Component connection and method for the detachable connection of the components of a component connection

• US 9,222,500 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Herzinger, Thomas, van Niekerk, Johann
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amiri, Nahid
• Application Number:
  US13/678,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20130071181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 403/114, 403/266, 403/373, 403/374.1, 403/408.1, 219/117.1, 219/121.14, 219/121.64, 219/137.R, 228/135, 228/136, 228/212, 228/213, 242/89, 242/93, 242/94, 242/95, 244/53, 244/58, 245/811.1, 296/29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/006 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0408 for planar work
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/58 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/72 by combined operations or combined techniques, e.g. welding and stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7855 Provisory fixing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/344 Stretching or tensioning the joint area during joining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3055 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/07 in which the socket has a resilient part F16B21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/071 the socket being integrally formed with a component to be fasted, e.g. a sheet, plate or strip
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/10 Details of socket shapes
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0642 the plates being arranged one on top of the other and in full close contact with each other
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0664 at least one of the sheets or plates having integrally formed or integrally connected snap-in-features
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/08 by means of welds or the like welding B23K

Abstract

A connection between components includes a first component, a second component, and at least two pairs of fixing elements spaced apart by which the two components are detachably connected. Each pair of fixing elements has a female fixing element and a male fixing element that is inserted into the female fixing element. A fixing element of each pair of fixing elements is provided on the first component and the other fixing element of each pair of fixing elements is provided on the second component. The fixing elements are arranged such that on detachable connection of the two components by the pairs of fixing elements in the two components, a bending stress results in the components.

Claims

1. A connection between components, comprising:

a first component;

a second component;

at least two pairs of fixing elements arranged at a distance from one another and by which the first and second components are detachably connected to each other, wherein

each pair of fixing elements comprises a female fixing element and a male fixing element configured for insertion into the female fixing element,

a fixing element of each pair of fixing elements is provided on the first component and the other fixing element of each pair of fixing elements is provided on the second component, and

the fixing elements of the pairs of fixing elements are respectively located on the first and second components to produce a bending stress in the first and second components upon detachably connecting the two components, whereby a bending of the first and second components occurs.

2. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein the fixing elements are located such that one of the first and second components is subjected to bending stress in a region between the pairs of fixing elements.

3. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein a measured distance along a surface of the first component between the fixing elements provided on the first component is different from a measured distance along a surface of the second component between the fixing elements provided on the second component.

4. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein the male fixing element of each pair of fixing elements on one of the first and second components is inserted along an insertion direction into the female fixing element of each pair of fixing elements provided on the other of the first and second components, the male fixing element of each pair of fixing elements being clamped therein.

5. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein after the detachable connection of the first and second components, the first and second components are immovably fixed with respect to one another in lateral directions with respect to an insertion direction of the male fixing elements into the female fixing elements.

6. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein the fixing elements provide a clip or snap connection between the first and second components, the fixing elements of each pair of fixing elements positively engaging with one another from behind.

7. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein the fixing element of each pair of fixing elements are clamped non-positively to one another.

8. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein the fixing element of each pair of fixing elements are clamped non-positively and positively to one another.

9. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein the male fixing element of each pair of fixing elements is oversized with respect to an associated female fixing element of each pair of fixing elements.

10. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the male fixing elements of at least one of the pair of fixing elements is at least partially spherical, spheroidal, or comprises a spherical or ball portion.

11. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the male fixing elements of at least one of the pair of fixing elements is made completely of a metal.

12. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the male fixing elements is welded to a respective one of the first and second components.

13. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the male fixing elements comprises:

a functional head having an at least partially sphere or spherical shape; and

a foot section connected to the functional head.

14. The connection between components according to claim 13, wherein the foot section is connected with a respective one of the first and second components by cold joining.

15. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein the female fixing element of at least one of the pairs of fixing elements comprises a through-hole located in a respective one of the first and second components.

16. The connection between components according to claim 15, wherein the through-hole has a non-circular shape.

17. The connection between components according to claim 15, wherein the through-hole has a substantially square or triangular shape.

18. The connection between components according to claim 15, wherein the female fixing element further comprises a projecting edge of the through-hole, the projecting edge forming an elastic clamping element projecting from the respective component, the clamping element exerting a clamping force from outside, which is substantially lateral to an insertion direction, acting on an outer side of an associated male fixing element.

19. The connection between components according to claim 18, wherein after connecting together the first and second components, the clamping element engages behind the associated male fixing element.

20. The connection between components according to claim 18, wherein the clamping element is a clamping collar extending along an entire edge of the through-hole.

21. The connection between components according to claim 18, wherein the clamping element comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced clamping collars located along an edge of the through-hole, said clamping collars contacting the associated male fixing element from outside on a peripheral section thereof.

22. The connection between components according to claim 21, wherein the clamping collars are configured to protrude either in the insertion direction or against the insertion direction.

23. The connection between components according to claim 15, wherein the through-hole is a punched through-hole formed in a respective one of the first and second components.

24. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second components is a sheet metal component.

25. The connection between components according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second components is a body part of a vehicle body.

26. A method of permanently connecting first and second components, the method comprising the acts of:

first, detachably connecting the first and second components to one another using at least two pairs of fixing elements, each pair of fixing elements comprising a female fixing element and a male fixing element, wherein in each case, a fixing element of each pair of fixing elements is provided on the first component and the other fixing element of each pair of fixing elements is provided on the second component, wherein the fixing elements are arranged to produce a bending stress in the first and second components upon the detachable connection of the first and second components; and

second, permanently bonding the first and second components together after the first and second components are first detachably connected via the at least two pairs of fixing elements.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the bonding act comprises the act of welding the first and second components together.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first and second components are held in position with respect to one another before or during the welding exclusively by the detachable connection of the first and second components via the at least two pairs of fixing elements.