WO2012106570A1

WO2012106570A1 - Device for fastening a first component on a second component

Info

Publication number: WO2012106570A1
Application number: PCT/US2012/023721
Authority: WO
Inventors: Albert Sbongk
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2011-02-04
Filing date: 2012-02-03
Publication date: 2012-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2013-08-04
Also published as: DE102011010637A1

Abstract

The invention relates/to a device for fastening a first component (50) with a through opening on a second component (48) with a through opening having an essentially rectangular cross section, comprising a first fastening element (10), which comprises a radial flange (12) on its one end and a shaft section (14) with an at least sectionally rectangular cross section, which shaft section is insertable into the through opening of the second component, wherein a second fastening element (28) is received at least partially by the first fastening element in an axially moveable manner and stop means are provided between the first and second fastening element, wherein the second fastening element is rotatable in the first fastening element from a first rotational position into a second rotational position wherein the surface of the radial flange of the first fastening element abutting against the surface of the second component is a first sealing surface (22) and the first fastening element comprises a second sealing surface and the second fastening element comprises a third sealing surface.

Description

Device for fastening a first component on a second component

The invention relates to a device for fastening a first component with a through opening on a second component with a through opening having an essentially rectangular cross section, comprising a first fastening element, which comprises a radial flange on its one end and a shaft section with an at least sectionally rectangular cross section, which shaft section is insertable into the through opening of the second component, wherein the flange abuts against a surface of the second component and a second fastening element which comprises an axial bore for receiving a fastening screw guided through the through opening of the first component contacting the flange of the first fastening element and through the flange of the first fastening element, wherein the second fastening element is received at least partially by the first fastening element in an axially moveable manner and stop means are provided between the first and second fastening element, wherein the second fastening element is rotatable in the first fastening element from a first rotational position into a second rotational position defined by the stop means by screwing the fastening screw into the axial bore of the second fastening element, in which second rotational position the second fastening element is pulled against the first fastening element upon further screwing in of the fastening screw, so that a head of the fastening screw abuts against the first component and presses the same against the flange of the first fastening element.

A generic device is known, for example, from DE 10 2005 032 699 Al. For example, trim panels are fastened on body parts of automobiles using these types of devices. Using the known device, simple mounting is possible with high retaining forces in operation. However, sometimes, in practice, there is a requirement for fastening devices which, for reasons of corrosion, impede a passage of fluid through the through opening of the second component, for example of a body sheet. Proceeding from the prior art explained, the object underlying the invention, consequently, is to provide a device of the aforementioned type, with which two components are able to be connected together with high retaining forces in a manner that is simple to mount, and with which a passage of fluid through the through opening of the second component is impeded as much as possible.

This object is achieved by the invention by the object of claim 1. Advantageous developments can be found in the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

For a device of the aforementioned type, the object is achieved by the invention in that the surface of the radial flange of the first fastening element abutting against the surface of the second component is a first sealing surface, which upon fully screwed in fastening screw, abuts sealingly on the surface surrounding the through opening of the second component, and that the first fastening element comprises a second sealing surface and the second fastening element comprises a third sealing surface, wherein the second and third sealing surfaces abut against each other sealingly upon fully screwed in fastening screw, wherein the sealing surfaces, upon fully screwed in fastening screw, impede a passage of fluid at least through the through opening of the second component.

For example, the second component can be a body part, in particular a body sheet, of an automobile. For example, the first component can be a cowling part of an automobile. The fastening elements of the device as claimed in the invention can, in principle, consist of plastics material or metal. In each case they can be realized in one piece. If they consist of plastics material, they can be produced in an injection molding process for example. The fastening screw can be part of the device as claimed in the invention. The first component and/or the second component can also be part of the device as claimed in the invention. The first fastening element holds the second component between itself and the second fastening element. In cooperation with a fastening screw, the first component can then be fastened on the second component. In this case, the second fastening element represents a nut or a cage part. The first fastening element comprises a shaft section, which extends from the radial flange and has an at least sectionally rectangular cross section. Proceeding from the rectangular section, the shaft section of the first fastening element can be realized in a hollow cylindrical manner towards its free end. The first fastening element comprises a through opening which extends through the radial flange and the shaft section and into which the fastening screw is inserted.

