Abstract:
A Bowden-type cable containing a cable ( 14 ) is provided with proximal ( 14 P) and distal extremities arranged in a jacket ( 18 ) having proximal ( 18 P) and distal extremities blocked by proximal ( 20 P) and distal arresting units. At least the first extremity ( 18 P) of the jacket ( 18 ) is connected to the first arresting unit ( 20 P) with the aid of a liaison unit ( 22 ) which is arranged on the first extremity ( 18 P) of the jacket ( 18 ). In a preferred embodiment, the liaison unit is moulded on the first extremity ( 18 P) of the jacket ( 18 ) and welded by ultrasound to the first arresting unit ( 20 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an improved control device for a module forming a lock mechanism. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   The prior art already discloses a control device for a module forming a lock mechanism, of the type comprising a Bowden-type cable containing a cable having two ends, a proximal end and a distal end respectively, this cable being housed in a jacket having two ends, a proximal end and a distal end respectively, which are immobilized by two proximal and distal retaining elements. 
   This type of control device is used particularly for controlling a lock for the opening leaf of a motor vehicle, particularly for the side door of the vehicle. 
   The proximal end of the cable is connected to a control lever, also known as a paddle handle, pivot-mounted on the opening leaf so that it can be actuated from the inside of the vehicle. The distal end of the cable is connected to a control element for the module forming the lock mechanism. This module, provided with a latch, is arranged on the opening leaf so that, when the opening leaf is in the closed position, the latch engages with a striker borne by a corresponding frame. 
   When fitting the control device, it is particularly advisable to adjust the length of the proximal end of the cable protruding outside the jacket, through the proximal end of the latter, so as to allow for take-up of various functional play in the lock module and the control device. This adjustment makes it possible to achieve a desired travel for the control lever. 
   After carrying out the adjustment above, the proximal end of the jacket is immobilized with respect to the proximal retaining element. It is known practice to fasten the proximal end of the jacket to the proximal retaining element by an ultrasonic welding process. 
   However, the jacket is generally formed by a wire, particularly a metal wire, wound into a spiral with contiguous turns. This structure of the jacket does not always make it possible to obtain a quality ultrasonic weld providing the jacket with good pull-out resistance. In fact, the ultrasonic waves in some cases cause deformation of the spiral forming the jacket of the cable. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the invention is to immobilize the end of a jacket on a corresponding retaining element with the aid of fastening means which provide effective resistance to pull-out and are well suited to a spiral structure of the jacket. 
   To this end, the subject of the invention is a control device for a module forming a lock mechanism, of the aforementioned type, characterized in that at least a first end of the jacket is connected to a corresponding first retaining element by means of a connecting element attached to the first end of the jacket. 
   The connecting element attached to the first end of the jacket makes it possible, when fastening this connecting element to the first retaining element, particularly by ultrasound, to prevent deformation of the spirally wound wire forming the jacket of the cable. The connecting element thus makes it possible to fasten the jacket to a retaining element in an efficient and resistant manner. 
   According to other optional characteristics of this control device:
         the connecting element is overmolded on the first end of the jacket;   the connecting element is ultrasonically welded to the first retaining element;   the connecting element and the first retaining element comprise complementary welding faces each provided with fusible ribs, the ribs borne by the welding face of the connecting element being substantially perpendicular to the ribs borne by the welding face of the first retaining element;   the complementary welding faces are provided on complementary interlocking parts of the connecting element and the first retaining element;   the interlocking part of the first retaining element forms a longitudinal channel for the interlocking of the connecting element, the welding face of the first retaining element forming a base of the channel, the fusible ribs of the first retaining element preferably extending longitudinally;   the complementary interlocking parts of the connecting element and of the first retaining element comprise fusible complementary welding shoulders;   the first retaining element contains two fusible ribs extending longitudinally on either side of the jacket and two fusible welding shoulders extending longitudinally on either side of the jacket, the fusible ribs and the fusible welding shoulders of the first retaining element thus being offset laterally with respect to the jacket or, at the very least, with respect to the axis of this jacket;   the interlocking part of the first retaining element is extended by a shell provided with means for securing it to a fixed support;   the first end of the jacket is its proximal end;   the proximal end of the cable is provided with a block for securing this cable, the shell forming a housing for this securing block;   the jacket is formed by at least one wire, particularly a metal wire, wound into a spiral with contiguous turns;   the module forming a control mechanism is arranged in an opening leaf of a motor vehicle, particularly a side door of the vehicle.       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A better understanding of the invention will be gained from reading the description below, which is given purely by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a general view of a module forming a lock mechanism, provided with a control device according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views of the connecting element and the first retaining element, the connecting element being represented after and before being fastened to the first retaining element, respectively; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the connecting element in a position in which it has been turned over with respect to the position represented in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ; 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are cross-sectional half-views of the connecting element and the first retaining element, the connecting element being represented before and after being fastened to the first retaining element, respectively. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  represents a module  10  forming a lock mechanism controlled by means of a device  12  according to the invention. 
   In the example described, the module  10  is arranged in an opening leaf of a motor vehicle, more specifically a side door of this vehicle. 
   The control device  12  is intended to connect a control element for the module  10  with a conventional control lever (not shown), also known as a paddle handle, pivot-mounted on the opening leaf so that it can be actuated from the inside of the vehicle. 
   In the text hereinbelow, with consideration to the kinematic linkage between the control lever and the module  10 , on the one hand the term “proximal” will be used to qualify a component close to the control lever and remote from the module  10  and, on the other hand, the term “distal” will be used to qualify a component remote from the control lever and close to the module  10 . 
