COUPLING DEVICE FOR METAL CABLES

Abstract: This coupling device for metal cables is comprised of a coupling flange ( B ) and a connection terminal ( T ) which are joined at corresponding free ends ( 1a and 2a) of two different portions (1 and 2) of the metal cable. The coupling flange ( B ) is configured like a T whose arms ( 3a and 3a'' ) define a tubular housing intended to receive the connection terminal ( T ) and wherein is provided a groove (5) which traverses the wall of the tubular housing and is opened at one of its extremities ( 5a ) and embodies the retention means for said connection terminal ( T ). The connection terminal (T) has a cylindrical shape and its dimensions closely match those of the adjusted tubular housing. Application to the car industry.

Description: Technical field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector device for metal cables, particularly applicable to metal control cables which are used without a protective sheath in the motor industry. Background of the Invention The use of metal cables, with or without a protective sheath, for the transmission of force from the control mechanism of motor vehicles is widespread. As a particular case, there is cited the metal cable connecting the actuating mechanism of the vehicle parking brake, also known as emergency brake and handbrake, with the brake mechanism as such which, unlike the footbrake, is actuated once the vehicle has come to a stop. This metal linking cable is generally formed by a single stretch of cable provided at both free ends thereof with the corresponding terminals, adapted to each particular application and which are connected to the said mechanisms. The current trends in vehicle manufacturing processes impose the need for said metal cable to be formed by two independent portions of cable which may be installed and connected together in different stages of the vehicle assembly process. Furthermore the fact that the metal linking cable is formed by a single portion requires the replacement of the whole cable in the case of breakage or wear, which involves a financial cost in any case higher than the cost of replacing a single portion of cable if the link between the said mechanisms were formed by two independent cable portions. Spanish patent P8803454 (& EP-A-0 369 411), "Connector device for two control semicables" discloses a device having a tubular retaining body housing the ends of two portions of metal cable provided with corresponding terminals which may be coupled together. Nevertheless, this solution is rather complicated in manufacturing and assembly, requires an additional mechanical security member and is relatively expensive. US-A- 4 678 360 dicloses a connector device for lines and/or metal cables formed by a connector member and by a coupling terminal which are firmly attached to corresponding free ends of different portions of metal cable, the connector member being formed by a main body of hollow structure provided with retaining means for the coupling terminal and by a clamping bushing, while the coupling terminal is formed by a solid connector body. This connector device is rather impractical for use with metal cables, because the metal cables have to be compressed to pass through a slot. Explanation of the Invention With a view to providing a new solution to the problem of connecting two portions of metal cable which connect together the actuating mechanism of the vehicle parking brake, known as emergency brake, with the brake mechanism as such, there is disclosed a connector device for metal cables which because of its structure, functionality, features for avoiding untimly uncoupling, ease of assembly and low cost is essentially different from all prior art devices known to the inventor. The connector device for metal cables of the invention formed by a connector member and by a coupling terminal which are firmly attached to corresponding free ends of different portions of metal cable, the connector member being formed by a main body of hollow structure provided with retaining means for the coupling terminal and by a clamping bushing, while the coupling terminal is formed by a solid connector body, is characterised in that the main body forming the connector member comprises a tubular housing for receiving the coupling terminal, which tubular housing comprises the retaining means for said coupling terminal, which retaining means is formed by a slot passing through the wall of the tubular housing in an angular fashion and is open at one of the ends thereof, having a width slightly greater than the diameter of the metal cable portion to which the coupling terminal is attached, to slide snugly therealong until said terminal attains the final position of connection, while the extension of the main body which is perpendicular to said tubular housing defines in turn a longitudinal housing which locates one end of the cable portion thereof, said metal cable end portion being firmly attached to the main body by the action of a clamping bushing concentrically disposed around said main body extension. It is further feature of the connector device for metal cables of the invention that the main body forming the connector member is made in a single piece and is T-shaped, where the arms of said T define a tubular housing for receiving the coupling terminal. It is a further feature of the connector device for metal cables of the invention that the coupling terminal is formed by a cylindrical solid connector body, the dimensions of which correspond snugly with those of the tubular housing formed in the connector member main body, said solid connector body being firmly attached to one end of the metal cable portion thereof, so that the respective axes of the solid connector body and of the metal cable portion are mutually perpendicular. Brief Description of the Drawings The connector device for metal cables of the inventions is illustrated in the sheet of drawings annexed hereto in which: Figure 1 is a front view of the object of the invention, showing the component parts thereof separated from each other. Figure 2 is a side view of the object of the invention, partly in section, showing the component parts thereof connected together. Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of the object of the invention, showing the component parts in different stages of connection. Figures 5 and 6 are side views, partly in section, showing different stages of assembly of the connector device of the invention. Detailed Description of the Embodiment The connector device for metal cables of the invention described here as an embodiment is formed by the connector member B and by the coupling terminal T , which are firmly attached to corresponding free ends 1a and 2a of different portions of metal cable 1 and 2, respectively. The connector member B is formed by the main body 3 and by the clamping bushing 4, both made from a material appropriate for the intended use and purpose, preferably of steel, as is perfectly reflected in Figure 1 of the attached sheet of drawings corresponding to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the main body 3 forming the connector member B is made from sheet steel which suitably formed by successive curving operations takes on the T shape shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 of the attached sheet of drawings. In this T-shaped main body 3, the arms 3a and 3a ' define a through housing of generally cylindrical section where, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the attached sheet of drawings the coupling terminal T may be snugly housed. Furthermore, the extension 3b of the T-shaped main body 3 forming the connector member B , is perpendicular to both arms 3a and 3a 'and defines in turn a generally cylindrical through housing which may house the free end 1a of the metal cable portion 1 to an appropriate extent, which is shown in Figure 5 of the attached sheet of drawings. Figures 5 and 6 are detailed showings of the components forming the connector member B in two different stages of the process followed for assembly thereof in the embodiment described herein. Figure 5 shows the free end 1a of the metal cable portion 1 housed in the extension 3b of the main body 3 and the clamping bushing 4 which may be snugly concentrically slid over said extension 3b . Figure 6 shows the clamping bushing 4 in the final position thereof on the extension 3b of the main body 3 and how the ensemble formed by the free end 1a of the metal cable portion 1, the extension 3b of the main body 3 and the clamping bushing 4 is simultaneously subjected to compression forces, so that the result of said compression is an extraordinarily firm connection of the metal cable portion 1 to the connector member B . In the embodiment described herein of the device of the invention, the means for retaining the coupling terminal T once connected to the connector member B is formed by the angularly disposed slot 5 which is open at one of the ends thereof 5a and along which the metal cable portion 2 to which the coupling terminal T is attached may snugly slide. The coupling terminal T is formed by a generally cylindrical connector body 6 which, like the remaining component parts of the device of the invention is preferably made from steel and whose dimensions are such as to allow it to be inserted snugly in the through housing defined by the arms 3a and 3a ' of the T-shaped main body 3, which connector body 6 is firmly attached to the free end 2a of the metal cable portion 2, as shown in detail in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the attached sheet of drawings corresponding to this embodiment. The use of the connector device for metal cables of the invention is extremely simple. Preferably, since this facilitates to a greater extent the coupling operations of the two independent metal cable portions 1 and 2 forming the link between the actuating mechanism of the vehicle parking or emergency brake with the brake mechanism as such, the metal cable portion 1 having the connector member B at the free end 1a thereof is mounted in the vehicle in the first place, in keeping with the vehicle assembly requirements since the mechanical connection effect is obviously independent of the metal cable portion considered, while the metal cable portion 2 having the coupling terminal T at the free end 2a thereof is mounted in the vehicle at a later stage of said assembly process. For connecting both portions of metal cable 1 and 2 together, one portion of the connector body 6 of the coupling terminal T is simply inserted in the housing formed in the main body 3, which housing is defined by the arms 3a and 3a ', at the same time as the metal cable portion 2 is aligned with the free end 5a of the slot 5 and by sliding said metal cable portion 2 along the slot 5 while rotating it in 90° the coupling terminal T may reach the final coupled position in which the longitudinal axes of both metal cable portions 1 and 2 are aligned, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the attached sheet of drawings corresponding to this embodiment of the device of the invention. In this way, with this coupling position which corresponds to the operating position of both metal cable portions 1 and 2, untimely uncoupling of the coupling terminal T from the connector member B is made impossible, thereby ensuring the continuity of the said linking cable. The security is furthermore additionally increased by the fact that said link formed by the independent metal cable portions 1 and 2 is subjected under normal operating conditions to a pulling force making accidental disconnection of the component parts of the device of the invention even more impossible.

