A method of bonding a first object to a second object, including the steps of: providing a profile body having a first profile body portion; providing the first object, wherein the first object has thermoplastic material; providing the second object, wherein the profile body is separate from and attachable to the second object or wherein the second object includes the profile body; embedding the profile body in the first object such that the first profile body portion is within the thermoplastic material of the first object. Embedding the profile body in the first object is caused by mechanical energy impinging on the first object and/or on the second object while the first object and the second object are pressed against each other.

A doghouse retainer includes a body having an end wall incorporating a clip receiver and a sidewall having an ultrasonic heating concentration feature. A door assembly is provided including a door inner and a door trim panel incorporating such a doghouse retainer. A method of adjusting a gap between two components is also provided.

A joined body includes: a thin plate including through holes; first members each including: a base portion and a protruding portion inserted into one of the through holes; and a second member placed oppositely to the base portion via the thin plate and made of a material that is of a same kind as a material of the first members. The thin plate is made of a material having a specific gravity smaller than the materials of the first and the second members. The second member and an end portion of the protruding portion are connected together by melt-solidification. A post-joining hardness difference in a range of 30% along a direction orthogonal to a joint interface between the second member and the protruding portion, the range being centered on the joint interface, is equal to or less than 90% of a pre-joining hardness difference.

A profile assembly produced from a first profile and a second profile connected longitudinally by cold joining. Both profiles bear complementary clamping structures on long sides thereof facing toward one another for cold joining together. The clamping structure of the first profile comprises a clamping head formed on a web and forming an undercut on each side of the web by way of a greater extension in the profile transverse direction in relation to that of the web. The clamping structure of the second profile comprises a clamping head receptacle for accommodating a section of the clamping head and a clinching leg, formed on a profile-exterior leg of the clamping head receptacle, having a first profile arm protruding before cold joining and a second profile arm formed at an angle thereon, the free end of which engages behind the clamping head and, before cold joining, faces toward a clamping pocket of the first profile. The clamping head receptacle is tapered with respect to its open width and/or the clamping head is tapered with respect to its material thickness of the section to be inserted into the clamping head receptacle, wherein the section of the clamping head pressed into the clamping head receptacle is connected to the clamping head receptacle in a metallically sealed manner.

A rivet structure includes a female rivet plate and a male rivet plate. The female rivet plate defines an elongated countersunk hole. A size of the countersunk hole increases from a first side of the female rivet plate to a second side of the female rivet plate. The male rivet plate includes a rivet including a shaft portion and two head portions. The shaft portion extends from the male rivet plate. The two head portions are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the shaft portion on a side of the shaft portion facing away from the male rivet plate. The two head portions extend through the countersunk hole from the first side of the female rivet plate to the second side of the female rivet plate. The two head portions are configured to be stamped by a stamping member to fill in the countersunk hole.

A component connection has a first component, a second component with a through hole, and a connecting element, by which the two components are connected to each other. The connecting element has at least two balls connected to each other, of which a first ball extends, at least over part of the diameter thereof, through the through-hole. A second ball of the connecting element is pressed into the material of the first component such that the second ball is connected to the first component in a positive-locking manner.

A method is provided for producing a common connecting opening in two components, at least one of which is made from a plastically deformable material. In the method, at least the edge region of a first prefabricated opening of the first component is softened in order subsequently to introduce a mandrel which displaces the material softened by the heating so that a common connecting opening having a predetermined diameter is obtained.

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that defines a chilled chamber. The cabinet has an outer casing with a first front flange and a second front flange. The first and second front flanges are connected at a mitered joint. Each of the first and second front flanges has a tab extending into the outer casing. The tabs of the first and second front flanges are plastically deformed together at the mitered joint.

A panel for installing a solar battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first connection portion, which protrudes upwards from one widthwise end of a panel; a second connection portion, which protrudes upwards from the other widthwise end of the panel, and which is fitted to a first connection portion of an adjacent panel in the upward/downward direction; a pair of coupling protrusions bent upwards inside the first connection portion and inside the second connection portion; and a seating portion formed between the coupling protrusions, solar battery modules being installed on the seating portion, wherein the coupling protrusions are bent in the direction in which the solar battery modules are provided, such that the solar battery modules can be pressurized and fixed.

A riveting structure and a riveting method are provided. The riveting structure includes a first metal element and a second metal element. The first metal element includes a first upper surface, a pressure-receiving portion and a recess portion. The recess portion is recessed from the first upper surface. The pressure-receiving portion is protruded from a surface of the recess portion. The second metal element includes a second lower surface and a protrusion portion and has a through hole. The protrusion portion is protruded from the second lower surface and correspondingly disposed in the recess portion. The through hole penetrates the second metal element via a central part of the protrusion portion. The pressure-receiving portion is correspondingly received in the through hole and is adapted to be pressed and deformed to be riveted to the through hole.