GB2206939A

GB2206939A - Anchorage device

Info

Publication number: GB2206939A
Application number: GB08815546A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hans Behdorf; Gerhardt Sollner
Original assignee: Vereinigte Aluminium Werke AG
Current assignee: Vereinigte Aluminium Werke AG
Priority date: 1987-07-01
Filing date: 1988-06-30
Publication date: 1989-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 2008-06-30
Also published as: DE8709074U1; ES2009027A6; FR2617547B3; BE1000966A5; GB8815546D0; FR2617547A3; JPS6440002A; IT1234199B; IT8867617A0; DE3721717A1; KR890002566A; GB2206939B

Description

2206939 1 ANCHORAGE DEVICE The invention relates to a device for

compressing or tensioning a panel and anchoring the panel to a substrate with the aid of a fastening pin or the like, the panel being deformable as to its thickness.

Attachment devices of this kind are known for a variety of applications. From the "Aluminium Taschenbuch,' (Aluminium Pocketbook) 14th edition, page 827 et seq. attachment clamps are known for anchoring motor vehicle panels to the structure of the vehicle.

The hitherto known attachment devices consist of several separate parts, usually for use in conjunction with a fastening pin, which may be a screw threaded device, a press stud or a press and turn stud. But these known devices are not always entirely suitable for anchoring laminated panels which have flexible cores. For example they may lack flexibility of use, and they do not always have as few separate parts as is possible; and in particular, they may be unsuited for securing laminates having a core of a noise or heat-insulating material, and which are of various thicknesses. Such panels are readily deformable as to their thickness; they may tear easily. They may require. in effect, to be structurally reinforced, at the location where they are to be fastened to the substrate.

The present invention has for its object to provide an anchorage device for use in conjunction with a pin. for fastening to a substrate, a panel which is readily compressible, (in particular for fastening a readily deformable laminate, whose core is of compressible, noise or heat insulating material, to a body panel of a vehicle); and which anchorage device constitutes an economic and technically viable alternative to the devices previously 2 proposed, and which obviates some or all of the disadvantages referred to above. The invention has for one particular object to provide an anchorage which is well suited for use in fastening to a substrate, a panel consisting-of a laminate of glass fibre mat sandwiched and resin bonded between two thin sheets of aluminium. Such a laminate while having good heat resistant and insulating properties is relatively weak in the structural sense and is liable to tear unless suitably fastened.

Accordingly this invention provides such an anchorage device, for use in conjunction with a fastening pin, for fastening a compressible panel to a substrate, and which anchorage device comprises essentially two components, the first being a clip which has a plurality of prongs upstanding from a base adapted to lie against one side of the compressible panel to be fastened, which prongs are adapted to be pushed through the panel to pierce same, and the second component consisting of a washer element adapted to lie against the other side of the panel pierced by the prongs, the free ends of the prongs being clinched over the edge of the washer to secure the anchorage to the compreesible panel. the clip and the washer both having apertures to receive a pin for fastening the anchorage, together with the panel secured thereto, to a substrate.

The special construction of the attachment clamp of the invention eliminates pre-positioning of the laminated panel. because the prongs are adapted and shaped to pierce through the panel of themselves.

Variation in the thickness of the laminated panel are compensated by the lengths of the prong-ends which are clinched over. For example the length of the prongs upstanding from the clip base may exceed the uncompressed thickness of the panel by say 20%. Preferably the clip has at least three prongs upstanding from its base.

i t 1 3 The washer which may be circular and annular, will be sized to be just a little smaller than the clip base from the edges of which the prongs upstand, so that the free ends of the prongs can lie close to the outside of the washer before they are clinched over the washer. The washer may have spring tongues defining a central hole to receive a pin for fastening the anchorage, together with its attached panel, to a substrate.

