Fixing element, method for welding a fixing element to a component and component connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687928-B2
Application number	US-201414305670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2014
Priority date	Mar 1, 2012
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A fixing element has a base area that is provided for the purpose of being welded to a component, and a functional head protruding from a base area that is formed by at least one spherical, or sphere-like element. The fixing element may be welded to a first component and function as a male fixing element that cooperates with a female fixing element of a second component such that the first and second components are detachably connectable via the fixing elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of securing a fixing element to a vehicle body component, the method comprising the acts of:
providing a fixing element comprising a base area configured to be welded to the vehicle body component and a functional head protruding from one side of the base area, the functional head comprising at least one spherical element;
placing the base area of the fixing element onto the vehicle body component, wherein a side of the base area facing away from the functional head is placed on a surface of the vehicle body component; and
arc ignition welding of the base area to the vehicle body component, wherein
the base area comprises one or more plate-shaped elements,
a side of the base area facing the functional head is flat, and
the side of the base area facing away from the functional head tapers inwardly in a direction away from the functional head and toward the surface of the vehicle body component.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inward tapering of the side of the base area facing away from the functional head is a conical tapering.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the fixing element consists only of metal.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the metal is steel or aluminum.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the functional head comprises two spherical elements connected to one another and extending perpendicular to the side of the base area facing the functional head.

6. A component connection, comprising:
a first automotive component having a male fixing element protruding from one side of the first automotive component;
a second automotive component having a female fixing element configured to receive the male fixing element;
wherein the male fixing element comprises a base area and a functional head that protrudes from the base area, the base area comprising one or more plate-shaped elements, wherein a side of the base area facing the functional head is flat and the side of the base area facing away from the functional head tapers inwardly in a direction away from the functional head and toward a surface of the first automotive component,
wherein a weld is formed between the base area and the first component, and the functional head is configured as at least one spherical element having a substantially oversized dimension with respect to the female fixing element, and
wherein the male fixing element is introduced in a lead-in device into the female fixing element, the substantially oversized dimension of the at least one spherical or sphere-like element with respect to the female fixing element being transverse to the lead-in device such that the first and second automotive components are clamped together by the male and female fixing elements.

7. The component connection according to claim 6 , wherein the female fixing element is a separate component that cooperates with the second automotive component.

8. The component connection according to claim 6 , wherein the inward tapering of the side of the base area facing away from the functional head is a conical tapering.

9. The component connection according to claim 6 , wherein the first and/or second automotive component is a sheet metal component.

10. The component connection according to claim 9 , wherein the first and/or second automotive component is a vehicle body component.

11. The component connection according to claim 6 , wherein the male fixing element consists only of metal.

12. The component connection according to claim 11 , wherein the metal is steel or aluminum.

13. The component connection according to claim 6 , further comprising a weld connection of the first and second automotive components in addition to the clamped connection of the two components via the male fixing element and the female fixing element.

14. The component connection according to claim 6 , wherein the functional head comprises two spherical elements connected to one another and extending perpendicular to the side of the base area facing the functional head.

15. A fixing element for vehicle body construction, consisting essentially of:
a base area configured for being welded to a vehicle body component; and
a functional head protruding from one side of the base area, the functional head comprising one or two spherical elements, wherein
the base area comprises one or more plate-shaped elements,
a side of the base area facing the functional head is flat, and
the side of the base area facing away from the functional head tapers inwardly in a direction away from the functional head.

16. The fixing element according to claim 15 , wherein the inward tapering of the side of the base area facing away from the functional head is a conical tapering.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Van Niekerk Johann
• Vasold Hannes
• Aigner Stefan

Classifications

• B23K2201/006

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B23K2203/04

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B23K9/00 Primary

  Arc welding or cutting · CPC title

• F16B5/08 Primary

  by means of welds or the like (welding B23K) · CPC title

• B23K35/02

  characterised by mechanical features, e.g. shape · CPC title