DE102020131515A1 - Screw with guide means - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a screw (1) for screwing together two components of a computer system (2), in particular two housing components (21, 22), having a screw head (11) and a shank (12) having a thread (13), the shank between the screw head and the thread, a first guide means (14), which is arranged closer to the thread, and a second guide means (15), which is arranged closer to the screw head, and- the two guide means are designed in such a way that they are Guides (23, 24) can be inserted in a form-fitting manner, so that the screw can be straightened independently.

Description

The present invention relates to a screw with guide means, which can be used to fasten several elements of a computer housing, as well as a corresponding arrangement and a method.

Typically, screws are used to fasten together various elements of a computer case, for example the walls of the computer case.

An exemplary embodiment of such a screw with a knurled head, which is usually fastened by hand, is given in the publication DE 102016117392 A1 disclosed.

A straight alignment of the screw is desirable for a simple and secure screw connection.

Through that in the pamphlet DE 102014108180 B3 disclosed centering means, a screw can be automatically centered during screwing.

When inserting a screw by hand, however, it is often difficult to straighten the screw. If the screw is not aligned approximately straight, the thread of the screw cannot be inserted into a counter-thread provided for this purpose, or only with difficulty.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a screw that can be easily inserted and screwed.

This object is at least partially solved by the features according to the claims.

In a first aspect, the invention relates to a screw for screwing together two components of a computer system, in particular two housing components, which comprises at least one screw head and a threaded shaft. The shank has a first guide means and a second guide means between the screw head and the thread.

The first guiding means is arranged closer to the thread, the second guiding means is arranged closer to the screw head.

The two guide means are designed in such a way that they can be inserted in a form-fitting manner in guides provided for this purpose, so that the screw can be straightened independently.

The guide means are arranged concentrically to one another and to the screw shank, ie they have the same central longitudinal axis.

In one embodiment, the two guide means have different dimensions in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the central longitudinal axis.

In at least one embodiment, these dimensions of the first guide means, which is located closer to the thread, are smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the second guide means.

In one embodiment, the shank exclusively comprises the first guiding means, the second guiding means and the thread. There are no further sections formed along the shaft. In further embodiments, the shank can comprise further guide means.

In one embodiment, the second guide means is directly adjacent to the screw head and the first guide means is directly adjacent to the thread. The first and the second guiding means can be arranged directly next to each other along the shaft. There are no further sections along the shaft between the sections mentioned.

In at least one embodiment, the first guide means and the second guide means have different diameters. In this way, the guide means can be introduced in a form-fitting manner into correspondingly shaped guides with matching inner diameters. The inner diameters of the guides thus also have different diameters.

In one embodiment, the diameter of the thread is larger than the diameter of the first guide means and smaller than the diameter of the second guide means.

The diameters of the associated guides are adjusted accordingly. Thus, the screw can be positively fixed in the guides. The screw can only be inserted into the narrower of the guides by a turning movement, during which the thread forms a mating thread in this guide.

In at least one embodiment, the guide means are cylindrical with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the screw. In contrast to cuboid guide means, for example, when inserting the screw into the guides, it is not necessary to ensure that the screw is aligned in a specific way in relation to the guides.

In one embodiment, the outer diameters of the guide means are approximately the same size as the inner diameters of the associated guides, so that the guide means can be inserted into the guides with a precise fit. This improves the hold of the screw in the guides. In further embodiments, the guides and the guide means are dimensioned in such a way that a clearance or transition fit is formed.

In one embodiment, the screw is designed as a knurled screw. This means that the screw head has knurls so that the screw can be easily tightened by hand.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to an arrangement comprising a first housing component of a computer housing, a second housing component of the computer housing and a screw according to the first aspect.

The further features according to the second aspect can also apply to the screw according to the first aspect.

The first housing component of the arrangement has two coaxially arranged and spaced-apart guides for receiving the screw, in particular the two guide means of the screw.

The two guide means are arranged in such a way that the screw can be straightened independently in the guides.

For this purpose, the two guides are dimensioned sufficiently long, for example along the longitudinal direction of the screw, so that the screw automatically aligns itself straight when it is inserted into the two guides and cannot be inserted at an angle.

Alternatively or additionally, the two guides are arranged coaxially at such a large distance that the screw automatically aligns itself straight when it is inserted into the two guides. The distance between the two guides is more than 5 mm, for example. The distance is preferably more than 8 mm or more preferably more than 1 cm.

