Self-drilling connecting unit

• US 5,213,459 A
• Filed: 09/25/1991
• Issued: 05/25/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SFS Intec Holding AG (SFS Group AG)
• Original Assignee: SFS Stadler Holding AG
• Inventors: Palm, Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Neill R.
• Application Number:
  US07/761,996
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 411/29, 411/30, 411/31, 411/386, 411/387, 411/55, 411/57
• US Class Current: 411/29
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/006 Holding or positioning the article in front of the applying tool
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/10 Aligning parts to be fitted together
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/58 Chisel-type inserts E21B10/485, E21B10/52 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/083 Self-drilling rivets
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 25/0094 the screw being assembled or manufactured from several components, e.g. a tip out of a first material welded to shaft of a second material
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 25/103 by means of a drilling screw-point, i.e. with a cutting and material removing action

Abstract

A self-drilling connecting unit includes a shaft and a platelet-like cutting tool attachable to the shaft in a form- and/or force-fitted manner. The platelet-like cutting tool has a platelet-like protrusion lying in the plane of the cutting tool in its end region facing the shaft. The end region of the shaft, which bears the cutting tool, has a central opening. The protrusion of the cutting tool is insertable into the opening of the shaft and is braced by a pressure seat in the opening against two diametrically opposed boundaries of the inner wall of the opening whereby a sufficient mount and an exactly axis-parallel alignment of the cutting tool against the shaft are provided.

Claims

1. A self-drilling connecting unit comprising a shaft and a platelet-like cutting tool connectable to the shaft, the platelet-like cutting tool having on an end region thereof facing the shaft, at least one platelet-like protrusion lying in a plane of the cutting tool;

an end region of the shaft bearing the cutting tool and having a central opening of a cross-section selected from circular, elliptical and polygonal cross section, said at least one protrusion being insertable into the central opening with a press fit for centering and force-fit mounting of the cutting tool to the shaft and being braced in the central opening against two diametrically opposing boundaries of an inside wall of the central opening.

2. Connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein said boundaries of the protrusion converge together at least at a free end thereof.

3. Connecting unit according to claim 1 wherein said opening in the shaft is conically tapered at least on a partial area of a depth thereof.

4. Connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is of a rounded configuration at a transition between side boundaries and a front boundary thereof.

5. Connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein the central opening has a polygonal cross section and an even number of corner regions, and side boundaries of the protrusion of the cutting tool are press-fitted in two diametrically opposing corner regions of the central opening.

6. Connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein the cutting tool has cutter-like edges on a boundary thereof facing the protrusion in the regions extending laterally over the protrusion.

7. Connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein for additional, form-fitted linkage between the cutting tool and the shaft, at a free end of the shaft, slits emanating radially from the central opening are provided, and the depth (T1) of the central opening is at least two to three times as large as the depth (T2) of each slit, measured in an axial direction of the shaft from its free end.

8. Connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein for an additional form-fitted connection between the cutting tool and the shaft (2), a groove is formed parallel to an axis of the shaft at the free end thereof at least on one side of an outer wall, the cutting tool having a strip extending parallel to the protrusion on one side boundary thereof, said strip meshing in the groove in the shaft in the assembled state.

9. Connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein on a front side of the shaft at both sides of the central opening, bulges are provided for pressing in and insertion of the cutting tool, for an additional, form-fitted mounting.

10. Connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein for an additional form-fitted connection between the tool and the shaft (2), two axis-parallel grooves are formed on the shaft at the free end of the shaft, the cutting tool having strips extending parallel to the protrusion, each strip meshing in the respective groove of the shaft in the assembled state.

11. A self-drilling connecting unit comprising a shaft, a platelet-like cutting tool, the platelet-like cutting tool having several spaced platelet-like protrusions in an end region thereof facing the shaft;

an end region of the shaft bearing the cutting tool and having a central, axially protruding lug of a cross-section selected from circular, elliptical and polygonal cross section and wherein for centering and force-fitted mounting of the cutting tool to the shaft, the protrusions of the cutting tool can be set on and braced on the lug against two diametrically opposed boundaries of an outer wall of the lug with a press-fit.

12. Connecting unit according to claim 11, wherein facing side boundaries of two protrusions diverge at least at their free ends.

13. Connecting unit according to claim 11, wherein the lug on the shaft is conically tapered at least on a part of its length.

14. Connecting unit according to claim 11, wherein each protrusion of the cutting tool is of rounded configuration at a transition between side boundaries and a front boundary thereof.

15. Connecting unit according to claim 11, wherein the cutting tool has cutter-like edges in a region lying between two protrusions.

16. Connecting unit according to claim 11, wherein for an additional, form-fitted linkage between the cutting tool and the shaft, at a free end of the shaft, slits emanating radially from the lug are provided, and the depth of the lug (18) is at least two to three times as large as the depth (T2) of each slit, measured from a base of the slit to the free end of the shaft.

17. Connecting unit according to claim 11, wherein on a front side of the shaft on both sides of the central lug, bulges are provided for pressing in and insertion of the cutting tool for an additional, form-fitted mounting of the cutting tool.