Joining method

• US 10,279,784 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henkel AG & Co KGaA
• Original Assignee: Henkel AG & Co KGaA
• Inventors: Plotzitzka, Joachim, Schwarze, Hermann J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Jonathan P
• Application Number:
  US15/069,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20160193988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/00 Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/026 Connections by glue bonding in general F16B11/00; processes C09J5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 11/006 by gluing gluing of plastics material B29C65/48

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for joining a first and second planar part each having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein in a first step a lowered area is provided at two joining regions of the planar parts, which joining regions face each other, wherein the lowered areas are shaped in such a way that the level of the outer surface in the region of said lowered areas lies below the level of the outer surface of the adjacent regions of the planar parts; wherein in a further step the two planar parts are positioned in relation to each other, while an adhesive is used, in such a way that the two lowered areas form a recess, wherein either one joining region overlaps the other joining region and the adhesive is provided directly between the overlapping joining regions or a joining aid is used, which at least partially overlaps the joining regions of the planar parts, wherein the adhesive is provided between each joining region of the two planar parts and the joining aid; wherein in a further step a mechanical joint is installed in the region of the recess between the joining regions or, if a joining aid is used, between the joining regions and the joining aid in order to provide an assembly connection; wherein in a further step the recess is filled with a filling mass in order to allow leveling with respect to the level of the outer surface of the adjacent regions of the planar parts.

Claims

1. A method for joining first and second planar parts, each of the planar parts having an outer surface and an inner surface, the method comprising:

providing a lowered area at two joining regions of the planar parts, which the joining regions face each other, wherein the lowered areas are shaped in such a way that the level of the outer surface in the region of the lowered areas lies below the level of the outer surface of the adjacent regions of the planar parts;

positioning the two planar parts in relation to each other in such a way that the two lowered areas form a recess, wherein either (a) one joining region having a plurality of holes defined thereon overlaps the other joining region having a plurality of holes defined thereon so that at least some of the joining region holes are aligned and an adhesive is disposed between the overlapping joining regions or (b) the joining regions are separated by a gap and a joining aid having a plurality of holes defined thereon is provided and at least partially overlaps the joining regions of the planar parts so that at least some of the holes are aligned with the gap, and the adhesive is provided between each joining region of the two planar parts and the joining aid;

disposing a mechanical connector through aligned joining region holes in the recess between the joining regions or, if a joining aid is used, between the gap and through the joining aid hole to provide an assembly connection; and

filling the recess with a filling mass to allow leveling with respect to the level of the outer surface of the adjacent regions of the planar parts.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one said planar part is metallic, whereby its joining region is formed by a cold forming process on the front side in the region of the lowered area before contact by the adhesive.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the two planar parts are metallic, whereby both joining regions are tooled by the cold forming process on the front side in the region of the lowered area before contact by the adhesive.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of providing the recess and regions defining the recess of the planar parts with corrosion protection, after curing of the adhesive and before filling with the filling mass.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lowered area of at least one planar part has a step or multiple steps.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the lowered area of at least one planar part is in the range between one to three times a thickness of that planar part.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a multicomponent adhesive and/or the filling mass is a multicomponent filling mass.

8. The method according to claim 1, used to repair automotive bodywork sector.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein one planar part is a part of an auto body and the other planar part is a replacement part for the auto body.

10. A connecting region of first and second planar parts, each of the planar parts having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the two planar parts have lowered areas on joining regions, wherein the planar parts are positioned such that the two lowered areas form a recess, wherein either (a) one joining region having a plurality of holes defined thereon overlaps the other joining region having a plurality of holes defined thereon and an adhesive is provided directly between the overlapping joining regions or (b) a joining aid having a plurality of holes defined thereon is used, which at least partially overlaps the joining regions of the planar parts, wherein the adhesive is provided between each joining region of the two planar parts and the joining aid, and wherein the recess is filled with a filling mass.