Connecting element and method for producing a structural connection between two structural parts by foamable material, and assembly composed of two structural parts connected with a connecting element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11827281-B2
Application number	US-202117317931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2021
Priority date	May 13, 2020
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

A connecting element for producing a structural connection between a first structural part and a second structural part by a foamable material, the connecting element includes a plug-in part and at least two chambers separated from one another in a fluid-tight manner by a partition, the at least two chambers each accommodating a reactant; a plug-in delimiting part mechanically connected to the plug-in part and configured to delimit displacement of the plug-in part in the plug-in direction; and a break-open mechanism configured to damage the partition, as a result of a break-open force supplied to the break-open mechanism, such that the fluid-tight manner between the at least two chambers is canceled, wherein reactants are selected such that mixing thereof causes a foaming reaction, which extends radially outward beyond the circumferential surface of the plug-in part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connecting element for producing a structural connection between a first structural part and a second structural part by a foamable material, the connecting element comprising:
a plug-in part displaced along a plug-in direction and comprising at least two chambers separated from one another in a fluid-tight manner by a partition, each of the at least two chambers accommodating a reactant;
a plug-in delimiting part mechanically connected to the plug-in part and configured to delimit displacement of the plug-in part in the plug-in direction, the plug-in delimiting part protruding radially, at least in part, outward beyond a circumferential surface of the plug-in part; and
a break-open mechanism configured to damage the partition, as a result of a break-open force supplied to the break-open mechanism, such that the fluid-tight manner between the at least two chambers is canceled,
wherein reactants of the respective chambers are selected such that mixing thereof causes a foaming reaction, which extends radially outward beyond the circumferential surface of the plug-in part.

2. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the break-open mechanism comprises a piercing needle with which the partition between the chambers is pierced.

3. The connecting element according to claim 2 , wherein the piercing needle extends through one of the chambers to an outside of said chamber and is configured to be mounted thereon in a fluid-tight and longitudinally displaceable manner.

4. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the chambers are outwardly delimited by a respective circumferential wall, wherein the circumferential wall of one of the chambers has a lower wall thickness than a wall thickness of the circumferential wall of the other chamber, and/or the circumferential wall of at least one of the chambers has a predetermined breaking point.

5. The connecting element according to claim 4 , wherein the break-open mechanism comprises a piercing needle with which the partition between the chambers is pierced.

6. The connecting element according to claim 5 , wherein the piercing needle extends through one of the chambers to outside of said chamber and is configured to be mounted thereon in a fluid-tight and longitudinally displaceable manner.

7. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the plug-in part comprises, at an end which is spaced apart from the plug-in delimiting part in the plug-in direction, a collar which protrudes radially, at least in part, outward beyond the circumferential surface of the plug-in part.

8. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the plug-in part has a conical configuration at an end which is spaced apart from the plug-in delimiting part in the plug-in direction.

9. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the plug-in part is pin-shaped with a round cross section.

10. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the plug-in part is pin-shaped with an angular cross section.

11. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the plug-in part is formed from a polymeric material.

12. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the plug-in delimiting part is formed from a polymeric material.

13. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the break-open mechanism is formed from a polymeric material.

14. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the plug-in direction comprises a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plug-in part.

15. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the partition comprises a rigid wall.

16. The connecting element according to claim 1 , wherein the partition comprises a flexible membrane.

17. A method for producing a structural connection between a first structural part and a second structural part by a foamable material using the connecting element according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
arranging the first and second structural parts such that a respective plug-in opening in each structural part is aligned;
plugging the plug-in part, in the plug-in direction, into the plug-in openings of the first and second structural parts until the plug-in delimiting part bears against one of the structural parts;
supplying the break-open force to the break-open mechanism of the connecting element to damage the partition between the chambers such that the fluid-tight manner between the chambers containing the respective reactants is canceled, the reactants mix, and the foaming reaction of the reactants is brought about; and
directing foaming material, which forms as a result of the foaming reaction, radially outward beyond the circumferential surface of the plug-in part and against the structural parts.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the plug-in part is formed from a polymeric material.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the plug-in delimiting part is formed from a polymeric material.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Baranowski Thomas
• Broda Maik
• Rebmann Pascal
• Franzen Markus

Classifications

• B62D27/026 Primary

  Connections by glue bonding (in general F16B11/00; processes C09J5/00) · CPC title

• B29C44/183

  the components being kept apart in different containers within the bag, and mixed upon rupture of the containers (B29C44/184 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C44/185

  Starting the expansion after rupturing or dissolving the bag · CPC title

• B29C44/353

  Means for guiding the foaming in, e.g. a particular direction · CPC title

• B29C65/485

  Multi-component adhesives, i.e. chemically curing as a result of the mixing of said multi-components · CPC title