MXPA97008772A - Self adjusting device for main cable terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manually adjusted device for control cable terminals, comprising a longitudinal housing provided on the main body of a terminal and open at one end, a regulating rod which is slidable in both directions and which has a inner end and an outer end, said regulating rod being linked to said longitudinal housing by said inner end so that said outer end projects towards the exterior of said main body, means for securing a position of said regulating rod with respect to to the terminal: drive means including at least one thrust spring operating permanently under compression with one end resting against said inner end of said regulating rod and resting the other end against the main body so that said rod regulation is permanently subject to an action of a force directed from the outside to the inside, and a longitudinal housing in which said thrust spring is adapted, said longitudinal housing extending parallel to which said thrust spring is adapted to said longitudinal housing to which said regulating rod is adapted and being connected to said longitudinal housing of said regulating rod by a guide groove, and a transverse thrust extension passing through said guide groove and interacting with said pusher spring.

Description

D E S C R I P C I O N "SELF-ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR CONTROL CABLE TERMINALS" Technical sector of the invention. The object of the present invention is an auto-adjusting device for control cable terminals, which is generally applicable to push-pull control cable terminals, commonly referred to as push-pull cables, which consist of a sheathed steel cable. They are widely used in the automotive industry. In particular, the self-adjusting device for control cable terminals according to the invention is applicable to control cables used as a means of linking between the gear change mechanism and its operating lever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In general, the known embodiments of push-pull control cables used in the automotive industry comprise a sheathed steel cable provided at both ends with a corresponding terminal adapted to each specific application case. Among the various types of control cables known in the art, it is usual to see the control cable that links the gearshift mechanism with its actuating lever essentially comprising a steel cable provided at both ends with a corresponding one. terminal, and a cover that partially covers the steel cable and whose both ends are joined to respective fixed points of the vehicle structure arranged in the path of the control cable, configuring the terminal of the corresponding control cable to the side of the control lever. drive, once coupled thereto, a joint that allows the transmission of the push-pull forces applied on the drive lever. As an example of articulation defined by the coupling of the terminal of the control cable with the actuating lever, it is possible to mention the ball or ball joint, in which the terminal of the control cable comprises a ball body in the slot arranged with a ball adjustment linked to the drive lever.

Once the control cable has been mounted on the vehicle, that is, once the terminals of the control cable have been connected to the gearshift mechanism and to the actuating lever and the ends of the steel cable sheath attached to the corresponding fixed points, it is It is necessary to adjust the sheathed portion of the steel cable in order to achieve an adequate operation of the control cable by absorbing the tolerances that each vehicle has in terms of length.

In general, the adjustment of the length of the sheathed portion of the cable of the control cable is carried out by means of an adjusting device disposed at one of the terminals of the control cable. Known embodiments of such adjusting devices essentially comprise a rod axially attached at one of its ends to the corresponding end of the steel cable, a housing in the terminal adapted to receive the rod so that it can be slid in both directions , and means that fix the position of the rod with respect to the terminal once the length of the sheathed steel cable portion has been adjusted, which means consist essentially of a clamping screw.

The known embodiments of adjusting devices such as those described above work in the manner described below. The control cable is supplied from the origin with the rod of the adjusting device fixed to the terminal by means of said clamping screw and so that the rod protrudes from the terminal, that is, the control cable is supplied from the origin so that it presents its maximum length Once the control cable has been mounted on the vehicle, in order to adjust the length of the sheathed portion of the steel cable, the following operations must be carried out: first, release the rod from the adjusting device so that the rod can be slipped next, a force is applied manually to the rod in the direction corresponding to that of introduction of the rod in its terminal housing; and, finally, maintaining said applied force, the new position of the rod is fixed by means of said clamping screw.

The described operation of the known embodiments of adjusting devices mainly has the following drawbacks. Firstly, the adjustment of the length of the sheathed portion of the steel cable of the control cable is a function of the force manually applied to the rod, which causes different adjustments depending on whether the operation is carried out by one person or another, or even according to the energy that in each case applies the same person. And, secondly, the operations to fix the position of the rod, which are performed keeping the force manually applied to it, present difficulties that adversely affect to achieve the optimum degree of adjustment. Finally, another drawback is that the execution time of the adjustment operation is relatively high and the erection costs are increased.

