JP3132735B2 - Cable end connection structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a male end block fixed to one connecting end of two cables and a female end block fixed to a female end block fixed to the connecting end of the other cable. And a cable fitting groove opening in the outer peripheral surface and the distal end surface of the female end block, and connecting the male end block and the connecting end of the other cable to the female end block. The present invention relates to a cable end connecting structure in which the connecting ends of two cables are connected by approaching from the outer peripheral side of the cable and fitting them into a block fitting hole and a cable fitting groove, respectively.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a cable end connection structure as described above, in order to prevent two connected cables from being disconnected, it is necessary to prevent a male end block from coming out of a block fitting hole of a female end block. Measures are taken to prevent it.

[0003] As means for preventing the male end block from coming off, conventionally, after fitting the male end block into the block fitting hole, a cylindrical cap is externally fitted to the female end block. Has been used to close the opening of the block fitting hole, thereby preventing the male end block from coming out of the block fitting hole.

[0004]

However, according to the above-mentioned method, if the cap is not externally fitted to the female end block due to an operator's mistake, or if the cap is not securely fitted to the female end block, the cap is disconnected after the connecting operation. An accident occurred, and there was a risk that the male end block would fall out of the block fitting hole.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems As means for solving the above problems, a cable end connecting structure according to the present invention comprises:
A flange is formed on the outer periphery on the distal end side of the female end block, and a locking ring is fitted in a flange shape on the outer periphery on the proximal end side.
A compression coil spring composed of a coarsely wound coil portion having a large spiral pitch and a densely wound coil portion having a small spiral pitch formed by spirally winding a single wire is externally fitted to the female end block and compressed. With the elastic expansion force of the coil spring, the end of the coarsely wound coil portion abuts on the locking ring and the end of the closely wound coil portion abuts on the flange, so that the closely wound coil portion closes the opening of the block fitting hole. It was configured to cover.

[0006]

According to the present invention, when connecting two cables, a compression coil spring is fitted to the female end block and a locking ring is fitted to the female end block.
An operator moves the densely wound coil portion away from the flange portion and moves to the proximal end side while shortening the entire length of the compression coil spring by elastically deforming the coarsely wound coil portion, and moving the compressed coil spring to a shorter length. The spring is moved toward the proximal end to hold the spring pressed against the locking ring.

Thus, the opening of the block fitting hole and the opening of the cable fitting groove on the outer peripheral surface of the female end block are opened. In this state, the male end block and the connecting end of the cable are connected. The female end block is fitted into the block fitting hole and the cable fitting groove from the opening on the outer peripheral surface of the female end block.

[0008] Thereafter, it is sufficient to release the hand from the compression coil spring which has been elastically contracted and brought to the base end side. The compression coil spring extends the coarsely wound coil portion by its restoring elasticity to reduce the overall length. As a result, the close-wound coil moves to the distal end side and closes the opening of the block fitting hole. This prevents the male end block from falling out of the block fitting hole, and the two cables are inseparably connected.

As described in connection with the above operation, the cable end connecting structure of the present invention closes the opening of the block fitting hole by utilizing the restoring elasticity of the compression coil spring. Unlike the prior art, there is no danger that the opening of the block fitting hole will not be closed due to an operator's error, and it is possible to reliably prevent the male end block from falling out of the block fitting hole. effective.

When the male end block is fitted into the block fitting hole and when the opening of the block fitting hole is closed, the operation of expanding and contracting the compression coil spring is performed manually by an operator without using a tool. Therefore, there is an effect that the connecting operation is facilitated.

Further, since the opening of the block fitting hole is closed by the close-wound coil portion constituting the compression coil spring, another member for closing the block fitting hole besides the compression coil spring. Therefore, there is an effect that the number of parts does not need to be increased.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Of the two cables 1a and 1b to be connected, a male end block 2 is fixed to the connection end of one of the cables 1a. The male end block 2 has a cylindrical shape, and is formed by casting such that the cable 1a projects at a right angle from a central position in the longitudinal direction of the outer peripheral surface.

A female end block 3 is fixed to the connection end of the other cable 1b of the two cables 1a and 1b. The female end block 3 has a cylindrical shape whose diameter is larger than the length of the male end block 2 and is cast and formed so that the cable 1b projects concentrically from the proximal end surface. Things.

At the tip of the female end block 3, a block fitting hole 4 having a circular shape whose inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the male end block 2 is formed in the longitudinal direction of the female end block 3. It is formed in a state where it penetrates at right angles to the outer peripheral surface and both ends are opened.

Similarly, at the tip of the female end block 3, a cable fitting groove 5 whose width is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cable 1a and is elongated in the same direction as the length direction of the female end block 3 is provided. The female end block 3 is cut from the outer peripheral surface of the female end block 3 to its center position.
The opening is formed on the front end surface, the outer peripheral surface, and the inner peripheral surface of the block fitting hole 4.

A concentric flange 6 is formed on the outer periphery of the distal end of the female end block 3, and a C-shaped engaging ring 8 is formed in an engaging groove 7 formed on the outer periphery of the base end. It is designed to be fitted in a collar shape.

