United States Patent [191
`Hall
`
`illlllllllllllIllllllllllll|||l|lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll|l|||ll|
`5,596,908
`Jan. 28, 1997
`
`USOO5596908A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`[54] LOCK FOR SLIDE AND LOCK L-ARM
`
`Inventor: Michael Hall1 oftonville,
`
`[73] Assigneez Tele?ex Incorporated’ Plymouth
`Meeting, Pa_
`
`8/1988 Spease .
`4,763,541
`5/1989 Suzuki ................................. .. 74/502.4
`4,829,845
`8/1990 Niskanen ............................. .. 74502.4
`4,951,524
`5,272,934 12/1993 Chegash et a1..
`5,280,733
`1/1994 Reasoner ...... ..
`5,461,938 10/1995 Frollng et a1. . . . . .
`
`74/502 4
`. . . . .. 74/502 4
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 519,775
`[22] Filed:
`Aug. 28’ 1995
`
`[51] Int. Cl.6 ............................. ., F16C 1/14; F16G 11/00
`[52] U.S. Cl.' .................... .. 74/502.4; 24/702; 24/589
`[58] Field of Search ..................... .. 7415024, 502.6;
`243/56, 71, 2243; 403/243’ 260; 24/702,
`V
`589
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`Primary Examiner-Charles A. Marmor
`Assistant Examiner-Mary Ann Battista
`Attorney, Agent, or Flrm—Howard & Howard
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`The remote control assembly (10) includes a ?tting (16)
`characterized by a U-shaped lock (40) supported on the
`?tting (16) for movement between an unlocked position, to
`allow movement of the L-shaped arm (32) to a de?ected
`position, and a locked position, to prevent the projection
`(34) on the L-shaped arm (32) from moving out of gripping
`engagement with the hole (38) in the bulkhead.
`
`4,339,213
`
`7/1982 Gilmore ........................... .. 74/502.4 X
`
`14 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`CATERPILLAR EXHIBIT 1007
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`Page 1 of 7
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`US. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 1997
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`Sheet 1 of 3
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`5,596,908
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`30
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`Page 2 of 7
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`US. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 1997
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`Sheet 2 of 3
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`5,596,908
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`Page 3 of 7
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`US. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 1997
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`Sheet 3 of 3
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`5,596,908
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`FIG-7
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`Page 4 of 7
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`5,596,908
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`1
`LOCK FOR SLIDE AND LOCK L-ARM
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`The subject invention relates to a motion transmitting
`remote control assembly of the type for transmitting motion
`in a curved path by a ?exible motion transmitting core
`element movably supported in a guide such as a conduit.
`More speci?cally, the invention relates to a guide including
`an end ?tting and a conduit wherein the end ?tting is
`retained in a U-shaped seat in a bulkhead.
`
`BACKGROUND ART
`
`Prior art remote control assemblies have included a con
`duit supported in a U-shaped seat in a bulkhead by a ferrule
`or support ?tting. Such a ?tting have also included an
`extension or L-shaped arm with a projection at the distal end
`for snapping into a hole in the bulkhead to retain the ?tting
`in the U-shaped seat. Such an assembly is disclosed in US
`20
`Pat. No. 4,763,541 to Spease and assigned to the assignee of
`the subject invention. An improvement, also assigned to the
`assignee hereof, is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 5,272,934 to
`Chegash et al, wherein there is a back stop to limit the
`?exing movement of the L-shaped arm thereby preventing
`excess bending and/or breaking of the L-shaped arm. In
`some environments, however, the L-arm undesirably ?exes
`out of engagement with the hole in the bulkhead, allowing
`removal of the ?tting from the U~shaped seat. In yet other
`assemblies, a separate lock or a lock tethered to the assembly
`are utilized but are susceptible to inadvertent detachment
`and loss during shipping.
