Method for producing connecting elements of a snap connection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016368208-A1
Application number	US-201615188180-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2016
Priority date	Jun 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for producing connecting elements of a snap connection system comprising liquefying and extruding a curable modelling material. The method also comprises constructing, layer by layer, and subsequently curing, one connecting element as a latching element and one connecting element as a counter-latching element from the modelling material. The latching element is formed having a latching head and the counter-latching element is formed having a latching socket which has a shape which complements that of the latching head. The latching element and/or the counter-latching element are elastically deformable at least in parts such that a snap connection is produced between the latching element and the counter-latching element by pushing the latching head into the latching socket.

First claim

1 . A method for producing connecting elements of a snap connection system, the method comprising:
liquefying and extruding a curable modelling material; and constructing, layer by layer, and subsequently curing, one connecting element as a latching element and one connecting element as a counter-latching element from the modelling material, wherein the latching element is formed having a latching head and the counter-latching element is formed having a latching socket which has a shape which complements that of the latching head, wherein the latching element and/or the counter-latching element are elastically deformable at least in portions such that a snap connection is produced between the latching element and the counter-latching element by pushing the latching head into the latching socket.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the modelling material is layered so as to substantially follow the load stresses of the latching element and/or the counter-latching element that arise in the latching element and/or the counter-latching element when the latching element is pushed into the counter-latching element when the snap connection is being created.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the modelling material is layered at least in portions substantially perpendicularly to or in parallel with the load stresses.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the latching head is formed as a snap-in hook, a snap-in pin, snap-in ball or a snap-in cylinder.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the latching head is formed as a snap-in hook which is subjected to bending or torsion when the snap connection is being created.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the latching head is formed as a snap-in hook having a main bending direction and the modelling material is layered substantially in parallel with or perpendicularly to the main bending direction of the latching head.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the latching head is formed as a snap-in hook having a main bending direction and a secondary bending direction and the modelling material is layered at least in portions substantially in parallel with or perpendicularly to the main bending direction and/or the secondary bending direction of the latching head.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the latching head is formed as a rectangular snap-in hook and the main bending direction is oriented perpendicularly to the secondary bending direction.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises a fused deposition modelling method.

10 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media on which computer-executable instructions are stored which, when executed by a data processing device, prompt the data processing device to carry out instructions comprising:
liquefying and extruding a curable modelling material; and constructing, layer by layer, and subsequently curing, one connecting element as a latching element and one connecting element as a counter-latching element from the modelling material, wherein the latching element is formed having a latching head and the counter-latching element is formed having a latching socket which has a shape which complements that of the latching head, wherein the latching element and/or the counter-latching element are elastically deformable at least in portions such that a snap connection is produced between the latching element and the counter-latching element by pushing the latching head into the latching socket.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Robrecht Volker
• Ruppert Bernd

Classifications

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y50/00

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C67/0055 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29C64/106

  using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material · CPC title