Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a cable seal retainer for securing a cable harness within a housing and a method for connecting the cable seal retainer to the cable harness and the housing.

BACKGROUND

Generally, cable retainers play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of automotive electrical connections. The cable retainer is an essential component used in automotive connectors to secure and protect cables. The cable retainer ensures proper cable management and prevents strain on a cable. The cable retainer may be disposed of around the cable to secure such cable in the housing. In existing cable retainers, a lock is employed to prevent the relative movement between a terminal of the cable and the housing. The terminal conventionally includes a primary lock to prevent the withdrawal of the cable and the terminal from the housing body. The existing cable retainer is formed as a single-piece retainer, which is to be assembled before crimping a terminal of the cable within the housing. Further, care must be taken to prevent damage to the cable retainer during transportation or a harness assembly. If the cable retainer is damaged, the entire assembly or part of the harness assembly needs replacement. The replacement of the entire assembly is costlier compared to the cost of the single-piece cable retainer. To avoid the replacement of the entire assembly, the cable retainer could be assembled at the end of the assembly process.

Therefore, it is desirable to develop a cable seal retainer for electrical connection that alleviates the abovementioned drawbacks of the existing cable retainer.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a cable seal retainer includes a first casing member having a first resting surface and at least one first locking element. A second casing member is adapted to be removably coupled to the first casing member. The second casing member has a second resting surface and at least one second locking element. The at least one first locking element is adapted to be engaged with the second casing member and the at least one second locking element is adapted to be engaged with the first casing member, such that the first resting surface and the second resting surface align together to define a central opening for accommodating a cable therein.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for connecting a cable seal retainer to a housing is disclosed. The method includes positioning the first casing member of the cable seal retainer and a second casing member of the cable seal retainer on a cable connected to a housing through an opening. Further, the method includes coupling the first casing member to the second casing member on the cable in a locked condition. Further, the method includes displacing the cable seal retainer in the locked condition within the opening of the housing.

To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates an exploded view of a cable seal retainer having a first casing portion and a second casing portion, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the cable seal retainer, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 3a illustrates a planar view of the cable seal retainer, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 3b illustrates a sectional view of the cable seal retainer, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figures 4a–4c illustrate different perspective views depicting a method for connecting the cable seal retainer to a housing, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

Figure 5 illustrates a sectional view of the cable seal retainer positioned on a cable harness within the housing, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

The term “some” as used herein is defined as “none, or one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no embodiments or to one embodiment or to several embodiments or to all embodiments. Accordingly, the term “some embodiments” is defined as meaning “no embodiment, or one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”

The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and does not limit, restrict or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents.

More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,” “comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do NOT specify an exact limitation or restriction and certainly do NOT exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must NOT be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with the limiting language “MUST comprise” or “NEEDS TO include.”

Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do NOT preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there NEEDS to be one or more . . . ” or “one or more element is REQUIRED.”

Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having an ordinary skill in the art.

Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility and non-obviousness.

Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.

Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should NOT be necessarily taken as limiting factors to the attached claims. The attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized in the context of embodiments other than the ones used as illustrative examples in the description below.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates an exploded view of a cable seal retainer 100 having a first casing portion 102 and a second casing portion 104, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the cable seal retainer 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the cable seal retainer 100 may be employed for securing a cable harness 154 (as shown in Figure 4a-4c) within a housing 156 (as shown in Figures 4a-4c) of an electrical unit (not shown). The electrical unit may include, but is not limited to, a power distribution unit, a high-voltage connector, and a fuse box, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The cable harness 154 may include an electrical terminal which is to be connected to the housing 156 of the electrical unit. The cable seal retainer 100 may be adapted to secure the cable harness 154 within the housing such that a relative movement between the electrical terminal and the housing is restricted.

Constructional and operational details of the cable seal retainer 100 are explained in detail in the subsequent sections of the present disclosure.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in the illustrated embodiment, the cable seal retainer 100 may include the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104. The first casing member 102 may include, but is not limited to, a first resting surface 122 and at least one first looking element 114. Similarly, the second casing member 104 may include, but is not limited to, a second resting surface 124 and at least one second locking element 116. The second casing member 104 may be adapted to be removably coupled to the first casing member 102.