Explanation of the invention In order to provide a solution to the above-described problems presented by the known embodiments of devices for adjusting the length of the sheathed portion of control cable steel cable, a self-adjusting device for new control cable terminals is disclosed. structure and functionality.

The self-adjusting device for control cable terminals according to the invention is applicable to push-pull control cable terminals consisting essentially of a sheathed steel cable, which terminals essentially consist of a main body in which coupling means are arranged to a control drive or its associated mechanism. The self-adjusting device according to the invention comprises, in the main body of the terminal, a longitudinal housing open at one of its ends in which a regulating rod is arranged which can be slid in both directions and which at one of its ends, the outer end projecting from the main body, is attached to the corresponding end of the steel cable, and means that fix the position of the regulating rod with respect to the terminal.

The self-adjusting device according to the invention is characterized in that thrust means are arranged within the main body, which at least comprise a thrust spring that permanently works in compression by supporting one of its ends against the inner end of the regulating rod and its another end against the main body, so that the regulating vessel is permanently subjected to the action of a force directed in the direction from outside to inside.

According to one embodiment, the pushing means are characterized by comprising the following elements: a thrust spring; a longitudinal housing in which the thrust spring is arranged, which housing is arranged parallel to the housing of the regulating rod and is open at its end in correspondence with the open end of the housing of the regulating rod, both housings being that of the regulation rod and that of the thrust spring, transversely connected along their entire length by a guide groove that originates at the open end of both housings; a closure cap engageable to the main body by respective and complementary fastening means, which closure cap comprises a through hole through which the regulating rod can be slid in both directions; and, at the inner end of the regulating rod, a transverse thrust extension passing through the guide groove is disposed in the thrust spring housing, all adapted so that the thrust spring permanently rests one of its ends against the thrust spring. closing cap and its other end against the transverse extension of thrust of the regulating rod.

According to another embodiment, the pushing means are characterized by comprising the following elements: two thrust springs; two longitudinal housings in which a corresponding thrust spring is arranged, which housings are arranged parallel to the housing of the regulating rod and are open at their ends in correspondence with the open end of the housing of the regulating rod, each of the housings of the thrust springs being linked transversely throughout the entirety. its length with the housing of the regulating rod by means of a respective guide groove that originates from the open end of the corresponding housings; a closure cap engageable to the main body by means of respective and complementary securing means, which closure cap comprises a through hole through which the regulating rod can be slid in both directions; and, at the inner end of the regulating rod, two transverse thrust extensions traversing a corresponding guide groove are disposed in the housings of the thrust springs, all adapted so that each of the thrust springs permanently it supports one of its ends against the closing lid and its other end against the corresponding transverse extension of thrust of the regulating rod.

According to another feature of the self-adjusting device according to the invention, the means that fix the position of the regulating rod comprise the following elements: a fixing through hole passing perpendicularly the housing of the regulating rod; in the regulating rod, a fixing portion of essentially parallel and epiphletic shape in which there is an axially disposed fixing groove and superimposed on the fixing hole, the fixing portion having a fixing toothing; a fixing screw, a fixing washer and a fixing nut, in which, the fixing washer has a fixing point corresponding to the toothing of the fixation of the fixing portion, the fixing nut is included in the main body coaxially arranged with respect to the fixing through hole, and the nut and the fixing screw are mutually adaptable by threading, all adapted so that, the threading of the fixing screw with the fixing nut is carried out by crossing the fixing through-hole, the fixing washer being arranged between the fixing screw and the fixing portion with its respective facing teeth and with mutual coupling capacity.