By definition, an outer guide is located closer to the bolt head than an inner guide. The inner guide positively accommodates the first guide means and the outer guide positively accommodates the second guide means. Here and in the following, the side of the first housing component that does not point in the direction of the second housing component is referred to as the outside. Accordingly, the side of the first housing component that points in the direction of the second housing component is referred to as the inside. After the computer case is assembled, the inside of the first case component faces inward of the computer case and the outer wall of the first case component faces out.

The screw is straightened by itself by being inserted in the two coaxial and spaced guides.

The screw is also screwed through the guides to the second housing component. For this purpose, the second housing component has a mating thread, which is screwed to the thread of the screw. The mating thread is arranged coaxially and at a distance from the two guides of the first housing component.

During assembly, the screw is first inserted into the guides of the first housing component and then into the mating thread of the second housing component. When assembled, the screw head is exposed on the outside of the first housing component, ie the side that does not face towards the second housing component.

In at least one embodiment, the guides are dimensioned in such a way that the guide means fit snugly in the guides, and the guide means are designed in such a way that a press fit, clearance fit or transition fit is formed.

The inner diameter of the guides and the outer diameter of the guide means are preferably the same size. This ensures that the screws are held securely and securely.

In one embodiment, the guides are of cylindrical design, so that they are suitable for accommodating guide means with a cylindrical shape. Due to the symmetry of the cylindrical shape, the exact orientation of the screw when inserting it into the guides does not have to be taken into account.

In one embodiment, a first guide is designed as an opening in the first housing component. Both the inner and the outer guide can be designed as an opening in the first housing component. Because the first guide is formed in the first housing component, further components are superfluous. The structure of the arrangement is thus simplified.

The opening of the first guide is formed perpendicular to a surface of the first housing component. A central longitudinal axis of the first guide, which runs coaxially to the central longitudinal axis of the screw, is here perpendicular to the surface of the first housing component.

In one embodiment, a second guide is designed as an opening in a tongue bent out of the first housing component. A surface of the tongue is parallel to the surface of the first housing component in which the first guide is formed. The breakthrough of the second guide is perpendicular to the surface of the tongue. A central longitudinal axis of the second guide, which runs coaxially with the central longitudinal axis of the screw, is here perpendicular to the surface of the tongue.

A second guide can thus be formed, which is arranged coaxially to the first guide, without the need for a further component. The structure of the arrangement is thus simplified. Both the inner and the outer guide can be designed as an opening in a bent-out tongue.

Preferably, the inner guide is formed in the bent-out tongue of the housing component and the outer guide is formed in the housing component itself. Then, after the computer housing has been assembled, the bent-out tongue protrudes into the housing and thus does not take up any further space outside the housing.

In one embodiment, the thread has a larger outside diameter than the inside diameter of the inner guide. To fasten the screw, the thread must first be passed through the inner guide. If the outer diameter of the thread is selected to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the inner guide, this can only be achieved by screwing the thread through the inner guide. It is important to ensure that the inner diameter of the screw thread is smaller than or equal to the inner diameter of the inner guide. The thread of the screw thus forms a mating thread in the surface of the inner guide. Once the threads of the screw are passed through the inner guide, the screw is fixed in the guides. Due to the larger outer diameter of the thread, the screw can no longer be pulled out through the inner guide.

The screw can thus be fixed in the guides of the first housing component before the computer housing is assembled and before it is screwed to the second housing component. This facilitates assembly of the case.

In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the inner guide is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer guide and the outer diameter of the second guide means.

Thus, the first guide means fits into both guides. The second guide means only fits in the outer guide. The screw can therefore only be inserted into the guides until the second guide means is in contact with the inner guide.

In one embodiment, in the screwed state, the second guide means rests against a surface of the first housing component that is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the screw. The second guide means thus defines the stop of the screw. Due to the small diameter of the inner guide, the thread and the first guide means, but not the second guide means, can be inserted into the inner guide.

If the shank of the screw is long enough, when the stop is reached at least the screw head and a section of the second guide protrude on the outside of the first housing component, i.e. the side pointing away from the second housing component. For example, a knurled screw can simply be tightened by hand until the stop is reached. When the stop is reached, the screw head does not lie directly on the first housing component and is therefore easy to grasp by hand.