In the state inserted into the through opening of the second component, the rectangular section of the shaft section of the first fastening element, in particular, is situated in the through opening such that the first fastening element is substantially not rotatable in the through opening. To this end, the cross section of the through opening of the second component can be only slightly larger, for example, than the cross section of the rectangular section of the shaft section. The second fastening element is received by the first fastening element at least in sections in the first rotating position. The fastening screw is then screwed through the first component and the radial flange into the axial bore of the second fastening element. The fastening screw can comprise an outer thread. The axial bore can comprise a corresponding internal thread. However, it is also conceivable for such an internal thread not to be formed until during the screwing-in of the fastening screw. If the fastening screw is screwed into the axial bore of the second fastening element, the second fastening element, as a result of the torque applied, is initially rotated into the second rotational position which is predetermined by the stop means. The first fastening element cannot follow this rotational movement on account of its non-rotatable reception in the through opening of the second component. If the fastening screw is screwed further into the axial bore in the second rotational position, the second fastening element can no longer follow the rotational movement of the screw on account of the stop means. The result, consequently, is that the second fastening element is tightened against the first fastening element. In this case, the screw is also pressed by way of its head against the first component, which, as a result, in its turn presses the flange against the second component. As a result, the sealing surface of the flange abuts sealingly on the second component. The sealing surface of the radial flange is, in particular, the side of the radial flange facing the shaft section. This can be, in particular, the underside of the flange. The sealing surface surrounds the through opening of the second component in particular in a complete manner. At the same time, the second and third sealing surfaces are moved towards each other in sealing abutment as the fastening screw is screwed completely into the axial bore. Over and above this, the axial bore of the second fastening element can be a blind hole. It can comprise, therefore, a closed bottom surface.

The achievement of the sealing surfaces as claimed in the invention is that fluid, for example water, is not able to pass in particular from the outside through the through opening of the second component. This means that a sealing of the through opening of the second component is achieved in a manner that is simple structurally and as regards mounting. At the same time, high retaining forces are achieved in operation and the device allows for a high level of tolerance compensation with regard to different component thicknesses.

According to one development, the second fastening element can comprise a bore section comprising the axial bore and being inserted in the shaft section of the first fastening element at least sectionally. The second sealing surface can be an inner surface of the shaft section of the first fastening element and the third sealing surface can be an outer surface of the bore section of the second fastening element. The bore section can comprise, for example, a hollow cylindrical section, which is insertable or displaceable into the shaft section of the first fastening element, which is also realized, for example, so as to be hollow cylindrical. In this case, the second and third sealing surfaces are pressed against each other such that no fluid is able to pass between the sealing surfaces. The second sealing surface is then in particular the inner surface of the hollow cylindrical section of the shaft section of the first fastening element. The third sealing surface is then in particular the outer surface of the hollow cylindrical section of the bore section of the second fastening element. In addition to the hollow cylindrical section, the bore section of the second fastening element can also comprise another section which is rectangular in cross section. Its contour can be developed in such a manner that in the first rotational position it lies substantially within the contour of the rectangular section of the first fastening element. In the second rotational position, the contour of the second fastening element, in particular of its bore section, can, in contrast, lie outside the contour of the rectangular section of the first fastening element.

In addition, preliminary connection means are provided with which the first and second fastening element can be preliminarily connected together before screwing in the fastening screw. The preliminary connection means can comprise a locking connection. In addition, the locking connection can comprise at least one locking projection provided on the shaft section, preferably a plurality of locking projections provided on the shaft section. This type of preliminary connection means achieves a retaining device during transport. In a corresponding manner, at least one locking reception, in particular a plurality of locking receptions, can be provided on the second fastening element, e.g. on the bore section of the second fastening element. When preliminarily connected together, the locking projections and receptions lock together.

According to a further development, holding means can be provided, with which the first fastening element is preliminarily held on the second component when inserted through the through opening of the second component. The holding means can comprise locking means. In a corresponding manner, the holding means can comprise one or a plurality of locking projections which are provided, for example, on the bore section of the second fastening element. The holding means serve as a retaining device for example where the device is mounted overhead. The stop means can comprise stop ribs provided on the first fastening element and/or on the second fastening element. The stop ribs can be provided, for example, on the shaft section of the first fastening element. It is also possible, in addition or as an alternative, for stop ribs to be provided on the second fastening element, e.g. on the bore section. The stop ribs strike against each other in the second rotational position of the second fastening element such that further rotation beyond the second rotational position is impossible.

According to a development which is particularly good in practice, the second fastening element can be rotatable between the first and second rotational position by 30° to 60°, preferably by approximately 45°.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below by way of figures, in which, in a schematic manner: fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a first fastening element of a device as claimed in the invention,

fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the fastening element from fig. 1 ,

fig. 3 shows a view from below of the fastening element from fig. 1 ,

fig. 4 shows a side view of a second fastening element of a device as claimed in the invention,

fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the fastening element from fig. 4,

fig. 6 shows a view from above of the fastening element from fig. 4,

fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the fastening elements from figures 1 to 6 in a state preliminarily connected together,

fig. 8 shows a further perspective view of the representation from fig. 7, fig. 9 shows a perspective view of the fastening elements from figures 7 and 8 in a first mounting state, fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the fastening elements from figures 7 and 8 in a further mounting state,

fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the fastening elements from figures 7 and 8 in a further mounting state,

fig. 12 shows a perspective view of the fastening elements from figures 7 and 8 in a further mounting state,

fig. 13 shows a perspective view of the fastening elements from figures 7 and 8 in a first mounting state,

fig. 14 shows a perspective view of the fastening elements from figures 7 and 8 in a second mounting state,

Fig. 15 shows a side view of the representation from fig. 14,

Fig. 16 shows a view from below of the representation from fig. 14,

Fig. 17 shows a vertical sectional view of the representation from fig. 14.

