Connecting device

• US 8,435,040 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SFS Group AG
• Original Assignee: SFS Intec Holding AG (SFS Group AG)
• Inventors: Costabel, Sascha, Schmidt, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US13/144,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20110318091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/595, 439/24, 439/246, 439/382
• US Class Current: 439/34
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0206 Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings devices for fastening or securing F16B
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/066 Interior liners
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/10 Details of socket shapes
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/00 Joining sheets or plates , e.g. panels, to one another or to strips or bars parallel to them F16B17/00 takes precedence; by sticking together F16B11/00; dowel connections F16B13/00; pins, including deformable elements F16B19/00; covering of walls E04F13/00; fastening signs, plates, panels or boards to a supporting structure, fastening readily-detachable elements, e.g. letters to signs, plates, panels, or boards, G09F7/00

Abstract

A connecting device (10) is provided for releasably connecting a fitting piece, such as an interior lining, to a supporting structure, such as a fuselage. The connecting device (10) includes a plug-in holding mechanism (50) including a bushing piece (52) and a connecting pin (75) that can be releasably locked therein. A bent connecting arm (60), to which the connecting pin is fastened, is releasably fastened to a structural holder (40) mounted on the supporting structure. In one position, the connecting arm (60) is plugged into the structural holder (40) and is releasably locked therein. In a second position (125), in which the connecting arm (60) is rotated 180° about the longitudinal axis thereof, an electrical contact device (90) is additionally inserted between the connecting arm (60) and the bushing piece (52). Hence, the same structural holder (40) and the same connecting arm (60) allow the fitting piece and the supporting structure to be connected to one another with or without connecting a contact device (90) therebetween.

Claims

1. An attachment system (10) for the detachable fastening of an interior-equipment part (20) to a support structure (30),

comprising at least one plug-in holding mechanism (50) made from a socket part (52) and a connection pin (70) that can be latched detachably in the socket part, a structure bracket (40) with

at least one connection arm (60) for fastening the plug-in holding mechanism (50) between the interior-equipment part (20) and the support structure (30),

an electrical contact device (90) locatable between the connection arm (60) and the socket part (52),

the connection arm (60) has a first and a second end part (61, 62), one of which (62) carries the connection pin (70),

the connection arm (60) is dimensioned so that, when the connection pin (70) is latched detachably in the socket part (52), the connection arm (60) is in a first, normal position (120) in which the connection arm and the socket part (52) are in contact with each other in a dividing plane (80), and when the connection arm (60) is in a second position (125) rotated by 180°

about its longitudinal axis, the connection arm (60) has a distance (A) from the dividing plane (80) that bridges or is bridgeable by the electrical contact device (90) to be arranged between the connection arm (60) and the socket part (52), using a different connection pin (75) that is attached on the connection arm (60) and is longer by the distance (A) than the one connection pin (70) is guided or guidable through the contact device (90) and is latched or latchable in the socket part (52),

wherein a spacing of the structure bracket (40) from the socket part (52) in a direction of the connection pin (70) for a normal assembly of the connection arm (60) without placement of the electrical contact device (90) and for a 180°

rotated placement of the connection arm (60) with placement of the electrical contact device (90) remains the same, and

the structure bracket (40) is formed such that it includes a receiver that allows movement of the connection arm (60) between the first, normal position and the second position that is rotated by 180°

.

2. The attachment system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the structure bracket (40) is a flat, plate-shaped, polygonal body (42) with at least one pair of mutually opposing sides (43, 44), wherein the structure bracket has at least one chamber (45) that opens into one of the sides (43, 44) that forms the receiver in which the first end part (61) of the connection arm (60) is detachably lockable or locked.

3. The attachment system (10) according to claim 2, wherein each of the sides (43, 44) into which the chamber (45) opens has a projection (46) with an end face (43a, 44a) angled against the side, wherein the chamber (45) opens into the end face (43a, 44a).

4. The attachment system (10) according to claim 1, wherein each of the connection pins (70, 75) is connected via a damping element (100) to the second end part (62) of the connection arm (60).

5. The attachment system (10) according to claim 4, wherein the damping element (100) extends through the second end part (62) of the connection arm (60) and projects on both sides past the connection arm (60).

6. The attachment system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the detachable connection of the connection arm (60) to the structure bracket (40) is a clip connection or a screw connection.

7. The attachment system (10) according to claim 2, further comprising a retainer frame (110) attached on the plate-shaped body (42) of the structure bracket (40) between the two mutually opposing sides (43, 44) for fastening the structure bracket (40) onto the support structure (30).

8. The attachment system (10) according to claim 1, wherein each of the connection pins (70, 75) is attached on the connection arm (60) so that it projects toward the dividing plane (80) when the connection arm (60) is fastened to the structure bracket (40).

9. The attachment system (10) according to claim 1 wherein the socket part (52) has a housing (53) that contains a spring-biased slide (54) that is deflectable by insertion of one or the other of the connection pins (70, 75).

10. The attachment system (10) according to claim 9, further comprising an eccentric lever (56) attached on the housing (53) of the socket part (52) for the actuation of the spring-biased slide (54).

11. The attachment system (10) according to claim 9, wherein each of the connection pins (70, 75) has, on a free end thereof, a groove (76) with which the spring-biased slide (54) is engageable or engaged.

12. The attachment system (10) according to claim 11, wherein each of the connection pins (70, 75) has, on an other end thereof, another groove (77) with which a holding plate (102) is engageable or engaged.

13. The attachment system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the contact device (90) has electrical contacts (92) that can be connected to each other and can be separated from each other in a direction of a longitudinal axis (71) of the other connection pin (75).