DE29901413U1 - Fastening element with compensation of distances on fastening surfaces - Google Patents

Description

12340.0/H3638-58-sce: Date: 26 January 1999

10

15

20

Applicant: Hymer-Leichtmetallbau GmbH & Co.KG PO Box 1265
88228 Wangen/Allgäu

Fastening element with compensation of distances on fastening surfaces

The innovation concerns a fastening element with compensation for distances on fastening surfaces. Such fastening elements are used, for example, to attach ceiling elements in vehicles such as buses to the ceiling surface of this vehicle. The same fastening elements are used to attach continuous ceiling elements in rail vehicles, for example. The disadvantage of such elongated vehicles with correspondingly long ceiling-side fastening surfaces is that the fastening surfaces are not always flat and straight. Due to manufacturing tolerances, there is a height offset of up to 10 mm over a length of 10 m, so that compensation elements are required to attach corresponding arrangements under this ceiling.

Such arrangements can be any fastening elements, such as paneled ceiling elements, air ducts, luggage racks and the like.

Until now, it was only known to design such fastening elements as compensation sleeves, whereby the desired compensation distance had to be determined at the installation site of the respective ceiling element.

House address:
Rennerle 10
D-88131 Lindau

Bank accounts:

Bavarian. Vereinsbank Lindau (B) No. 1257110 (BLZ 60020290) _# Hypo-Bank Lindau (B) No. 6670-326843 (BLZ 73320442) **VolksbanltLin*däM(Brftl51222e00<3LZ63D920iq): ···

· oe&im :

Postal checking account Munich
414848-808 (BLZ70010080)

in order to then saw a compensating sleeve to the appropriate size and then attach it to an associated fastening screw, which secured the suspended ceiling to the ceiling surface itself. It is therefore known to attach such suspended elements to the ceiling surface using compensating sleeves.

Of course, the present innovation is not limited to the fastening of such elements to ceiling surfaces. The present innovation is equally suitable for the general fastening of elongated elements to assigned mounting surfaces; in particular also of wall cladding to assigned wall surfaces and the like.

It is not necessary for the objects to be mounted to be elongated; it is sufficient to compensate for any assembly inaccuracies.

For the sake of simplicity, however, the following description describes the use of such an innovative fastening element on a ceiling surface, although the innovation is not limited thereto.

In addition to the use of so-called compensation sleeves, another state-of-the-art option is the use of so-called compensation washers, whereby one or more washers are pushed onto the fastening screw in order to compensate for the gap between the suspended ceiling element and the ceiling fastening surface and to ensure that this ceiling element is firmly attached to the ceiling surface.

The disadvantage of both of these arrangements was that such shims could get lost and that they had to be adjusted in number and size at the installation site in order to bridge the respective installation difference.

The innovation is therefore based on the task of developing a fastening element for compensating mounting distances on fastening surfaces in such a way that a captive element is created which can be attached to the

desired mounting distance (compensation distance) without having to add or remove parts.

The solution to the problem is achieved by a fastening element according to the technical teaching of claim 1.

The essential feature of the innovation is that the lower part is designed as an approximately wedge-shaped element with steps arranged on the wedge surface, that the upper part also consists of a wedge-shaped part that is complementary to the lower part and also has steps that engage with the steps of the lower part and can be locked into place with them, and that on one part, e.g. the lower part, a spring clip is arranged on each side, which is gripped by the hook arranged on the other part, whereby the hook on the spring clip can be moved.

The given technical teaching therefore results in the essential advantage that the two wedge-shaped elements can be displaced relative to one another because the wedge surfaces, which are designed to be complementary to one another, slide on one another, whereby the wedge surfaces are each provided with interlocking steps, so that it is possible to lock the displacement of the two wedge-shaped parts relative to one another.

The two parts cannot be lost together because one part, e.g. the upper part, has hooks on the side which engage under spring clips on the other part, e.g. the lower part. The hooks can therefore be moved together with the upper part on the spring clip of the lower part so that the two parts cannot be easily separated from each other. The two parts can only be separated from each other when the spring clip is disengaged from the hooks on the upper part.

It goes without saying that the kinematic reversal is also possible, i.e. the spring clips are arranged on the upper part, while the corresponding hooks, which interact with the spring clip, are arranged on the lower part.

Another important feature of the innovation is that at least one of the parts can be clipped onto an associated fastening surface. For this purpose, the part is provided with a lower insertion space, which is delimited by clip feet that reach inwards at the sides. If a corresponding plate is arranged on the fastening surface that fits into the insertion space, the associated clip feet on this part can be locked onto this plate.

It is possible to provide such a clip fastening on both the lower and upper parts or only on one of the two parts.

The fixing elements required to attach the respective fastening element can consist of a single screw that passes through a respective slotted hole that is aligned in both the lower and upper parts. It is therefore sufficient to attach a single fixing screw to the part to be attached, e.g. the suspended ceiling, which then passes through the corresponding slots in the lower and upper parts.