Referring to Figure 1, the first casing member 102 may include a first outer wall 106. The first outer wall 106 may include a first outer surface 136 and a first inner surface 132 distal to the first outer surface 136. Further, the first casing member 102 may include a first inner wall 110 distant apart from the first outer wall 106. The first resting surface 122 may be defined on the first inner wall 110 and the at least one first locking element 114 protrudes from the first outer wall 106. In the illustrated embodiment, the first casing member 102 may include a plurality of ribs 130 formed between the first outer wall 106 and the first inner wall 110.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first casing member 102 may include a first flange portion 126 extending from a first end of the first outer wall 106. The first casing member 102 may include at least one first engaging element 118 extending from one of the plurality of ribs 130 formed between the first outer wall 106 and the first inner wall 110. Further, the first casing member 102 may include at least one first engaging element 118. The at least one first engaging element 118 may include a first slot 142 adapted to be engaged with the second locking element 116 of the second casing member 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the second locking element 116 of the second casing member 104 may be snap-fitted with the first slot 142 such that the at least one first engaging element 118 may be fitted in a resting portion 117 defined in the second casing member 104, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the at least one first engaging element 118 may have a contour similar to a contour of the resting portion 117 of the second casing member 104.

In an embodiment, the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104 may have similar geometrical characteristics, such as shape and size, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the second casing member 104 includes a second outer wall 108. The second outer wall 108 may include a second outer surface 138 and a second inner surface 134 distal to the second outer surface 138. The second casing member 104 may include a second inner wall 112 distant apart from the second outer wall 108. Further, the second casing member 104 may include a plurality of ribs 130 formed between the second outer wall 108 and the second inner wall 112. The second resting surface 124 may be defined on the second inner wall 112, and the at least one second locking element 116 may protrude from the second outer wall 108.

In the illustrated embodiment, referring to Figures 1-2, the second casing member 104 may include a second flange portion 128 extending from a first end of the second outer wall 108. The second casing member 104 may include at least one second engaging element 120 extending from one of the plurality of ribs 130 formed between the second outer wall 108 and the second inner wall 112. Further, the second casing member 104 includes at least one second engaging element 120. The at least one second engaging element 120 has a second slot 144 adapted to be engaged with the first locking element 114 of the first casing member 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the first locking element 114 of the first casing member 102 may be snap-fitted with the second slot 144 such that the at least one second engaging element 120 may be fitted in a resting portion 119 defined in the first casing member 102, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the at least one second engaging element 120 may have a contour similar to a contour of the resting portion 119 of the first casing member 102.

Referring to Figure 2, the least one first locking element 114 may be adapted to be engaged with the second casing member 104 and the at least one second locking element 116 may be adapted to be engaged with the first casing member 102, such that the first resting surface 122 and the second resting surface 124 align together to define a central opening 140 for accommodating the wiring harness 154 (hereinafter referred as the cable 154).

In an embodiment, the at least one of the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104 may include, but is not limited to, an elongated locating element 148 formed on one of the first outer wall 106 of the first casing member 102 and the second outer wall 108 of the second casing member 104. Further, the elongated locating element 148 may be adapted to be aligned with a cavity 158 (as shown in Figures 4a-4b) formed in the housing 156 in which the cable seal retainer 100 is inserted. In the illustrated embodiment, the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 102 may include at least one elongated locating element, such as the elongated locating element 148, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 2, when the first casing member 102 may be coupled to the second casing member 104, the elongated locating elements, such as 148, formed on the first outer wall 106 and the second outer wall 108 may be aligned diametrically opposite to each other.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first casing member 102 may include, but is not limited to, a snap-locking element 146 formed in a recess defined on the first outer wall 106 of the first casing member 102. The second casing member 104 may include, but is not limited to, the snap-locking element 146 formed in a recess defined on one of the second outer wall 108 of the second casing member 104. The first snap-locking element 146 may adapted to be engaged with the housing 156 in which the cable seal retainer 100 is inserted to lock the cable seal retainer 100 within the housing 156. In the illustrated embodiment, the first snap-locking 146 may be adapted to be engaged with slots 160 (as shown in Figure 4b) formed within an opening 141 (as shown in Figure 4b) of the housing 156.