The operation of the self-adjusting device for control cable terminals according to the invention is described below. The self-adjusting device according to the invention is supplied originally with the spring or push springs expanded, that is to say with the regulating rod fixed in its innermost position with respect to the main body of the terminal, this position in which the control cable presents its minimum length. Under these conditions, the following operations must be carried out to mount the control cable to the vehicle: first, release the regulating rod by unscrewing the fixing screw; next, the ends of the control cable sheath are fixed to corresponding fixed points, and to the end terminal of the control cable which is the opposite of that which has the self-adjusting device according to the invention to the corresponding associated mechanism; then, the terminal provided with the self-adjusting device according to the invention is connected to the control drive, and for this purpose it is necessary to apply a force that puts more pressure on the spring or thrust springs reducing its length, that is, increasing the portion of the regulation rod that protrudes from the main body and increased the length of the control cable in equal measure; once the terminal is attached to the control drive, and the application of said force ceases, the action of the spring or push springs pushes the regulating rod towards the inside of the main body, that is, from outside to inside, moving it as far as possible. that the elastic reaction of the spring or thrust springs and the reaction in the opposite direction exerted by the sheathed portion of the control cable are matched; finally, once the displacement of the regulating rod driven by the spring or thrust springs ceases, that is, once the length of the control cable has been adjusted, the position of the regulating rod is adjusted by means of a screw thread of the fixing with the fixing nut, so that the fixing teeth of the fixing washer and of the inner portion of the regulating rod are mutually interlocked, the regulating rod remaining integral with the main body of the terminal.

The characteristics of the self-adjusting device for control cable terminals according to the invention provide an innovative solution to the above-described drawbacks of the known embodiments of adjusting devices for control cable terminals. In fact, the operation described above of the self-adjusting device according to the invention allows, on the one hand, the results obtained in the adjustment of the length of the sheathed portion of the steel cable of the control cable to be practically constant., that is to say, there is no dispersion of results with respect to said adjustment, unlike the known embodiments of manually operated adjusting devices, and on the other hand, the ease of use of the self-adjusting device according to the invention very notably reduces the time of adjustment of the length of the control cable, consequently reducing the costs derived from its assembly in the vehicle.

Brief description of the drawings. The self-adjusting device for control cable terminals according to the invention is shown in the drawing sheets of the present specification. In said drawings, Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a control cable incorporating the self-adjusting device according to the invention and linking a control drive with its associated mechanism.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the constituent elements of an embodiment of the self-adjusting device according to the invention, Figure 3 is a side and sectional view of the embodiment of the self-adjusting device according to the invention shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional and plan view of the embodiment of the self-adjusting device according to the invention shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the self-adjusting device according to the invention shown in Figure 2 once the length of the control cable has been adjusted, Figure 6 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the self-adjusting device according to the invention shown in Figure 2 as supplied from origin, and Figure 7 shows a plan view and in section of another embodiment of the self-adjusting device according to the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiment. Figures 2 to 7 of the drawing sheets show two different embodiments of the self-adjusting device for control cable terminals according to the invention, which embodiments are designated with the references R ± and 2 respectively; Figures 2 to 6 show a first embodiment RJ, while Figure 7 shows a second embodiment R2. Both embodiments RJ_ and JR2 participate in common elements, so that in their description such elements are designated by the same numerical references.

Figure 1 shows schematically how both embodiments RJ_. R2 of the self-adjusting device according to the invention are applicable to a terminal 1 of a control cable 2 consisting essentially of a steel cable 3 provided with a sheath 4. Figures 2 to 6 show how the terminal 1 has a general prismatic configuration elongated in which, longitudinally, a main body 5 and a coupling extension 6 provided with linking means 7 adapted for coupling the terminal 1 to a control drive 8 depicted schematically in Figure 1 are understood. It is understood that both the main body 5 as the coupling extension 6 and its connecting means 7, which in this application example essentially comprise a through transverse hole 9, "can adopt any other suitable configuration for each specific application case without affecting the essential of the invention, so for example, the linking means 7 can consist of a spherical housing for receiving a b wave linked to the control drive 8. Figure 1 shows how the terminal 1 is disposed at one end 10 of the steel cable 3, while the other end 11 of the steel cable 3 is attached to a speed change mechanism. 12 shown schematically through linking means (not shown), the ends 13, 14 of the sleeve 4 of the control cable 2 being firmly connected to respective fixed points 15, 16 of the structure of the motor vehicle.

