Patent Application
20180363693
The present invention relates to a technique for a fixing structure which fixes a terminal member to an end portion of a cylindrical member.
Techniques for fixing terminal members to end portions of cylindrical members have been publicly known. For example, in a control cable, for the purpose of providing an attachment section to a bracket, a terminal member is fixed to an end portion of an outer casing, which is one form of a cylindrical member. In this fixing structure, a fixing structure by swaging has been publicly known as disclosed, for example, in Patent Literature (hereinafter, referred to as “PTL” 1).
In the fixing structure in which a terminal member is fixed to an end portion of an outer casing, there is a concern that sliding resistance of an inner cable which is inserted through an insertion hole inside the outer casing may increase because the outer casing may deform in shape by swaging in a case where the terminal member is fixed to the end portion of the outer casing by swaging. For this reason, manufacturing processes need to be carefully performed, and thus, there is a problem in manufacturing workability.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an easily-manufacturable fixing structure for fixing structures which fix terminal members to end portions of cylindrical members.
A fixing structure of the present invention includes a cylindrical member in which at least an end portion is hollow, a terminal member attached to the end portion, and a plurality of fixing portions extending from an outer side of the terminal member to the cylindrical member. The fixing portions extend in a direction intersecting a thickness direction of thickness of the cylindrical member and the fixing portions are provided on one side and another side of a width direction of the cylindrical member.
According to a fixing structure of the present invention, because the need for performing accuracy management as strictly as heretofore during manufacturing operations is eliminated, and the fixing structure can be easily manufactured.
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, an overall configuration of a fixing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described using
The fixing structure according to the present embodiment is a structure which fixes a terminal member to an end portion of a cylindrical member and in which the terminal member is attached so as to cover the end portion of the cylindrical member and fixed.
The fixing structure according to the present embodiment is used in control cable 1. Note that, the fixing structure is not limited to use in control cable 1, and for example, is also used in a structure for fixing a member that seals an end portion of a cylindrical member. Control cable 1 according to the present embodiment includes inner cable 10, outer casing 2, outer cap 3, and fixing portions 5.
The fixing structure in the present embodiment includes a cylindrical member in which at least an end portion is hollow, and a terminal member attached to the end portion, and the fixing structure includes a plurality of fixing portions extending from an outer side of the terminal member to the cylindrical member.
Next, a description of the fixing structure according to the present embodiment will be given with reference to
The terminal member is a member attached to the end portion of the cylindrical member, and in this embodiment, as illustrated in
The fixing portions are portions which extend from an outer side of the terminal member to the cylindrical member and fix the terminal member to be relatively immovable from the cylindrical member. Fixing portion 5, which is a fixing portion in this embodiment, is formed with hole portion 5A and hard member 5B which fills hole portion 5A. Hole portion 5A extends from an outer peripheral surface of outer cap 3, which is the the terminal member, to outer casing 2, which is the cylindrical member, as described later. Outer cap 3 and outer casing 2 are fixed so as to be relatively immovable by a plurality of fixing portions. The outer side of the terminal member is not particularly limited as long as it is a region of the outer side of the terminal member and a fixing portion which extends from the outer side of the terminal member to the cylindrical portion can be formed. Moreover, the term “fixing portion extends to the cylindrical member” means that the fixing portion is formed in the terminal member and part of the cylindrical member. Note that, hole portion 5A is a blind hole and does not reach the insertion passage through which inner cable 10 is inserted. Note that, the term “outer side of the terminal member” refers to a direction of the terminal member with respect to a side of the cylindrical member and does not necessarily mean an outer surface of the terminal member or a space outside the terminal member.
