Abstract

A drive cable for actuating a vehicle element which is movable with respect to a vehicle design, which can have a cable body having a flexible cable core which is wrapped with a spiral, which follows a helical line so as to become engaged with a gearwheel. At least three longitudinal ribs or crosspieces can be formed along the periphery of the cable body, said drive cable being able to support itself in a cable guide via said longitudinal ribs which form at least mostly continuous guiding lines and contact lines of the drive cable, each having the same distance all around to the cable axis. Alternatively, an elastically or plastically malleable cable jacket can be provided which engages over the cable core and the spiral and which forms a cylindrical and rib-free peripheral surface of the cable when the cable core is stretched.

IPC Classes  ?

• F16H 19/08 - Gearings comprising essentially only toothed gears or friction members and not capable of conveying indefinitely-continuing rotary motion for interconverting rotary motion and oscillating motion
• F16H 7/00 - Gearings for conveying rotary motion by endless flexible members
• F16H 19/00 - Gearings comprising essentially only toothed gears or friction members and not capable of conveying indefinitely-continuing rotary motion
• F16H 19/06 - Gearings comprising essentially only toothed gears or friction members and not capable of conveying indefinitely-continuing rotary motion for interconverting rotary motion and reciprocating motion comprising an endless flexible member
• F16C 1/20 - Construction of flexible members moved to and fro in the sheathing

Abstract

A drive cable for actuating a vehicle element that can be moved in relation to a vehicle structure is disclosed, the cable comprising a cable body (31) with a flexible cable core (32) which, in order to engage with a gear, is wrapped by a spiral (33) that follows a helical path. At least three longitudinal ribs (35, 61, 71) or ridges are formed at the periphery of the cable body (31), by means of which ribs the drive cable can be supported in a cable run and which form at least largely continuous guiding and contacting paths for the drive cable, each of said paths being spaced at a continuously constant distance from the cable axis. Alternatively, the cable can be provided with an elastic or plastically deformable cable sheath which, when the cable core is extended, forms a cylindrical cable peripheral surface without ribs that is concentric with the cable axis and that covers the cable core and the spiral.

IPC Classes  ?

• F16C 1/20 - Construction of flexible members moved to and fro in the sheathing