The description that follows refers to the embodiment RJ. of the self-adjusting device according to the invention, said device RJ_ comprises a regulating rod 17, pushing means 18 and fixing means 19, all of them represented in perspective and separately in Figure 2.

FIGS. 2 to 5 show how two portions are distinguished longitudinally in the regulating rod 17: a cylindrical portion 20 which, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, protrudes permanently from the main body 5.; and a fixing portion 21 which as shown in said Figures 3 to 6 is permanently totally or partially arranged in a longitudinal housing 28 opened at its end 32, as shown in Figure 2, of the main body 5. Figure 4 shows how the outer end 22 of the cylindrical portion 20 has a coaxial hole 23 adapted to receive it by fixing it to the end 10 of the steel cable 3, and the fastening portion 21 is shaped essentially for the epiphyseal and is constitutional of the fixing means 19.

Figures 2 and 4 show how the pushing means 18 comprise: a thrust spring 27; a longitudinal housing 29 open at its end 33 in which the thrust spring 27 is disposed, which housing 29 is located parallel to the housing 28 of the regulating rod 17; a guide groove 30 which connects along its entire length the housings 28, 29 of the regulating rod 17 and the thrust spring 27 respectively; at the inner end 25 of the regulating rod 17, a transverse extension 26 passing through the guide groove 30 is disposed in the housing 29 of the thrust spring 27; and a closure cap 31 of generally hollow prismatic shape open on one of its faces, the front indicated with reference 37 in Figure 2, engageable to the main body 5 through through openings 34 and fixing projections 35 of which respective and complementary are provided, having the closure cap 31 in its bottom 38, which is the facing face to which it is open, a through hole 36 whose contour corresponds to the cross sections of the fixing portions 21 and cylindrical 20 of the regulating rod 17 , so that it can be slid through with adjustment. The pushing means 18 are adapted so that, as shown in FIG. 4, once the fixing portion 21 of the adjusting rod 17 is placed in its housing 28, the pushing spring 27 in its housing 29, and the closing lid 31 coupled to the main body 5, the thrust spring 27 is arranged to work permanently under compression by supporting one of its ends against the transverse extension of thrust 26 of the regulating rod 17 and its other end against the bottom 38 of the closing lid 31. With this arrangement of the pushing means 18, the regulating rod 17 can be slid in both directions indicated as D and F in Figure 4. In the direction indicated as F, the displacement of the regulating rod 17 puts more compression on the biasing spring 27 by the action of its transverse extension of thrust 26 sliding through the guide groove 30, showing in Figure 5 that position of the regulating rod 17 in which the Push spring 27 is subjected to higher compression. And, in the direction indicated as D, the regulating rod 17 is displaced by the elastic reaction of the thrust spring 27, showing in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 that position of the regulating rod 17 in which it is located more internally in the main body 5.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show how the fixing means 19 comprise: in the fixing portion 21 of the regulating rod 17, an axially disposed fixing groove 24 and a fixing toothing 39; in the main body 5, a fixing through hole 40 which, passing perpendicularly through the housing 28 of the regulating rod 17, is disposed in correspondence with the fixing groove 24; a set screw 41; a fixing washer 42 provided with a fixing toothing 43 in correspondence with the fixing toothing 39 of the fixing portion 21 of the adjusting rod 17; and a fixing nut 44 provided with side knurls 45 included, as shown in Figure 3, in the main body 5, the fixing nut 44 being coaxially arranged with respect to the fixing hole 40, and the fixing nut 44 and the screw being of fastening 41 mutually engageable by threading. The fixing means 19 are adapted so that, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the threading of the fixing screw 41 with the fixing nut 44 is carried out by passing through the fixing screw 41 a recess 46, made in a corresponding side face 47 of the closure cap 31 as shown in Figure 2, the fixing hole 40 of the main body 5, and the fixing groove 24 of the fixing portion 21, the fixing washer 42 being disposed between the fixing screw 41 and the fixing portion 21 and with its fixing toothing 43 facing the fixing toothing 39 of the fixing portion 21. With this arrangement of the fixing means 19, the threading or unscrewing of the fixing screw 41 is determinant of the fixing or release, respectively, of the position of the adjustment rod 17. The threading of the fixing screw 41 causes the coupling or engagement of the fixing teeth 43 and 39 of the fixing washer 42 and of the fixing portion 21 respectively, making it impossible to move the regulating rod 17. And, with the locking teeth 43 and 39 being engaged, the unscrewing of the fixing screw 41 produces the opposite effect, or it is the disengagement of the teeth of fixation 43 and 39 allowing the displacement in both directions of the regulating rod 17.

