Centering sleeve and method for fastening

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11148263-B2
Application number	US-201916402668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2019
Priority date	May 4, 2018
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

A sleeve (20) for centering fasteners during the assembly of components such as facade elements on the substructure of a building envelope includes a sleeve body (23) and a connection bracket (25). The sleeve body (23) has a plurality of sleeve elements (21, 22) which are grouped around a central center axis A and are spaced apart from each other by gaps running in the sleeve longitudinal direction. At least a first (21) and a second (22) sleeve piece are connected to each other at an axial longitudinal end of the sleeve body (23) by a separable connection bracket (25), preferably the connection bracket is separable via predetermined breaking points. Such a sleeve is used in the construction of facades, wherein it is inserted into a pilot hole of a facade element, the connection bracket is broken off and a fastener is inserted into the sleeve. Driving the fastener centers the fastener in the sleeve and the sleeve is removed from the pilot hole.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sleeve ( 20 ) for centering fasteners during assembly of components, the sleeve comprising:
a sleeve body ( 23 ) formed of a plurality of sleeve elements ( 21 , 22 ) which are grouped around a central center axis (A) and spaced apart from each other by gaps running in a sleeve longitudinal direction;
a separable connection bracket ( 25 ) that connects at least first ( 21 ) and second ( 22 ) ones of the sleeve elements to each other at an axial longitudinal end of the sleeve body ( 23 ): and
the first sleeve element ( 21 ) and the second sleeve element ( 22 ) each have at least one driver element ( 28 , 29 ) formed as a radially inwardly directed projection that extends into a longitudinal opening of the sleeve.

2. The sleeve ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the connection between the first ( 21 ) and the second ( 22 ) sleeve elements is exclusively made by the connection bracket ( 25 ) before use of the sleeve.

3. The sleeve ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first ( 21 ) and the second ( 22 ) sleeve elements each have a radially outward flange-shaped overhang ( 26 , 27 ).

4. The sleeve ( 20 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the flange-shaped overhangs ( 26 , 27 ) are arranged at the axial longitudinal end of the sleeve body ( 23 ).

5. The sleeve ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the driver element ( 28 , 29 ) comprises a cam, a web, a flange ring section or a pin-shaped cylinder.

6. The sleeve ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve ( 20 ) is an injection molded element or compression molded element.

7. The sleeve ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve ( 20 ) is formed of at least one of a plastic, a biodegradable plastic, bonded paper fibers, vegetable fibers, or composite materials.

8. The sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is adapted for assembly of a facade element to the substructure of a building envelope.

9. A sleeve ( 20 ) for centering fasteners during assembly of components, the sleeve comprising:
a sleeve body ( 23 ) formed of a plurality of sleeve elements ( 21 , 22 ) which are grouped around a central center axis (A) and spaced apart from each other by gaps running in a sleeve longitudinal direction; and
a separable connection bracket ( 25 ) that connects at least first ( 21 ) and second ( 22 ) ones of the sleeve elements to each other at an axial longitudinal end of the sleeve body ( 23 );
wherein the connection bracket ( 25 ) has a predetermined breaking point ( 31 , 32 ) each at the transition to the first and second sleeve element ( 21 , 22 ).

10. A method for fastening a facade element to a substructure of a building envelope, comprising the following steps:
a) inserting a sleeve ( 20 ), including a sleeve body ( 23 ) formed of a plurality of sleeve elements ( 21 , 22 ) which are grouped around a central center axis (A) and spaced apart from each other by gaps running in a sleeve longitudinal direction and a separable connection bracket ( 25 ) that connects at least first ( 21 ) and second ( 22 ) ones of the sleeve elements to each other at an axial longitudinal end of the sleeve body ( 23 ), in a hole of said facade element, with flange-shaped overhangs ( 26 , 27 ) of the first and the second sleeve elements resting on a surface of the facade element,
b) breaking off the connection bracket ( 25 ) along predetermined breaking points ( 31 , 32 ) to the sleeve elements ( 21 , 22 ),
c) inserting a fastener in a longitudinal opening of the sleeve,
d) driving the fastener,
e) countersinking the fastener in the substructure, wherein the sleeve ( 20 ) achieves a centering in the hole of the facade element and driver elements ( 28 , 29 ) of the first and second sleeve elements lock in the thread grooves of the fastener,
f) ejecting the sleeve elements ( 21 , 22 ) from the hole of the facade element by driving the fastener, and
g) completing the fastening wherein no remainder of the sleeve ( 20 ) remains in a completed fastener-facade—element substructure combination.

Assignees

• Sfs Intec Holding Ag

Inventors

• Mair Roland
• Palm Erich

Classifications

• B23B49/02

  Boring templates or bushings · CPC title

• F16B19/02 Primary

  Bolts or sleeves for positioning of machine parts, e.g. notched taper pins, fitting pins, sleeves, eccentric positioning rings · CPC title

• F16B37/002

  cutting threads during screwing; removing paint or dirt layers covering threaded shanks · CPC title

• E04F13/0837

  extending completely through the covering elements · CPC title

• Y10T29/49963

  Threaded fastener · CPC title