MULTI-PASS CRIMP COLLAR FOR A LOOPED CABLE

• US 20150152942A1
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC (Allegion PLC)
• Original Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC (Allegion PLC)
• Inventors: Kindstrand, Daniel Hugh, Warren, Donald H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,828,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/18 Grommets slings B66C1/12
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/02 with parts deformable to grip the cable or cables; Fastening means which engage a sleeve or the like fixed on the cable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3907 Sheathed strand
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49817 with other than ancillary treating or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49925 Inward deformation of aperture or hollow body wall

Abstract

A cable assembly including a collar and a cable. The collar includes a first opening, a second opening and a third opening, each of which extends through the collar along a longitudinal dimension of the collar. The cable includes a looped end and a first cable segment extending through the first opening, a second cable segment extending through the second opening, a third cable segment extending into the third opening, and a fourth cable segment forming a loop between the first and second cable segments. The collar is crimped or swaged to the cable and is securely engaged with the first, second and third segments of the cable.

Claims

1. A method of forming a looped cable from a cable and a collar, comprising:

positioning a first segment of the cable in a first opening of the collar;

positioning a second segment of the cable in a second opening of the collar;

positioning a third segment of the cable in a third opening of the collar;

forming a loop with a fourth segment of the cable, wherein the fourth segment of the cable is positioned between the first and second segments of the cable; and

deforming the collar to a deformed state which engages the first, second and third segments of the cable and substantially preventing movement of the first, second and third segments of the cable relative to the collar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the deforming the collar includes at least one of crimping and swaging the collar.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cable includes a wire rope and an outer coating, the method further comprising removing the coating from the second and third segments of the cable prior to the deforming.

4. The method of claim 3 Error! Reference source not found, further comprising removing a plurality of wire groups from the third segment of the cable prior to the deforming.

5. A cable assembly, comprising:

a collar including a first opening, a second opening and a third opening, wherein each of the openings extends through the collar along a longitudinal dimension of the collar; and

a cable comprising a looped end including a first cable segment extending through the first opening, a second cable segment extending through the second opening, a third cable segment extending into the third opening, and a fourth cable segment forming a loop between the first and second cable segments; and

wherein the collar is crimped or swaged to the cable and is securely engaged with the first, second and third cable segments.

6. The cable assembly of claim 5, wherein the cable comprises a wire rope and an outer coating, the first and fourth cable segments include the wire rope and the outer coating, and the second and third cable segments do not include the outer coating.

7. The cable assembly of claim 6, wherein the wire rope includes a central core and a plurality of wire groups positioned about the central core;

and

wherein the second cable segment includes the central core and the plurality of wire groups, and wherein the third cable segment includes at least the central core.

8. The cable assembly of claim 7, wherein the third cable segment further includes the plurality of wire groups and wherein the collar is directly engaged with the outer coating of the first cable segment and the wire groups of the second and third cable segments.

9. The cable assembly of claim 7, wherein the third cable segment does not include the plurality of wire groups, and wherein the collar is directly engaged with the outer coating of the first cable segment, the wire groups of the second cable segment, and the central core of the third cable segment.

10. The cable assembly of claim 7 Error! Reference source not found, wherein the central core comprises a solid core consisting essentially of a single wire having an outer diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of each of the wire groups.

11. The cable assembly of claim 5, wherein each of the openings extends in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the collar.

12. The cable assembly of claim 5, wherein the first opening is connected to and in transverse communication with the second opening.

13. The cable assembly of claim 12, wherein the third opening is not connected to or in transverse communication with either the first opening or the second opening.

14. The cable assembly of claim 5 Error! Reference source not found, wherein the second cable segment consists essentially of the wire rope, and the third cable segment consists essentially of the central core.

15. A method, comprising:

providing a collar including a first portion defining a first opening having a first inner diameter, a second portion defining a second opening having a second inner diameter, and a third portion defining a third opening having a third inner diameter;

providing a cable including a first cable segment having a first outer diameter corresponding to the first inner diameter of the first opening, a second cable segment having a second outer diameter corresponding to the second inner diameter of the second opening, a third cable segment having a third outer diameter corresponding to the third inner diameter of the third opening, and a fourth cable segment connecting the first and second cable segments;

positioning the first cable segment in the first opening;

forming a loop with the fourth cable segment;

positioning the second cable segment in the second opening;

positioning the third cable segment in the third opening; and

deforming the collar such that the first portion securely engages the first cable segment, the second portion securely engages the second cable segment, and the third portion securely engages the third cable segment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the providing the cable includes providing a coated cable including wire rope and an outer coating surrounding the wire rope, the wire rope including a central core and a plurality of wire groups positioned about the central core, and wherein an outer diameter of the coated cable defines the first outer diameter of the first cable segment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the cable further comprises removing the outer coating from the second and third cable segments, and wherein an outer diameter of the wire rope defines the second outer diameter of the second cable segment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the outer diameter of the wire rope further defines the third outer diameter of the third cable segment.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the providing the cable further comprises removing the wire groups from the third cable segment, and wherein an outer diameter of the central core defines the third outer diameter of the third cable segment.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first, second and third openings in the collar extend along a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the collar.