Component connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10823212-B2
Application number	US-201615164964-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	Jan 15, 2014
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A component connection is provided, having a first component in which a first hole is provided, a second component in which a second hole is provided, and a connecting element which has two interconnected spheres or two interconnected spherical elements. Centers of the two spheres or spherical elements are located on a straight line which extends perpendicular to a first equatorial plane of the first sphere or of the first spherical element. Perpendicular to a second equatorial plane of the second sphere or the second spherical element, an edge of the first hole and an edge of the second hole both extend into an undercut area situated between the two equatorial planes such that an interlocking and/or frictional connection is produced in the undercut area. The connection resists pulling-apart forces acting on the two components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A component connection, comprising:
a first sheet component having a first hole therethrough defining a first peripheral edge;
a second sheet component having a second hole therethrough defining a second peripheral edge;
wherein the first and second peripheral edges each comprise a plurality of bent clamping-collar elements which extend radially inwardly therefrom and are circumferentially distributed around the edge; and
a connecting element comprising two ball-shaped elements connected to one another via a larger diameter spacer disposed therebetween, the two ball-shaped elements being affixed to opposing sides of the spacer and aligned such that centers of the two ball-shaped elements are located on a straight line perpendicular to a first equatorial plane of the first ball-shaped element and a second equatorial plane of the second ball-shaped element,
wherein the first and second ball-shaped elements are inserted through the first and second holes such that a peripheral edge of each opposing side of the spacer contacts the bent clamping-collar elements of the first or second component, and such that a distal contact edge of each bent clamping-collar element contacts an engagement surface of the first or second ball-shaped element located between the first and second equatorial planes; and
wherein the bent clamping-collar elements of the first component and the bent clamping-collar elements of the second component are bent away from each other, and the bent clamping-collar elements are flexurally elastic to exert a clamping force on the engagement surfaces of the first and second ball-shaped elements and such that a frictional connection is produced at the engagement surfaces that counters pulling-apart forces acting on the first and second components.

2. The component connection according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second components are connected to one another solely via the clamping force exerted on the engagement surfaces of the connecting element by the bent clamping-collar elements.

3. The component connection according to claim 1 , wherein each of the two ball-shaped elements are welded to a respective side of the spacer.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Hammer Maik
• Van Niekerk Johann

Classifications

• F16B5/0664 Primary

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

• F16B21/071

  the socket being integrally formed with a component to be fasted, e.g. a sheet, plate or strip · CPC title

• F16B5/065

  the plates being one on top of the other and distanced from each other, e.g. by using protrusions to keep contact and distance · CPC title