Patent Application
20080026646
Further details may be obtained from the following description of a non-limiting example of embodiment of the subject of the present invention provided with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
As shown in
At one of the two opposite longitudinal ends, the cable guide/clamp has two teeth 41 projecting outwards and able to form the part of the engagement elements 40 which also comprise a lug 42 resiliently deformable in the longitudinal direction and arranged at the opposite end of the base-piece.
In a preferred embodiment, said lug 42 is integral with a convex body 60, incorporated in the base-piece 10, for protecting an opening 15 suitable for the insertion of a cable 2 so as to allow it to pass through, in the transverse direction, from the outside to the inside and the introduction into a cable clamping device 30 integral with the base-piece 10. As shown in
One of the two uprights of the “U”, i.e. 30a in example shown in the
The other upright 30b of the “U” has a seat 34 in turn extending in the vertical direction, open only at the top and having a cross-section preferably in the form of a “T”.
According to a preferred embodiment of the cable clamp and as shown in
The body 30 of the cable clamp has fastened to it, by means of a thin cord 20a, a wedge-shaped part 20 which has a side 21, on the outside with respect to the position of the cable 2, which is inclined and has a sawtooth profile 21b corresponding to the sawtooth profile 32b of the seat 32.
The inner side 22 of the wedge has in turn a sawtooth profile 22b suitable for engagement with the cable 2 as will emerge more clearly below.
In a preferred embodiment the wedge 20 has a head 23 in which a recessed seat 23a is formed for operation by means of a manual tool.
The head 23 is extended laterally by a T-shaped extension 24 which is suitable for insertion inside the corresponding seat 34 of the upright of the “U”, inside which it is able to slide in the vertical direction Z-Z, preventing, however, the movement of the wedge at least in the transverse direction Y-Y and/or in the longitudinal direction Y-Y.
With the configuration described above, operation of the cable guide/clamp is as follows:
the cable 2 is introduced into the seat 31, causing it to pass through the opening 15 and the protective body 60;
the wedge 20 is introduced into the said seat, causing the head 24 to enter into the corresponding guide seat 34;
as a result the sawtooth profile 21b of the outer side 21 come into contact with the corresponding sawtooth profile 32b of the vertical seat 32; and
the sawteeth 22b come into contact with the cable 2.
A subsequent force can be applied in the vertical direction on the head 23 of the wedge 20 and can have the following effects:
deformation of the cable 2 which assumes a position along a corresponding longitudinal section inside a seat formed by the said ribs 36 projecting inside the seat 31;
a reaction of the cable 2 which pushes the wedge 20 against the wall 32 of the upright 30a so that the respective teeth 32b and 21b engage together causing locking of the wedge;
reaction of the head 24 inside the vertical seat 34 which prevents the rotation of the wedge, keeping it aligned and preventing sticking thereof which would prevent any subsequent further operations, such as, for example, extraction of the wedge, this being possible by inserting a tool inside the seat 23a of the head and suitably operating it so as to move the wedge towards the axis Y-Y until disengagement of the teeth 32b,21b and therefore extraction of the wedge occurs; and
by performing only a slight outward movement of the wedge it is also possible to free the cable for displacement thereof in the longitudinal direction, without the need for complete extraction of the wedge;
Once the cable clamp has been prepared with the associated cable gripped in position, it will be possible to insert the teeth 41 inside the opening 1a;
resulting in contact of the transverse undercuts 11 of the longitudinal sides of the base-piece 10;
and, by pressing the lug 42 of the body 60, obtain engagement of the resilient lug 42 with the wall 1 of the electric household appliance.
As shown in
Only by way of example
Although not shown, it is also envisaged that the wedge of the cable clamp has a symmetrical structure with two outer sides having a respective sawtooth profile; in this configuration the body 10 has an upright 30b, opposite the second outer side, with a sawtooth profile corresponding to the second sawtooth profile of the symmetrical wedge and the head of the wedge is symmetrical and has an internal resilient hinge.
It is envisaged, moreover, that the inner sides of the wedge designed to make contact with the cable have a surface which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction so as to form an edge able to interact with the cable 2.
All the advantages of the cable guide/clamp according to the invention compared to the prior art clearly emerge from the description given above: with the cable guide/clamp it is in fact possible to reduce the overall dimensions of the unit which may consequently also be inserted in seats with a limited rear space.
In addition to this, the engagement between the two sets of teeth of the cable clamp is substantially unaffected by vibrations, this resulting in more stable and lasting gripping of the cable.
The device according to the invention, in addition to facilitating insertion of the cable, may also form the base for supporting the various components necessary for operation of the electric household appliance, allowing the elimination of or reduction in the number of internal wires and operation using simple or a reduced number of connection components of the entire sub-unit already assembled and tested at the time of installation.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| MI2006A 001497 | Jul 2006 | IT | national |
