grommet from being secured to the holder in a misaligned manner.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a fastening device for a cable; and, more specifically, to a fastening device for an electrical cable in a motor vehicle. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Fastening devices for cables, in particular for electrical cables in a motor vehicle, are known. In general, such devices include a cable feedthrough grommet made of resiliently deformable material, with the grommet fixed to a holder. The cable feedthrough grommet surrounds the cable in the cable longitudinal direction at least in part and has a radial thickening, in which a groove is formed, by means of which the cable feed through grommet is releasably fastened in a receiving opening of the holder. 
     The cable feedthrough grommet of fastening devices of this type have no fixedly predefined assembly direction, at least regarding the cable&#39;s longitudinal direction. The cable feedthrough grommet can be fastened to the holder both in a first cable longitudinal direction and in an orientation rotated 180 degrees thereto. For example, an ABS wheel sensor moves relative to a vehicle body because the ABS sensor is arranged on a wheel suspension. In these types of instances, it is essential that a cable anti-kink device of the cable feed through grommet points, from the holder connected for example to the static vehicle body, toward the dynamic wheel suspension side, and that the cable feedthrough grommet accordingly has a preferred direction of installation relative to the holder. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A fastening device for a cable is operatively connected to a motor vehicle. The fastening device includes a holder fixedly secured to the motor vehicle. The holder defines a receiving opening with a stop extending out along a side of the receiving opening. A cable feedthrough grommet surrounds a portion of the cable in a cable longitudinal direction. The cable feedthrough grommet includes a radial thickening and defines a groove extending through the radial thickening. The groove is received by the receiving opening of the holder to hold the cable feedthrough grommet in place. The cable feedthrough grommet includes a protuberance that extends radially out from the radial thickening to engage the stop of the holder to prevent the cable feedthrough grommet from being secured to the holder in a misaligned manner. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a mounted fastening device according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the prior art fastening device of  FIG. 1  in a disassembled state. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of one embodiment of the invention in a mounted state. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing of a perspective view of the fastening device of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded plan, sectional view of a second exemplary embodiment of a fastening device according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. Elements that are equivalent in terms of their function are always provided with the same reference numeral in the different figures, such that these are generally described only once. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a prior art assembly is shown. A fastening device  1  for a cable  2  is shown in a mounted state. The fastening device  1  includes a holder  3 , to which a cable feedthrough grommet  4 , made of resiliently deformable material to guide the cable  2 , is fixed. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the cable feedthrough grommet  4  surrounds the cable  2  in portions in the longitudinal direction. The cable feedthrough grommet  4  also has a radial thickening  5 , in which a groove  6  is formed. The cable feedthrough grommet  4  is releasably fastened with the groove  6  in a receiving opening  7  of the holder  3 , which opening can be seen in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 2  shows the fastening device  1  from  FIG. 1  in a disassembled state, in which the cable feedthrough grommet  4  is released from the holder  3 . It can be seen that the cable feedthrough grommet  4  can be inserted in the receiving opening  7  laterally through an aperture  8  formed in the holder  3 . A peripheral wall  9  surrounds the receiving opening  7  of the holder and engages with the groove  6  of the cable feedthrough grommet  4 . 
     The fastening device  1 , according to the prior art illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , allows securing the cable feedthrough grommet  4  to the holder  3  both in the orientation in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and in the opposition direction (not illustrated). The cable feedthrough grommet  4  can be connected to the holder in an orientation rotated substantially through 180 degrees about an axis transversely to the cable longitudinal direction defined by the cable feedthrough grommet  4 . If so, a cable anti-kink device  10  formed for example on the cable feedthrough grommet  4  would extend precisely in the direction opposite the direction in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and could therefore no longer provide its protective effect necessary in the portion of the cable  2  on the dynamic side of the cable  2  (the side moving frequently). In addition, the extension alone of the cable  2  incorrectly rotated through 180 degrees could lead to an increased stress in the cable and/or to contact between the cable  2  and other components, which may lead to premature failure. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of an example of a preferred embodiment of a fastening device  11  for a cable  2  is shown in a mounted state. The cable  2  is an electrical cable for an electrical connection from a motor vehicle, graphically represented by a vehicle body  12 , to an ABS wheel sensor (not shown), which is arranged on the wheel suspension and moving with respect to the vehicle body  12 . The fastener device  11  includes a cable feedthrough grommet  14 , which can be fixed to a holder  13 . The cable feedthrough grommet  14  is made of a resiliently deformable material. The cable feedthrough grommet  14  surrounds the cable  2  in part in the cable longitudinal direction and has a radial thickening  15 , in which, similarly to the previously described fastening device  1 , a groove  23  is formed, by means of which the cable feedthrough grommet  14  is releasably secured in a receiving opening (best seen in  FIG. 5 ) of the holder  13 . In this embodiment, the groove  23  does not run around the radial thickening  15  over the entire periphery, and therefore a rotation of the cable feedthrough grommet  14  about its longitudinal axis is prevented in the holder  13 . The cable feedthrough grommet  14  also includes a cable anti-kink device  10 , which is formed as an elongated hollow body extending in the cable longitudinal direction and surrounding the cable  2 . 
