Molded terminal for remote control assembly (lollipop)

A motion transmitting remote control assembly (10) of the type for transmitting motion in a curved path, said assembly (10) comprising:

• a guide means (12);
• core means (18) movably supported by said guide means (12) and extending therefrom to provide a variable extending length of said core means (18) between said guide means (12) and one end (68) of said core means (18), said extending length defining a line of force;
• and an integral terminal member (20) for operatively interconnecting said extending length of said core means (18) and a control member (22) of the type having a body portion (32) and a smaller ball pin (36) extending therefrom, and characterized by said terminal member (20) including an enlarged base portion (42) having a neck portion (64) extending along said extending length of said core means (18) for retaining a portion of said extending length therein on said line of force, an opening (38) extending completely through said terminal member (20) on an axis perpendicular to said line of force and having a containing portion (40) on said line of force for containing the body portion (32) of the control member (22) therein and for absorbing the applied forces as said terminal member (20) is moved along the line of force, said containing portion (40) being disposed in said enlarged base portion (42) on one side thereof, said opening (38) of said terminal member (20) further including a plurality of flexible fingers (50) extending laterally from the side of said enlarged base portion (42) opposite said one side, about said containing portion (40) and offset axially with respect to said opening from said line of force and arranged about said axis of said opening (38), said fingers (50) defining lips (60,62) extending into said opening and defining a smaller diameter portion of said opening (38) than said containing portion (40) thereof, said fingers (50) extending from said base portion (42) to free distal ends for flexing radially of said axis of said opening (38) during insertion of the ball pin (36) through the smaller diameter portion of said opening (38) to retain the ball pin (36) disposed within said opening (38) independently of actuating engagement between the body portion (32) and said opening in said enlarged base portion (42) whereby the relatively smaller ball pin (36) of a control member (22) may be freely passed through the larger containing portion (40) of said opening (38) and into engagement with the smaller diameter presented by said fingers (50) to flex said fingers (50) outwardly until the ball pin (36) is therepast as the larger body portion (32) of the control member (22) which trails the ball pin (36) is inserted into said larger containing portion (40) for transmitting said applied forces therebetween while held therein by said fingers (50) engaging the ball pin (36) at a position between the body portion (32) and the ball pin (36).