   The control device  12  comprises a Bowden-type cable which, in the conventional way, contains a cable proper which is slidably mounted in a jacket. 
   Thus, this Bowden cable contains a cable  14  having two ends, a proximal end and a distal end respectively. The figures show only the proximal end  14 P of the cable. As is conventional, the proximal end  14 P of the cable is provided with a block  16  for securing this cable to an element linked kinematically to the control lever. This block  16  is usually made of a metal alloy commonly designated by the name “ZAMAK” which relates to a family of zinc alloys, the primary components of which are zinc, aluminum, magnesium and copper. 
   The cable  14  is housed in a jacket  18  having two ends, a proximal end  18 P and a distal end  18 D respectively. The jacket  18  is formed by at least one wire, preferably a metal wire, wound into a spiral with contiguous turns. 
   The distal end  18 D of the jacket is immobilized by fastening in a manner known per se in a distal retaining element  20 D borne by the module  10 . 
   The proximal end  18 P of the jacket is immobilized by fastening in a proximal retaining element  20 P, which is represented in more detail in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
   According to the invention, at least one of the ends  18 P,  18 D of the jacket, namely the proximal end  18 P in the example described, is connected to one of the corresponding retaining elements  20 P,  20 D, namely the proximal retaining element  20 P in the example described, by means of a connecting element  22  connected to the proximal end  18 P of the jacket. 
   The connecting element  22  is preferably overmolded on the proximal end  18 P of the jacket and ultrasonically welded to the proximal retaining element  20 P. 
   The connecting element  22  and the proximal retaining element  20 P contain complementary interlocking parts. The interlocking part of the proximal retaining element  20 P forms a longitudinal channel G for the interlocking of the complementary part of the connecting element  22  (see in particular  FIG. 3 ). The channel G extends substantially parallel to the axial direction of the proximal end  18 P of the jacket. 
   The interlocking part of the proximal retaining element  20 P is extended by a shell  24  provided with conventional means for securing it to a fixed support (not shown) attached to the opening leaf. These securing means comprise two snap-locking tabs  26 , for example. 
   It will be noted that the shell  24  forms a housing for the securing block  16 . 
   Complementary welding faces  28 ,  30  are provided on the complementary interlocking parts of the connecting element  22  and the proximal retaining element  20 P. The welding face  30  of the proximal retaining element  20 P forms a base of the channel G. 
   As can be seen more particularly in  FIG. 4 , the welding face  28  of the connecting element  22  is provided with fusible ribs  32 , these being substantially parallel to one another and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the channel G. 
   Furthermore, as can be seen more particularly in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the welding face  30  of the proximal retaining element  20 P is provided with fusible ribs  34 , being two in number in the example described, which are substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the channel G and are arranged near the lateral edges of this channel. 
   The ribs  32  borne by the welding face  28  of the connecting element  22  are therefore substantially perpendicular to the ribs  34  borne by the welding face  30  of the proximal retaining element  20 P. 
   The complementary interlocking parts of the connecting element  22  and the proximal retaining element  20 P comprise two pairs of fusible complementary welding shoulders  36 ,  38 . These fusible shoulders  36 ,  38  extend, after welding, substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the channel G. The two fusible shoulders  38  of the proximal retaining element  20 P delimit the upper edges of the channel G. 
   The proximal retaining element  20 P therefore contains two fusible ribs  34  extending longitudinally on either side of the jacket  18 , more specifically on either side of the proximal end  18 P thereof, and two fusible welding shoulders  38  extending longitudinally on either side of the jacket  18 . Consequently, the fusible ribs  34  and the fusible welding shoulders  38  of the proximal retaining element  20 P are offset laterally with respect to the jacket  18  or, at the very least, with respect to the axis of this jacket  18 . 
   This specific arrangement of the ribs  34  and the shoulders  38  (and therefore the complementary shoulders  36 ) has the advantage that the weld is not produced in the axis of the jacket  18 . This makes it possible to prevent the weld being weakened as a result of deterioration of wave propagation by the jacket  18 . Furthermore, a lining, or liner, is generally housed within the jacket  18 . The above arrangement of the fusible ribs and shoulders prevents undesirable bonding of the lining to the cable  14 , which would lead to malfunctions of the Bowden cable. 
   Fastening the proximal end  18 P of the jacket to the proximal retaining element  20 P can be achieved simply. 
   First of all, the length of the proximal end  14 P of the cable protruding outside the jacket  18 , through the proximal end  18 P thereof, is adjusted in a manner known per se so as to take up various functional play in the module  10  and the control device  12 . 
   The connecting element  22 , having been overmolded on the jacket  18  beforehand, is then fastened to the proximal retaining element  20 P by ultrasonic welding. 
   To perform the welding operation, the connecting element  22  and the proximal retaining element  20 P are first of all arranged in a conventional prepositioning die  40 , as is represented in  FIG. 5 . 
   Next, the connecting element  22  and the proximal retaining element  20 P are subjected in a manner known per se to ultrasonic welding waves which, on the one hand, lead to a weld fusion of the fusible complementary ribs  32 ,  34  and, on the other hand, to a weld fusion of the fusible complementary shoulders  36 ,  38 , this taking place in the regions of contact between these complementary ribs  32 ,  34  and between these complementary shoulders  36 ,  38  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
   Because the ultrasonic waves are not directly transmitted to the jacket  18  but to the connecting element  22  attached to this jacket, they do not deform the spiral structure of the jacket  18 . 
   It will be noted that the fusible ribs  32 ,  34 , which are substantially perpendicular to one another, provide a very strong fastening of the connecting element  22  with the proximal retaining element  20 P.