Connection assembly for a motor vehicle lock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12516694-B2
Application number	US-202318505440-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2023
Priority date	Nov 9, 2023
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

The object of the invention is a connection assembly for a motor vehicle lock and, in particular, a Bowden cable connection assembly for a motor vehicle door lock. In its basic construction, this is equipped with a main body inserted into a lock housing and with a sealing body made from an elastic plastic for sealing the main body against the lock housing, and/or an actuating element for at least one lock component. According to the invention, the main body is produced from rigid plastic, and the sealing body is formed in two parts. In addition, the sealing body is connected to the main body. Furthermore, the sealing body is formed in two parts with a housing sealing body for sealing against the lock housing and an actuating sealing body functionally and locally separated therefrom for sealing against the actuating element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A Bowden cable connection assembly for use in a motor vehicle, comprising:
a main body for insertion into a housing, a sealing body made from an elastic plastic for sealing the main body relative to the housing, and relative to an actuating element, wherein the sealing body is formed in two parts and is connected to the main body, wherein the first part is a housing sealing body for sealing against the housing and the second part is an actuating sealing body providing the seal against the actuating element, wherein the second part is functionally and locally separated from the first part, and wherein the housing sealing body includes a sealing sleeve on each side of a central indentation, and wherein the central indentation is shaped to receive the housing in the indentation.

2 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein both the first part and the second part of the sealing body are connected to the main body.

3 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 2 , wherein both the first part and the second part of the sealing body are integrally molded on the main body by a two-component injection molding process.

4 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 2 , wherein the main body has a central bore for the actuating element.

5 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 4 , wherein the main body has at least one reinforcing rib connected to the central bore.

6 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 5 , wherein the at least one reinforcing rib is formed circumferentially and/or as a radial reinforcing rib relative to the central bore.

7 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main body has a central bore for the actuating element.

8 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 7 , wherein the main body has at least one reinforcing rib connected to the central bore.

9 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 8 , wherein the at least one reinforcing rib is formed circumferentially and/or as a radial reinforcing rib relative to the central bore.

10 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main body has an integrally molded connection piece.

11 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main body is produced from a thermoplastic material including at least one of polyamide (PA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBTP), polycarbonate (PC), or styrene-butadiene (SB).

12 . The Bowden cable connection assembly of claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic material includes embedded fibers comprising at least one of glass fibers or carbon fibers.

13 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sealing body is produced from an elastomeric plastic including at least one of acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM), natural rubber (NR) or styrene butadiene rubber (SBR).

14 . The Bowden cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main body is predominantly cylindrical with a head component of a first diameter located outside or in a wall of the housing and a foot component of a second diameter connected thereto, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter.

15 . The Bowden cable connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the Bowden cable connection assembly is used in a motor vehicle door lock.

16 . The Bowden cable connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein a sealing sleeve of the two sealing sleeves includes a sealing lip comprising a portion of the sealing sleeve angled toward the central indentation.

17 . The Bowden cable connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the main body includes a head component portion and a foot component portion, the main body has a central bore for the actuating element, the head component portion includes four ribs connected to the central bore each extending radially from the central bore and the four ribs are arranged evenly around the central bore, and the foot component portion includes two ribs connected to the central bore each extending radially from the central bore and the two ribs are arranged evenly around the central bore.

18 . The Bowden cable connection assembly of claim 17 , wherein the four ribs of the head component portion are tapered along a length of the main body.

Assignees

• Kiekert Ag

Inventors

• Sample Samantha
• Ziehm Andrew
• Uhrin Michael
• Keehn David

Classifications

• F16C1/102 Primary

  Arrangements to mount end fittings of the sheathings to support walls or brackets · CPC title

• E05B79/20

  using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables · CPC title

• F16C1/262

  End fittings; Attachment thereof to the sheathing or tube · CPC title

• F16C1/107 Primary

  Sealing details · CPC title