Connecting element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9873186-B2
Application number	US-201414169852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2014
Priority date	Aug 3, 2011
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

A connection element is provided for connecting at least two components. The connection element has at least two spherical, sphere-shaped or sphere-type or sphere-like sections, wherein a first section of the at least two sections is provided for the connection with a first component, and the second section of the at least two sections is provided for the connection with a second component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A component connection, comprising:
a first component and a second component mutually connected by way of a connection element, the first component having a longitudinal shape that extends along a first direction and the second component having a longitudinal shape that extends along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein the connection element comprises:
a plurality of solid spheres directly welded to one another at respective spherical surfaces thereof, free surfaces of the plurality of solid spheres being completely spherical, wherein
the plurality of solid spheres define a connection node having a t-shape formed by a first sphere, a second sphere, a third sphere, a fourth sphere, and a fifth sphere,
the t-shape of the connection node being formed by the first sphere, the second sphere, and the third sphere arranged linearly one behind another along the second direction, and the fourth sphere and the fifth sphere being laterally welded to opposite sides of the third sphere, wherein
the first sphere is welded to the first component, and
the fourth sphere is connected to the second component via a clipping element clipped on an exterior surface of the fourth sphere.

2. The component connection according to claim 1 , wherein the connection element is made of steel or a synthetic material.

3. The component connection according to claim 1 , wherein the clipping element is connectable in a form-locking and/or a frictionally engaging manner with the second component.

4. The component connection according to claim 1 , wherein the connection element is made of metal.

5. The component connection according to claim 1 , wherein the first component and the second component are vehicle body components.

6. The component connection according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the two vehicle body components is a composite fiber vehicle body component.

7. The component connection according to claim 1 , wherein the first component and the second component are non-spherical.

8. The component connection according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of solid spheres has the same size.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Herzinger Thomas
• Wolf Sonja
• Van Niekerk Johann
• Berger Matthias

Classifications

• 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

• Y10T403/70

  Interfitted members · CPC title

• Y10T29/49876

  by snap fit · CPC title

• C09J5/00

  Adhesive processes in general; Adhesive processes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. relating to primers · CPC title

• C09J2400/163

  in the substrate · CPC title