Abstract:
A cable end fitting assembly, adapted for attachment to a mounting plate in a motor vehicle, has a circumferential groove for receiving the edge of the mounting plate. A second part of the assembly is rotatable relative to the circumferential groove, and has a thumb pad for pressing the assembly into a recess in the mounting plate. The thumb pad also serves to align the assembly in the recess so that resillient projections extending from the assembly can engage indentations in the recess to secure the assembly to the mounting plate.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to cable end fittings for securing a cable to a mounting bracket. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to an end fitting for an automatic transmission cable. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Transmission cables can sometimes be difficult to install in a vehicle on the assembly line. A cable is generally housed in a sleeve that is attached to the vehicle by cable end fittings. The installer must ensure that the cable end fittings are secured relative to the shifter and the transmission shift linkage so that the cable moving within the sleeve is anchored and moves the shift linkage commensurate with what is indicated by the shift lever to the vehicle driver. 
     Often the bracket adapted to hold the transmission cable end fitting is at an awkward angle, so that it is difficult for the installer to maneuver the cable into the bracket and exert sufficient force to fully engage the end fitting in the bracket. This causes excessive strain on the installer. It is not only difficult for the installer to physically maneuver the end fitting into the bracket, but it is also difficult to visually inspect that the end fitting is fully engaged within the bracket. For instance, with an “arrowhead” type end fitting that must be fully seated into an aperture in a mounting bracket, one of the resilient “wings” of the arrowhead may not fully engage the mounting bracket. Once the vehicle is in operation, vibration may cause the end fitting to disengage from the bracket. This can cause an unsafe operating condition if the transmission is not in the gear indicated to the vehicle operator by the shift lever. 
     It would be advantageous to provide an end fitting and bracket assembly that is more ergonomically suited for installation without putting an undue strain on the installer. It would also be advantageous to provide a cable end fitting that demonstrates to the installer full engagement of the cable end fitting with a mounting bracket. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A cable end fitting assembly comprising a first portion including a circumferential groove for receiving an edge of a mounting plate, and a second portion rotatably connected to the first portion, the second portion comprising a semi-circular spring with ears and a thumb pad for pressing the assembly into a recess in the mounting plate and for aligning the assembly within the recess to engage the ears with complementary indentations in the recess. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS 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 cable end fitting according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the cable end fitting of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the cable end fitting of FIGS. 1-2. 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of the cable end fitting of FIGS. 1-3. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken through line  5 — 5  of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bracket adapted for mounting the cable end fitting of FIGS.  1 - 5 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a cable end fitting  100  according to the invention is attached at a first end to a primary cable sleeve  10  and incorporates a swivel body  120  at a second end for attachment to a secondary cable sleeve  20 . 
     The interior of the cable end fitting  100 , as shown in FIG. 5, is formed of a cable interface  110  and swivel body  120  for securing the primary cable sleeve  10  to the cable end fitting  100 , and for allowing some flexibility of movement of the secondary cable sleeve  20  in a radial direction from the centerline of the cable end fitting  100 . The cable interface  110  and swivel body  120  are contained within a two-piece body of the cable end fitting  100 . 
     The primary body portion  130  is substantially cylindrical, and includes a first end  132  having an aperture  134  for receiving the primary cable sleeve  10  in cable interface  110 . Opposite the first end  132 , the primary body portion  130  has a substantially open second end  136  for receiving a body mounting portion  140  of the cable end fitting  100 . The primary body portion  130  and the body mounting portion  140  of the cable end fitting  100  include complementary clips  138 ,  148  for assembling them together in a substantially permanent manner, to enclose the cable interface  110  and swivel body  120 . 
     The body mounting portion  140  is generally tubular in form. The interior of the body mounting portion  140  is contoured to receive the swivel body  120  and permit the swivel body  120  freedom of movement in all directions about the centerline of the cable end fitting  100 . The exterior of the body mounting portion  140  includes the clips  148  for assembling the body mounting portion  140  to the primary body portion  130 , a circumferential groove  142  for receiving an edge of a planar portion of a mounting bracket  200  (FIG.  6 ), and a tapered tubular end portion  144 . The tapered tubular end portion  144  is adapted to axially receive a spring clip assembly  160 , and includes an exterior circumferential barb  146  for retaining the spring clip assembly  160 . 
