Abstract:
For fastening a coupling ( 1 ) formed from one plug-in part ( 2 ) and one sliding part ( 4 ) to a carrier part, a retaining arrangement ( 9 ) constructed of at least one side part ( 10, 11 ) from each opposite side is proposed. Each of the side parts ( 10, 11 ) has a spring arm ( 20 ) to which a bracket ( 23 ) is attached that grips the shaped collar ( 6 ) of the plug-in part ( 2 ) from behind in such a way that the collar ( 6 ), after pushing in the plug-in part ( 2 ) from the entry side ( 14 ), is in contact with a termination rib ( 24 ). Thus the plug-in part ( 2 ) is left fixed on the carrier part without both parts ( 2, 4 ) of the coupling ( 1 ) having to be plugged together when the sliding part ( 4 ) is slid.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a U.S. National Phase patent application based on International Application Serial No. PCT/EP2007/009672 filed Nov. 8, 2007, the disclosure of which is hereby explicitly incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention is directed to a device for fixing at least one coupling to a carrier part. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Known from practice are devices for fixing couplings to a carrier part, which devices comprise a carrier that is to be fastened to the carrier part and is configured with a number of resilient snap hooks that protrude from the carrier opposite each other in pairs and that reach around the coupling to fix it in place. Although with these prior devices the couplings are fixed to the carrier well enough to prevent inadvertent detachment, the two parts of a given coupling first have to be joined together. This, however, is impractical in some applications and downright impossible in others. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a device for fixing at least one coupling to a carrier part according to which the plug-in part, which is configured with a collar, can be reliably connected to the carrier, and the sliding part can therefore be connected to the plug-in part after the latter has been fastened in place. 
     By virtue of the design of the device according to the invention, the plug-in part can be fixed in place ahead of time by sliding it in between the side parts and snap-locking the collar with the latching element, so that the sliding part can now be connected to the plug-in part without any risk of the plug-in part detaching from the device. 
     In one form thereof, the present invention provides a device for fixing at least one coupling, including a plug-in part configured with a radially outwardly protruding collar and a sliding part that is to be connected to the plug-in part by being slid thereonto, to a carrier part including a carrier to be fastened to the carrier part, two elongated side parts mounted on the carrier and oriented spacedly parallel to each other, the side parts each being provided with a respective side wall disposed on the carrier and with a respective cover wall disposed on the opposite side of the side wall from the carrier and extending in the direction of the respective other side part, the mutually facing end sides of the cover walls being spaced apart from each other by a distance that is equal to the outer diameter of a line connected to the plug-in part, and each being configured with a spring arm bearing a latching element that points in the direction of the carrier and cooperates with the collar to retain the plug-in part between the side parts in a manner that secures it against sliding out. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention for fixing four couplings to a carrier part; and 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention, for fixing one coupling to a carrier part. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, the embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention for fixing four FAKRA type couplings  1 , only two couplings  1  being shown in  FIG. 1 . Each coupling  1  is provided with a plug-in part  2  and with a sliding part  4  that can be slid onto the plug-in part  2  and latched to it by means of a latch mechanism  3 . Each plug-in part  2  has, at its opposite end from the latch mechanism  3 , a circumferential depression  5  and an also circumferential collar  6  of square cross section, which bounds the depression  5  endwise. The plug-in parts  2  and the sliding parts  4  of the coupling  1  are each connected to end portions of lines  7 ,  8 , such as antenna lines, for example, between which a connection is to be made. 
     It can be seen from  FIG. 1  that to fix a total of four couplings  1 , the exemplary embodiment is provided with a total of four retaining arrangements  9 , each of identical construction, although in  FIG. 1 , for ease of visualization, only one retaining arrangement  9  is shown with all the reference numerals assigned in the following description. 
     Each retaining arrangement  9  comprises two elongated side parts  10 ,  11  that are oriented spacedly parallel to each other, each of which has a side wall  12  that is connected by one of its long sides, and at a slight inclination toward the respective other side wall, to a carrier  13  which is configured in this exemplary embodiment as a flat plate. Each side wall  12  has a flat guide portion  15 , which is disposed at an insertion side  14  (located in front in the representation of  FIG. 1 ) of the retaining arrangement  9  and which protrudes inward relative to a wall recess  16  disposed on that side of guide portion  15  which faces away from the insertion side  14 . 
     On the edge side facing toward insertion side  14 , each side wall  12  is configured with a protruding stiffening flange  17 , which is disposed radially outwardly on the side wall  12  and extends from the carrier  13  to the longitudinal side of side wall  12  remote from the carrier  13 , and extends by a hook-shaped end portion toward the opposite side part  10 ,  11  of the particular retaining arrangement  9 . 
     It can further be appreciated from  FIG. 1  that each side part  10 ,  11  comprises, formed onto the respective side wall  12  on its opposite edge side from the carrier  13 , a cover wall  18  that extends parallel to the carrier  13  from that side wall  12  toward the opposite side part  10 ,  11  of the retaining arrangement  9 , the mutually facing end sides of the cover walls  18  being spaced apart from each other by a distance that is at least equal to the diameter of the line  7  connected to the plug-in part  2 . 