In so far as nothing to the contrary is specified, identical references in the figures refer to identical objects. Figures 1 to 3 show a first fastening element 10 of a device as claimed in the invention. The first fastening element 10 comprises a radial flange 12 at one end, proceeding from which extends a shaft section 14. On its end facing the radial flange 12, the shaft section 14 comprises a section 16 which is rectangular in cross section. In addition, the shaft section 14 comprises a hollow cylindrical section 18 which extends towards its free end. In cross section, the radial flange 12 comprises a circular development with a central bore 20, which is also circular in cross section and also extends through the hollow cylindrical section 18 of the shaft section 14. The underside of the radial flange 12 facing the shaft section 14 forms a first sealing surface 22. Four stop ribs 24, arranged opposite each other in pairs, are provided in the example shown on the outside of the hollow cylindrical section 18 in the axial direction of the shaft section 14. One locking projection 26 is formed in each case on the stop ribs 24 on the free end of the shaft section 14. The inner surface of the hollow cylindrical section 18 of the shaft section 14 of the first fastening element 10 forms a second sealing surface. In the example shown, the first fastening element 10 consists of plastics material and has been produced integrally in an injection molding process.

Figures 4 to 6 show a second fastening element 28 of the device as claimed in the invention. The second fastening element 28 comprises a bore section 30, which comprises a central hollow cylindrical section 32. The hollow cylindrical section 32 defines an axial bore 34. In the example shown, the hollow cylindrical section 32 comprises a closed bottom 36 on its bottom surface in figure 4, such that the axial bore 34 is blind bore. The bore section 30, over and above this, comprises a cage section 38, which surrounds the hollow cylindrical section 32 and is rectangular in cross section. The contour of the cage section 38, in this case, corresponds substantially to the contour of the rectangular section 16 of the shaft section 14 of the first fastening element 10. The cage section 38, in the example shown, comprises four stop ribs 40, which are formed in the region of the corners of the rectangle formed by the cage section 38. Over and above this, an elastic locking projection 42 is provided in each case on the ends of two opposite corners of the rectangular section 38 facing the inlet of the axial bore. The outer circumferential surface of the hollow cylindrical section 32 of the bore section 30 forms a third sealing surface. The second fastening element 28, in the example shown, consists of plastics material and has also been produced integrally in an injection molding process.

Figures 7 and 8 show the fastening elements 10 and 28 from figures 1 to 6 in a preliminarily connected together state. To this end, the second fastening element 28 with its hollow cylindrical section 32 in a first rotational position has been inserted into the hollow cylindrical section 18 of the first fastening element 10. In said first rotational position, the rectangular section 38 of the second fastening element 28 lies substantially inside the contour of the rectangular section 16 of the first fastening element 10. The second and third sealing surfaces of the first or second fastening element 10, 28, in this case, are pressed against each other in a sealing manner. In figure 7 and 8, it can also be seen that the locking projections 26 in the preliminarily connected position lock in each case on a bottom edge 44 of the rectangular section 38 of the second fastening element 28. As a result, the preliminary connection between the fastening elements 10 and 28 is ensured.

In the preliminarily connected together state, the fastening elements 10, 28 are inserted together into a through opening 46, rectangular in cross section, of a second component 48, for example of a body part of an automobile, as shown in figures 9 and 10. The locking projections 42, in this case, result in a preliminary locking on the component opening 46 and consequently in a retaining device for the device, for example in the case of overhead mounting. In particular, when inserted into the component opening 46, the locking projections 42 are initially pressed inward and once they have passed through the component opening move back again into their starting position, which means that the device is then not able to fall out of the component opening 46.