Using the anchorage device of the invention. it is advantageous to compress the panel, for example by compressing the flexible core of a laminated panel, sufficiently to allow the panel to retain flush surfaces, after the clip prongs have been clinched over the washer. Such compression may be accomplished by special tooling which may also perform the bending over or clinching step, or it may be achieved employing a screw as the pin for fastening the device to the substrate.

One example of the anchorage device according to the invention will now be described with the help of the drawings:

The drawing shows:

Figures 1 and 2 are cross sectional views of a laminated panel with a two part anchorage device, viz pronged clip and washer, according to the invention, for use in conjunction with a securing pin (not shown), the figures respectively illustrating the assembly. before and after the prongs have been clinched over the washer both to compress the panel, and to secure the device to the panel.

4 Figure 3 shows the washer component of the invention. in plan view on the left and in cross section on the right.

Figure 4 shows the pronged clip component of the invention, on the left in plan view and in cross section on the right.

In Figure 1 a laminated panel is shown at 1, this comprising a core 7 of compressible material, which may be a noise or heat insulating mat eg of man made fibres, sandwiched between two deformable skins 9 and 10. as shown in Figure 2. In figure 2 there is shown also a substrate 8 to which the panel 1 is to be attached, by fastening.

For use in conjunction with a fastening pin (not shown), an anchorage device according to the invention consists of a pronged clip generally designated 2 and a washer 3. The clip 2 has a series of prongs 5.

When the clip 2 has been put in place, with its base lying against one side of the panel 1 at the desired location for the fastening to a substrate 8 shown in figure 2. and when the prongs have been pushed through to pierce the free ends 6 of the prongs 5, lie close to thereafter they are clinched, it firmly in 1, as shown the panel 1, the edge of the washer 3 and i.e. bent down. over the washer clip 3. holding place on the upper surface of the laminate panel in Figure 2.

The prongs are longer than the thickness of the laminated panel 1. the free ends 6 of the prongs 5. therefore standing proud above the upper surface of the laminated panel 1 before they are clinched over the edge of the washer 3.

1 , 1 1 1 In Figure 2 it will be seen that the skins of the laminated panel 1 may be squashed together, i.e. compressed at this location, enough to keep the upper and lower surfaces of the laminated panel 1 flush, the clip 2, with the washer 3. not standing proud after fixture. In the mounting of the attachment clamp 2 this may be accomplish?d by using a hold-down tool to compress the laminated panel 1 at this location before the ends of the prongs 5, 6 are clinched over the spring clip 3. Alternatively, compression may be got with the aid of the pin used for fastening the anchorage together with the panel to the substrate 8. For example this pin may be screw threaded, either self tapping or with a nut.

As shown in Figure 2, the flexible core 7 of the laminated panel 1 has been squashed, before clinching the ends of the prongs 5, over the washer 3, so that the lower skin 9 of the laminated panel 1 lies perfectly flat on the substrate 8 which can, for example. be the floor or other body panel of a vehicle. The upper surface 10 of the laminated panel 1 also remains flat, the clinched prongs 5. not projecting above the upper surface of the top plate 10. Moreover, the squashing of the flexible core 7 can be adjusted, if desired, to provide the desired stiffness in the region of the attachment point.

Figure 3 shows a washer 3 which is annular and has spring tongues defining its central hole for receiving the fastening pin. Washers of this kind and of a variety of materials are freely available on the market. The clip 2 is dimensioned so that the prongs 5 upstanding from its base agree with the outer diameter of the washer clip 3.

6 Figure 4 shows details of the clip 2 of the invention, showing the prongs 5, of which there are preferably at least three, upstanding from the periphery of its base, the latter being circular in this embodiment and centrally holed. The central bore 12 preferably has a raised inner rim, for taking the anchoring pin or stud (not shown).

Laminated panels with flexible cores can easily be attached to the structure of the vehicle with the help of the two part anchorage device of the invention, co-operating with a fastening pin. whether a screw device, a press stud or a press and turn stud, using available assembly robots.