The fixing portions extend in a direction intersecting a thickness direction of thickness of the cylindrical member. At least one of the plurality of fixing portions may be provided on one side of a width direction of the cylindrical member and at least another one of the plurality of fixing portions may be provided on the other side thereof. In this embodiment, fixing portions 5 extend in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the thickness of outer casing 2 and at least one fixing portion 5 is provided on one side and the other side of the width direction of outer casing 2. More specifically, a plurality of fixing portions 5 are provided. The term “direction intersecting a thickness direction of thickness of outer casing 2” herein means direction v1 which is a direction formed by tilting, at angle θ (0°<θ<90°) with respect to direction v3, in a case where outer casing 2 is a cylindrical member with annular cross-section, as illustrated in
The fixing portions may be configured such that a direction in which at least one of the fixing portions extends is substantially parallel to the axis line passing through the center of a horizontal cross-section of the cylindrical member or such that the fixing portions extend mutually in the same direction and parallel to each other. In this embodiment, as illustrated in
The fixing portions can be each formed with a hole portion extending from an outer peripheral surface of the terminal member toward the cylindrical member, and a hard member having entered an outer periphery of the cylindrical member from the terminal member to the cylindrical member. The hole portion extending from the outer peripheral surface of the terminal member toward the cylindrical member can be the hole portion extending from the cylindrical member to the terminal member, and the hard member having entered the cylindrical member from the terminal member can be the hard member which fills the hole portion. In this embodiment, fixing portions 5 are formed with hole portion 5A and hard member 5B which has a cylindrical shape. Hard member 5B fills hole portion 5A such that hard member 5B fills the region from through hole 5A1 to recess 5A2. Hole portion 5A includes through hole 5A1 which extends from an outer peripheral surface of outer cap 3 to inner-diameter portion 3A, and recess 5A2 which is provided in an outer peripheral surface of outer casing 2. In this embodiment, hole portion 5A is formed with through hole 5A1 which opens from an outer peripheral surface of outer cap 3 to an inner peripheral surface thereof and recess 5A2. Recess 5A2 is generated by deformation of a part of third layer 21C of outer casing 2 by hard member 5B as described later. For hole portion 5A, through hole 5A1 and recess 5A2 may be formed individually or integrally. Moreover, the configuration of the fixing portion is not limited to the present embodiment as long as the fixing portion is configured to extend from an outer side of the terminal member to the cylindrical member and to fix the terminal member relatively immovable from the cylindrical member. For example, a configuration may be employed in which a hole is filled with an adhesive.
Hole portions 5A are provided so as to communicate with outer casing 2 through outer cap 3. Hole portions 5A is extending in a direction intersecting a thickness direction of thickness of outer casing 2, and are provided on one side and the other side of the width direction of outer casing 2. Hole portions 5A are provided in four positions, upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right positions in a horizontal cross-sectional view as illustrated in
Hard members 5B are members which fill hole portions 5A, and in this embodiment, hard member 5B is formed in a cylindrical shape having a diameter larger than a diameter of hole portion 5A. Hard member 5B is composed of a material having a higher degree of hardness than a synthetic resin forming outer casing 2. Examples of the materials having a higher degree of hardness than the synthetic resin forming outer casing 2 include: (1) a resin which is a synthetic resin of the same type as the synthetic resin forming outer casing 2 and outer cap 3 and which has a higher density than the synthetic resin forming outer casing 2 and outer cap 3; (2) a resin which is a synthetic resin of a different type from the synthetic resin forming outer casing 2 and which has a high rapture strength; and (3) a material of a different type having a higher degree of hardness than a synthetic resin (such as metal). Note that, the quality of the material of the hard member is not particularly limited, and for example, a metal or resin can be used to form the hard member, and can be appropriately selected depending on a load to be applied to outer casing 2 and outer cap 3. Moreover, a pin may be pushed into outer cap 3 from an outer peripheral surface of outer cap 3, and thus, the resin material of outer cap 3 is compressed and the rapture strength increases, and the compressed resin material is then wedged into outer casing 2 from outer cap 3, and thus it is made possible to bear the load which applies to outer casing 2 and outer cap 3.
Next, an example of a method for forming a fixing structure which fixes outer cap 3 to outer casing 2, using fixing portions 5, will be described using
Moreover, a clearance is provided between inner cable 10 and outer casing 2, and also between an outer peripheral surface of inner cable 10 and an inner peripheral surface of small-diameter portion 3C. With this configuration, inner cable 10 can reciprocate inside outer casing 2 and inside small-diameter portion 3C of outer cap 3.