A compression coil spring 10 is mounted on the outer periphery of the female end block 3. The compression coil spring 10 includes a tightly wound coil portion 11 formed by tightly spirally winding a single wire from one end thereof over a predetermined length, and spirally winding the remaining portion of the wire with a large pitch. By doing so, it is composed of the densely wound coil portion 11 and the roughly wound coil portion 12 formed continuously.

Closely wound coil section 11 and coarsely wound coil section 12
The inner diameter of the coil is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the female end block 3, and can be freely slid in the length direction when fitted externally to the female end block 3. It is like that.

The coil length dimension X of the tightly wound coil portion 11 is from the proximal end surface of the flange portion 6 of the female end block 3 to the most proximal edge of the opening 4a of the block fitting hole 4. It is larger than the length dimension Y.

The overall length of the coil of the compression coil spring 10 in the free state is determined by the distal end of the locking ring 8 fitted in the locking groove 7 from the base end face of the flange 6 of the female end block 3. It is larger than the length to the side end surface.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. When connecting the two cables 1a and 1b, first, the compression coil spring 10 is externally fitted to the female end block 3 with the close-wound coil portion 11 facing the distal end, and the compression coil The locking ring 8 is fitted into the locking groove 7 in a state where the coarsely wound coil portion 12 of the spring 10 is contracted against elasticity. The compression coil spring 10 has a contracted coarse coil portion 12
The end of the densely wound coil portion 11 is brought into contact with the flange portion 6 by the elastic expansion force, and the end of the coarsely wound coil portion 12 is kept in contact with the locking ring 8.

Next, the operator grips the tightly wound coil portion 11 of the compression coil spring 10 by hand and contracts the coarsely wound coil portion 12 from the distal end side of the female end block 3 while contracting the coarsely wound coil portion 12. 1B, the opening 4a of the block fitting hole 4 and the opening of the cable fitting groove 5 on the outer peripheral surface of the female end block 3 are held in an open state as shown in FIG. deep.

In this state, the male end block 2 is brought closer to the female end block 3 from the outer peripheral surface side and fitted into the block fitting hole 4, and the connecting end of the cable 1a is inserted into the cable fitting groove 5. To fit. Thereafter, the operator moves the close-wound coil unit 1 moved to the base end side.
Let go of 1

The close-wound coil portion 11 from which the operator has released his hand
Moves from the proximal end to the distal end in accordance with the elastic expansion force of the coarsely wound coil portion 12 and abuts against the flange portion 6, and as shown in FIG. And, it is held in a state where a part of the opening of the cable fitting groove 5 is closed. This prevents the male end block 2 from coming out of the block fitting hole 4 in a state where the two cables 1a, 1a
b is connected.

As described above, the operation of closing the opening 4a of the block fitting hole 4 after the male end block 2 is fitted in the connecting operation is automatically performed by the elastic expansion force of the compression coil spring 10. Done. Therefore, the connection operation is completed with the opening 4a of the block fitting hole 4 being opened due to an operator's mistake or after the connection operation, the block fitting hole 4 is closed.
There is no danger that the opening 4a of the male end block will be opened, and the male end block 2 is reliably prevented from being pulled out of the block fitting hole 4.

In the present embodiment, the close-wound coil 11
Has been described by tightly winding the element wires, but the tightly wound coil portion is not limited to the tightly wound coil part, and may have a slight gap between adjacent elements in the coil length direction. It may be formed by spirally winding with a pitch.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a partially cutaway side view showing a state in which two cables are connected.

FIG. 1 (B) is a partially cutaway side view showing an operation of fitting a male end block into a female end block.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 1b: Cable 2: Male end block 3:
Female end block 4: Block fitting hole 4a: Opening (of block fitting hole) 5: Cable fitting groove 6: Flange 8: Locking ring 10: Compression coil spring 1
1: Closely wound coil section 12: Coarsely wound coil section

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F16C 1/00-1/28

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A male end block is fixed to one connecting end of two cables, and a female end block fixed to a connecting end of the other cable is opened in an outer peripheral surface of the female end block. And a cable fitting groove opening in the outer peripheral surface and the distal end surface of the female end block, and connecting the male end block and the connecting end of the other cable to the outer periphery of the female end block. A cable end connecting structure for connecting the connecting ends of the two cables by fitting them into the block fitting hole and the cable fitting groove by approaching each other from the side, A flange is formed on the outer periphery on the distal end side of the block and a locking ring is fitted in a flange shape on the outer periphery on the proximal end side, and one screw is formed by spirally winding one element wire. A compression coil spring composed of a coarsely wound coil part having a large pitch and a closely wound coil part having a small spiral pitch is externally fitted to the female end block, and the compression coil spring is elastically expanded by the compression coil spring. The tightly wound coil portion covers the opening of the block fitting hole in a state where an end portion abuts on the locking ring and an end portion of the closely wound coil portion abuts on the flange portion. Cable end connection structure.