In a preferred embodiment, the screw head and at least a section of the second guide means are exposed in the screwed state and protrude on the outside of the first housing component so that they are easily accessible.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to figures. However, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment and the representations in the figures.

• 1: perspektivische Ansicht einer beispielhaften Schraube,
• 2: perspektivische Ansicht eines Schnitts durch ein beispielhaftes Computergehäuse vor dem Zusammenbau der Gehäusewände,
• 3: perspektivische Ansicht eines Schnitts durch das Computergehäuse und die Schraube vor dem Festziehen der Schraube,
• 4: perspektivische Ansicht eines Schnitts durch das Computergehäuse und die Schraube nach dem Festziehen der Schraube.

The figures show:

• 1 : perspective view of an exemplary screw,
• 2 : perspective view of a section through an exemplary computer housing before the housing walls are assembled,
• 3 : perspective view of a cut through the computer case and the screw before tightening the screw,
• 4 : perspective view of a section through the computer case and the screw after tightening the screw.

In 1 an exemplary embodiment of the screw 1 is shown. The screw 1 has a screw head 11 and a shank 12 . The shank 12 has three distinct sections. A thread 13 is formed at the end of the shank 12, which is opposite the screw head 11 and is also described below as the front end of the screw. The side of the screw head 11 is referred to below as the rear part of the screw 1 .

Directly behind the thread 13 is a first guide means 14 which is formed along the shank 12 in a cylindrical manner centered on the central longitudinal axis of the screw 1 or the shank 12 .

In the present example, the diameter of the cylindrical first guide means 14 corresponds to the inside diameter of the thread 13. The outside diameter of the thread 13 is therefore slightly larger than the diameter of the first guide means 14.

A second guide means 15 is formed on the rear part of the shaft 12 between the first guide means 14 and the screw head 11 . The second guide means 15 has a larger diameter than the first guide means 14 and the thread 13 . The second guide means 15 is also cylindrical, centered on the central longitudinal axis of the screw 1 . However, the diameter of the second guide means 15 is smaller than the diameter of the screw head 11.

In the present example, the screw 1 can be a knurled screw. Such a screw can easily be tightened by hand due to the knurled edges on the screw head 11 .

The screw 1 is to be used in the present example for assembling a computer housing 2 . In 2 1 shows an example of how a rear wall 21 of the computer housing 2 and a side wall 22 of the computer housing 2 are assembled.

The rear wall 21 has two guides 23 and 24 for receiving the screw 1. A first, outer guide 23 is designed as an opening in the rear wall 21 . A second, inner guide 24 is designed as an opening in a tongue 25 bent out of the rear wall 21 . The inner side of the assembled computer housing 2 is referred to here and below as the inner side. The outer side A of the computer housing 2 is referred to as the outer side.

The two guides 23 and 24 are arranged coaxially. By bending a tongue 25 out of the rear wall 21, the guides can be arranged coaxially without an additional component being required next to the rear wall 21.

The two guides are circular and have different diameters. The diameter of the inner guide 24 is smaller than the diameter of the outer guide 23. The diameters of the guides are precisely dimensioned so that the guide means of the screw 1 fit precisely into the guides. The inner diameter of the inner guide 24 is therefore approximately the same as the outer diameter of the first guide means 14. The inner diameter of the outer guide 23 is also approximately the same as the outer diameter of the second guide means 15.

To assemble the computer housing 2, the screw 1 is inserted into the guides 23 and 24. The thread 13 can be passed through the outer guide 23 without any problems, since its outer diameter is significantly smaller than the inner diameter of the outer guide 23. However, since the outer diameter of the thread 13 is larger than the inner diameter of the inner guide 24, the thread can only be passed through a Screwing movement are passed through the inner guide 24.

For this purpose, the thread 13 is attached to the inner guide 24 from the outside. Then the entire screw 1 is turned so that the thread 13 turns into the inner guide 24 in a screwing motion. Here, a counter-thread to the thread 13 is stamped into the inner guide. As described, the guide 24 is only formed as a through hole in the computer wall 21 . The depth of the guide is therefore less than the length of the thread 13 along the shank 12.

After the thread 13 has been passed through the inner guide 24, the screw 1 is fixed. Due to the larger outer diameter of the thread 13, the screw can no longer be pulled out through the inner guide 24.

