Two-part plug-in coupling for connecting components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10746217-B2
Application number	US-201615754767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2016
Priority date	Aug 25, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A coupling element of a two-part plug-in coupling has a head section from which a female connection structure extends perpendicularly in an installation direction of the coupling element, with a locking web projecting inwards on an inner side so that a male bolt element can be inserted into the connection structure opposite to the installation direction and can be locked there, or a male cylinder-like connection structure extends so that the male cylinder-like connection structure can be inserted in a female receiving element and can be locked there. The coupling element has an integral locking structure which has a circumferential, or a plurality of locking webs which, together with the head section, form an installation gap for receiving the component, so that the female or the male coupling element can be locked in the opening of the component with a relative movement in installation direction between coupling part and component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A female coupling element of a two-part plug-in coupling, which has the following features:
a. an areal head section from which a female connection structure extends perpendicularly and in an installation direction of the female coupling element, wherein
b. the female connection structure has the shape of a hollow-cylinder and comprises on a radial inner side a radially inwardly projecting locking web, so that a male bolt element can be inserted in the female connection structure against the installation direction and the male bolt element can be locked in the female connection structure, and
c. the female coupling element has on an outer radial side an integral locking structure with a circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or a plurality of uniformly arranged outwardly projecting springy latching webs which form an installation gap with the areal head section for receiving a component, so that the female coupling element can be locked in installation direction in an opening of the component with a relative movement between the female coupling element and the component, and
d. in which the areal head section provides a completely closed face opposite to the installation direction, which has a round or angled shape, so that the hollow-cylinder of the female connection structure is closed at the areal head section.

2. The female coupling element according to claim 1 , in which the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly projecting springy latching webs define support surfaces extending opposite to the areal head section, which limit the installation gap.

3. The female coupling element according to claim 1 , in which the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly projecting springy latching webs comprise inlet bevels declined in installation direction, so that the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly springy latching webs are tapered in the installation direction.

4. The female coupling element according to claim 1 , in which the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly projecting springy latching webs have an inner cavity, so that the outwardly projecting springy latching web or the outwardly projecting springy latching webs are radially inwardly deformable.

5. The female coupling element according to claim 1 , in which the female connection structure has a round or an angular outer contour in adaptation to a shape of the opening in the component.

6. The female coupling element according to claim 1 , in which the areal head section extends in radial direction with respect to an axial longitudinal axis of the female coupling element beyond a radial or lateral extent of the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly projecting springy latching webs.

7. The female coupling element according to claim 1 , in which the areal head section has an axial thickness adjacent to the installation gap and opposite to the installation direction in the range of 5% to 25% of a total axial length of the female coupling element.

8. The female coupling element according to claim 1 , in which the radial inner side of the female connection structure has a ball socket and the radially inwardly projecting locking web is formed circumferentially continuous or with cut-outs.

9. A male coupling element of a two-part plug-in coupling, which has the following features:
a. an areal head section from which a male connection structure extends perpendicularly and in an installation direction of the male coupling element, wherein
b. the male connection structure has the shape of a cylinder and comprises an axially extending bolt with a latching head, so that the male connection structure can be inserted in a female receiving element and the male connection structure can be locked in the female receiving element, and
c. the male coupling element has on an outer radial side an integral locking structure with a circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or a plurality of uniformly arranged outwardly projecting springy latching webs which form an installation gap with the areal head section for receiving a component, so that the male coupling element can be locked in installation direction in an opening of the component with a relative movement between the male coupling element and the component.

10. The male coupling element according to claim 9 , in which the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly projecting springy latching webs define support surfaces extending opposite to the areal head section, which limit the installation gap.

11. The male coupling element according to claim 9 , in which the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly projecting springy latching webs comprise inlet bevels declined in the installation direction, so that the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly projecting springy latching webs are tapered in the installation direction.

12. The male coupling element according to claim 9 , in which the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly projecting springy latching webs have an inner cavity, so that the outwardly projecting springy latching web or the outwardly projecting springy latching webs are radially inwardly deformable.

13. The male coupling element according to claim 9 , in which the male connection structure has a round or an angular outer contour in adaptation to a shape of the opening in the component.

14. The male coupling element according to claim 9 , in which the areal head section extends in radial direction with respect to an axial longitudinal axis of the male coupling element beyond a radial or lateral extent of the circumferential outwardly projecting springy latching web or the plurality of outwardly projecting springy latching webs.

15. The male coupling element according to claim 9 , in which the areal head section provides a closed face opposite to the installation direction, which has a round or angled shape.

16. The male coupling element according to claim 9 , in which the areal head section has an axial thickness adjacent to the installation gap and opposite to the installation direction in the range of 5% to 25% of a total axial length of the male coupling element.

17. A connection between a first component and a second component via a two-part plug-in coupling, in which
a) the first component is equipped with a male bolt element with a latching head and the second component comprises a female coupling element installed in a component opening, wherein the coupling element has a female connection structure that extends perpendicularly and in an installation direction of the coupling element from an areal head section, and the female connection structure has the shape of a hollow-cylinder and comprises on a radial inner side a radially inwardly projecting locking web, so that the male bolt element can be inserted in the female connection structure against the installation direction and the male bolt element can be locked in the female connection structure, and in which the head section provides a closed face opposite to the installation direction, which has a round or angled shape; or
b) the first component is equipped with a female receiving element and the second component comprises a male coupl

Assignees

• Boellhoff Verbindungstechnik Gmbh

Inventors

• Fritzsch Jasmin
• Kahre Michael

Classifications

• F16B21/075

  the socket having resilient parts on its inside and outside · CPC title

• F16B21/078 Primary

  the socket having a further molded-in or embedded component, e.g. a ring with snap-in teeth molded into it (F16B21/065 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B5/02 Primary

  by means of fastening members using screw-thread ({F16B5/0004 takes precedence}; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00) · CPC title

• F16B21/086

  the shank of the stud, pin or spigot having elevations, ribs, fins or prongs intended for deformation or tilting predominantly in a direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion · CPC title

• F16B5/0664

  at least one of the sheets or plates having integrally formed or integrally connected snap-in-features · CPC title