GB2363007A

GB2363007A - Board-mounted cable clamp

Info

Publication number: GB2363007A
Application number: GB0013395A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Teh-Tsung Chiu
Original assignee: AVC Industrial Corp
Current assignee: AVC Industrial Corp
Priority date: 2000-06-01
Filing date: 2000-06-01
Publication date: 2001-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2020-06-01
Also published as: DE20010394U1; GB2363007B; AU730002B3; GB0013395D0

Abstract

A cable clamp includes a tubular casing (10) which may be mounted in a hole in a board. A lock nut (11) is threaded onto one end of the casing to secure the casing to the board and a clamp is formed integral with the other end of the casing remote from the lock nut. A collar (13) is sleeved onto a cable, and is disposed inside the clamp, and a chuck (14) is threaded onto the casing to compress the clamp against the collar and the cable, causing the cable to be positively held down in position. The collar (13) has an annular groove (132) around its periphery and the clamp (12) has pawls (121) axially extended from one end of the casing around the collar, each pawl having an inwardly-directed engagement portion (123) which is engageable in the annular groove (132) of the collar (13) against the periphery of the cable. A ribbed sealing gasket 15 may be provided.

Description

2363007

CABLE FASTENER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates a cable fastener, and more particularly to such a cable fastener for fastening a cable to a machine or a support.

A cable fastener is a device adapted for fastening to a board or support means to hold a cable or tubular member. U.S. Patent No. 5,927,892, entitled "DEVICE FOR FASTENING A CABLE TO A BOARD" shows a similar design. This device, as illustrated in FIG.

IA, comprises a casing 10' having two outer threads at its two opposite ends, a lock nut 11' threaded onto one end of the casing 10' to secure the casing 10' to a board 30', a washer 151 mounted on the casing 10' and stopped between the lock nut 10' and a polygonal outward flange of the casing 101, a clamp 121 mounted a collar 13' mounted in the on the other end of the casing 10', clamp 12', and a chuck 141 threaded onto the casing 10' to compress the clamp 121 and the collar 13', causing the collar 131 to hold down a cable 201 in a hole on the board 301. This cable fastening device is still not satisfactory in function. When 20 fastening up the chuck 141, the pawls 1211 of the clamp 12' are radially forced inwards against the periphery of the cable 20', causing the cable 20' to be held down. However, because the pawls 121' are spaced from one another by gaps, the contact between the 1 pawls 121 and the periphery of the cable 20' are of "contact of poinC that is insufficient to stop the cable 20' from being twisted or pulled axially. When the cable 201 is twisted orpulled axially with force (see FIG. IB), the collar 13' may be forced out of position, and water may leak in through the gap between area A' and area B'.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished to provide a cable fastener, which eliminates the aforesaid problem. According to the present invention, the cable fastener comprises a casing installed in a hole on a board and secured thereto by a lock nut, collar within a clamp, and a chuck tightened.to compress the clamp and the collar against the cable being inserted through the casing. The clamp is comprised of a plurality of pawls axially extended from and formed integral with one end of the casing, each pawl having a downward engagement portion that is forced by the chuck into an annular groove around the periphery of the collar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIO.N OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a sectional view of a device for fastening a cable to a board according to the prior art.

FIG. IB shows the cable twisted and pulled relative to the clamp according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a cable fastener according to 2 the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional assembly view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional plain view of the present invention, showing the positioning of the collar between the clamp and the periphery of the cable within the easing.

FIG. SA is a sectional view of the present invention before tightening the chuck.

FIG. 5B is a sectional view of the present invention showing the initial stage where the chuck is threaded onto the second outer thread of the easing.

FIG. 5C is a sectional view of the present invention showing the chuck tightened,up, the collar compressed against the periphery of the cable.

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing the clamp compressed, th e downward engagement portion of each pawl engaged into the annular groove of the collar according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the present invention, showing the contact areas between parts of the cable fastener sealed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2.and 3, a cable fastener in accordance with the present invention is generally. comprised of a casing 10, a 4 3 lock nut 11, a clamp 12, a collar 13, and a chuck 14. The easing 10 comprises an axial through hole 101 through which a cable 20 is inserted, a first outer thread 103 at a cable input end 105 thereof, a second outer thread 104 at a cable output end 106 thereof, and a polygonal outward flange 102 raised around the periphery in the middle between the first outer thread 103 and the second outer thread 104. The lock nut 11 has a center through hole 111, and an inner thread 112 around the center through hole 111. By means of threading the inner thread 112 of the lock nut 11 onto the second outer thread 104 of the casing 10, the lock nut 11 can be moved axially on the casing 10 through a rotary motion. After the cable output end 106 through a through hole on a board 30, the lock nut 11 is threaded onto the second outer thread 104 to fix the casing 10 to the board 30 (s ee also FIG. 5A). Further, an annular gasket 15 is 15 mounted on the second outer thread 104 and stopped between the polygonal outward flange 102 of the casing 10 and the board 30 to seal the gap. The annular gasket 15 is preferably made from rubber or plastics, having a protrude7,,d sealing rib 151 raised from one side around the center opening thereof. The chuck 14 comprises an axial 20 center hole 141 fof the passing of the cable 20, an inner thread 142 for threading onto the first outer thread 103 of the casing 10, and a tapered inside wall po rtion 61 adapted to compregs the clamp 12 inwards. By means of threading the inner thread 142 of the chuck 4 14 onto the outer thread 103 of the casing 10, the chuck 14 can be moved axially on the casing 10 through a rotary motion. The clamp 12 is axially formed integral with the cable input end 105 of the casing 10, comprising a plurality of axial pawls 121 arranged in parallel. The pawls 121 each comprise a shank 122 axially extended from the cable input end 105 of the casing 10, and a downward engagement portion 123 at the distal end of the shank 122. As shown in FIG. 3, the downward engagement portions 123 of the pawls 121 are tilted in one direction. Further, the pawls 121 define 10with the cable input end 105 of the casing 10 and annular step 107 around the axial through hole 101 for supporting the collar 13. The collar 13 is a flexible member (made from rubber or flexible plastics) mounted within the clamp 12 and stopped at the annular step 107, having an axial through hole 131 for th.e passing 1 of the 15 cable 20, and an annular groove 132 around the periphery corresponding to the downward engagement portions 123 of the pawls 1.21. Referring to FIGS. from 4 through 7, when fastening up the chuck 14, the tapered inside wall portion 143 of the chuck 14 is 20 moved axially with the chick 14 on the casing 10 against the clamp 12, thereby causing the downward engagement portions 123 of the pawls 121 to be forced into engagement with the annular groove 132 of the collar 13, and therefore the collar. 13 is inwardly compressed against the periphery of the cable 20. After installation, the cable 20 is positively held down in the casing 10 against external pulling force, and the contact area A between the periphery of the cable 20 and the collar 13, the contact areas A, B, 5 C, D and E between parts of the cable fastener are well sealed. Because the collar 13 is stopped at the annular step 107 and maintained in engagement with the downward engagement portions 123 of the pawls 121, the collar 13 is stopped from movement with the cable 20.