     The right half of  FIG. 3  is referred to as the dynamic side of the fastening device  11 , and the left half of  FIG. 3  is the static side. The dynamic side of the fastening device  11  moves relative to the static side (vehicle body  12 ) during the operation of the motor vehicle because the ABS wheel sensor is arranged on the dynamic side, as already mentioned, on the wheel suspension, for example on a wheel mount (not shown). It is the ABS wheel sensor that is electrically connected to an electronic control device (not shown) on the static side (vehicle body  12 ) vis-à-vis the cable  2 , which is secured using the fastening device  11 . The cable anti-kink device  10  protects the cable  2  on the dynamic side against damage, e.g., breakage, caused by frequent cable movements. 
     The cable feedthrough grommet  14  has two protuberances  16  protruding in the radial direction. The protuberances  16  are formed in the exemplary embodiment of the fastening device  11  illustrated in  FIG. 3  of the radial thickening  15 . The holder  13  has, on the opposite axial side of the groove  23  or on an axial side of the receiving opening (not shown), which faces toward the dynamic side, two stops  17  formed on the holder  13 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the protuberances  16  of the cable feedthrough grommet  14  and the stops  17  of the holder  13  are arranged adjacently as illustrated in  FIG. 3  of a correct mounting orientation of the cable feedthrough grommet  14  on the holder  13 . As shown, the protuberances  16  and the stops  17  do not interfere with or block one another when the cable feedthrough grommet  14  is inserted into the receiving opening of the holder  13 ; therefore, a fastening of the cable feedthrough grommet  14  to the holder  13  is possible in the manner known. 
     In an orientation of the cable feedthrough grommet  14  rotated substantially through 180 degrees compared with the illustration in  FIG. 3  (blocking orientation, not shown) the protuberances  16  of the cable feedthrough grommet  14  and the stops  17  of the holder  13  would be arranged opposite one another. This arrangement blocks and inhibits insertion of the cable feedthrough grommet  14  into the receiving opening of the holder  13 . The blocking orientation of the cable feedthrough grommet  14  is provided when the cable feedthrough grommet  14  is rotated substantially through 180 degrees about an axis arranged perpendicularly to the image plane of  FIG. 3 . 
     As shown in the side view of the fastening device  11 , the holder  13  has a substantially U-shaped cross section with a flat base side and two adjoining legs extending substantially parallel to one another, which legs form the stops  17 . The receiving opening of the holder  13  is arranged in the flat base side of the U-profile. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the fastening device  11  of  FIG. 3 . In this view, the two protuberances  16  of the cable feedthrough grommet  14  of the exemplary fastening device  11  can be clearly seen. 
     A partial view of a second exemplary embodiment of a fastening device  18  is shown in  FIG. 5 . In the upper half of  FIG. 5 , a holder  19  shows the receiving opening  7 . The receiving opening  7  includes a recess  20 . A corresponding pin  22  formed on a cable feedthrough grommet  21  engages the recess  20  when the cable feedthrough grommet  21  is introduced at the receiving opening  7  of the holder  19 . The pin  22  and recess  20  can be a form of mechanical coding. This embodiment facilitates the desired mounting orientation between the holder  19  and the cable feedthrough grommet  21 . With a rotation of the cable feedthrough grommet  21  through 180 degrees transversely to the cable longitudinal direction defined by the cable feedthrough grommet  21 , the pin  22  can no longer engage with the recess  20  and prevents the insertion of the cable feedthrough grommet  21  into the receiving opening  7  of the holder  19  (blocking orientation). 
     The fastening device according to the invention described above is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but also include similarly acting further embodiments. In particular, the fastening device is not limited to the number of protuberances and/or stops and/or pins and/or recesses described in the exemplary embodiments described. For example, it is conceivable for just one protuberance to be provided on the cable feedthrough grommet, with the protuberance cooperating with a stop formed on the holder. Likewise, more than two protuberances and more than two stops are conceivable. 
     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.