The subject matter of the present innovation arises not only from the subject matter of the individual claims, but also from the combination of the individual claims with one another.

All information and features disclosed in the documents, including the summary, in particular the spatial configuration shown in the drawings, are claimed as essential to the invention insofar as they are new compared to the prior art, individually or in combination.

The innovation is explained in more detail below using drawings that merely show one embodiment. The drawings and their description reveal further features and advantages of the innovation that are essential to the invention.

Show it:

Figure 1: perspective side view of the lower part of the

Fastening element,
5

Figure 2: the side view according to Figure 1,

Figure 3: the top view in the direction of arrow IM in Figure 1, Figure 4: the front view in the direction of arrow IV in Figure 3, Figure 5: the perspective side view of the upper part,

Figure 6: the side view according to Figure 5,
15

Figure 7: the top view in the direction of arrow V in Figure 5,

Figure 8: the front view in the direction of arrow VIII in Figure 7,

Figure 9: a perspective view of the fastening element with assembled upper and lower parts,

Figure 10: a sectional view through the fastening element with assembled upper and lower parts showing the fastening to two surfaces.

The lower part 1 according to Figures 1 to 4 consists essentially of a wedge-shaped plastic part, which can also be made of a metal part. It has a higher front wall 4, from which wedge-shaped side walls 3 extend laterally to the rear, which end in a narrower front wall 19.

The wedge surface of this wedge-shaped element is formed by a conical surface 16, which is evenly covered with ascending steps 15. The steps are designed in such a way that they are more steeply bevelled in the ascending direction than in the descending direction (see Figure 2).

&bull;&diams; · ·

&diams; ·6·

On the underside (base surface 32) there is a slot 5 for a clip-on plate (not shown in detail). This clip-on plate is firmly attached to the element to be attached and has lateral projections which are gripped by the clip-on feet 6 arranged on the side.

Instead of attaching a separate clip plate to the elements to be fastened, the element to be fastened itself can also be profiled in such a way that the profile is sufficient to fill the insertion space 5 and to be gripped by the side attachments of the clip feet 6 shown in Figure 4.

In order to ensure that the lower part 1 and the upper part 20, which will be described later, cannot be lost, so-called spring clips 7, 8 are formed on the sides, with each spring clip being formed in a rear holder 10, and the spring clip is then designed to rise diagonally parallel to the conical surface 16. It then merges into a straight part 17, which in turn merges into a vertical part 18, which is connected in one piece with the rear holder 11.

The spring clips 7, 8 do not lie flush against the side walls 3, but rather they each form a free space 9, as shown in Figure 3. This free space 9 is necessary so that the hook 24, which is formed on the two side walls of the upper part 20, reaches through this free space 9 and the hook tips 26 then grip under the spring clips 7, 8.

A slotted hole 12 is machined approximately centrally through the conical surface 16, as shown in Figure 3. The screw 13, which is connected to the part to be fastened, is arranged in this slotted hole 12. It is preferred if the screw 16 is arranged in the upper part of the slotted hole 12 and the lower part is clipped onto the part to be fastened in the position shown in Figure 3. The full adjustment path (adjustment length) of the slotted hole 12 is then available for moving the upper part 20 on the lower part 1.

Of course, the lower part 1 can also be moved in the direction of the arrow towards the screw 13.

Figures 5 to 8 show the upper part 20, which consists of a complementary wedge-shaped part, with steps 29 also arranged on a lower conical surface 34. The conical surface 34 has the same slope as the conical surface 16 of the lower part 1. The steps 29 are bevelled in the opposite direction to the steps 15, so that the two parts lock into one another. An adjustment movement of the upper part to the lower part is therefore only possible in the direction of the arrow 35 according to Figure 2, without the spring clips 7, 8 being loaded. If, however, an adjustment movement in the opposite direction is to take place, the upper part 20 must be lifted off the lower part 1, whereby the spring clips 7, 8 are raised in a spring-loaded manner. When the upper part 20 falls back onto the lower part 1, the latter is then clearly locked in place and can only be moved in the direction of the arrow 35, but not in the opposite direction.

The upper part 20 consists of an upper flange surface 21, which is suitable for flush mounting on a ceiling surface or another fastening surface. The flange surface 21 is penetrated by the slot 22, which is designed parallel and aligned with the previously mentioned slot 12 in the lower part 1. The upper part 20 is also formed by side surfaces 23 that are parallel to one another and form the previously mentioned conical surface 34 on their underside. There is a narrower front surface 30 and a wider front surface 31, which are each designed parallel to one another.

A hook 24 is formed on each of the side surfaces 23 of the mutually parallel sides, which essentially consists of a vertical hook part 25 which projects slightly beyond the side surface 23 and at the lower end of which a hook tip 26 is formed. The hook tip 26 has an upper support surface 28 and a bevel 27.