Figure 3a illustrates a planar view of the cable seal retainer 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3b illustrates a sectional view of the cable seal retainer 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to Figures 3a and 3b, the first casing member 102 may include a first set of blocking walls. Similarly, the second casing member 104 may include a second set of blocking walls. Further, when the first casing member 102 may be removably coupled to the second casing member 104, the first set of blocking walls 150 abut the second set of blocking walls 152. The first set of blocking walls 150 of the first casing member 102 restricts a relative movement between the second set of blocking walls 152 of the second casing member 104.

Figures 4a–4c illustrate different perspective views depicting a method for connecting the cable seal retainer 100 to the housing 156, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 illustrates a sectional view of the cable seal retainer 100 positioned on the cable harness within the housing 156, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to Figure 4a, initially, the method may include positioning the first casing member 102 of the cable seal retainer 100 and the second casing member 104 of the cable seal retainer 100 on the cable 154 connected to the housing 156 through the opening 141. In an embodiment, the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104 may be positioned opposite to each other on the cable 154. The first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104 may be positioned on the cable 154 once the electrical terminal of the cable 154 is connected to the housing.

Referring to Figure 4b, the method may include coupling the first casing member 102 to the second casing member 104 on the cable 154 in a locked condition. In an embodiment, the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104 may be pushed towards each other such that the second locking element 116 of the second casing member 104 may be snap-fitted with the first slot 142 and the first locking element 114 of the first casing member 102 may be snap-fitted with the second slot 144. Further, the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104 may be coupled together on the cable 154 such that the first resting surface 122 and the second resting surface 124 abut an outer surface of the cable 154.

Referring to Figures 4c and 5, the method may include displacing the cable seal retainer 100 in the locked condition within the opening 141 of the housing 156. Further, the method may include aligning the elongated locating elements 148 formed on the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104 with cavities 158 formed within the opening 141 of the housing 156. In an embodiment, the cable seal retainer 100, in the assembled condition, may be moved over the cable 154 towards the opening 141 of the housing 156, such that the cable seal retainer 100 is inserted within the opening 141 of the housing 156 and the elongated locating elements 148 aligns with the cavities 158.

Further, referring to Figures 4c and 5, the method includes engaging the snap locking elements 146 formed on the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104 with the slots 160 formed within the opening 141 of the housing 156.

The present disclosure provides the cable seal retainer 100 as a split symmetrical cable seal retainer. The cable seal retainer 100 having at least one first locking element 114 is adapted to be engaged with the second casing member 104 and the at least one second locking element 116 is adapted to be engaged with the first casing member 102 defining the central opening 140 for accommodating the cable 154. Due to this, the cable seal retainer 100 could be assembled after the wire harness assembly to prevent damage to the cable retainer during transportation or harness assembly.

Further, the present disclosure provides that the plurality of ribs formed in the cable seal retainer 100 can increase the overall structural strength of the cable seal retainer 100. The snap-locking elements 146 are adapted to be engaged with the housing 156, in which the cable seal retainer 100 is inserted to lock the cable seal retainer 100 within the housing 156 to restrict relative movement of the cable seal retainer 100 with respect to the housing 156.

The elongated locating elements 148 are adapted to be aligned with a cavity formed in the housing 156 that ensures the cable seal retainer 100 is inserted in the proper alignment with respect to the housing 156. The first set of blocking walls 150 abut the second set of blocking walls 152 to restrict relative movement between the first casing member 102 and the second casing member 104 once they are coupled together.

While specific language has been used to describe the present subject matter, any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment.