Since the two guides 23 and 24 are arranged coaxially to one another, the screw is automatically aligned straight after being inserted into the two guides and can then be easily removed be screwed with a counter-thread provided for this purpose.

In the present example, the counter-thread is formed in a through-hole 32 in a bent-out tongue 31 of the side wall 22 of the computer housing 2 . For this purpose, the through hole 32 has an internal thread. The internal thread has approximately the same length as the thread 13 of the screw 1 and is therefore longer than the depth of the inner or outer guide 24 or 23.

The already straight screw 1 can be easily screwed to the internal thread in the through hole 32 without further alignment and without further aids, so that the rear wall 21 can be easily fixed to the side wall 22 by screwing.

The rear wall 21 is pushed onto the side wall 22 for screwing. Alternatively, the rear wall 21 can first be placed on the side wall 22 and then the screw 1 can be inserted into the guides 23 or 24. 3 shows the assembled computer housing 2 before tightening the screw 1 in section.

4 shows the same section after tightening the screw for fixing the two walls 21 and 22 of the computer housing 2 to each other.

Since the second guide means 15 has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the inner guide 24, the second guide means 15 abuts toward the outside in the tightened state against the tongue 25 in which the through hole of the inner guide 24 is formed. A stop of the screw 1 is thus defined. Screw 1 can only be tightened up to this stop.

The screw 1 is dimensioned in such a way that part of the shank 12 and the screw head 11 are exposed on the outside A of the computer housing 2 when the stop is reached. For example, a knurled screw can simply be tightened by hand, with the screw head 11 being easy to grip until it reaches the stop.

Reference List

1

screw

11

screw head

12

screw shank

13

thread

14

first guide

15

second guide

2

computer case

21

back panel

22

Side wall

23

outer leadership

24

Inner guidance

25

tongue of the back wall

31

sidewall tongue

32

through hole

A

outside

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102016117392 A1 [0003]
• DE 102014108180 B3 [0005]

Claims (13)

Screw (1) for screwing together two components of a computer system (2), in particular two housing components (21,22), having a screw head (11) and a shank (12) having a thread (13), wherein - the shank between the screw head and the thread has a first guide means (14) which is arranged closer to the thread and a second guide means (15) which is arranged closer to the screw head and - The two guide means are designed in such a way that they can be inserted in a form-fitting manner in guides (23, 24) provided for this purpose, so that the screw can be straightened independently. screw after claim 1 , wherein the first guide means and the second guide means have different diameters. screw after claim 2 , wherein the diameter of the thread is larger than the diameter of the first guide means and smaller than the diameter of the second guide means. screw after one of the Claims 1 until 3 , wherein the guide means are cylindrical with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the screw. Arrangement comprising a first housing component (21) of a computer housing (2), a second housing component (22) of the computer housing and a screw (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein - the first housing component has two coaxially arranged guides (23, 24) spaced apart from one another for receiving the screw, which are arranged in such a way that the screw can be straightened independently in the guides, - an inner guide (24) receives the first guide means (14) in a form-fitting manner and an outer guide (23) receives the second guide means (15) in a form-fitting manner, - the screw is inserted through the two guides so that the screw is straight and - the screw is screwed to the second housing component. Arrangement according to the preceding claim, wherein the guides are dimensioned in such a way that the guide means fit snugly in the guides and the guide means are designed in such a way that a clearance or transition fit is formed. Arrangement according to claim 5 or 6 , wherein the guides are cylindrical. Arrangement according to one of Claims 5 until 7 , wherein a first guide is formed as an opening in the first housing component, wherein the opening of the first guide is formed perpendicularly to a surface of the first housing component. Arrangement according to one of Claims 5 until 8th wherein a second guide is formed as an opening in a tongue (25) bent out of the first housing component, the opening of the second guide being perpendicular to a surface of the tongue. Arrangement according to one of Claims 5 until 9 , wherein the thread has a larger outside diameter than the inside diameter of the inner lead. Arrangement according to one of Claims 5 until 10 , wherein the inner diameter of the inner guide is less than the inner diameter of the outer guide and the outer diameter of the second guide means. Arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein the second guide means in the screwed state rests against a surface of the first housing component which is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the screw. Arrangement according to claim 12 , wherein the screw head and at least a portion of the second guide means protrude in the screwed state on an outer side (A) of the first housing component, which points away from the second housing component.

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