Compression ring for an isolator in a motion transmitting remote control assembly

A motion transmitting remote control assembly (20) comprising;

• a flexible motion transmitting core element (22),
• a conduit (24) extending along an axis (A) and movably supporting said core element (22),
• an end fitting (26, 28) extending along said axis (A) for surrounding and supporting said conduit (24) and including an end connector (26) and a swivel coupling body (28) for supporting a swivel tube (30),
• said end connector (26) extending along said axis (A) and having an elongated tubular portion (32) engaging said conduit (24) and having a narrow end portion (34) axially shorter than said elongated tubular portion (32) and having a narrower diameter than said elongated tubular portion (32) and having a shoulder (36) disposed axially between said elongated tubular portion (32) and said narrow end portion (34) and defining an annular channel (38) extending circumferentially about said narrow end portion (34),
• said swivel coupling body (28) comprising a tubular shape extending along said axis (A) between a first end (40) and a second end (42) and a flange (44) extending radially about said swivel coupling body (28) to a rim (46) and spaced axially between said first and second ends (40, 42) to define a first pocket (48) on the first end (40) side of said flange (44) and a second pocket (50) on the second end (42) side of said flange (44),
• said swivel coupling body (28) surrounding said end connector (26) between said first end (40) and said flange (44) and presenting a ridge (52) extending radially into said annular channel (38) of said narrow end portion (34) of said end connector (26) for securing said end connector (26) to said swivel coupling body (28),
• said swivel coupling body (28) presenting a spherical pocket (54) between said second end (42) and said flange (44) for receiving said swivel tube (30),
• said swivel tube (30) surrounding said core element (22) and having a spherical end (56) supported in said spherical pocket (54) for swiveling movement of said swivel tube (30) relative to said swivel coupling body (28),
• a support body (58) extending along said axis (A) between a connecting end (60) and a swivel end (62) and presenting an outer axial surface (64) and an open ended bore (66) extending into said connecting end (60) and disposed radially inwardly from said outer axial surface (64) surrounding and in radial spaced relationship to said coupling body (28) and said rim (46),
• an annular isolator (68, 70) disposed in said bore (66) engaging said first and second pocket (48, 50) of said support body (58) and said bore (66) for attenuating vibrations therebetween,
• said annular isolator (68, 70) including a first annular isolator (68) disposed about said first pocket (48) and a second annular isolator (70) disposed about said second pocket (50) and said first and second isolator (68, 70) having different configurations for attenuating different ranges of vibrations,
• said first annular isolator (68) including a first cylindrical portion (94) extending axially between said flange (44) and said first end (40) of said swivel coupling body (28) and presenting a first inner surface (96) engaging said first pocket (48) of said swivel coupling body (28) and extending radially outwardly to present a first outer surface (98) engaging said bore (66) for isolating said coupling body (28) from direct contact with said support body (58) and attenuating vibrations therebetween,
• said second annular isolator (70) including a second cylindrical portion (106) extending axially between said flange (44) and said second end (42) of said swivel coupling body (28) and presenting a second inner surface (108) engaging said second pocket (50) of said swivel coupling body (28) and extending radially outwardly to present a second outer surface (110) engaging said bore (66) for isolating said coupling body (28) from direct contact with said support body (58) and attenuating vibrations therebetween,
• said first isolator (68) defining a first annular groove (102) axially facing said first end (40) side of said flange (44),
• said first isolator (68) including a first annular projection (100) extending axially and sandwiched between said bore (66) and said rim (46) of said flange (44) for isolating said coupling body (28) from direct contact with said support body (58),
• said first isolator (68) including a first circumferential recess (104) extending radially into said first outer surface (98) and disposed axially between said connector end of said support body (58) and said flange (44) for attenuating vibrations,
• said second isolator (70) including a web portion (112) projecting radially from said second cylindrical portion (106) and extending axially shorter than said second cylindrical portion (106),