While. only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various modifications and changes could be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed.

6

Claims

1. A cable fastener fastened to a board to hold a cable in position, comprising:

a casing mounted in a hole on said board, said casing comprising an axial through hole through which said cable passes, a first outer thread at a first end thereof, a second outer thread at a second end thereof, and a pRlygonal outward flange raised around the periphery thereof in the middle between said first outer thread and said second outer thread; a lock nut threaded onto the second outer thread. of said casing and stopped at one side of said board opposite to the polygonal outward flange of.said casing; a clamp formed integral with the first end of said casing around the axial through hole of said casing, said clamp comprising a plurality of axial pawls arranged in parallel, said pawls each comprising a shank axially extended from the first end of said casing, and a downward engagement portion at a distal end of said shank; a flexible collar mounted within said clamp around said cable and forced by said clamp to hold down said cable in said casing, said collar having an axial through hole, which receives said cable; and a chuck threaded onto the first outer thread of said casing 7 1 to compress said clamp against said collar and the periphery of said cable, said chuck comprising an axial center hole', which receives said cable, an inner thread threaded onto the first outer thread of said casing, and a tapered inside wall portion compressed on the pawls of said clamp against said collar and the periphery of said cable.

2. The cable fastener of claim 1 wherein said clamp define with the first end of said casing an annular step around the axial through hole of said casing for the positioning of one end of said collar.

3. The cable fastener of claim 1 further. comprising an annular gasket mounted on said casing and retained between said board and the polygonal outward flange of said casing.

4. The cable fastener of claim 3 wherein said annular gasket comprises a protruded sealing rib raised from one side thereof and stopped against the polygonal outward flange of said casing.

5. The cable fastener of claim 1 wherein said collar comprises an annular groove ' around the periphery thereof adapted to receive the downward engagement portion of each pawl of said

6. The cable fastener of claim 1 wherein said collar is made from rubber.

7. A cable fastener substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 2 to 7 of the drawings.

H

7. The cable fastener of claim 1 wherein said collar is made 8 from flexible plastics.

8. A cable fastener substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

9 Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A cable fastener fastened to a board to hold a cable in position, comprising:

a casing mounted in a hole on said board, said casing comprising an axial through hole through which said cable passes, a first outer thread at a first end thereof, a second outer thread at a second end thereof, and a polygonal outward flange raised around the periphery thereof in the middle between said first outer thread and said second outer thread; a lock nut threaded onto the second outer thread of said casing and stopped at one side of said board opposite to the polygonal outward flange of said casing; a clamp formed integral with the first end of said casing around the axial through hole of said casing, said clamp comprising a plurality of axial pawls arranged in parallel, said pawls each comprising a shank axially extended from the first erid of said casing, and a downward engagement portion at a distal end of said shank; a flexible collar mounted within said clamp around said cable and forced by said clamp to hold down said cable in said casing, said collar having an axial through hole which receives said cable and an annular groove around its periphery which is adapted to receive the downward engagement portion of each pawl of said clamp; and a chuck threaded onto the first outer thread of said casing to compress said clamp against said collar and the periphery of said cable, said chuck comprising an axial centre hole, which receives said cable, an inner thread threaded onto the first outer thread of said casing, and a tapered inside wall portion compressed on the pawls of said clamp against said collar and the periphery of said cable.

n 0 2. A cable fastener according to claim 1, wherein said clamp defines with the first end of said casing an annular step around the axial through hole of said casing for the positioning of one end of said collar.

3. A cable fastener according to claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising an annular gasket mounted on said casing and retained between said board and the polygonal outward flange of said casing.

4. A cable fastener according to clairn 3, wherein said annular gasket comprises a protruded sealing rib raised from one side thereof and stopped against the polygonal outward flange of said casing.

5. A cable fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said collar is made from rubber.

6. A cable fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said collar is made from flexible plastics material.