`
`25
`
`30
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`A motion transmitting remote control assembly of the
`type for transmitting forces along a curved path by a motion
`transmitting core element movably supported by a guide
`means having ?rst and second ends and a bore therethrough
`de?ning a ?rst axis for extending through and supported in
`a substantially the U-shaped seat in a bulkhead. An abutment
`means positions the guide means in the U-shaped seat and a
`gripping means is disposed laterally from the abutment
`means and from the guide means for gripping engagement
`with the bulkhead to prevent the guide means from moving
`out of the U-shaped seat, the gripping means being movable
`to a de?ected position out of gripping engagement with the
`bulkhead for installation of the abutment means into the
`U-shaped seat. The assembly is characterized by a lock
`slidably supported on the guide means for movement
`between an unlocked position to allow movement of the
`gripping means to the de?ected position, and a locked
`position to prevent the gripping means from moving ‘out of
`gripping engagement with the bulkhead.
`
`BRIEFI DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Other advantages of the present invention will become
`readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood
`by reference to the following detailed description when
`considered in connection with the accompanying drawings
`wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred
`embodiment of the subject invention;
`FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but shown
`supported in a U-shaped seat in a bulkhead, which is shown
`in phantom;
`
`35
`
`40
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`50
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`55
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`65
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`2
`FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 in the
`assembled and unlocked position;
`FIG. 4 is a top view like FIG. 3 but showing the preferred
`embodiment in the locked position;
`FIG. 5 is a perspective view‘from a different angle
`showing the preferred embodiment in the pre-assembled
`position;
`FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along
`line 6——6 of FIG. 3 showing the unlocked position; and
`FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along
`line 7——7 of FIG. 4 showing the locked position.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`
`A motion transmitting remote control assembly is gener
`ally shown at 10 and is of the type for transmitting forces
`along a curved path by a motion transmitting core element
`12. The core element 12 is movably supported in a conduit
`14, the conduit 14 being of the type well known in the art
`comprising an inner tubular plastic member surrounded by
`long lay wires and an outer extruded plastic casing. A ?tting,
`generally indicated at 16, and of rigid plastic material, is
`disposed on the conduit 14 for being supported in a
`U-shaped seat 18 in a bulkhead 20. The conduit 14 and the
`?tting 16 comprise a guide means having ?rst and second
`ends and a bore therethrough de?ning a ?rst axis for
`extending through the U-shaped seat 18. The core element
`12 is slidably supported in the bore in the guide means for
`transmitting motion between the ends of the guide means.
`The ?tting 16 includes abutment means for positioning
`said guide means in the U-shaped seat 18. The abutment
`means includes inner 22 and outer 24 spaced ?anges for
`abutting engagement with the bulkhead 20 therebetween to
`prevent axial movement of the ?tting 16 of the guide means
`relative to the bulkhead 20. The ?anges 22 and 24 are
`interconnected by center web 26 which seats against the
`edge or sides of the U-shaped seat 18 as inner 22 and outer
`24 ?anges sandwich the bulkhead therebetween. A guide
`web 28 extends from the bottom of the center web 26 and
`between the inner and outer ?anges 22 and 24 for sliding
`insertion into the notch 30 in the bottom of the U-shaped seat
`18 to further retain the ?tting 16 seated in the U-shaped seat
`18.
`A gripping means, de?ned by an extension 32 and a
`projection 34, is disposed and spaced laterally from the inner
`?ange 22 of the abutment means by a slot 35 and, therefore,
`laterally from the guide means for gripping engagement with
`the bulkhead to prevent the guide means from moving out of
`the U-shaped seat 18. The gripping means is movable to a
`de?ected position out of gripping engagement with the
`bulkhead, as shown in FIG. 3, for installation of the abut
`ment means into the U-shaped seat. More speci?cally, the
`extension 32 extends laterally from and generally co-planar
`with the inner ?ange 22 and is de?ned by an L-shaped arm
`extending laterally and then parallel and spaced from the
`inner ?ange 22 to a distal end, the gripping projection 34
`being disposed on that distal end. The bulkhead 20 has an
`opening or a hole 38 for receiving the gripping projection 34
`and the gripping projection 34 presents a beveled or slanted
`end 36 for ramping up and over the edge of the bulkhead
`during installation into the U-shaped seat, at which position
`the projection 34 drops into the hole 38. In other words, the
`gripping means includes a projection 34 extending axially
`from the extension 32 for disposition in the 38 hole in the
`bulkhead 20.