Next, hard members 5B are inserted into through holes 5A1 from the outer peripheral surface of outer cap 3. More specifically, a cross-sectional diameter of each hard member 5B is larger than a hole diameter of through hole 5A1, and thus, hard member 5B is press-fitted into through hole 5A1. In this embodiment, through holes 5A1 are provided in eight positions, and hard members 5B are press-fitted into through holes 5A1, respectively. In a cross-sectional view illustrated in
When press-fitting of each hard member 5B is continued, a leading end of hard member 5B reaches first layer 21A of outer casing 2. When the press-fitting of hard member 5B is further continued, hard member 5B is wedged into first layer 21A. Thus, recess 5A2 described above is formed in first layer 21A, and thus, hole portion 5A is formed, and hard member 5B serves as a wedge between first layer 21A of outer casing 2 and outer cap 3. Thereby, outer cap 3 is fixed to be relatively immovable with respect to outer casing 2.
As described above, in the fixing structure according to the present embodiment, fixing portions 5 are provided so as to extend in a direction intersecting a thickness direction of the thickness of outer casing 2 and are also provided on one side and another side of the width direction of outer casing 2. Thus, outer casing 2 can be held by both fixing portions 5 in the fixing structure according to the present embodiment even when a wedged amount of hard member 5B is reduced, as compared with a case where a fixing portion is provided so as to extend in a thickness direction of the thickness of outer casing 2 (provided such that hard member 5B is press-fitted in a direction orthogonal to the tangent line of the outer peripheral surface) as in the related art. Accordingly, since the wedged amount of hard member 5B can be small, deformation of the shape of outer casing 2 by swaging can be suppressed. Consequently, it is made possible to prevent a decrease in the sliding resistance of inner cable 10 and to eliminate the need for performing accuracy management as strictly as heretofore, and this makes possible easy manufacturing.
Moreover, as illustrated in
Hole portions 5A and hard members 5B which fill hole portions 5A are provided substantially parallel to axis line L1 passing through the center of a horizontal cross-section of outer casing 2. The direction which is substantially parallel to axis line L1 is a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of outer casing 2, and is capable of receiving a force of forward movement of outer casing 3 and also a force of backward movement thereof. Thus, movement of outer cap 3 in a direction in which outer cap 3 separates from end portion 2A of outer casing 2 is suppressed, and the strength against separation is improved.
Moreover, since hole portions 5A and hard members 5B which fill hole portions 5A extend mutually in the same direction and parallel to each other, the force of forward movement of outer cap 3 and the force of backward movement thereof can be received by a larger number of fixing portions 5. Thus, the movement of outer cap 3 in the direction in which outer cap 3 separates from end portion 2A of outer casing 2 is suppressed, and the strength against separation is improved. Moreover, since hole portions 5A and hard members 5B which fill hole portions 5A extend mutually in the same direction and parallel to each other, the directions in which hard members 5B are press-fitted also become identical and parallel to each other. Thus the need for turning outer casing 2 and outer cap 3 is eliminated when hard members 5B are press-fitted. With this configuration, one operation process can be omitted as compared with a fixing structure in which the hard members are press-fitted in the direction orthogonal to the tangent line of the outer peripheral surface and a plurality of fixing portions are not present in a coaxial direction, and as a result, easy manufacturing is made possible.
As described above, the fixing structure according to the present embodiment includes outer casing 2 in which at least end portion 2A is hollow, and outer cap 3 which is attached to end portion 2A, and also includes a plurality of fixing portions 5 which extend from an outer side of outer cap 3 to outer casing 2. Fixing portions 5 extend in a direction intersecting a thickness direction of thickness of outer casing 2 and are provided on one side and another side of a width direction of outer casing 2. With this configuration, since the volume of outer casing 2 in contact with hard members 5B becomes large, accuracy required for press-fitting decreases, and thus, easy manufacturing is made possible.
Furthermore, fixing portions 5 are formed with hole portion 5A which passes through outer casing 2 and outer cap 3, and hard member 5B which fills hole portion 5A.
Moreover, the direction in which at least one of fixing portions 5 extends is substantially parallel to axis line L1 passing through the center of a horizontal cross-section of outer casing 2. With this configuration, the movement of outer cap 3 in the direction in which outer cap 3 separates from end portion 2A of outer casing 2 is suppressed, and thus, the strength against separation is improved.
