Annular plug coupling, and production method and connection method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10570942-B2
Application number	US-201415107543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

An annular plug coupling which can be fastened within an opening in a first component and has the following features: a central coupling seat, in particular a ball socket, to which a coupling head of a second part can be releasably connected, and an intermediate ring that includes a plurality of curved, radially inward-extending first spring elements connected to the ball socket, and a plurality of curved, radially outward-extending second spring elements which are provided with a locking connection at a radially outward end such that the plug coupling can be locked within the opening in the component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An annular plug coupling that can be fastened in a component opening of a first component and which has the following features:
a. a centrally arranged coupling seat by means of which a coupling head of a second component can be detachably connected, and
b. an intermediate ring with
b.1 a plurality of curvilinear and radially inwardly extending first spring elements which are connected with the coupling seat, and
b.2 a plurality of curvilinear and radially outwardly extending second spring elements, that have a locking connection at a radially outward end, so that the plug coupling is lockable in the component opening, in which

c. the second spring element has a detent which forms an undercut in the axial direction of the annular plug coupling, so that the first component is supported between the detent and a counter-bearing.

2. The annular plug coupling according to claim 1 , the coupling seat of which is a ball socket that has at least a circumferential and non-pierced sidewall.

3. The annular plug coupling according to claim 2 , in which the first and second spring elements have the form of a leaf-spring which has a width-thickness ratio of >1.

4. The annular plug coupling according to claim 2 , which is integrally formed and consists of only one material or one material combination.

5. The annular plug coupling according to claim 2 , in which the intermediate ring comprises a plurality of segments which are each connected with at least one first spring element.

6. The annular plug coupling according to claim 5 , that also includes a counter-bearing that comprises a web protruding radially outwardly from the intermediate ring, wherein the web has an axial and a radial abutment surface for the second component.

7. The annular plug coupling according to claim 2 , in which the second spring elements are U-shaped, so that a locking leg of the U-shaped spring element is spaced radially outwardly from the intermediate ring.

8. The annular plug coupling according to claim 1 , which is integrally formed and consists of only one material or one material combination.

9. The annular plug coupling according to claim 8 , in which the first and/or second spring elements are formed as a wavy or U-shaped extending webs extending respectively completely or at least partly in direction of a radial plane and/or an axial plane and/or an intermediate plane between the radial plane and axial plane of the annular plug coupling.

10. The annular plug coupling according to claim 8 , in which the intermediate ring comprises a plurality of segments which are each connected with at least one first spring element.

11. The annular plug coupling according to claim 1 , in which the first and/or second spring elements are formed as a wavy or U-shaped extending web extending respectively completely or at least partly in the direction of a radial plane and/or an axial plane and/or an intermediate plane between radial and axial plane of the annular plug coupling.

12. The annular plug coupling according to claim 1 , in which the intermediate ring comprises a plurality of segments which are each connected with at least one first spring element.

13. The annular plug coupling according to claim 12 , that also includes a counter-bearing that comprises a web protruding radially outwardly from the intermediate ring, wherein the web has an axial and a radial abutment surface for the second component.

14. The annular plug coupling according to claim 1 , in which the second spring elements are U-shaped, so that a locking leg of the U-shaped spring element is spaced radially outwardly from the intermediate ring.

15. A first component and a second component which are connected with each other by means of the annular plug coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the first component has a component opening with the annular plug coupling and the second component has a bolt with a ball head that is locked in the annular plug coupling.

16. Connecting method for a first and a second component, comprising the steps of:
providing the first component with a component opening,
fastening the annular plug coupling, in particular according to claim 1 , within the component opening of the first component,
providing a second component with a bolt with a ball head, and
locking the ball head of the bolt in the annular plug coupling or
first, locking of the bolt with ball head connected to the second component in the plug coupling and subsequently
moving the second component with bolt and plug coupling to the opening in the first component, and
fastening the plug coupling within the opening.

17. Production method for the annular plug coupling according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:
providing an injection mold having the complementary shape of the annular plug coupling,
injection molding of the plug coupling and
demolding of the plug coupling from the injection mold.

Assignees

• Boellhoff Verbindungstechnik Gmbh

Inventors

• Metten Andreas
• Fritzsch Jasmin

Classifications

• F16C11/0657

  the socket member being mainly made of plastics · CPC title

• F16B21/076 Primary

  the socket having a resilient part on its outside (F16B21/075 takes precedence) · CPC title