Provided is a crimp structure in which an inner member and an outer member that is arranged outside the inner member are joined to each other. The inner member includes: an insertion portion having a columnar surface-like outer circumferential surface; and a recessed portion provided in the outer circumferential surface. The outer member includes: a cylindrical portion that forms an opening into which the insertion portion is inserted; a reduced-diameter portion that is formed in the cylindrical portion, and has a plastically deformed shape such that a diameter of the cylindrical portion is reduced annularly inward in a radial direction; and a protruding portion that has a plastically deformed shape such that a part, in a circumferential direction, of the reduced-diameter portion has entered the recessed portion. Relative rotation of the inner member and the outer member can be suppressed.

A method and apparatus for joining first and second bodies coaxially together to resist relative axial and rotational movement between the bodies. A male portion of the first body is received in a complementary female portion of the second body, and the male and female portions are aligned axially on a common axis such that respective cooperating grooves in opposing cylindrical or tapered complementary surfaces of the male and female portions are aligned to form a plurality of passageways or a passageway having a plurality of passageway portions, between the opposing cylindrical or tapered complementary surfaces. At least two of the passageways or at least two of the passageway portions are disposed at different angles to the common axis. Solid mechanical coupling elements are loaded into each passageway or into the passageway having the plurality of passageway portions, such that each passageway or the passageway having the plurality of passageway portions is substantially full of the solid mechanical coupling elements.

A support assembly for an assembly comprised of an extruded member that defines a cavity, the member including an opening having a plurality of sides, and a crush tube inserted into the cavity of the member and mechanically retained in the member at or near a desired location by flanging the sides of the opening into an open end of the crush tube.

A semi-finished product (31) includes a first curved portion on one end of a plate-shaped bridge portion (33), and a second curved portion (37) on the other end of the bridge portion (33). The second curved portion (37) includes at the end a second lock portion (51) to lock with a first lock portion (41). The bridge portion (33) and the inner circumferential surfaces of the first and second curved portions (35, 37) are pressure-contacted and caulked on the outer circumferential surface of the stabilizer bar (11) by first and second dies (61, 62). At least one of the inner circumferential surfaces (31c) of the first and second curved portions (35, 37) and the outer circumferential surface of the stabilizer bar opposed to the inner surfaces (31c) is formed with an anti-slippage portion (38). The inner circumferential surfaces (31c) of the first and second curved portions (35, 37) and the outer circumferential surface of the stabilizer bar (11) have an anti-slippage material (Co) therebetween.

Described are channel joints (1) for bonding a tube or tubular member (30) to an end fitting (20) in double shear. The channel joint may include a receiving channel (25) in the end fitting (20) that is complementary in shape to the tube, tubular member, or other hollow member (30) that is to be fitted and bonded with the end fitting. The use of a channel joint allows for simplified assembly because the receiving channel acts as a reservoir for the bonding agent or adhesive (50). Upon insertion of the tube, tubular member, or other hollow member into the adhesive-loaded receiving channel, the adhesive will backflow to fill the voids in the joint and expel the excess adhesive. The resulting joint is less likely to have voids, has additional bonding area compared to lap joints, and prevents the adhesive or bonding agent from experiencing tensile loads.

A load-bearing structure of a motor vehicle, having hollow profiles and junction elements to connect the hollow profiles. The hollow profiles may be fastened in receptacles of the junction elements, and the junction elements may have a plurality of of areal webs in a vehicle vertical direction, at least some of the areal webs forming a framework structure which assists the load path in the respective junction element.

A locking bracket and methods of using the same are disclosed. The locking bracket includes a rigid body and a locking pin slidably and rotatably coupled to the rigid body and movable between an unlocked position and a locked position. An engagement member can enter and exit the rigid body when the locking pin is in the unlocked position but is locked to the rigid body when the locking pin is in the locked position. Optionally, the rigid body may include a guide portion that guides the engagement member to a mounting position within the rigid body. The methods include swinging an attachment component towards a main body until the engagement member engages the locking bracket coupled to the main body, removing the locking pin from the unlocked position, and locking the attachment component to the bracket by placing the locking pin in the locked position.

A frame for at least partially enclosing or supporting a panel is provided. The frame may include at least a first frame section that may include an elongated piece of framework material having a first end and a second end, wherein the first and second ends define a lengthwise dimension. The first frame section may further include lengthwise fold defining an intersection of a frame sidewall with a bottom flange, wherein the frame sidewall is characterized by a height extending from the bottom flange. The first frame section may further include a portion of at least one tab connection assembly where a connected element is attached to the first frame section. The tab connection assembly may include: i) at least one tab feature provided as part of either the first frame section or the connected element, and ii) at least one corresponding hole feature provided as part of the other of the first frame section or the connected element, wherein the hole feature may lockingly receives the at least one tab feature. The connected element may include another frame section, a cross bar, or a racking structure.

A connecting sleeve suitable for the production of a push-pull link bar includes a main body, a coupling section which is formed or arranged on the outer circumferential side on the main body, and a through bore, characterized in that the connecting sleeve has a first seal which is arranged at least partially on the outer circumferential side and a second seal which closes at least the through bore.

A coupling device and method for removably coupling frames of a modular panel system includes a first coupling body fixedly and rotatably connected to a first panel frame of a first panel and a second coupling body fixedly and rotatably connected to a second panel frame of a second panel. The first and second coupling bodies are removably coupled to one another in a coupled state to thereby couple the first panel and the second panel together and are decoupled from one another in a decoupled state to thereby decouple the first panel and the second panel from one another.