GB2340315A

GB2340315A - Cable-guide device for taking-up slack

Info

Publication number: GB2340315A
Application number: GB9918412A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Heinz Cikerle; Klaus J Heimbrodt; Marko Polic; Gunther Weikert
Original assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 1998-08-06
Filing date: 1999-08-04
Publication date: 2000-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-04
Also published as: DE19835579C2; ITRM990505A0; GB9918412D0; FR2782201A1; IT1308001B1; ITRM990505A1; DE19835579A1; GB2340315B

Description

2340315 Cable-guide devic The invention relates to a cable-guide device,

particularly but not exclusively, for use on a motor vehicle.

In motor vehicles for example, cable lengths, consisting of electrical, pneumatic and/or hydraulic lines, are laid from the fixed region of a boot into the hinged boot lid. The hinge and pivoting mechanism for boot lids is partly such that the boot lid in the opened state, even at the hinged edge, is at a relatively large distance from the adjoining edge of the fixed boot region. This distance must be bridged by the cable length laid into the boot lid. If the boot lid is closed, the bridging region of the cable length forms a disturbing loop in the boot.

To provide a remedy here is the problem which is the concern of the invention.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for guiding at least one cable and/or tube (hereinafter referred to as a cable length) between a fixed first part and a second part, movable relative to said first part, wherein the device comprises a cable retractor provided on one of the two parts and having the following features a slide mounted in a housing in a longitudinally displaceable manner, openings for an entry and exit of a cable length running in a U-shape through the housing located on an end side of the housing, the end side running perpendicularly to the displacing direction, the cable length, in the region of its U-bend, bearing against a guideway, forming the U-bend, of the slide, the slide being loaded by spring force in its displacing direction in such a way as to tighten the cable length.

The invention is based on the general idea of being able to pull that linear extent of the cable length which is required to bridge an existing distance in the hinged region of the boot lid into a closed cable-guide housing by means of spring force. The device thus constitutes a type of cable retractor.

Expedient developments of the invention are the subject matter of the subclaims.

The device according to the invention is designed in such a way that a defective cable length is simple to replace. Simple in this case means that the cable- 2 guide housing need not be removed. On the contrary, it suffices to open the cable housing and sever a cable bushing. For the abovementioned opening or severing, in each case snap fasteners arc provided on the cable-guide housing and on the cable bushing mounted in the latter.

An embodiment of the invention is now described in more detail below and is shown in the drawing, in which:

Fig. I shows a plan view of a cable-guide housing with a partly indicated cover lid, Fig. 2 shows a front view of the cable-guide housing according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a side view of the cable-guide housing.

A slide 2 is mounted in a plastic housing 1 in a longitudinally displaceable manner. The slide 2 is loaded by spring force by means of compression springs 3. The compression springs 3 are mounted on guide rods 4 and are supported on a front end of the housing 1.

The slide 2 is provided with a groove-shaped guideway, which runs on a circular arc and on which a cable length 6 rests in a slidable manner, the cable length 6 running in a U-shape inside the housing 1. The cable length 6 passes through openings 7 and 8, which are made in an end face of the housing bottom part 1. The cable length 6 is captively fixed in the opening 7 by means which are not shown in the drawing. The cable length 6 is guided in the opening 8 by a cable bushing 9, mounted there in such a way as to be longitudinally displaceable over a limited region, and is longitudinally displaceable in this cable bushing 9.

The compression springs 4 ensure that the slide 2 is pushed into an end position, opposite the openings 7 and 8, in the housing 1. In this state, the cable length 6 is located with a maximum possible linear extent inside the housing 1. If that end of the cable length 6 which projects from the guide bushing 9 is pulled against the pressure of the springs 4, the slide 2 is moved in the direction of the openings 7 and 8. In the process, the cable length 6 slides over the guideway 5 of the slide 2. The radius of curvature of the guideway 5 is selected in such a way that the lines inside the cable length 6 are not damaged by a kinking movement.

To reduce friction between the cable length 6 and the guideway 5, rolling bodies 10 may be attached to the guideway 5.

