Cable end fitting and cable abutment and method of securement

1. A cable conduit end for securing a cable to a cable abutment of a latch, the cable conduit end comprising:

a housing;

an alignment feature incorporated into an exterior surface of the housing;

a first pair of flexible retention features integrally formed with the housing of the conduit end and extending away from the exterior surface of the housing, the first pair of flexible retention features being in a facing spaced relationship with respect to each other and are spring biased into a first position;

a second pair of flexible retention features integrally formed with the housing of the conduit end and extending away from the exterior surface of the housing, the second pair of flexible retention features being in a facing spaced relationship with respect to each other and are spring biased into a first position, wherein the first pair of flexible retention features are in a facing spaced relationship with respect to the second pair of flexible retention features and the alignment feature is located between the first pair of flexible retention features and the second pair of flexible retention features.

2. The cable conduit end as in claim 1 , wherein the cable extends through an opening in the cable conduit end.

3. The cable conduit end as in claim 2 , further comprising a cable sheath extending over a portion of the cable and secured to an end of the housing.

4. The cable conduit end as in claim 1 , wherein the first pair of flexible retention features and the second pair of flexible retention features further comprise an angled surface located at a distal end of the first pair of flexible retention features and the second pair of flexible retention features.

5. In combination, a cable conduit end and a cable abutment of a latch housing, the cable conduit end being configured to secure a cable to the cable abutment, the cable conduit end comprising:

a housing;

an alignment feature incorporated into an exterior surface of the housing;

a first pair of flexible retention features integrally formed with the housing of the conduit end and extending away from the exterior surface of the housing, the first pair of flexible retention features being in a facing spaced relationship with respect to each other and are spring biased into a first position;

a second pair of flexible retention features integrally formed with the housing of the conduit end and extending away from the exterior surface of the housing, the second pair of flexible retention features being in a facing spaced relationship with respect to each other and are spring biased into a first position, wherein the first pair of flexible retention features are in a facing spaced relationship with respect to the second pair of flexible retention features and the alignment feature is located between the first pair of flexible retention features and the second pair of flexible retention features; and

wherein the cable abutment has an opening configured to slidably received the cable conduit end therein.

6. The combination as in claim 5 , wherein the first pair of flexible retention features and the second pair of flexible retention features snap-fittingly secure the cable conduit end to the cable abutment when the housing is inserted into the opening of the cable abutment.

7. The combination as in claim 5 , wherein the alignment feature engages side walls of the opening of the cable abutment when the housing of the cable conduit end is inserted into the opening of the cable abutment.

8. The combination as in claim 5 , wherein the cable extends through an opening in the cable conduit end.

9. The combination as in claim 8 , further comprising a cable sheath extending over a portion of the cable and secured to an end of the housing.

10. The combination as in claim 5 , wherein the first pair of flexible retention features and the second pair of flexible retention features further comprise an angled surface located at a distal end of the first pair of flexible retention features and the second pair of flexible retention features.

11. A method of securing a cable conduit end to a cable abutment of a latch housing, comprising:

inserting a housing of the cable conduit end into an opening of the cable abutment;

guiding an alignment feature incorporated into an exterior surface of the housing between a pair of features located in the opening of the cable abutment;

deflecting a first pair of flexible retention features integrally formed with the conduit end and extending away from the exterior surface of the housing outwardly from a first position as the cable conduit end as it is inserted into the opening of the cable abutment, the first pair of flexible retention features being in a facing spaced relationship with respect to each other;

deflecting a second pair of flexible retention features integrally formed with the conduit end and extending away from the exterior surface of the housing outwardly from a first position as the cable conduit end as it is inserted into the opening of the cable abutment, the second pair of flexible retention features being in a facing spaced relationship with respect to each other, and wherein the first pair of flexible retention features are in a facing spaced relationship with respect to the second pair of flexible retention features and the alignment feature is located between the first pair of flexible retention features and the second pair of flexible retention features;

engaging a first pair of retention features of the cable abutment with a distal end of the first pair of flexible retention features after they have been deflected back towards the first position, wherein the first pair of flexible retention features are spring biased into the first position;

engaging a second pair of retention features of the cable abutment with a distal end of the second pair of flexible retention features after they have been deflected back towards the first position, wherein the second pair of flexible retention features are spring biased into the first position; and

engaging a pair of side walls of the opening of the cable abutment with the alignment feature.