CONTROL CABLE QUICK DISCONNECT

Abstract

A quick connect and disconnect arrangement for a cable comprises a housing for holding the cable. The housing comprises a first section and a second section. One of the first section and the second section comprises a protruding lug having an aperture therein and the other of the first section and the second section comprises a locking system. The locking system comprises a channel, an opening disposed along a portion of the channel and for receiving the lug, and a bolt configured to move within the channel. When, in use, the housing is closed around the cable, the lug is positioned in the opening, the channel is aligned with the aperture and the bolt is configured to move within the channel in order to engage with the aperture and thereby retain the lug in the opening.

Claims

1. A quick connect and disconnect arrangement for a cable comprising: a housing for holding the cable, the housing comprising a first section and a second section; wherein one of the first section and the second section comprises a protruding lug having an aperture therein; wherein the other of the first section and the second section comprises a locking system, the locking system comprising: a channel; an opening disposed along a portion of the channel and for receiving the lug; and a bolt configured to move within the channel; wherein when, in use, the housing is closed around the cable: the lug is positioned in the opening; the channel is aligned with the aperture; and the bolt is configured to move within the channel in order to engage with the aperture and thereby retain the lug in the opening.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking system further comprises a biasing mechanism for urging the bolt along the channel towards the opening.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a hinge connecting the first and second housing sections at a location spaced apart from the locking system.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking system is a first locking system and the lug is a first lug, wherein the housing further comprises: a second locking system the same as the first locking system, for connecting and disconnecting the first and second housing sections at a location spaced apart from the first locking system; and a second lug for engagement in an opening in the second locking mechanism.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a handle for pulling or twisting, to move the bolt along the channel away from the opening of the channel.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a button for pushing, to move the bolt along the channel away from the opening of the channel.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aperture of the lug is fully, or partially and mostly, surrounded by a periphery of the lug and the bolt is fully removed from the opening in order to release the lug from the opening or insert the lug into the opening.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aperture of the lug is partially and mostly surrounded by a periphery of the lug, the gap in the periphery of the lug having a gap width; and the bolt comprises a wider portion which cannot pass through the gap-width of the lug and a narrower portion which can pass through the gap-width of the lug; such that movement of the bolt along the channel to cause the wider portion of the bolt to be removed from the opening and a narrower portion of the bolt to remain in the opening in order to release the lug from the opening or insert the lug into the opening.

9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cable comprises two cable parts joined together and the housing is configured to hold the joined two cable parts.

10. A method of connecting and/or disconnecting a cable comprising two cable parts using a quick connect and disconnect arrangement for a cable, wherein the arrangement comprises: a housing comprising a first section and a second section; wherein one of the first section and the second section comprises a protruding lug having an aperture therein; and wherein the other of the first section and the second section comprises a locking system, the locking system comprising: a channel; an opening disposed along a portion of the channel; and a bolt; wherein connecting a cable comprises: joining two cable parts together to form a joined cable; arranging the joined cable within one of the first and second sections of the housing; enclosing the cable with the other of the first and second sections of the housing; positioning the lug in the opening of the locking system to thereby align the channel with the aperture; and moving the bolt within the channel in order to engage the bolt with the aperture; and wherein disconnecting a cable comprises: moving the bolt within the channel in order to disengage the bolt from the aperture; removing the lug from the opening of the locking system; separating the two sections of the housing; removing the joined cable from the housing; and separating the joined cable into two cable parts.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, comprising using a handle or button to twist, pull or push the bolt along the channel to a disengaged position where the bolt is disengaged from the opening or from the lug aperture.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, comprising using a biasing mechanism to urge the bolt into an engaged position where the bolt is engaged in the opening or in the lug aperture.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein there is a sprung hinge connecting the first and second sections of the housing at a position spaced apart from the locking system.

14. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the aperture of the lug is fully, or partially and mostly, surrounded by a periphery of the lug, the method comprising fully removing the bolt from the opening in the channel, in order to release the lug from the opening or insert the lug into the opening.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein: the aperture of the lug is partially and mostly surrounded by a periphery of the lug, with a gap in the periphery of the lug; and the bolt comprises a wider portion which cannot pass through the gap of the lug and a narrower portion which can pass through the gap of the lug; the method comprising moving the bolt along the channel to cause the wider portion of the bolt to be removed from the opening and the narrower portion of the bolt to remain in the opening in order to release the lug from the opening or insert the lug into the opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] Various embodiments of the disclosure will now be described with reference to the following description and drawings by way of example only, and with reference to certain figures, wherein:

[0063] FIG. 1 shows a first quick connect disconnect arrangement, wherein the housing is closed;

[0064] FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of FIG. 1 wherein the housing is open;

[0065] FIG. 3 shows a left hand side-view of the arrangement of FIG. 1 wherein the housing is closed;

[0066] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, passing through the centre of the hinge and cable of the arrangement of FIG. 1;

[0067] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section parallel to the cross-section of FIG. 4, but taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3, passing through the centre of the locking pin;

[0068] FIG. 6 shows a second quick connect disconnect arrangement, wherein the housing is closed;

[0069] FIG. 7 shows the arrangement of FIG. 6 wherein the housing is open;

[0070] FIG. 8 shows a left hand side-view of the arrangement of FIG. 6 wherein the housing is closed;

[0071] FIG. 9 shows a cross-section taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8, passing through the centre of the hinge and cable of the arrangement of FIG. 6; and

[0072] FIG. 10 shows a cross-section parallel to the cross-section of FIG. 9, but taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 8, passing through the centre of the locking pin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] FIGS. 1 to 5 show a first arrangement 100 for a quick connect disconnect arrangement for a cable. The arrangement 100 includes a housing 101 having a first section 102 and second section 103. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the sections 102, 103 of the housing 101 has a shaped or profiled inner portion 102a, 103a for support of a two-part cable 110, 113 (shown as dashed lines within the cable sheaths of FIGS. 1 and 6 and indicated directly in FIGS. 2 and 7) which is joined together using a hammer joint at connection points 111, 112.

[0074] The first and second sections 102, 103 of the housing 101 are connected along one edge by a hinge having a hinge pin 106, as shown in FIG. 2 and in cross-section in FIG. 4.

[0075] The first section 102 of the housing comprises, at an opposite end to the hinge, a lug 104 having an aperture 105. The second section 103 of the housing 101 comprises a locking system 120 at the opposite end to the hinge. The locking system 120 can be seen in more detail in FIG. 5.

[0076] FIG. 5 shows that the locking system comprises a channel 121 and an opening 122 into which the lug 104 can be placed (see also FIGS. 1 and 2). When the lug 104 is placed into the opening 122, the sections 102, 103 of the housing are closed around the cables 110, 113 and the aperture 105 of the lug 104 is aligned with the channel 121.

[0077] FIG. 5 also shows that a bolt 125 is held within the channel 121 and can move along the channel 121 to pass through both the channel 121 and the aperture 105 to engage the lug 104 in the opening 122. The bolt 125 is urged into the engaged position in the channel 121 by a biasing mechanism in the form of a spring 130. This in turn is held within the channel by means of a shoulder arrangement 128, which in turn may be held to the second section of the housing 103 by a retaining ring 129 fitted within a groove of the second section of the housing 103. A pin 124 connected to the bolt 125 passes through the shoulder arrangement 128. The pin 124 is connected to a portion 123 which is either a handle or an attachment portion for a handle. By pulling the handle, the pin 124 and thus the bolt 125 is pulled against the urging force of the spring 130. If the pulling force overcomes the urging force, the bolt 125 will move within the channel 121 away from the opening 122. With enough movement, the bolt 125 will move away completely from the opening 122 and disengage from the aperture 105 of the lug 104. Accordingly, the lug 104 can be removed from the opening 122 and the two sections 102, 103 of the housing 101 can be swung open about the hinge pin 106. In this way, the cable 110, 113 can be quickly accessed. The hinge might be sprung so that it will automatically open the housing 101 when the lug 104 is released.