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`Page 5 of 7
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`5,596,908
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`3
`The assembly 10 is characterized by a lock, generally
`indicated at 40, slidably supported on the ?tting 16 of the
`guide means for movement between an unlocked position to
`allow movement of the L-shaped arm 32 of the gripping
`means to the de?ected position, as shown in FIG. 3, and a
`locked position to prevent the gripping projection 34 of the
`gripping means from moving out of gripping engagement
`with the hole 38 in the bulkhead 20.
`The ?tting 16 of the guide means includes a saddle ?ange
`42 spaced axially from the inner ?ange 22 to de?ne a saddle
`section therebetween. In other words, the guide means
`presents a saddle section adjacent the inner ?ange 22 for
`supporting the lock 40.
`The lock 40 comprises a U-shaped element having a base
`44 and spaced legs 46. The base 44 is positioned behind the
`L-shaped arm 32 of the gripping means in the locked
`position to prevent movement of the projection 34 of the
`gripping means out of the locked position in the hole 38, as
`shown in FIG. 4. The saddle section includes ?rst and
`second leg engaging extremities 48 which are parallel to one
`another for guiding movement of the legs 46 of the lock 40
`between the locked and unlocked positions. Each of the leg
`engaging extrerrrities 48 includes a groove 50 adjacent each
`of the inner ?ange 22 and the saddle ?ange 42. Each of the
`legs 46 includes a complementary pair of rails 52in sliding
`engagement with the grooves 50.
`In addition, a ?rst detent means is included for releasably
`holding the lock in the unlocked position as well as a second
`detent means for releasably holding the lock 40 in the locked
`position. More speci?cally, the ?rst and second detent means
`includes a detent tab or ramp 54 extending upwardly from
`each of the leg engaging extremities 48 and a pair of spaced
`detent openings 56 and 58 in each of the legs 46 for
`establishing the locked and unlocked positions. The base 44
`and legs 46 of the lock 40 presents an open space behind the
`gripping projection 34 on the L-shaped arm 32 of the
`gripping means when in the unlocked position.
`Each leg 46 also includes a rib 60 extending from the base
`44 to an end disposed adjacent the locking opening 58 for
`engaging the bottom wall 62 of a recess disposed immedi
`ately below each of the detent tabs 54. The engagement of
`the ribs 60 with the bottoms 62 of the recesses in the ?tting
`16 provides a limit to the inward movement of the lock 40
`onto the ?tting 16.
`During shipping, the detent tab 54 is disposed in the
`detent openings 56 of the legs 46. During installation, the
`?tting 16 is slid into the seat 18 as the edges of the seat 18
`slide in the grooves de?ned between the inner 22 and outer
`24 ?anges until seated therein with the guide web 28 is
`disposed in the notch 30 in the bulkhead. As this movement
`occurs, the L-shaped arm 32 ?exes out of co-planer align
`ment with the inner ?ange 22 to allow the gripping projec
`tion 34 to ride up and over the surface of the bulkhead 20
`until the projection 34 drops into the hole 38. The L-shaped
`arm 32 is allowed to ?ex into the space inside the U-shape
`between the legs 46 and the base 44 of the lock element 40.