<Variation>
A description about a variation of the fixing structure of the present invention will be given. Major differences between a fixing structure according to this variation and the fixing structure described above are the configuration of a fixing portion and the method for forming the fixing portion. More specifically, the major changes are described below, (1) an outer cap without a through hole is used and (2) a fixing portion is used, which is formed by causing a hard member to enter an outer periphery of the cylindrical member from the terminal member to the cylindrical member by causing the surface of the outer cap to deform by pushing the surface thereof with a needle-like member. Other changes are similar to the fixing structure according to the embodiment described above except for the points mentioned herein. Accordingly, while the description of the same points is omitted, the method for forming the fixing structure will be described together with the configuration of the fixing portion.
The method for forming the fixing structure will be described, first. As in the case described above, an end portion of an outer casing is inserted through an inner-diameter portion of an outer cap. Subsequently, as described above, a needle-like member which is harder than the outer cap is pushed at a predetermined position of an outer peripheral surface of the outer cap. The position pushed by the needle-like member is a position where the fixing portion is desirably formed, and is the position similar to the position where through hole 5A1 is formed in the above embodiment. The pushing direction of the needle-like member is also similar to the direction in which through hole 5A1 described above extends.
When pushing of the outer cap by the needle-like member is started, the pushed region of the outer cap deforms, and a hole portion along the needle-like member is formed. Meanwhile, the synthetic resin which has been present in the position where the hole portion is formed is compressed and pushed out in a moving direction of the needle-like member, and thus, a protrusion protruding from an inner peripheral surface of the outer cap in the pushing direction of the needle-like member is formed. The protrusion is wedged into the outer casing in the direction in which the hole portion extends from the outer surface of the outer casing. Thus, the depression mentioned above is formed in the surface of the outer casing and the protrusion which is harder than the outer casing enters the outer periphery of the outer casing and thus becomes as a wedge between the outer casing and the outer cap. As described above, the outer cap is fixed to be relatively immovable with respect to the outer casing because the hard member enters the outer periphery of the outer casing from the outer cap. Note that, the pushing amount of the needle-like member is adjusted such that the protrusion protrudes, so as not to pass through the outer cap and such that the fixing of the outer casing and the outer cap by the fixing portion has a practical strength. Moreover, as long as a desired protrusion is obtainable, the shape, diameter, and the degree of hardness of the needle-like member are appropriately selectable, and the leading end of the needle-like member does not have to be sharp. Note that, in the embodiment described above, the fixing structure of this variation is practically the same in terms of meaning as a structure which a hard member is inserted into the hole portion that is above described through hole, and which a recess that is provided in an outer peripheral surface of the above described outer casing is filled by the hard member. The hard member used here has a length shorter than the depth of the above described hole portion and has a circumferential directional shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of the hole portion described above and is formed with a compressed member which is formed of the same material as the outer cap described above.
The fixing structure of this variation is a fixing structure which includes a cylindrical member in which at least an end portion is hollow, and a terminal member attached to the end portion, and also includes a plurality of fixing portions extending from an outer side of the terminal member to the cylindrical member. In this structure, the fixing portions extend in a direction intersecting a thickness direction of thickness of the cylindrical member and are provided on one side and another side of a width direction of the cylindrical member, and the fixing portions protrude from an inner peripheral surface of the terminal member by deformation of the terminal member and are protrusions wedged into the cylindrical member.
As described above, in this variation, manufacturing is easy because the fixing portions are each formed by compressing the terminal member in a spot, and manufacturability is favorable because there is no need to use a member other than the terminal member and the cylindrical member.
In this variation, as a material of the outer casing, a material having toughness, such as a nylon resin may be used in order to suppress breakage of the outer cap during pushing with the needle-like member. Note that, in this variation, the strength of the protrusions is improved by compressing a material forming the outer cap, but in a case where the strength of the outer cap is high enough, for example a resin in which fine glass members are dispersed is used, the material forming the outer cap does not have to be compressed.
As described above, in this variation, manufacturing is easy because the fixing portions are each formed by compressing the terminal member in a spot, and manufacturability is favorable because there is no need to use a member other than the terminal member and the cylindrical member.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-130467 | Jun 2015 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2016/069146 | 6/28/2016 | WO | 00 |