[0078] FIGS. 6 to 10 show a second arrangement 200 for a quick connect disconnect arrangement for a cable. The arrangement 200 includes a housing 101 having a first section 102 and second section 103. As shown in FIG. 7, each of the sections 102, 103 of the housing 101 has a shaped or profiled inner portion 102a, 103a for support of a two-part cable 110, 113 which is joined together using a hammer joint at connection points 111, 112.

[0079] The first and second sections 102, 103 of the housing 101 are connected along one edge by a hinge having a hinge pin 106, as shown in FIG. 7 and in cross-section in FIG. 9.

[0080] The first section 102 of the housing comprises, at an opposite end to the hinge, a lug 204 having an aperture 205. The lug 204 is a “C-shaped” lug, having a gap 207 in the outer periphery of the lug. The second section 103 of the housing 101 comprises a locking system 220 at the opposite end to the hinge. The locking system 220 can be seen in more detail in FIG. 10.

[0081] FIG. 10 shows that the locking system comprises a channel 121 and an opening 122 into which the lug 204 can be placed (see also FIGS. 6 and 7). When the lug 204 is placed into the opening 122, the sections 102, 103 of the housing 101 are closed around the cables 110, 113 and the aperture 205 of the lug 204 is aligned with the channel 121.

[0082] FIG. 10 also shows that a bolt 225 is held within the channel 121 and can move along the channel 121 to pass through both the channel 121 and the aperture 205 to engage the lug 204 in the opening 122. The bolt 225 comprises a wider portion 226 and a narrower portion 227. The wider portion 226 is too wide to pass through the gap 207 in the lug 204, while the narrower portion 227 is sized appropriately so that it can pass through the gap 207 in the lug 204.

[0083] The bolt 225 is urged into the engaged position in the channel 121 by a biasing mechanism in the form of a spring 130. The bolt 225 is held within the channel by means of a shoulder arrangement 228 which may comprise a retaining ring 229 fitted within a groove of the second section of the housing 103. A pin 124 connected to the bolt 225 passes through the shoulder arrangement. The pin 124 is connected to a portion 223 which is either a button or an attachment portion for a button. By pressing the button, the pin 124 and thus the bolt 225 is pushed against the urging force of the spring 130. If the pushing force overcomes the urging force, the bolt 225 will move within the channel 121, such that the wider portion 226 of the bolt 225 moves along the channel 121 away from the opening 122, while the narrower portion 227 of the bolt 225 moves along the channel 121 towards the opening 122. With enough movement, the wider portion 226 of the bolt 225 will move away completely from the opening 122 and disengage from the aperture 205 of the lug 204. The narrower portion 227 of the bolt 225 which will then lie across the opening 122 is narrow enough to pass through the gap 207 in the lug 204. Accordingly, the lug 204 can be removed from the opening 122 and the two sections 102, 103 of the housing 101 can be swung open about the hinge pin 106. In this way, the cable 110, 113 can be quickly accessed. The hinge might be sprung so that it will automatically open the housing 101 when the lug 204 is released.

[0084] Other variations of the depicted arrangements are envisioned. For example, there may be two locking systems as that described above, with one locking system replacing the hinge.

[0085] Additionally or alternatively, it is envisioned that an arrangement having a bolt 225 comprising a wider portion 226 and a narrower portion 227 according to the arrangement of FIGS. 6 to 10 may comprise a tension spring instead of or in addition to the compression spring 130 depicted in FIGS. 6 to 10, to provide the biasing mechanism.

[0086] Additionally or alternatively, it is envisioned that an arrangement having a bolt 225 comprising a wider portion 226 and a narrower portion 227 according to the arrangement of FIGS. 6 to 10 may comprise a handle 123 and a pulling mechanism in the manner described for the arrangement of FIGS. 1 to 5 instead of the button 223 and pushing mechanism described in the arrangement of FIGS. 6 to 8.

[0087] Thus, while this disclosure has been described as having a preferred arrangement, the present disclosure can be further modified, as will be understood to one skilled in the art, within the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the claims.