Fastening device for a sandwich component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10514053-B2
Application number	US-201715415915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2017
Priority date	Jul 30, 2014
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A snap-together fastening device includes a holding element and an actuating element. The holding element has one or more fixing arms that are actuatable from a mounting position into a fixing position. The actuating element is pluggable into an opening of the holding element, and has a top end and a bottom end. The actuating element deflects, in its position in which it is plugged into the holding element, at least one fixing arm into a fixing position. In its position in which it is plugged into the holding element an outermost edge of the actuating element, that is in the region of the top end, contacts an inner surface of the at least one fixing arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A snap-together fastening device for plug-in mounting into an opening, the fastening device comprising:
a holding element having one or more fixing arms actuatable from a mounting position into a fixing position and a central fastening element configured to connect to an external fastening element; and
an actuating element that is pluggable into an opening surrounding the central fastening element, the actuating element having a top end including an annular element and a bottom end, wherein
the actuating element deflects, in its position in which it is plugged into the holding element, at least one fixing arm into a fixing position, and
in its position in which it is plugged into the holding element, a radially outermost edge of the actuating element, that is in the region of the top end below the annular element, directly contacts a radially inner surface of the at least one fixing arm.

2. The fastening device according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more fixing arms arranged in a radially circumferential manner about the holding element.

3. The fastening device according to claim 2 , wherein
on a side directed from a center substantially toward an outside, the one or more fixing arms have engagement elements configured to mechanically penetrate into the core layer when the one or more fixing arms are actuated by the actuating element into the fixing position.

4. The fastening device according to claim 3 , wherein:
the one or more fixing arms are fastened at one end to the holding element and are configured at an other end as a free end.

5. The fastening device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more fixing arms are fastened at one end to the holding element and are configured at an other end as a free end.

6. The fastening device according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one actuating arm is provided on the actuating element; and
the actuating arm, when the actuating element is plugged into the holding element, is guided with a control face along a respective fixing arm such that the fixing arm is moved in a direction away from the actuating arm.

7. The fastening device according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one actuating arm has a wedge-shaped form.

8. The fastening device according to claim 6 , wherein
in a snapped-together state of the actuating element to the holding element, the one or more actuating arms bear with a side face pointing toward a center against the central fastening element and with a side face pointing away from a center against a respective fixing arm of the holding element.

9. The fastening device according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening device is made of plastic at least in a region of the one or more fixing arms actuatable from the mounting position into the fixing position.

10. The fastening device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
correspondingly arranged latching elements provided on the holding element and on the actuating element, wherein the actuating element is latched to the holding element in the position in which the actuating element is plugged into the holding element.

11. A method of producing an integrated fastening structure on or in a sandwich component having a core layer, the method comprising the acts of:
introducing a holding element of a fastening device into an opening provided in the sandwich component or introducing the holding element directly into the sandwich component, wherein the holding element comprises one or more fixing arms actuatable from a mounting position into a fixing position, and a central fastening element configured to connect to an external fastening element; and
actuating the holding element via an actuating element pluggable into an opening surrounding the central fastening element, the actuating element having a top end including an annular element and a bottom end and deflecting the one or more fixing arms into the fixing position when plugged into the holding element, whereby the one or more fixing arms penetrate with at least one section provided for fixing into the core layer of the sandwich component, wherein
in its position in which it is plugged into the holding element a radially outermost edge of the actuating element, that is in the region of the top end below the annular member, directly contacts a radially inner surface of the at least one fixing arm.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the act of connecting the actuating element additionally to the sandwich component via adhesive bonding or welding.

13. The fastening devices according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more fixing arms are separated from one another by a void, the void extending from one end of the holding element to another end of the holding element along an axial direction of the holding element.

14. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising forming voids that separate the one or more fixing arms, the voids extending from one end of the holding element to another end of the holding element along an axial direction of the holding element.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Holzinger Michael
• Hammer Maik
• Starke Joachim

Classifications

• F16B5/01 Primary

  by means of fastening elements specially adapted for honeycomb panels · CPC title

• Y10T403/4949

  Deforming component is inserted section · CPC title

• F16B2013/10

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F16B13/10

  with separate gripping parts moved into their final position in relation to the body of the device by a separate operation (F16B13/06 takes precedence) · CPC title