Device for fastening an attached part, in particular in the form of a motor vehicle antenna

• US 9,966,707 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kathrein Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Kathrein-Werke KG. (Kathrein SE)
• Inventors: Hildebrand, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): MacArthur, Victor L
• Application Number:
  US11/607,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20080131199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,176 Days
• Field of Search: 403197, 403252, 4034081, 343711, 343713, 343715, 439353, 439916
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1214 through a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1242 Rigid masts specially adapted for supporting an aerial
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/745 separate from the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/02 for antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/52 mounted in or to a panel or structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/75 having a joining piece extending through aligned openings in plural members

Abstract

A device for fastening an attached part, in particular in the form of a motor vehicle antenna, to a fitting wall provided with a fitting opening, in the form of a bodywork metal sheet. Tensioning structure is located in a region of the fitting opening and is arranged to secure the attached part relative to the fitting wall.

Claims

1. A device for fastening to an attached part including a fitting wall having a fitting opening therethrough and having a threaded portion, the device comprising:

a screw member comprising a screw head and further comprising a screw shank structured and dimensioned to engage with and threadably screw into the attached part threaded portion,

a tensioning structure comprising at least one element structured and configured to tension the device toward the fitting wall,

the at least one element structured and dimensioned for insertion through the fitting opening from an attachment side thereof, the at least one element comprising a locking structure structured to lock behind the fitting opening with the at least one element inserted through the fitting opening from the attachment side,

a plug-in system comprising plural plug connectors having the screw member disposed therebetween in such a way that, when viewed perpendicularly to the fitting opening, the plural plug connectors are arranged wholly or partially in a region of the fitting opening, the plural plug connectors having insertion openings defining an insertion plane,

the screw member being structured and configured to penetrate the tensioning structure and apply pressure to the tensioning structure to thereby urge the at least one element to be supported, on a side of the fitting opening opposing the attached part, on the fitting wall surrounding the fitting opening and thereby fix the device to the attached part, with the screw head applying pressure to the tensioning structure being further structured to be located closer to the fitting wall than the insertion plane defined by the insertion openings of the plural plug connectors,

wherein, externally to a central portion of the tensioning structure, clamping feet structured from a spring metal sheet or spring clip are formed having, in side view, an S-shape, a U-shape or a V-shape in such a way that each of the clamping feet comprises at least two legs which are joined together via an angled portion protruding toward the attached part, at least a first of the two legs being configured to penetrate the fitting opening, and a clamping edge provided on a second of the two legs and configured to reach behind the fitting opening to abut an underside of the fitting wall, wherein the clamping edge is disposed at a free end of the second leg.

2. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tensioning structure defines a through-opening penetrated by the screw shank of the screw member, a central portion thus formed of the tensioning structure, comprising the spring metal sheet or a spring clip, being located in a region or in a plane positioned, in the insertion and fitting direction, after the plane in which the insertion openings in the plural plug connectors are located.

3. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping feet protrude at least partially through or into one or more apertures.

4. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central portion of the tensioning structure and the upper side of a screw head of the screw member being located in a region, at a level located sufficiently far below the insertion plane formed by the insertion openings in the plural plug connectors, to attach mating plug connectors to the plural plug connectors without the mating plug connectors colliding with the tensioning structure and the screw member.

5. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central portion of the tensioning structure is located in a region that is closer to the attached part than to the clamping edges which are supported in use on the fitting wall on a side opposing the attached part.

6. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an upper side of the screw member is structured and dimensioned to lie at a distance from the fitting plate provided with the fitting opening that is less than 80% of the distance of the plane, formed by the insertion opening in the at least one plug connector, to the fitting wall.

7. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tensioning structure comprises in the central portion thereof ribs for increasing rigidity.

8. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping feet comprise ribs via which resilience of the clamping feet is defined.

9. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping feet are configured at each radially outer end of the tensioning structure.

10. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising cable couplers attached to the plug-in system and secured thereon.

11. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein a top surface of the screw head is structured to be located in a plane which is closer to the attaching structure or the fitting wall, respectively, than to the insertion plane.

12. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the clamping feet comprise raised portions.

13. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the clamping feet comprise material cutouts.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the central portion of the tensioning structure includes a funnel-shaped recess which corresponds to a portion of the screw head where the screw head tapers conically from a point of transition between the screw head and the screw shank.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the central portion comprises longitudinal ribs and/or recesses that at least in part determine the rigidity and/or resilience of the spring clip.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the plural plug connectors comprise four plugs and the screw head is disposed between the four plugs in a position that does not mechanically interfere with mating of the four plugs with four further mating pluggable connectors.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plural plug connectors includes a longitudinal coding rib that extends over only a part of the plug connector to thereby provide adjustment height clearance for the screw member.