Construction and process of all-plastic cables for power and manual driving applications

Abstract

A plastic driving cable for attachment and use in driving systems. The plastic driving cable is comprised of an all-plastic inner core, with or without an outer jacket, and all-plastic molded end fittings. The inner core has a configuration of interwoven or bundled fibers of high performance polymer providing a cable of increased strength and flexibility that fits a smaller bending radius and has high performance at low temperatures. The outer jacket comprises a non-metallic material that surrounds the inner core providing improved performance at low temperatures.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A driving cable comprising: 
 an inner core member; and    a plurality of fibers, said fibers being comprised of non-metallic materials and forming said inner core member.    
     
     
         2 . The driving cable of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers are comprised of a liquid crystal polymer.  
     
     
         3 . The driving cable of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are braided in an interwoven fashion to form said inner core member.  
     
     
         4 . The driving cable of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are twisted together to form said inner core member.  
     
     
         5 . The driving cable of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are positioned uni-directionally as a bundle, to form said inner core member.  
     
     
         6 . The driving cable of  claim 1  further comprising an outer jacket in contact with an outer surface of said inner core.  
     
     
         7 . The driving cable of  claim 6 , wherein the outer jacket is comprised of a layer of braided non-metallic fibers.  
     
     
         8 . A driving cable assembly comprising: 
 an inner core member comprised of a plurality of non-metallic fibers;    a first end portion and a second end portion of said inner core member; and    a first end-fitting member comprised of non-metallic material, said first end fitting member being located adjacent to said first end portion of said inner core member.    
     
     
         9 . The driving cable assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said first end portion of said inner core member further comprises a knot with said knot being positioned inside first end fitting.  
     
     
         10 . The driving cable assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said first end portion of the inner core member further comprises a loop, with said loop extending outside of said first end fitting.  
     
     
         11 . The driving cable assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said first end portion of the inner core member further comprises a core tail extending outside of said first end fitting member.  
     
     
         12 . The driving cable assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first end fitting member further comprises a hole for attachment of a device therein.  
     
     
         13 . The driving cable of  claim 7  further comprising a second end fitting member, said second end fitting member being located adjacent to said second end portion of said inner core member  
     
     
         14 . The driving cable of  claim 7  further comprising a nonmetallic outer jacket surrounding the inner core member.  
     
     
         15 . A method for making an improved driving cable assembly comprising: 
 forming an inner core member comprised of a plurality of nonmetallic fibers, said inner core member having a first end portion and a second end portion;    providing a first end-fitting member, said first end fitting member being comprised of a non-metallic material; and    attaching said first end fitting member in a position adjacent to said first end portion of said inner core member.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming the inner core member further comprises: 
 braiding said plurality of non-metallic fibers.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming said inner core member further comprises: 
 twisting said plurality of non-metallic fibers.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming said inner core member further comprises: 
 positioning the plurality of non-metallic fibers in a uni-directional fashion.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 locating a non-metallic outer jacket surrounding the inner core member.  
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of attaching said end-fitting member is by over-molding.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 positioning a second end fitting member adjacent to said second end portion of said inner core member.