     The distance between the guide portions  15  of the side walls  12  of the side parts  10 ,  11  of a retaining arrangement  9  and the distance between the carrier  13  and the cover walls  18  are substantially the same, to within very slight play, as the ordinarily square dimensions of the plug-in part  2 , thus allowing the plug-in part  2 , after the line  7  connected to it has been inserted in the retaining arrangement  9 , to be slid in between the side parts  10 ,  11  of said retaining arrangement  9 . 
     Each cover wall  18  in this exemplary embodiment is formed, by means of an L-shaped clearance  19 , into a spring arm  20 , whose flexion zone  21  is located on the side of the retaining arrangement  9  proximate the insertion side  14 , at the end of guide portion  15  remote from the insertion side  14 , and at whose free end  22  remote from insertion side  14  is configured, as a latching element, a latching projection  23  that extends in the direction of the carrier  13 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment not shown, instead of the L-shaped clearance  19  a U-shaped clearance  19  is formed, such that the spring arms  20  are fully integrated into the cover plates  18  and are thus protected especially well against damage. 
     Finally, each side part  10 ,  11  of a retaining arrangement  9  is provided, on the side facing away from insertion side  14 , with a terminating rib  24  that is formed onto a respective one of the side walls  12  and extends from the carrier  13  to the respective cover wall  18 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1 , guide walls  25  are disposed in front of the retaining arrangements  9  on the insertion side  14  in prolongation of the side walls  12 , to facilitate the insertion of a plug-in part  2  into a retaining arrangement  9  and the sliding of a sliding part  4  onto a plug-in part  2  fixed in a retaining arrangement  9 . 
     Configured on the carrier  13  is a fastening arrangement  26  that serves to fasten said carrier  13  to a carrier part not shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention, comprising a retaining arrangement  9  disposed on a carrier  13  and, also configured on the carrier  13 , a fastening arrangement  26  having the same construction as the exemplary embodiment described with reference to  FIG. 1 . It can be seen from  FIG. 2  that the latching projection  23  comprises a ramp  27  that faces toward the insertion side  14  and slopes upward to the carrier  13  in the direction away from the insertion side  14 , and has on its side facing away from the insertion side  14  a flat abutment surface  28  that is oriented perpendicular to the carrier  13 . 
     It can further be appreciated from  FIG. 2  that each terminating rib  24  has, formed on the carrier  13 , a rectangular-prism-shaped columnar portion  29 , the flat side of each of which that faces the other being flush with the guide portion  15  of the respective side wall  12  on which the respective terminating rib  24  is formed. Each terminating rib  24  further comprises, on its side facing toward the respective cover wall  18 , an abutment portion  30 , which is disposed between the columnar portion  29  and the cover wall  18  and extends beyond the mutually facing flat sides of the columnar portions  29  in the direction of the respective opposite side part  10 ,  11  of the retaining arrangement  9 , such that the abutment portions  30  narrow the cross section of the retaining arrangement  9  relative to the columnar portions  29 . This results in the formation, between the abutment surfaces  28  and the abutment portions  30  of each side part  10 ,  11  of a retaining arrangement  9 , of collar receiving spaces  31  which are usefully so dimensioned that the collars  6  of the plug-in parts  2  are disposed between abutment surfaces  28  and abutment portions  30  with substantially no play, or at most very little. 
     Formed in the carrier  13  between and adjacent to side parts  10 ,  11  are carrier recesses  32 ,  33 , which have a stabilizing intermediate web  34  between them and which are provided to receive prominences that are present on the plug-in part  2 . 
     Examining  FIGS. 1 and 2  together, a coupling  1  can thus be fixed in a retaining arrangement  9  as follows. After the line  7  connected to plug-in part  2  has been arranged between side parts  10 ,  11 , plug-in part  2  is slid into retaining arrangement  9  from insertion side  14  in the direction of terminating ribs  24 , during which process, as the distance to the terminating ribs  24  narrows, the ramps  27  slide past the collar  6 , deflecting the spring arms  20  outward. After the collar  6  has entered the collar receiving spaces  31 , the spring arms  20 , due to the tension built up in the flexion zones  21  as the latching projections  23  enter, snap into the depression  5  formed in the back of the collar  6 , with the result that collar  6  is blocked against being slid farther in by its abutment against abutment portions  30 , and is secured against inadvertently sliding out in the opposite direction, to the insertion side  14 , by the engagement of the abutment surfaces  28  behind the collar  6 . 
     In this fixed position, sliding part  4  can now be slid onto plug-in part  2 , in the arrangement depicted in  FIG. 1 , if the two parts of the coupling  1 , i.e., plug-in part  2  and sliding part  4 , were not already connected to each other before line  7  was placed in retaining arrangement  9 . 
     The plug-in part  2  or the coupling  1  as a whole can be removed from the retaining arrangement  9  by lifting the spring arms  20  with a tool, for example the blade of a screwdriver, far enough away from the carrier  13  so that the engagement of the abutment surfaces  28  behind the collar  6  is released and the plug-in part  2  can be slid toward the insertion side  14  until it comes out of the side parts  10 ,  11 . 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.