As shown in figure 11 , a first component 50, which also comprises a through opening 52, is then placed onto the top surface of the radial flange 12 in such a manner that the through opening 52 of the first component is aligned with the bore 20 of the radial flange 12. A fastening screw 54 is then screwed through the through opening 52 of the first component 50 into the axial bore 34 of the second fastening element 28. In the example shown, the fastening screw 54 comprises an outer thread 56 and a screw head 58. The axial bore 34, in the example shown, comprises an inner thread. The screwing-in movement is illustrated in figures 12 and 13 by the arrow 60. As can be seen in figure 13, in this case, the second fastening element 28 is initially rotated in relation to the first fastening element 10, which is held in a non-rotatable manner in the component opening 46. The rotation is carried out as far as a second rotational position, which is defined by the stop ribs 40 of the second fastening element 28 abutting against the stop ribs 24 of the first fastening element 10. In the example shown, the second fastening element 28 is rotated between the first and second rotational position by approximately 45°. Once the second rotational position has been reached, the fastening screw 54 is screwed further into the axial bore 34. As a result, the fastening elements 10, 28 are pulled against each other, the corner sections of the rectangular section 38 of the second fastening element 28 moving into corresponding receptions 62 of the rectangular section 16 of the first fastening element 10.

The state of the fastening screw 54 completely screwed into the axial bore 34 and consequently the finally mounted state of the device is shown in figures 14 to 17. It can be seen that the head 58 of the fastening screw, in this case, contacts the first component 50 and consequently presses said first component against the flange 12, which, as a result, in its turn is pressed by way of its bottom surface 22, realized as a sealing surface, onto the surface of the second component 48. As can be seen in particular in the sectional view in fig. 17, the first sealing surface which is formed by the bottom surface 22 of the flange 12, the second sealing surface which is formed by the inner surface of the hollow cylindrical section 18, which at the same time is the defining of the through opening 20, and the third sealing surface which is formed by the outer surface of the hollow cylindrical section 32 form, in the finally mounted state, a seal which impedes fluid passing through the through opening 46 of the second component 48. To this end, the bottom surface 22 of the flange 12 surrounds the through opening 46 at its top surface in a complete manner such that no fluid is able to pass from outside into the through opening 46 of the second component 48. At the same time, the sealing contact between the second and third sealing surfaces ensures that any fluid possibly also entering through the through opening 52 of the first component 50 is not able to pass through the through opening 46 of the second component 48 into the interior of the second component 48. In this case, the corners of the rectangular section 38 of the second fastening element, rotated in relation to the first fastening element 10 by approximately 45°, increase the retaining surfaces even more and consequently the retaining force in operation.

Claims

1. Device for fastening a first component with a through opening on a second component with a through opening having an essentially rectangular cross section, comprising

a first fastening element (10), which comprises a radial flange (12) on its one end and a shaft section (14) with an at least sectionally rectangular cross section, which shaft section is insertable into the through opening (46) of the second component (48), wherein the flange (12) abuts against a surface of the second component (48) and

a second fastening element (28) which comprises an axial bore (34) for receiving a fastening screw (54) guided through the through opening (52) of the first component (50) contacting the flange (12) of the first fastening element (10) and through the flange (12) of the first fastening element (10), wherein the second fastening element (28) is received at least partially by the first fastening element (10) in an axially moveable manner and stop means are provided between the first and second fastening element (10, 28) wherein the second fastening element (28) is rotatable in the first fastening element (10) from a first rotational position into a second rotational position defined by the stop means by screwing the fastening screw (54) into the axial bore (34) of the second fastening element (28), in which second rotational position the second fastening element (28) is pulled against the first fastening element (10) upon further screwing in of the fastening screw (54), so that a head (58) of the fastening screw (54) abuts against the first component (50) and presses the same against the flange (12) of the first fastening element (10),

characterized in

that the surface of the radial flange (12) of the first fastening element (10) abutting against the surface of the second component (48) is a first sealing surface (22), which upon fully screwed in fastening screw (54), abuts sealingly on the surface surrounding the through opening (46) of the second component (48),

that the first fastening element (10) comprises a second sealing surface and the second fastening element (28) comprises a third sealing surface, wherein the second and third sealing surfaces abut against each other sealingly upon fully screwed in fastening screw (54),

wherein the sealing surfaces, upon fully screwed in fastening screw (54), impede a passage of fluid at least through the through opening (46) of the second component (48).

2. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the second fastening element (28) comprises a bore section (30) comprising the axial bore (34) and being inserted in the shaft section (14) of the first fastening element (10) at least sectionally.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the second sealing surface is an inner surface of the shaft section (14) and, in that the third sealing surface is an outer surface of the bore section (30).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that preliminary connection means are provided with which the first and second fastening element (10, 28) can be preliminarily connected together before screwing in the fastening screw (54).

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the preliminary connecting means comprise a locking connection.

6. Device according to claim 5 and according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the locking connection comprises at least one locking projection (26) provided on the shaft section (14).

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that holding means are provided, with which the first fastening element (10) is preliminarily held on the second component (48) when inserted through the through opening (46) of the second component (48).

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the holding means comprise locking means (42).

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop means comprise stop ribs (24, 40) provided on the first fastening element (10) and/or on the second fastening element (28).

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second fastening element (28) is rotatable between the first and second rotational position by 30° to 60°, preferably by approximately 45°.