• said second isolator (70) including a top portion (114) projecting radially from said web portion (112) to said second outer surface (110) and extending axially longer than said web portion (112) and compressed axially between said flange (44) and said support body (58), said second outer surface (110) of said second isolator (70) including a rib (116) projecting radially beyond said top portion (114) and contacting said bore (66) of said support body (58) for spacing said top portion (114) radially from said bore (66),
• said second isolator (70) defining a second annular groove (118) disposed radially between said top portion (114) and said second cylindrical portion (106) and axially facing said second end (42) side of said flange (44),
• said second isolator (70) defining a third annular groove (120) disposed radially between said top portion (114) and said second cylindrical portion (106) and axially facing said swivel end (62) of said support body (58),
• said second isolator (70) including a pair of annular recesses (122) extending radially into said second outer surface (110) and axially disposed on opposite sides of said rib (116),
• a plurality of tabs (72) extending radially outwardly from said outer axial surface (64) of said connecting end (60) of said support body (58),
• a cap (74) disposed in mechanical interlocking engagement with said tabs (72) on said connecting end (60) of said support body (58) to close said open ended bore (66), said support body (58) surrounding said swivel tube (30) adjacent said swivel end (62) and including a frustoconical inner wall (130) extending axially into said support body (58) from said swivel end (62),
• a bracket (132) having a U-shaped slot (134) defined by parallel edges (136) and a bottom edge (138) extending along an arc connecting the parallel edges (136) and a pair of notches (140) disposed about said parallel edges (136),
• said support body (58) defining a groove (142) extending in a U-shape having a first leg (144) for abutting one of said parallel edges (136) of said U-shaped slot (134) and a second leg (146) for abutting another of said parallel edges (136) of said slot (134) and a bottom leg (148) extending along an arc between said first and second leg (144, 146) having the same radius as said bottom edge (138) of said U-shaped slot (134) for abutting said bottom edge (138) of said U-shaped slot (134),
• said support body (58) defining a pair of female guides (150) extending axially in opposite directions from said first and second leg (144, 146) of said groove (142), a pair of slider arms (152) extending axially through said first and second leg (144, 146) of said groove (142) from retainer ends (154) to distal ends (156) and movably supported in said female guides (150),
• said slider arms (152) including a cross member (158) extending transversely between said retainer ends (154) and having a grip surface disposed thereon,
• said support body (58) including a pair of snap-in retainers (160) for abutting said retainer ends (154) of said slider arms (152) for preventing said slider arms (152) from moving out of said female guides (150) to establish a locking position,
• a pair of biasing spring members (162) disposed within said female guides (150) and abutting said distal ends (156) of said slider arms (152) for exerting a biasing force on said distal ends (156) of said slider arms (152) to urge said slider arms (152) into said locking position,
• said slider arms (152) including a pair of locking tabs (164) projecting into said first and second leg (144, 146) of said groove (142) for engaging said notches (140) of said bracket (132) in said locking position and for moving axially relative to said support body (58) in response to an axial force on said grip surface to move said slider arms (152) axially against the axial biasing force of said biasing spring members (162) to move said locking tabs (164) to an insertion position, and
• characterized by an inflexible compression ring (76) sandwiched axially between said isolator (68, 70) and said cap (74) to limit compression of said isolator from said cap (74), said bore (66) in said connecting end (60) of said support body (58) being counterbored (80) to define a mechanical stop (78) extending radially outwardly from said bore (66) for limiting axial movement of said compression ring (76) to isolate compression of said isolator (68, 70) from said cap (74),
• said inflexible compression ring (76) sandwiched axially between said first isolator (68) and said counterbore (80) and including an axially extending collar portion (82) in abutting engagement with said stop (78) and extending from said stop (78) axially along said counterbore (80) and a conical portion (84) extending conically from said collar portion (82) and engaging said first isolator (68) and a lip portion (86) extending axially from said conical portion (84) and engaging said first cylindrical portion (94) of said first isolator (68) to limit compression of said first isolator (68), and
• said cap (74) including a tubular section (88) engaging said tabs (72) and an end section (90) axially engaging said conical portion (84) and a neck section (92) engaging said lip portion (86) of said compression ring (76) for axially engaging said compression ring (76) to limit compression of said isolator (68, 70) from said cap (74).