List of reference numerals
100 – cable seal retainer
102 – first casing member
104 – second casing member
106 – first outer wall
108 – second outer wall
110 – first inner wall
112 – second inner wall
114 – first locking element
116 – second locking element
117 – first resting portion
118 – first engaging element
119 – second resting portion
120 – second engaging element
122 – first resting surface
124 – second resting surface
126 – first flange portion
128 – second flange portion
130 – ribs
132 – first inner surface
134 – second inner surface
136 – first outer surface
138 – second outer surface
140 – central opening
141 – opening on the housing
142 – first slot
144 – second slot
146 – snap-locking element
148 – elongated locating element
150 – first set of blocking walls
152 – second set of blocking walls
154 – cable
156 – housing
158 – cavities on the housing
160 – slots on the housing , Claims:1. A cable seal retainer (100), comprising:
a first casing member (102) having a first resting surface (122) and at least one first locking element (114); and
a second casing member (104) adapted to be removably coupled to the first casing member (102), the second casing member (104) comprising a second resting surface (124) and at least one second locking element (116),
wherein the at least one first locking element (114) is adapted to be engaged with the second casing member (104) and the at least one second locking element (116) is adapted to be engaged with the first casing member (102), such that the first resting surface (122) and the second resting surface (124) align together to define a central opening (140) for accommodating a cable (154) therein.

2. The cable seal retainer (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first casing member (102) comprises:
a first outer wall (106) having an outer surface (136) and an inner surface (132) distal to the outer surface (136); and
a first inner wall (110) distant apart from the first outer wall (106), wherein a plurality of ribs (130) is formed between the first outer wall (106) and the first inner wall (110);
wherein the first resting surface (122) is defined on the first inner wall (110) and the at least one first locking element (114) protrudes from the first outer wall (106).

3. The cable seal retainer (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first casing member (102) comprises:
at least one first engaging element (118) extending from one of the plurality of ribs (130) formed between the first outer wall (106) and the first inner wall (110),
wherein at least one first engaging element (118) comprises a first slot (142) adapted to be engaged with the second locking element (116) of the second casing member (104).

4. The cable seal retainer (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second casing member (104) comprises:
a second outer wall (108) having an outer surface (138) and an inner surface (134) distal to the outer surface (138); and
a second inner wall (112) distant apart from the second outer wall (108), wherein a plurality of ribs (130) is formed between the second outer wall (108) and the second inner wall (112);
wherein the second resting surface (124) is defined on the second inner wall (112) and the at least one second locking element (116) protrudes from the second outer wall (108).

5. The cable seal retainer (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second casing member (104) comprises:
at least one second engaging element (120) extending from one of the plurality of ribs (130) formed between the second outer wall (108) and the second inner wall (112),
wherein the at least one second engaging element (120) comprises a second slot (144) adapted to be engaged with the first locking element (114) of the first casing member (102).

6. The cable seal retainer (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first casing member (102) and the second casing member (104) comprises:
a snap-locking element (146) formed in a recess defined on one of a first outer wall (106) of the first casing member (102) and a second outer wall (108) of the second casing member (104),
wherein the first snap-locking element (146) is adapted to be engaged with a housing (156) in which the cable seal retainer (100) is inserted to lock the cable seal retainer (100) within the housing (156).

7. The cable seal retainer (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first casing member (102) and the second casing member (104) comprises:
an elongated locating element (148) formed on one of a first outer wall (106) of the first casing member (102) and a second outer wall (108) of the second casing member (104),
wherein the elongated locating element (148) is adapted to be aligned with a cavity formed in a housing (156) in which the cable seal retainer (100) is inserted.

8. The cable seal retainer (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the first casing member (102) comprises a first set of blocking walls, and
the second casing member (104) comprises a second set of blocking walls,
wherein when the first casing member (102) is removably coupled to the second casing member (104), the first set of blocking walls (150) abut the second set of blocking walls (152) to restrict a relative movement between the first casing member (102) and the second casing member (104).

9. A method for connecting a cable seal retainer (100) to a housing (156), comprising:
positioning a first casing member (102) of the cable seal retainer (100) and a second casing member (104) of the cable seal retainer (100) on a cable (154) connected to a housing through an opening (141);
coupling the first casing member (102) to the second casing member (104) on the cable (154) in a locked condition; and
displacing the cable seal retainer (100) in the locked condition within the opening (141) of the housing (156).

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein displacing the cable seal retainer (100) comprises:
aligning elongated locating elements (148) formed on the first casing member (102) and the second casing member (104) with cavities (158) formed within the opening (141) of the housing (156); and
engaging snap locking elements (146) formed on the first casing member (102) and the second casing member (104) with slots (160) formed within the opening (141) of the housing (156).