Integrated cable design for inside release and inside lock function

A cable end fitting for use in a latch is provided including a sheath for surrounding a portion of a first cable and a second cable. A portion of the sheath, including a first end is positioned within a housing. A base plate is coupled to the second end of the sheath. A first bore and a second bore extend through the base plate and the sheath. The base plate retains the cable end fitting in a position in the latch.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the following Indian Patent Application Ser. No. 583/DEL/2012, filed on Mar. 1, 2012, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

BACKGROUND

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate generally to latch mechanisms and, more particularly, to end fittings for cables in latch mechanisms.

Conventional latch mechanisms may include multiple cables, each coupled to a lever for carrying out various functions, such as locking and releasing the latch for example. Often, these cables have to be connected to the interior of the latch, accessible by only a small opening through which the cable is inserted. In addition, other components of the latch, such as the door trim fixing plug, may interfere with the positioning of the cable as it is inserted into the latch. This can make the assembly process difficult, time consuming, costly and prone to error. It is also difficult to disassemble the cable connection for maintenance without damaging the cable, the cable fitting or the latch.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a latch mechanism wherein multiple cables can be installed together, thereby reducing the number of parts of the latch and simplifying the cable installation process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a cable end fitting for use in a latch is provided including a sheath for surrounding a portion of a first cable and a second cable. A portion of the sheath, including a first end, is positioned within a housing. A base plate is coupled to the second end of the sheath. A first bore and a second bore pass through the base plate and the sheath. The base plate retains the cable end fitting in a position in the latch.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a cable assembly within a latch is provided including a back plate having a cable abutment. The cable abutment includes an arm and a hook that extend substantially perpendicular to the cable abutment. The arm and hook form a slot. The cable assembly additionally includes a cable end fitting for retaining a first cable and a second cable about a latch end. A portion of the cable end fitting is disposed and retained within the slot.

According to yet another embodiment, a method is provided for installing cables within a latch including, inserting a first cable into a first bore of a cable end fitting. A second cable is then inserted into a second bore of the cable end fitting. The cable end fitting is then connected to a back plate of the latch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now toFIGS. 1A-1D, a cable end fitting20for retaining more than one cable in a latch is illustrated. The cable end fitting20includes a sheath25for surrounding a first cable and second cable. A portion of the sheath25, including one end, is encompassed within a housing30. The opposite end of the sheath25is coupled to a base plate50. A first bore35and a second bore40, each having a substantially uniform cross-section along its length, extend from the base plate50, through the sheath25. In one embodiment the first bore35and the second bore40are equal in diameter. In another embodiment, the first bore35and the second bore40have different diameters.

The housing30surrounds the entire circumference of the outer surface of the sheath25. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the outside surface of the housing30has a contoured surface32complementary to the shape of the exterior of the sheath25. A portion34of the housing30, opposite the contoured outside surface32, may extend between perpendicular surfaces36and38to form a substantially right angle. One of the surfaces38forming the right angle34of housing30includes an inlet or groove45to provide a relief to reduce the risk of the housing30interfering with adjacent components of the latch. The base plate50includes an arm55separated from the portion of the base plate50having the first bore35and the second bore40by a gap60. The distal end of the arm55includes a protrusion65extending substantially perpendicular from the base plate50in the direction of the sheath25and the housing30. In one embodiment, the base plate50is made of a resilient material such that the arm55is able to bend or deform out of the plane of the base plate50. The base plate50additionally includes a small clip70positioned adjacent the second bore40.

Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 3, a first cable75and a second cable90are attached to the cable end fitting20before the cable end fitting20is connected to the latch. In one embodiment, the first cable75is a release cable and the second cable90is a sill cable. The first cable75is inserted into the housing30and through the first bore35of the sheath25. When in position, a first connector85, attached at a latch end75aof the first cable75, extends beyond the base plate50of the cable end fitting20. Similarly, the second cable90is inserted through the second bore40of the sheath25such that the second connector100, attached at a latch end90aof the second cable90, is disposed adjacent the base plate50. The clip70(FIG. 1) on the bottom of the base plate50maintains the position and direction of the second cable90, thereby making it easier to assemble the second cable90into the cable end fitting20.

FIG. 4illustrates an exemplary back plate120of a latch mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The back plate120includes a cable abutment130having an arm135and a hook140that extend substantially perpendicular from the cable abutment130. Together, the arm135and the hook140form a slot150into which a portion of the cable end fitting20may be located. The slot150(also seeFIGS. 6 and 7) has a contour complementary to the outside surface of the sheath25. In addition, arm135extends away from the cable abutment130, thereby creating a gap155between an elbow136of the arm135and the cable abutment130. A portion of the cable end fitting20extends into the gap155to prevent movement of the cable end fitting20relative to the back plate120.

Referring now toFIGS. 5-7, the assembly of the base plate120and the cable end fitting20is illustrated. Once the first cable75and the second cable90are connected to the cable end fitting20, the cable end fitting20may then attached to the back plate120. After positioning the cable end fitting20within slot150, the first connector85at the latch end of the first cable75and the second connector100at the latch end of the second cable90may be coupled to other portions of the latch mechanism. To couple the cable end fitting20to the base plate120, the exposed portion of the sheath25, not covered by housing30, is slid into position within the slot150of the cable abutment130. The first cable75is located adjacent hook140and the second cable90is adjacent arm135. The hook140and arm135extend about the sheath25such that the housing30is disposed on one side of the hook140and arm135, and the base plate50is disposed on the other. In one embodiment, the exposed portion of the sheath25between the housing30and the base plate50has a length at least equal to the width of the arm135and the hook140of the cable abutment130. The arm55of the base plate50is located adjacent the arm135of the cable abutment130such that the protrusion65is located within gap155. Because the protrusion65extend substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base plate50, an edge of the protrusion65engages a surface137of the arm135, thereby retaining the cable end fitting20in position relative to the base plate120.

The method200of installing cables within a latch is illustrated inFIG. 8. In block202, a cable, such as first cable75for example, is connected to the cable end fitting20through the first bore35. Another cable, such as second cable90for example, is then connected to the cable end fitting20, as shown in block204, through the second bore40. In block206, the cable end fitting20, having a first connected cable and a second connected cable is then coupled to a back plate120of a latch. To couple the cable end fitting20to the back plate120, the exposed portion of the sheath25is inserted into a slot150of a cable abutment130. As the cable end fitting20is rotated into position in the slot150, the arm55of the base plate50is located adjacent the arm135of the cable abutment130. When the sheath25is in its final position within the slot150, the arm135and hook140of the cable abutment130limit the movement of the cable end fitting20out of the plane of the cable abutment130by contacting either the base plate50or the housing30. Additionally, the protrusion65of the distal end of the arm55of the base plate50engages a surface of the arm135of the cable abutment130adjacent the elbow, thereby preventing rotation of the cable end fitting20relative to the cable abutment130.