`Once the gripping projection 34 is in the hole 38, the
`L-shaped arm 32 returns to the co-planer position relative to
`the inner ?ange 22. The assembly is installed and may be
`locked in the installed position by moving the lock 40 to the
`locked position wherein the detent tab or ramp 54 is dis
`
`55
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`65
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`15
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`45
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`50
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`4
`posed in the second detent opening 58, in which position the
`base 44 of the lock 40 is disposed behind the L-shaped am
`32 to prevent the arm 32 from ?exing out to thereby prevent
`the gripping projection from moving out of the hole 38.
`The invention has been described in an illustrative man
`ner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has
`been used is intended to be in the nature of words of
`description rather than of limitation. Obviously, many modi
`?cations and variations of the present invention are possible
`in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be
`understood that within the scope of the appended claims,
`wherein reference numerals are merely for convenience and
`are not to be in any way limiting, the invention may be
`practiced otherwise than as speci?cally described.
`I claim:
`1. A motion transmitting remote control assembly for
`transmitting forces along a curved path and being supported
`in a substantially U-shaped seat in a bulkhead, said assembly
`comprising:
`guide means having ?rst and second ends and a bore
`therethrough de?ning a ?rst axis for extending through
`the U-shaped seat;
`a core element movably supported in said bore in said
`guide means for transmitting motion between said ends
`of said guide means;
`abutment means for positioning said guide means in the
`U-shaped seat;
`gripping means disposed laterally from said abutment
`means and from said guide means for gripping engage
`ment with the bulkhead to prevent said guide means
`from moving out of the U-shaped seat, said gripping
`means being axially movable to a de?ected position out
`of gripping engagement with the bulkhead for instal
`lation of said abutment means into the U-shaped seat;
`and
`characterized by a lock slidably supported on said guide
`means for movement transversely to said axis between
`an unlocked position to allow axial movement of said
`gripping means to said de?ected position and a locked
`position to engage and thereby prevent said gripping
`means from moving axially out of gripping engagement
`with the bulkhead.
`2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including ?rst detent
`means for releasably holding said lock in said unlocked
`position.
`3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 including second
`detent means for releasably holding said lock in said locked
`position.
`4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said
`abutment means includes inner and outer spaced ?anges for
`abutting engagement with the bulkhead therebetween to
`prevent axial movement of said guide means relative to the
`bulkhead.
`5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said guide
`means presents a saddle section adjacent said inner ?ange
`for supporting said lock.
`6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said
`gripping means includes an extension extending laterally
`from and generally co-planar with said inner ?ange.
`7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said guide
`means includes a saddle ?ange spaced axially from said
`inner ?ange to de?ne said saddle section therebetween.
`8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said lock
`comprises a U-shaped element having a base and spaced
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`Page 6 of 7
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`5,596,908
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`5
`legs, said base being positioned behind said gripping means
`in said locked position to prevent movement of said gripping
`means out of said locked position.
`9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said saddle
`section includes ?rst and second leg engaging extremities
`which are parallel to one another for guiding movement of
`said legs of said lock between said locked and unlocked
`positions.
`10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said ?rst
`and second detent means includes a detent tab extending
`upwardly from each of said leg engaging extremities and a
`pair of spaced detent openings in each of said legs of said
`lock for establishing said locked and unlocked positions,
`said base and said legs of said lock presenting an open space
`behind said gripping means when in said unlocked position.
`117 An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein each of
`said leg engaging extremities includes a groove adjacent
`
`6
`each of said inner ?ange and said saddle ?ange, and each of
`said legs of said lock includes a pair of rails in sliding
`engagement with said grooves.
`12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said
`gripping means includes a projection extending axially from
`said extension for disposition in a hole in the bulkhead.
`13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said
`extension comprises an L-shaped arm extending laterally
`and then parallel and spaced from said inner ?ange to a distal
`end, said gripping projection being disposed on said distal
`end.
`14. An assembly as set forth in 12 wherein said guide
`means includes a conduit supporting said core element, said
`abutment means and said saddle section being de?ned by a
`?tting disposed about said conduit.
`
`* * * * *
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`Page 7 of 7