The housing I can be closed by a lid 11. The closing in this case is effected via snap fasteners 12 distributed over the periphery. The housing of the cable-guide device is fastened to a fixed part via fastening means. The fastening 3 means consist on the one hand of tongues 13 on one end of the housing and a snap fastener 14 on the other end of the housing. With the tongues 13, the housing is pushed into receptacles on the fixed part. In this pushed- in state, a snap fastener 14, which is attached to the other end of the housing 1, is then fixed to the fixed part. The housing I is then securely fastened to the fixed part. In this state, the cable length 6 can be pulled out of the cable-guide housing I through the guide bushing 9 while the springs 4 are loaded. If a tensile force acting on that end of the cable length 6 which projects from the cable bushing 9 is removed, the slide 2 pulls the cable length 6 into the housing 1.

In a use of the cable-guide device described on the boot of a motor vehicle in order to guide a cable length 6 there in the boot lid, the housing is attached in the tail region of the vehicle under the parcel shelf by means of the fasteners 13 and 14. From the interior of the boot, the cable-guide housing 1 is covered by a boot lining. The cable bushing 9 leads from the housing I through the cover (not shown), to which the cable bushing 9 is fastened. The fastening is effected by the cable bushing engaging in a recess of the cover via a type of tongue-and-groove guide. Since the distance of the cover, to which the cable bushing 9 is fastened, from the housing 1, which is firmly mounted below the parcel shelf, has relatively large production tolerances, the cable bushing 9 is mounted so as to be displaceable inside the opening 8 of the housing 1. However, end stops 15 are provided in the housing I for the displaceability. Catch lugs 16 of the cable bushing 9 interact with these end stops 15. In the installed state, the position of the cable bushing 9 in the example of use described is determined by the fastening to the cover. When the boot lid is opened, the cable length is pulled out of the cable-guide housing I through the bushing 9. When the boot lid is closed, the cable length withdraws into the housing on account of the tensile force emanating from the slide 2. In the application described above, exchange of the cable length 6 is possible in a simple manner without detaching the housing 1. Only the lid 11 is to be removed by opening the snap fasteners 12. The cable bushing 9 can easily be taken out of the opening 8 in which it is mounted. The cable bushing 9 itself is divided in two in the longitudinal direction, the two parts being connected to one another via catch fasteners 17. The cable bushing 9 can be removed from the cable length 6 by opening these catch fasteners 17.

4 The cable-guide device according to the embodiment can be made with an extremely small overall height, a factor which is extremely advantageous during use as a cable retractor on the boot of a vehicle.

The snap fastener 14 with which the housing I is fastened to a fixed part may be designed as a snap ring in such a way that a screw can be passed through the latter and may in turn be used for the fastening of further functional parts.

Claims

1. A device for guiding at least one cable and/or tube (hereinafter referred to as a cable length) between a fixed first part and a second part, movable relative to said first part, wherein the device comprises a cable retractor provided on one of the two parts and having the following features a slide mounted in a housing in a longitudinally displaceable manner, openings for an entry and exit of a cable length running in a U-shape through the housing located on an end side of the housing, the end side running perpendicularly to the displacing direction, the cable length, in the region of its U-bend, bearing against a guideway, forming the U-bend, of the slide, the slide being loaded by spring force in its displacing direction in such a way as to tighten the cable length.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the spring-force loading of the slide is exerted by at least one compression spring secured in position between the slide and the housing.

3. A device according to Claim I or 2, wherein - the device is adapted to guide a cable length laid from a boot of a vehicle to the associated boot lid and is mounted on the body side in such a way as to be concealed by a boot lining, a cable bushing is inserted in the housing opening, from which the cable length is guided to the boot lid, in such a way as to be longitudinally displaceable between end stops, the cable bushing has fixing means, predetermined in a positionally defined manner, for arresting on a mounting region of a boot lining.

4. A device according to Claim 3, wherein the cable bushing is of split design for opening in the longitudinal direction.

6

5. A device according to Claim 4, wherein the regions of the cable bushing which are of split design have catch fasteners for a releasable mutual connection.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is fastened on the body side by a combination of a sliding-fit and snap fastener, the closing direction of snap fastener and sliding fastener running at right angles to one another.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the snap fastener is secured against opening by a screw serving to fasten flu- ther functional parts.

8. A device for guiding at least one cable and/or tube, substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.