The mode R_2 of the self-adjusting device according to the invention shown in Figure 7 differs from the embodiment RJ. described above by comprising an additional thrust spring 48, which is disposed in a housing 49 which connects to the housing 28 of the regulating rod 17 by means of a guide groove 50 which is traversed by a thrust extension 51 arranged in the inner end 25 of the regulating rod 17. In view of Figure 7, it follows that said additional biasing spring 48 and other biasing means 49, 50 and 51 are arranged to maintain symmetry with respect to the biasing means 18 of embodiment RJ. It is understood that both embodiments RJ. and R_2 of the self-adjusting device according to the invention differ fundamentally from the existence in the embodiment R2 of the thrust spring 48, the purpose of which is to apply an additional force in the direction indicated as D on the regulating rod 17 in the Figure 4 The operation of the embodiment RJ is described below. of the self-adjusting device for control cable terminals according to the invention, said description being applicable in its entirety to the embodiment R2. Figure 6 shows how the self-adjusting device according to the invention is supplied from origin; in such conditions, the regulating rod 17 protrudes slightly from the main body 5 of the terminal 1 and the pushing spring 27 is expanded, the position of the regulating rod 17 being fixed by the engagement of the fixing teeth 43, 39 of the fixing washer 42 and the fastening portion 21 of the adjusting rod 17 respectively, said engagement being in turn secured by the tightening action of the threaded fixing screw 41 in the fixing nut 44 included in the main body 5 With these arrangements, for the adjustment of the length of the control cable 2, and once the ends 13 and 14 of the cover 4 are fixed to corresponding fixed points 15 and 16 and the end 11 of the steel cable 3 is attached to the mecha- After the change of speed 12, the user needs to carry out the following operations: first, unscrew the fixing screw 41, making it possible to move the regulating rod 1 7 in both directions D and F; then, it has to apply on the main body 5 a force in the direction indicated as D which, overcoming the elastic reaction of the thrust spring 27, causes the displacement of the regulating rod 17 in the direction indicated as F allowing the coupling extension to be joined 6 with the control drive 8; once the coupling extension 6 is joined to the control drive 8 and the action of said force applied by the user ceases, the elastic reaction of the thrust spring 27 causes the displacement of the regulating rod 17 in the direction indicated as D, where such displacement will continue until the elastic reaction of the thrust spring 27 equals the reaction in the opposite direction generated by the encased steel cable portion 3, at which point the length of said sheathed portion 3 is adjusted, 4; finally, to fix the position reached by the regulating rod 17, the user simply has to proceed to the threading of the fixing screw 41 in the nut 44 causing the engagement of the fixing teeth 43 and 39, leaving the control cable 2 arranged in the expected service conditions.

Claims (4)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. - Self-adjusting device for control cable terminals, which is applicable to terminals (1) of push-pull control cables (2) constituted essentially by a sheathed steel cable 3, which terminals (1) essentially consist of a main body (5) in which connection means (7) are coupled to a control drive (8) or its associated mechanism (12), the self-adjusting device comprising, in the main body (5) of the terminal (1), a longitudinal housing (28) open at one of its ends (32) in which a regulating rod (17) is arranged, which can be slid in both directions and that at one of its ends, the outer end (22) that protrudes from the main body (5), is attached to the corresponding end (10) of the steel cable (3), and means (19) that fix the position of the regulating rod (17) with respect to the terminal (1), which is characterized -za because arranged inside the main body (5) there is me thrust god (18) comprising at least one thrust spring (27) that permanently works in compression by supporting one of its ends against the inner end (25) of the regulating rod (17) and its other end against the main body ( 5), so that the regulating rod (17) is permanently subjected to the action of a force directed in the direction from outside to inside.

