Spring connection element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909603-B2
Application number	US-201415022763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2014
Priority date	Sep 20, 2013
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a spring connection element, by means of which at least two components can be connected to each other by means of a claw-fit in at least one component opening. The spring connection element is characterized by the following features: a spiral spring-like wire coil with a first and a second end, said coil comprising a plurality of axially spaced windings, a spiral collar which extends radially beyond a circumference of the wire coil and which is arranged at the first end of the wire coil, and a central traction element protruding radially into the wire coil, which is arranged at the second end of the wire coil, which does not extend axially beyond the wire coil, and by means of which the spring connection element can be pulled into a component opening substantially rotation-free.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Spring connection element by means of which at least two components can be connected to each other by means of a claw-fit in at least one component opening and which comprises the following features:
a spiral wire coil having a first and a second end, which comprises a plurality of windings which are axially spaced with respect to each other,
a spiral collar extending radially beyond a circumference of the wire coil, which is arranged at the first end of the wire coil, and
a central traction element, which is arranged at the second end of the wire coil protruding radially into the wire coil, which does not extend axially beyond the wire coil, and by means of which the spring connection element can be pulled into a component opening substantially rotation-free, in which
a wire of the wire coil comprises in a cross-section and with respect to the wire coil a radial width b and an axial thickness s with a size ratio of 1.25≦b/s≦3.5.

2. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which a wire of the wire coil comprises in its cross-section and with respect to the wire coil at least at the radially outer side of the wire coil a radius of curvature r, which is smaller than the axial thickness s of the wire.

3. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which a pitch p of the wire coil per revolution U compared to the axial thickness s of the wire of the wire coil in cross-section and with respect to the wire coil has the following value p≧1.25 s U −1 .

4. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which a wire of the wire coil with an axial thickness s and a radial width b in cross-section and with respect to the wire coil has the following profile:
in the width direction oval-shaped or lens-shaped and/or
in the width direction oval-shaped or lenticular and in the thickness direction flattened on one or both sides and/or
in the thickness direction elongated and/or
in the thickness direction elongated with a radially outward concave indentation and/or
in the thickness direction S-shaped and/or
in the thickness direction elongated with a radially outward bulge in the width direction and a radially inward indentation.

5. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which a wire of the wire coil comprises in cross-section and with respect to the wire coil at a radially outer side of the wire coil a clawing contour with a cutting edge-direction, which is arranged at an angle of γ>90° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the spring connection element.

6. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which the wire coil has a cylindrical shape and at least one of the windings of the wire coil extends beyond an outer diameter of the cylindrical wire coil.

7. Spring connection element according to claim 6 , in which the at least one winding is arranged in an axial central portion of the wire coil.

8. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which the wire coil comprises 3-15 windings.

9. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which the windings of the wire coil have radially outwardly an angular shape so that the windings can claw in an opening wall of the component.

10. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which the windings of the wire coil are rounded in a radial cross-section and/or are S-shaped or formed at least radially outwardly sharp-edged.

11. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which the spiral collar is formed conically tapered in the direction of the wire coil.

12. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which the central traction element provides a support surface for an installation tool which is accessible via an interior of the wire coil.

13. Spring connection element according to claim 1 , in which the wire coil is tapered in the axial direction in the portion of the second end.

14. Component compound of at least two components, each having a component opening in which a spring connection element according to claim 1 is installed.

15. Spring connection element by means of which at least two components can be connected to each other by means of a claw-fit in at least one component opening and which comprises the following features:
a spiral wire coil having a first and a second end, which comprises a plurality of windings which are axially spaced with respect to each other,
a spiral collar extending radially beyond a circumference of the wire coil, which is arranged at the first end of the wire coil, and
a central traction element, which is arranged at the second end of the wire coil protruding radially into the wire coil, which does not extend axially beyond the wire coil, and by means of which the spring connection element can be pulled into a component opening substantially rotation free wherein the central traction element has an installation web protruding axially beyond the spiral collar, which extends within the wire coil.

16. Spring connection element according to claim 15 , in which the installation web is removable from the spring connection element by means of a predetermined breaking point in the interior of the wire coil.

17. Installation method for a spring connection element by which at least two components can be connected to each other by a claw-fit in at least one component opening, in particular the spring connection element according to claim 1 , comprising a spiral wire coil having a first and a second end, a spiral collar extending radially beyond a circumference of the wire coil, which is arranged at the first end of the wire coil, and a central traction element protruding radially into the wire coil, which is arranged at the second end of the wire coil, wherein the installation method comprises the following steps:
a. arranging at least a first and a second component with mutually aligned openings and positioning the spring connection element at an entrance of the component opening of the first component,
b. applying a compressive force on the central traction element, which is directed axially with respect to the spring connection element, so that the traction element pulls the wire coil rotation-free into the component opening, or
stretching the spring connection element by applying a pulling force between spiral collar and traction element, such that the spring connection element is axially stretched and radially tapered, and inserting the stretched spring connection element rotation-free into the component opening, and
c. relieving of the traction element, after the spiral collar is supported on the first component, so that at least one of the windings of the wire coil anchors in at least one of the component openings.

18. Installation method according to claim 17 , comprising:
applying the compressive force on the traction element by means of an installation mandrel or an installation web provided at the traction element.

Assignees

• Boellhoff Verbindungstechnik Gmbh

Inventors

• Stastny Petr
• Vorderwisch Alexander
• Kahre Michael

Classifications

• F16B37/12

  with thread-engaging surfaces formed by inserted coil-springs, discs, or the like; Independent pieces of wound wire used as nuts; Threaded inserts for holes {(mounting devices B25B27/143)} · CPC title

• F16B2/248 Primary

  of wire · CPC title

• B25B27/02

  for connecting objects by press fit or detaching same {(B25D1/16 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B25B33/00

  Hand tools not covered by any other group in this subclass · CPC title

• F16B2/20

  Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening · CPC title