Claims: A connector device for metal cables formed by a connector member ( B ) and by a coupling terminal ( T ), which are firmly attached to corresponding free ends ( 1a and 2a ) of different portions of metal cable (1 and 2), the connector member ( B ) being formed by a main body (3) of hollow structure provided with retaining means for the coupling terminal ( T ) and by a clamping bushing (4), while the coupling terminal ( T ) is formed by a solid connector body (6), characterised in that the main body (3) forming the connector member ( B ) comprises a tubular housing (3a and 3a') for receiving the coupling terminal ( T ), which tubular housing (3a and 3a') comprises the retaining means for said coupling terminal ( T ), which retaining means is formed by a slot (5) passing through the wall of the tubular housing in an angular fashion and is open at one of the ends ( 5a ) thereof, having a width slightly greater than the diameter of the metal cable portion (2) to which the coupling terminal ( T ) is attached, to slide snugly therealong until said terminal attains the final position of connection, while the extension ( 3b ) of the main body (3) which is perpendicular to said tubular housing (3a and 3a') defines in turn a longitudinal housing which locates one end ( 1a ) of the portion of metal cable (1) thereof, said metal cable (1) end portion ( 1a ) being firmly attached to the main body (3) by the action of the clamping bushing (4) concentrically disposed around said extension ( 3b ) of the main body (3). The connector device for metal cables of claim 1, characterised in that the main body (3) forming the connector member ( B ) is made in a single piece and is T-shaped, where the arms ( 3a and 3a ') of said T define a tubular housing for receiving the coupling terminal ( T ). The connector device for metal cables of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the solid connector body (6) forming the coupling terminal ( T ) is generally cylindrical and the dimensions thereof correspond snugly with those of the tubular housing formed in the main body (3) of the connector member ( B ), said solid connector body (6) being firmly attached to one end ( 2a ) of the portion (2) of metal cable thereof, so that the respective longitudinal axes of the solid connector body (6) and of the portion of metal cable (2) thereof are mutually perpendicular.

Inventors: SOLANO SALLAN VICTORINO, TRILLA SEGURA ANTONIO, SOLANO SALLAN, VICTORINO, TRILLA SEGURA, ANTONIO
Applicants: FICO CABLES SA, FICO-CABLES, S.A.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: F16G11
IPC codes: F16C1, F16G11