2. - Self-adjusting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pushing means (18) comprise: - a thrust spring (27); - a longitudinal housing (29) in which the thrust spring (27) is arranged, which housing (29) is arranged parallel to the housing (28) of the regulating rod (17) and is open at its end ( 33) in correspondence with the open end (32) of the housing (28) of the regulating rod (17), both housings (28, 29), the one of the regulating rod (28) and the one of the thrust spring (29) , transversally connected along their entire length by a guide groove (30) originating from the open end (32, 33) of both housings (28, 29); - a closure cap (31) engageable to the main body (5) by respective and complementary fastening means (34, 35), which closure cap (31) comprises a through hole (36) through which it can be slid in both directions the regulating rod (17); - and, at the inner end (25) of the regulating rod (17), a transverse extension of thrust (26) passing through the guide groove (30) is arranged in the housing (29) of the thrust spring (27) , all adapted so that the thrust spring (27) permanently supports one of its ends against the closure cap (31) and its other end against the transverse extension of thrust (26) of the regulating rod (17). .

3. - Self-adjusting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pushing means (18) comprise: - two thrust springs (27, 48); - two longitudinal housings (29, 49) in which a corresponding thrust spring (27, 48) are arranged, which housings (29, 49) are arranged parallel to the housing (28) of the regulating rod (17) and are open at their ends in correspondence with the open end (32) of the housing (28) of the regulating rod (17), each of the housings (29, 49) of the "push" springs (27, 48) being transversely linked along its entire length with the housing (28) of the regulating rod (17) by means of a respective guide groove (30, 50) originating from the open end of the corresponding housings: - a closing cover (31). ) can be coupled to the main body (5) by respective and complementary fastening means (34, 35), which closure cap (31) comprises a through hole (36) through which the piston rod can be deflected in both directions. regulation (17); - and, at the inner end (25) of the regulating rod (17), two transverse thrust extensions (26, 51) passing through a corresponding guide groove (30, 50) are arranged in the housings (29, 49) of the thrust springs (27, 48), all adapted so that each of the thrust springs (27, 48) permanently supports one of its ends against the closure cap (31) and its other end against the corresponding transverse extension of thrust (26, 51) of the regulating rod (17).

4. Self-adjusting device according to claims 1 and 2 or 3, characterized in that the means (19) that fix the position of the regulating rod (17) comprise: - a fixing through hole (40) traversing perpendicularly the housing (28) ) of the regulating rod (17); - in the regulating rod (17), a fixation portion (21) essentially parallel to the epiphysis in which there is a through-fastening groove (24) arranged axially and superimposed on the fixing hole (40), the fixing portion (24) having a fixing toothing (39); - a fixing screw (41), a fixing washer (42) and a fixing nut (44), in which, the fixing washer (42) has a fixing toothing (43) in correspondence with the Toothing (39) of the fixing portion (21), the fixing nut (44) is included in the main body (5) coaxially arranged with respect to the fixing through hole (40), and the nut (44) and the fixing screw (41) are mutually engageable by threading, all adapted so that, the threading of the fixing screw (41) with the fixing nut (44) is carried through the fixing through slot (24), leaving the fixing washer (42) disposed between the fixing screw (41) and the fastening portion (21) with its respective fastening teeth (43, 39) facing each other and with mutual coupling capability. SUMMARIZES This self-adjusting device is applicable to terminals (1) consisting of a main body (5) provided with means for linking to a control drive (8), and comprises a regulation rod (17) partially housed in the main body (5), pushing means (18) comprising at least one thrust spring (27) permanently subjecting the rod (17) to a force directed in the direction from outside to inside, and fixing means (19) comprising , in the regulating rod (17), a fixing portion (21) provided with a fixing groove (24) and a fixing toothing (39), a fixing screw (41) passing through the fixing portion (21). ), a fixing washer (42) provided with a fixing toothing (43) and a fixing nut (44) included in the main body (5). Applicable to the automotive industry.