To place the upper part 20 onto the lower part 1, the bevel 27 initially rests on the respective spring clip 7,8. With further pressure on the upper part, the bevel 27 then slides along or past the spring clip 7,8, pivots it outwards while applying a spring force, so that it then snaps onto the hook tip 26 when further pressure is applied.

The hook tip 26 then lies flush with the underside of the associated surface of the respective spring clip 7,8 and can be moved there.

The two parts 1,20 are thus held together captively and can be moved freely in the direction of arrow 35. If they are to be moved in the opposite direction, the upper part must be lifted (as previously described), whereby the two spring clips 7,8 are somewhat elastically elongated or stretched and then elastically deformed back into their original position.

For assembly, the lower part is first snapped onto the previously described fastening surface (clip plate in the insertion area 5). The screw 13 then passes through the slot 12 in the lower part 1, as shown in Figure 3.

This assumes that the upper part 20 has already been clipped onto the lower part 1 and that the screw therefore also passes through the elongated hole 22.

The part to be attached is now temporarily held against the attachment surface in order to determine where there are assembly inaccuracies. When this part to be attached is removed again, the upper part is moved towards the lower part 1 so that the two wedge surfaces slide against each other, so that the effective assembly height is determined by the total now obtained between the lower part 1 and the upper part 20.

Of course, it can also be a predetermined distance that is set by measuring and moving the lower part 1 and the upper part 20. 25

The part to be fastened is then placed on the fastening surface and the fastening screw 13 is screwed into the fastening surface.

This means that the part to be fastened is firmly and positively attached to the mounting surface thanks to the adjusted fastening element, compensating for the previously mentioned distances.

In Figures 9 and 10, the fastening element is shown assembled, wherein the reference numerals designate the same components as in Figures 1 to 8.

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the assembled fastening element with lower part 1 and upper part 2, wherein the hook 24 of the upper part 2 with its hook part 25 and its hook tip 26 can be seen engaging under the spring clip 7 of the lower part 1.

In Figure 10, the hook 24 can also be seen engaging under the spring clip and, in addition, the fastening of both the lower part 1 and the upper part 20 to their fastening surface 2. The lower part 1 is shown clipped onto its fastening surface 2b, whereas the upper part 20 is not shown clipped onto its fastening surface 2a, but is fastened in another way, such as screwed on.

Drawing legend

I) Lower part 34) Arrow direction 5 2) Mounting surface

3) Side wall

4) Front wall

5) Insertion space (clip plate)

6) Clip foot

7) Spring clip

8) Spring clip

9) Free space

10) Holder

II) Holder
12) Long hole

13) Fixing element

14) Arrow direction

15) Levels

16) Conical surface 17) Part

18) Part

19) Front wall

20) Top

21) Flange surface 22) Slot

23) Side surface

24) Hook

25) Hook part

26) Hook point 27) Bevel

28) Support surface

29) Steps

30) Front face (narrow)

31) Front surface 32) Bottom surface

33) Conical surface

Claims (6)

1. Fastening element with compensation of distances on fastening surfaces, characterized in that the fastening element consists of a lower part ( 1 ) and an upper part ( 20 ), which parts are each designed as an approximately wedge-shaped element with steps ( 15 , 29 ) arranged on the conical surface ( 16 , 34 ), and the upper part ( 1 ) is designed to be complementary to the lower part ( 20 ), wherein the steps ( 15 , 29 ) of the lower ( 1 ) and upper part ( 20 ) engage with one another and can be locked to one another, and that on one of the two parts ( 1 , 20 ) a spring clip ( 7 ) is arranged on the side, which is gripped by the hook ( 24 ) arranged on the other part ( 20 , 1 ), wherein the hook ( 24 ) is arranged displaceably on the spring clip ( 7 ). is. 2. Fastening element with compensation of distances on fastening surfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower part ( 1 ) and/or the upper part ( 20 ) can be clipped onto an associated fastening surface ( 2 ). 3. Fastening element with compensation of distances on fastening surfaces according to claim 2, characterized in that the lower part ( 1 ) and/or the upper part ( 20 ) has a lower insertion space ( 5 ) which is delimited by clip feet ( 6 ) which engage laterally inwards. 4. Fastening element with compensation of distances on fastening surfaces according to claims 1-3, characterized in that the lower part ( 1 ) is attached together with the upper part ( 20 ) to the fastening surface ( 2 ) by at least one fixing element ( 13 ). 5. Fastening element with compensation of distances on fastening surfaces according to claim 4, characterized in that the fixing element ( 13 ) is attached to the fastening surface ( 2 ). 6. Fastening element with compensation of distances on fastening surfaces according to claims 4-5, characterized in that the fixing element ( 13 ) passes through the mutually aligned elongated holes ( 12 , 22 ) of the lower part ( 1 ) and upper part ( 20 ).