     The spring clip assembly  160  comprises a spring clip  170  and a spring clip body  180 . The spring clip body  180  is generally in the form of a ring and is molded of a composite material or plastic. The spring clip body  180  comprises a ring portion  182 , and further comprises a thumb pad  184 . The thumb pad  184  includes a riser portion  186  extending radially from the ring portion  182  and a planar portion  188  perpendicular to the riser portion  186 . The planar portion  188  is also generally perpendicular to the plane of the ring portion  182 , and generally parallel to a side of the ring portion  182 , in the manner of a tangent. The planar portion  188  includes a plurality of raised integrally molded ribs  190 . 
     The spring clip  170  is in the form of a C-shaped ring  172  formed of spring steel and having an L-shaped leg  174  extending from each end of the ring  172 . Each L-shaped leg  174  has a stem portion  176  and a base portion  178 , and is oriented so that the base portion  178  is generally perpendicular to the plane of the ring  172  and is positioned outwardly of the defined ring  172  of the spring clip  170 . The spring clip  170  can be integrated into the spring clip body  180  during molding of the spring clip body  180 , as in the embodiment illustrated, or can be attached to the spring clip body  180  after molding. In the disclosed embodiment, one of the L-shaped legs  174  is positioned on each side of the thumb pad  184 . 
     The spring clip assembly  160  is adapted to resiliently slide onto the tapered tubular end portion  144  of the body mounting portion  140 . The spring clip assembly  160  is then axially retained on the tapered tubular end portion  144  by the exterior circumferential barb  146 . The spring clip assembly  160  can rotate freely about a central axis of the cable end fitting  100  relative to the body mounting portion  140 . 
     Referring with particularity to FIG. 3, the spring clip assembly  160  has been received onto the body mounting portion  140 . As shown in FIG. 3, a portion of the L-shaped leg  174  of the spring clip  170  extends axially over the circumferential groove  142  formed in the body mounting portion  140 . Likewise, the planar portion  188  of the thumb pad  180  extends over the circumferential groove  142 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the L-shaped leg  174  of the spring clip  170  also extends outwardly from a vertical centerline of the cable end fitting  100  farther than the circumferential groove  142  (shown in phantom). 
     The assembly is secured to a vehicle by placing the cable end fitting  100  onto a mounting bracket  200 , shown in FIG.  6 . The mounting bracket  200  includes a planar portion  202  forming a semi-circular recess  204 . The planar portion  202  has a thickness adapting it to be closely received within the circumferential groove  142  of the body mounting portion  140 . The semi-circular recess  204  is formed to closely receive the body mounting portion  140  therein by having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the body mounting portion  140  within the circumferential groove  142 . The recess  204  further includes a pair of indentations  206  each positioned and adapted to receive the base portion  178  of an L-shaped leg  174  of the spring clip  170 . 
     The sides  208  of the semi-circular recess  204  are formed to closely receive the circumferential groove  142 , with the indentations  206  extending further outwardly than sides  208 . Because the L-shaped legs  174  extend outwardly from the circumferential groove  142  and are resilient, the base portion  178  of each L-shaped leg  174  will flex inwardly as the cable end fitting  100  is inserted into the semi-circular recess  204 . When the base portion  178  of each L-shaped leg  174  reaches a respective indentation  206 , it returns to its natural position, engaging the indentation  206  and locking the cable end fitting  100  in position on the mounting bracket  200 . 
     The cable end fitting  100  is placed onto the mounting bracket  200  by an operator grasping the fitting  100  and placing a thumb on the thumb pad  180 . The ability of the spring clip assembly  160  to rotate freely about the central axis of the cable end fitting  100  enables the operator to easily align the spring clip assembly  160  with the mounting bracket  200  without twisting the cable. 
     As the operator directs the cable end fitting  100  onto the mounting bracket  200 , the planar portion  202  of the mounting bracket  200  slides into the circumferential groove  142 . The thumb pad  180  is wide enough that it restricts the orientation of the spring clip assembly  160  within the recess  204  of the mounting bracket  200  within of few degrees of “vertical.” With the spring clip assembly  160  thus in the proper orientation, the L-shaped legs  174  of the spring clip  170  align with the indentations  206  of the semi-circular recess  204 . The thumb pad  180  thus provides the operator with a sure purchase on the spring clip assembly  160  and a natural means of properly aligning the spring clip assembly  160  with the mounting bracket  200 . 
     While the invention has been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.