In our co pending application No. filed simultaneously herewith (priority of German Patent Application No P 37 21 715.1 claimed), we have described a laminated product made of aluminium and glass fibres, in which a glassfibre mat of thickness 3 to 10 mm is sandwiched between a thin aluminium sheet or ribbon of thickness 0.05 to 0.25 mm and a thicker aluminium sheet or ribbon of thickness 0.4 to 0.8 mm, the glass fibre mat being bonded to the aluminium by a heat-sealing lacquer in the form of a resin. The anchorage according to the present invention is particularly suitable for use in securing to a substrate, a panel formed by such a laminate of glass fibre mat sandwiched between aluminium sheeting. Such a panel affords good heat insulation.

With these and similar deformable panels, the anchorage now proposed gives a measure of structural reinforcement at the location of the fixture points. This structural stiffening is afforded by the substantial areas of the clip base and of the washer at each fixture to the substrate, these features also augmenting resistance to damage by tearing of the panel material.

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Claims

1. An anchorage device, for use in conjunction with a fastening pin, for fastening a compressible panel to a substrate, and which anchorage device comprises essentially two components, the first being a clip which has a plurality of prongs upstanding from a base adapted to lie against one side of the compressible panel to be fastened. which prongs are adapted to be pushed through the panel to pierce same. and the second component consisting of a washer element adapted to lie against. the other side of the panel pierced by the prongs, the free ends of the prongs being clinched over the edge of the washer to secure the anchorage to the compressible panel.

2. An anchorage device according to claim 1, and wherein the clip and the washer both have apertures to receive a pin for fastening the anchorage, together with the panel secured thereto, to.a substrate.

3. An anchorage device according to claim 1 or claim 2, and wherein the prongs are adapted and shaped to pierce through the panel of themselves.

4. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. and wherein the length of the prongs upstanding from the clip base may exceed the uncompressed thickness of the panel by say 20%.

5. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and wherein the clip has at least three prongs upstanding from its base.

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6. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and wherein the washer is circular and annular. and is sized to be just a little smaller than the clip base from the edges of which the prongs upstand, so that the free ends of the prongs lie close to the outside of the washer before they are clinched over the washer.

7. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and wherein the washer has a series of spring tongues defining a central hole to receive a pin for fastening the anchorage, together with its attached panel, to a substrate.

8. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 5 to 11 and in conjunction with a fastening pin, which may be a screw threaded device or a press stud or a press and turn stud.

9. The combination claimed in claim 12, in conjunction with a panel comprising two deformable skins having sandwiched between them a core of noise or heat insulating material.

10. An anchorage device comprising an attachment clip and at least one washer, the clip (2) having several prongs (S.) capable of being pushed through to pierce of themselves a panel, the prongs having free ends for clinching over a washer disposed on one side of the panel. the prongs extending through the panel from a base of the clip disposed on the other side of the panel.

11. A process for anchoring a laminated panel having a flexible core to a mot-orvehicle body panel or other substrate, characterised in that several prongs of an attachment clip are forced through the laminated panel from one side thereof, projecting free ends of the prongs then being clinched over a washer disposed on the other side of the panel, a pin being passed through the clip and the washer to fasten the panel to the substrate.

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12. A process as defined in claim 11 and wherein, using the anchorage device of the invention to anchor to a substrate a panel comprising a core of deformable heat insulating material sandwiched between two deformable skins. the panel is compressed sufficiently to allow the panel to retain flush surfaces, after the clip prongs have been clinched over the washer.

13. A process as defined in claim 12 and wherein such compression is accomplished by special tooling which also performs the bending over or clinching step, or it may be achieved employing a screw as the pin for fastening the device to the substrate.

14. An anchorage device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A process according to any one of claims 11 to 13 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office. State House, 66 71 High Holborn. London WC1R 4TP. Furtber copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Sales Brancl-,, St Mary Cray. Orpingwn, Ken' BR5 3RD Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mazy Cray, Kent, Con. 1187.